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2 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————
Maine Sporting Camps & Lodges — A True Maine Tradition — GRANT'S KENNEBAGO CAMPS Get away, y sh, bird hunt & relax!
im Pond CAMPS
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Libby Outpost Camps Libby Outposts are historic remote lakeside or riverfront log cabins located throughout the 3.5-million-acre private woodlands known as the North Maine Woods. Each cabin has the feeling of being the only cabin in the wilds, and in fact is miles from the nearest neighbor. Starting in the 1890s, the Libby Family used many of these cabins to access their main lodges on the headwaters of the Allagash and Aroostook Rivers, when the only available routes were by trail or stream. Today, logging roads and seaplanes make access much easier. Cabins are located in WMD Zone 5, in the heart of the best hunting and fishing territory Maine has to offer. All cabins are miles apart and within the NMW gate system.
Check out our website www.libbyoutposts.com or Libby Outpost Facebook page for all pictures, cabin information and rates (from $32/person + up). Cabins come equipped with propane lights, stoves, fridges, kitchens and beds, and are ready to call your own. Cabins have been built or rebuilt from local timber by the Libby Family. No cell phone coverage or electricity, but satellite phones are available for those needing a connection. • Aroostook River Camp: Log cabin built in 1941 at the confluence of Munsungan and Millinocket Streams. Gated road or stream access. 5 beds. T8R8. • Chandler Pond: Two log cabins built in 1952 on the shores of Chandler Pond. Rebuilt 2020. 4 beds. Gated road and short boat ride or seaplane access. T8R10. • Clear Lake: Two log cabins built in the early 1900s and rebuilt in the late 1990s. Cook cabin and sleeping cabin with total of 9 beds. Road or seaplane access. T10R11. • Echo Lake: Large log cabin with 8 beds built in 1983. Road or seaplane access. T9R11.
Lower Hudson Pond: Two connected log cabins with total of 10 beds, built in 1984. Terrible 4x4 road, trail or seaplane access. Very remote. T10R10. • Mooseleuk Lake: Two log cabins with total of 7 beds, built in 2007. Best wildlife lake for photography. Gated road or seaplane access. T10R9. • #1 Camp: Two log cabins on Munsungan Stream built in the 1920s and rebuilt in 2011. 5 beds total. Road access. T8R9. Great winter retreat for skiers or snowsledding. Contact Matt P & Ellen Libby at 207551-8292 or mattp@libbycamps.com. Mailing address: 197 Haystack Rd., Castle Hill, ME 04757 •
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Tim Pond Wilderness Camps “The Place You’ve Been Looking For and Didn’t Know How to Find!” Tim Pond Camps, located in Eustis, Maine, consists of a Main Lodge and 11 rustic log cabins. The cozy cabins are equipped with a bathroom and hot and cold running water, and are heated with woodstoves. Delicious home-cooked meals are served in the spacious lodge dining room, and the cookie jar is always full for snacking! Tim Pond, which has never been stocked, stretches a mile long and is well known for unbelievable fly fishing for native brook trout. Tim Pond is actually one of only a few ponds left in Maine that is
still all-natural. Although a lot of fishermen practice catch-and-release, each angler is allowed to keep two fish. Brookies are great fighters and a lot of fun to catch, and to eat – if you get “fish-hungry,” the cook will fry up your catch for breakfast! Guests staying at Tim Pond Camps in September enjoy taking a hike up the brook to see the fish as they make their way to spawn, and they are always amazed at how far up the mountain the fish travel, and the small amount of water needed to make the voyage. Tim Pond offers many adventures and attractions in addition to the spectacular fishing. If learning to fly fish is on your
bucket list, then enroll in Tim Pond’s Fly-Fishing School, or just to learn some new fly-fishing techniques. Guests can enjoy an energetic hike, go bird or moose watching, or just sit on the porch and read a book while listening to the loons and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Deer, moose, eagles and fox are often seen without leaving the porch. And, if hunting is your passion, Tim Pond offers upland game and deer hunting in season. Make Tim Pond Camps your next fishing or vacation destination. Call 207243-2947, or visit www.timpond.com.
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www.MaineSportsman.com
4 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————
Editorial
Vermont Considers Banning Coyote Hunting with Dogs
It’s Important to Keep Track of AntiHunting Activity in Neighboring States
Since each state manages its own fish and game laws, it would be easy to believe that what happens in Vermont has no bearing on us here in Maine. However, those of us who have worked with and around the Maine legislature know that’s not the case. That’s because one of the first questions lawmakers pose when faced with legislation in this state, is “How is this issue handled in other states?” That’s why it’s important for us to pay attention to S.281, introduced January 27, 2022 by the Committee on Natural Resources for consideration by the Vermont General Assembly. The bill’s title? “An Act Relating to Hunting Coyotes with Dogs.” The operative language? “No person shall pursue coyote with the aid of dogs.” If enacted into law, the bill would take effect immediately. Among Vermont hunters, reaction to Ridgeback. Photo: AnimalsData the legislation has been swift. “Make no mistake about it,” a state wildlife biologist commented. “This is a plan that the animal rights people use everywhere. Their approach is to start with the lowest hanging fruit – the issues they believe have the least levels of participation. Next in line is abolishing seasons in which dogs can be used for other forms of hunting, like bird hunting and hare hunting. All they need is momentum.” Mike Covey, of Vermont Traditions Coalition (which likely plays the same important role in VT that Sportsmans Alliance of Maine plays here), explained: “There is a narrative being put forth that pursuit hounds are a threat to public safety.” The real threat, he said, is not hounds used for hunting, but instead household dogs that bite owners and guests. He cited statistics from the Vermont Veterinary Medical Association revealing that on average, more than 500 children are bitten each year by household “pet” dogs. Here in Maine, dogs play an important and traditional role in hunting – pointers, setters, beagles chasing hares, and hounds pursuing bear and coyote. Several of our regular columnists help deer herds by reducing coyote populations in Western Maine using dogs – especially on the fringes of deer wintering areas, where whitetails are vulnerable. If dog bites are an issue, then look at the problem – including pit bulls, rottweilers, German Shepherds and other dogs kept as pets. But don’t pursue an anti-hunting agenda under the guise of concern about preventing dog/human contact. So it’s important for us Mainers to pay attention to what’s going on in state capitols around the country – especially in Vermont, a neighboring northern New England state. Anti-hunters likely plan to learn from this effort, so their next try – in Vermont or elsewhere, like Maine – will be more finely honed. Let’s turn things around, supporting hunting groups in Vermont, and learning from them as we prepare for future battles here in Maine.
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On the Cover: Tyler James Parker of Arundel pulled this 21.8-pound, 42-inch Northern pike out of Lake Cobbossee on March 10, 2021. He baited his Jack Traps with jumbo smelt from Cobbossee Bait, on Little Cobbosseecontee. “The first thing that fish did was to spool all the line off my trap down to the ‘base camp’ knot,” said Tyler. “After I set the hook, it made ten long runs, finally coming to the hole after a long, 10-minute fight.” MacKenzie J. Parker photo www.MaineSportsman.com
New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication
Sportsman The Maine
ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 593 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Carol Lund carol@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR: Deb Lund Carter distribution@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices. All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Phone: 207-622-4242 Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Maine Sportsman, 183 State Street, Suite 101, Augusta, ME 04330 12-Month Subscription: $30 • 24-Month Subscription: $49
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Almanac by Will Lund.................................................... 14 A Ranger on the Allagash by Tim Caverly.................. 51 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves..................... 48 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia.................. 32 Big Woods World by Mike Stevens............................... 31 Central Maine by Steve Vose....................................... 71 Cooking Wildly by Kate Krukowski Gooding............... 53 Downeast Region by Jim Lemieux............................... 67 Editorial.............................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by Lou Zambello....................... 62 Jackman Region by William Sheldon.......................... 58 Jottings by Jon Lund........................................................ 9 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon......................... 54 Letters to the Editor.......................................................... 6 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes....................... 37 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour................................... 18 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose............................... 50 Midcoast by Tom Seymour........................................... 68 Moosehead Region by Tom Seymour......................... 60 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.............................. 77 Nolan’s Outdoor World by Nolan Raymond............... 52 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie............................ 46 Outdoors & Other Mistakes by Al Diamon.................. 80 Quotable Sportsman by Will Lund.................................. 8 Rangeley Region by William Clunie............................. 74 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers............................. 79 Saltwater Fishing by Barry Gibson................................ 68 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth..................... 72 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews.................. 35 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard............................. 56 Smilin’ Sportsman by Will Lund...................................... 79 Snapshots in Time by Bill Pierce.................................... 13 Southern Maine by Val Marquez................................. 73 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie.................... 36 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery................. 11 Tidewater Tales by Randy Randall............................... 39 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller.................. 34 Trading Post (Classifieds)............................................... 81 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour....................................... 64 True Tales from the Warden Service by Ret. Lt. Doug Tibbetts.44 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.............. 76 Young Maine Guide by Luke Giampetruzzi................ 66
GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS
2021 Grand Slam Patch Club....................................... 42 Boating by Capt. Ron Dupuis....................................... 19 Guest: Landowner Permission by Staci Warren.......... 45 Ice Fishing in Maine by Steve Carpenteri.................... 23 Snowmobiling in Maine by Steve Carpenteri............. 26 Shooting Sports by Bob Humphrey.............................. 30
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6 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————
Letters To The Editor
Ultralight Does the Job To the Editor: Just catching up on reading my December issue of The Maine Sportsman and I saw Tom Seymour’s piece about his St. Croix ultralight spinning rod. That’s the same rod I have used for over a decade. I have been amazed at the fish I’ve caught over the years with that little rod.
#2 Mepps, with 4-pound test line. Pete Kallin – Oakland, ME —
Enjoyed Hunting, Now Enjoys Reading About It To the Editor: I’ve hunted in Maine since the early 1970s and I have received The Maine Sportsman for many years. I’ve had many great seasons hunting in Maine. Now, my hunting days are over, as my legs don’t move as well as they used to. I’m going on 87 years old. Enclosed is my check for a two year subscription. And I plan to be around at the end of this subscription, to renew again next time! Raymond Malicki – Phillipsburg, PA —
Got Gassed in Wyoming’s Thin Air
Pete’s pike – a big fish, caught on ultralight gear.
Here’s a photo of a pike I picked up last year while casting for trout off my dock, using a Weeping Willow spoon and
www.MaineSportsman.com
To the Editor: I had to chuckle at Ethan Emerson’s “Western Education” article in the January 2022 issue, as I had walked that path 15 years ago in Wyoming during my first unguided Mule Deer hunt on foot. I soon discovered: Grizzlies aren’t Black Bears, high elevation + snow =
painful hiking, and judging distances across air is very challenging! The next trip found me with a flatter-shooting rifle, rangefinder, portable rest and – most importantly – the benefits of spending hours at the gym and a 300-yard rifle range! It was some of the most memorable hunting in my career, and I only wished I had done it earlier! Steve Morawski – Russell, MA —
Gotta Get Me One of Those Heated Vests! To the Editor: I enjoy reading The Maine Sportsman and I was especially interested in Steve Vose’s article in the January, 2022 issue about wearing a heated vest to counteract freezing temperatures. I’ve heard of heated vests before, but reading his article caught my interest. I’m 70 years old and I really like wearing a vest, and if it were heated, that sounds even better! May I ask what model Steve wears? Dave Fitch, Woodbridge, VA (Maine Maritime Academy, 1974) Steve Vose responds: Hi Dave – thanks for reading the magazine and I’m glad you enjoyed the column. (Continued on next page)
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I have the ARRIS Heated Vest Size Adjustable 7.4V Battery Electric Warm Vest for Hiking. If you can’t find it at a local retailer, you should be able to locate one on Amazon. I have an older model, and it’s still going strong after three years of use. The newer models have simplified controls, which I prefer. The vest is so popular in my family that my mom, dad, brother and wife all have one. I’ve read that sometimes the vest can have a battery issue where it won’t charge after a couple of years. I have not encountered that issue, but if I do, I love my vest so much I’ll just buy another battery. Steve Vose —
Mystery Explained To the Editor: Ethan Emerson recently posed the question why so many green Vermont license plates can be seen in Maine during hunting season. I happened to notice quite a few myself. I think I know why. Has it occurred to all of you publishing The Maine Sportsman that you and yours might be contributing to the proliferation of green plates during deer season? The pictures and the list of big bucks is quite an incentive for a hunter from a neighboring state. Keep up the good work. I am always interested in the stories about the older hunters, because it makes me realize I’m not the only one who can’t give up hunting. Fred Fenton – Topsham, ME —
Removing Dams, Providing Fishways Good for Sea-Run Fish To the Editor: My name is James Jacobsohn. I’m doing a project for my 11th grade “preparation for citizenship” class at York High School. My project is about removing dams on rivers to allow sea-run fish species to spawn. I’ve been intrigued by sea-run species ever since I first went to the Kennebec River and saw 6- to 10-foot sturgeon leaping out of the water. I’ve watched alewives run through rapids that I didn’t think they would ever be able to pass
through. In addition to a scientific interest, I also have a personal connection to these fish, because I am an avid angler. It would be amazing if we could restore species like the Atlantic Salmon to a level where we will once be able to fish for them again. This would bring a great deal of business to Maine, because there is nowhere in the United States where you can fish for them. Sea-run fish are a valuable resource that we need to preserve. If we can remove dams on major rivers like the Kennebec and the Penobscot, then sea-run fish populations will increase. If we cannot achieve the goal of removing the dams, then I think that every dam needs to have some type of fish ladder or passage to let the fish get past the dam. I hope this subject matter resonates with your readers. Together as outdoorsmen, I think will be able to make a change. James Jacobsohn –York, ME —
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The Joy of Telephone “Party Lines” To the Editor: I read Tim Caverly’s recent article titled “Can You Hear Me Now?,” and it reminded me of a story my mother told me as a child. When she was growing up in North Berwick, there was a man named Harry Staples who did a variety of jobs. One of them was delivering ice around town by horse and wagon. One day the axle on his wagon broke, so put out the horse anchor weight and walked up to the nearest house to see if they had a phone. Luckily they did, but when he picked up the receiver he heard two women talking, so he hung up. He waited awhile, then picked up again, and they were still talking. In between phone checks he would look out the window to check his horse, and noticed the ice was melting and running down the road. After a few more checks on the phone, he realized one woman was trying to help the other lady with instructions on making a dress for her young daughter. He politely interrupted them and said, “Excuse me ladies, but if you don’t hurry up and get that dress made, your daughter will be too big to wear it.” You had to love “party lines.” Don Eldridge – China, ME (Continued on next page)
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8 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————
Letters
(Continued from page 8)
“Best Day of My Life” To the Editor: My name is Hunter Ingersoll. I am 9 years old. On my birthday in 2021, my Nana and Papa bought me a crossbow. Me and my dad spent the next few months practicing until I could hit the bull’s eye at 30 yards. At the beginning of September, we set up the two-person tree stand I got for Christmas 2020. My dad let me pick the spot where to put it. On November 9, we got up at 5:00 a.m. and had tenderloin from my 8-point buck I shot with a rifle when I was 7 years old. We decided to go to our favorite island, where we saw eight does and a nice 4-point buck at 30 yards. I had buck fever so bad I couldn’t shoot. The whole tree stand was shaking. We went home for lunch. In the afternoon, we went back to the new tree stand. When we got there we heard a twig snap and saw a 6-point buck we had seen the week before. Every time he walked away, my dad grunted and he came back. But there was too much brush to shoot. I was very sad when he walked away the last time. About half an hour later, it was almost 6:00 p.m. and I was getting hungry. We had a two mile walk back, so we decided to pack up and leave. My dad let out a very loud grunt with my Extinguisher deer call. He stood up to get the quiver hanging in the tree. We heard a loud snap. We could see a deer but couldn’t tell how big it was. My dad got me set up on the shooting rail. The buck came out from behind a tree. I aimed at the heart and shot. The
Quotable
Sportsman
by Will Lund
“Atlantic salmon should be our national fish. Like the American bald eagle (the national bird) and North American bison (the American mammal), Atlantic salmon are the species that stands above all others in its scientific class in terms of majesty, power, strength, and endurance. … When it comes to saving something, symbolism is a powerful tool.” Tom Johnson, Native Fish Coalition, January 25, 2022 — “Everything eats an alewife. They are the bottom of the food chain, so the www.MaineSportsman.com
Hunter Ingersoll, age 9, holds the new state crossbow record for white-tail deer.
buck ran. We texted mom we would be late for dinner. We waited 15 minutes and then climbed down to look for blood. We found the arrow and a blood trail. After 100 yards, we saw the buck on the ground. It was huge, and had very thick antlers. Later we dressed the buck and put it in the Jet Sled. It was a giant 7 pointer. We went to Baits Bolts and Bullets in Solon to weigh my buck on the official scale. We couldn’t believe it when the
scale read 252 pounds. It was new state record for the biggest buck killed with a crossbow. Hunter Ingersoll – Embden, ME
more of those you have, the more of everything else you’re going to have.” Bailey Bowden, of the Penobscot Alewife Committee, following completion of the last of five projects aimed at easing the passage of alewives to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Bagaduce River watershed to reproduce. The effort involved the towns of Penobscot, Sedgwick and Brooksville, along with the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, as reported in Bangor Daily News. — “The use of wireless trail cameras that can immediately transmit images to a smartphone for hunting could be on the way out in Utah.” Field & Stream online, reporting that
the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is recommending a rule change that would prohibit the use of any “transmitting” cameras during the state’s big game hunting seasons. Arizona and Nevada already restrict trail cameras. The move follows reports of “sales” of trail cam info, in which companies put out multiple cameras around watering holes, and then offer to sell real-time information to hunters about the whereabouts of trophy animals. — “Never buy a boat named ‘Cirrhosis of the River’.” “Loon” to “Prof. Cosmo Fishhawk” as their small fishing boat sinks out of sight. Jeff McNeilly’s comic strip “Shoe,”1/23/2022
Editor’s note: Congratulations on your accomplishment, Hunter. You will see your state record buck posted on The Maine Sportsman’s website, www.mainesportsman.com/hunting-fishing-records
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Loud, Fast Boats...
Up on the Soapbox – Part 1 Boating on Lake Cobbossee goes way back. Archeological digs on islands reveal artifacts crafted by native Americans hundreds of years ago. Finding arrowheads and stone implements on islands indicates that the natives used watercraft to navigate the lake. A section of bony whitewater downstream of the outlet is referred to on maps as “Indian rips.” A nearby overland shortcut from the stream to the south end of the lake labeled “Grand Portage” on a 1765 Plymouth Company map suggests that Cobbossee Lake and Stream were used for transportation by Native Americans many
years before Europeans arrived and laid out farm boundaries. The natives probably preferred a short overland portage to the chore of rebuilding a birchbark canoe damaged by a short stretch of rock-strewn whitewater. Changes Over Time I have summered on Cobbossee ’most every summer since 1938, and have observed the marked change in use of the lake. Sailboats have been present during those 84 years, although various designs have come and gone. Canoes were more common early on, while kayaks were rare, and have now exploded in popularity. We see an occa-
If it needs doing, KIOTI tractors will get it done.
sional stand-up board paddler. A few of the classic inboard power boats have operated on the lake, and still rumble around, sometimes on parade. Outboard and outdrive boats have become more powerful and more numerous, but their operation has not been troublesome. Personal watercraft are the newbies,
and to this writer, their operation has a disturbing quality, as a result of high speed and noisy jet propulsion.
outboards is achieved by sending the exhaust underwater. When a jet ski is operated at slow or moderate speed, its exhaust comes out under the hull, and is therefore quiet. But when it is operated at higher speeds, a jet ski is riding so high that the
Sound “Like a Dentist Drilling a Tooth” For many years, the exhaust noise of boat motors has been required to be muffled, which in the case of
(Continued on next page)
29th Annual
SPORTING AUCTION 2022 Saturday, April 30, 2022
Preview Friday, April 29, 2022 Wildwood Function Center, Route 113, Steep Falls, ME 04085 We are now accepting Consignments and/or Purchasing Items,Single Pieces to Entire Collections for this Spring 2022 Sporting Auction Event in the following Categories: Guns of All Kinds & Hunting Equipment Taxidermy Game Mounts & Trophies Fishing Tackle & Equipment Knives & Swords of All Kinds Boats, Motors, Trailers Canoes, Kayaks, Inflatables ATVs, Snowmobiles, Jet Skis Camping Equipment & Trailers Traps & Trapping Items Archery & Bowhunting Equipment Sporting Art of All Kids & Decoys Vintage Sports-Related Advertising Items Sports-Related Books & Ephemera of All Kinds
Space in this sporting auction event is limited. Don’t wait or you’ll be too late! If you have sporting items in these categories, or any other categories, to sell or consign,
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10 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Jottings (Continued from page 9)
exhaust is not significantly silenced by the water. We can hear a jet ski coming around Horseshoe Island, fully a mile away. It has been described to be like a dentist drilling a tooth, and is not a relaxing sound that enhances the ambience of a quiet evening on the lake.
knows, but it is likely something manmade that goes so fast that a loon can’t avoid it. Loons are reported to be a species that is thousands of years old. I can report that they are pretty smart. If I am going down the lake in my fourteen foot Alumacraft and six horse Suzuki, and a loon is up ahead of me and is on my course, it frequently will tread water and flap its wings, as much as to say. “Here I am, you dope – turn your boat.” If I am a dope and continue toward the loon, it will dive, swim a ways under water, and surface. Sound travels well under water, and the loon can probably figure out how to come up so I don’t hit it.
Impact on Loons According to Maine Audubon. the leading cause of loon mortality used to be lead sinkers or lead jigs. They report that currently, the leading cause of loon mortality is “impact.” “Impact with what?” is a fair question. Maine Audubon doesn’t tell us, probably because they don’t know. Probably no one
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We issue twelve printed catalogs per year, each with a different selection of approximately 350 books. We welcome requests for specific books not listed in our catalogs. We have a very large stock, and if we don’t have the book you want, we will let you know when we get a copy. Send us your mailing address, and we will send you a copy of our current catalog.
Callahan & Co., Booksellers P.O. Box 505 Peterborough, NH 03458 603 924-3726 | ken@callahanbooks.com www.MaineSportsman.com
I’m only going about fifteen miles an hour (22 feet per second) and in a predictable straight line. But what if I’m on a jet ski, the speed of which can approach sixty miles per hour (88 feet per second)? And what if I am zig-zagging around to impress my friends – what are the loon’s chances of survival now? What if I am so wrapped up in what I’m doing that I never noticed the loon in the first place? In the past, we have seen the remains of a juvenile loon on the lake. There was no obvious sign of the cause of death and unfortunately, no one thought to save the remains to try to determine the cause of death. Jet Ski Wheelies Inside Horseshoe Island is a long dry ledge called Picnic Rock. In some years, loons build a nest on the north end of Picnic Rock, where there is a bit of natural cover, before the summer picnickers arrive. One such year, we paddled by to check the loon nest, and some folks on a jet ski were repeatedly doing “wheel-
ies “ within 25 feet of the nest. To do wheelies, the two youngsters got as far back as they could on the seat, and gunned the motor, which kicked the craft up into the air until it flopped over. We politely called their attention to the loon, and they moved away. Wake Boats Another newbie on the lake is the wakeboat. For centuries, people have designed and built watercraft with the goal of moving forward efficiently and easily, resulting in boats that make as little wake as possible. A wake boat has a different goal – that of creating as high and deep a wave as possible, so that a person riding a surfboard close behind the boat can ride the wake on a wakeboard that has no physical connection to the boat. This is accomplished with a powerful motor and a boat that squats low in the water, often aided by as much as four or five thousand pounds of water ballast. The result is a wake that is deeper and higher, and carries farther, than ordinary motorboat wakes.
But the wave doesn’t stop after the boarder rides over it. The wave continues until something stops it. Sometimes the wake wave hits a shoreline that is protected from natural waves that don’t wash so far up the shore. The result can be a scouring wave that erodes the shoreline. Water Safety Zone The Water Safety Zone is a band of water within 200 feet from shore where power boats are supposed to operate at headway speed – the slowest speed at which the boater can maintain control. That means “no wake.” We are seeing eroded shorelines around the Cobbossee islands. The headway speed mandate is frequently ignored by many boaters . Some boaters operate as if they are unaware of the Water Safety Zone or do not care to obey the law. Cobbossee is a beautiful lake. Above are some of its challenges. Part 2 will address some of its natural and political challenges.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 11
The Wonderful World of Gene Bahr We all love the outdoors, or we wouldn’t be reading (or writing for) this fine monthly publication. Hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife and outdoor photography draw us and pull us in. But one thing we either didn’t realize or don’t remember often enough is that the outdoor sporting life has inspired some incredibly talented people to draw, paint, sculpt, carve, cast or mount the subjects of the world we hold so dear. Yes, experiencing art in many forms is a huge benefit to being an outdoors junkie. And that’s where Gene Bahr comes in. Staring at the Wall In the early days of the 21st Century, I went to Labrador for the first time and absolutely fell in love with this pristine wilderness and its gorgeous, huge, wild native Eastern brook trout. I’ll never forget walking into the main dining cabin at Three Rivers Lodge after an hour-plus ride from
The walls of the studio held works suitable for a fine-arts museum of the highest caliber, including paintings, carvings, sketches, sculptures and photos. It was so overwhelming I didn’t know where to start, so I just started snapping photos.
Gene Bahr chats in his eclectic workshop, and you can tell he loves the place. All photos by King Montgomery
Wabush/Labrador City in a DeHavilland Beaver float plane. The dining room was alive with freshly arrived sports, fishing guides, and the affable staff of the lodge. But it was the wall to the left of the front door that immediately caught my eye: a perfectly painted carving of a gigan-
Donna and Gene Bahr are two of the nicest people I know, and their hospitality has no limits. That applies to Miss Tilley, a GSP, too.
tic brookie graced the knotty pine, and the fish looked as though it could rise to a mouse or mayfly at any time. It was drop-dead beautiful! I knew this work of art was from Gene Bahr’s hands because I’d seen photos before, but never the real thing in the flesh, I
mean wood. The Man, the Lady, and the Work When I pulled into the Bahrs’ driveway off of Route 107 well north of Sebago, Donna was shoveling snow in the bump-out area. After a warm greeting, we met Gene as he was coming out of his gallery and work area.
A huge smallmouth bass carving mounted on an oval birch bark frame greeted me as I entered Gene’s workshop. This immense bronzeback was 23 1/4 inches long and weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Lordy!
Miss Tilley, a pretty and personable black and white German Shorthair Pointer, joined us, and we all headed into the house to chat a bit before going into the building that houses a bunch of Gene’s work, and parts of a wall dedicated to some of Donna’s fine sketches and paintings. It seems she was an art teacher for a number of years; and she’s a fine artist, too. Over a hot cup of coffee or two, we talked a little about everything and learned how much we had in common, and how much we didn’t, but it all seemed to fit seamlessly together, and we hit it off on a very high note. I soon would learn that Gene also can hit a high note or two, plus a lot of others. Gene built his comfortable house in the country back in the mid-1980s. It sits on top of a hill with commanding views of nature’s glory all around. Hills, valleys, (Continued on next page)
Donna’s fine sketches and paintings grace part of wall in the gallery. She was an art teacher and is a fine artist in her own right. www.MaineSportsman.com
12 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
In Gene’s earlier times, taxidermy was the order of the day, but he’s now devoting his skills to the wood carvings.
Some of Gene’s painting, such as this stunning buck and doe on an early morn, are for sale in the gallery.
I looked directly up over the door and saw mounted deer, a caribou, and a wild turkey in full-flight. Taxidermy was how Gene got started in the business of outdoor art, over forty years ago.
Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 11) mountains in just about every direction. On a clear day, Donna related, Mount Washington is in view. The place – the house, the surroundings, and later I would learn, the gallery/workshop – all had a good vibe, and evoked a feeling of hospitality and comfort. A welcoming place and people, and Miss Tilley, too. Oh, My Goodness! I stepped into the barn-like structure next to the house, and had the sense I was being watched. I looked directly up over the door and saw mounted deer, a caribou, and a wild turkey in full-flight. Taxidermy, Gene earlier related, was how he got started in the business of outdoor art, and that was some forty-years or so ago. Now he’s not tak-
ing any new taxidermy stuff, and concentrates on wood carving as his primary medium. The high, knotty-pine walls held works of works suited to a fine-arts museum of the highest caliber. Paintings, carvings, sketches, sculptures and photos graced the gallery in an organized and fetching manner. Wow! I didn’t know where to start. Or when to end. So I just started snapping photos. “Organized Chaos” Gene has carved a number of critters, including game- and songbirds, but his forte is the fish that grace many folks’ walls all over the place. We headed into the next room where all the work is done to produce the gorgeous painted carvings that
A work of art on a work of art, layers of Gene Bahr’s incredible eye and talent. Funny how the background looks like an artist’s palette. www.MaineSportsman.com
A perfectly painted carving of a gigantic brookie graced the knotty pine, and the fish looked as though it could rise to a mouse or mayfly at anytime. The fish was caught in Labrador 1998 by Robin Reeve, owner of Three Rivers Lodge; 27 3/4 inches in length, and a 17 3/4 inch girth.
Gene is so renowned for creating. Immediately to the right at eye-level was a huge smallmouth bass carving mounted on an oval birch bark frame. This immense bronzeback was 23 1/4 inches long and weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Lordy, I thought. This special creature prob-
ably is still swimming around in wherever it was caught. “Gene,” I said after taking in the work room studio, “this is what I’d call organized chaos. I bet you know where everything is located in here.” He replied in the affirmative and sat down on a rolling chair that al-
Beginnings of a tigerfish carving that a Virginia gentleman ordered to commemorate the unusual specimen he caught on a trip to Tanzania.
lowed a degree of mobility without having to get up. Workbenches, tools, posters, photos, molds, fish templates, paints, brushes, carving instruments, and whatnot lined the walls and filled the flat surfaces. The main work bench, a sturdy (Continued on next page)
Gene picked up his guitar and harmonica rig. Donna, Miss Tilley and I were treated to several songs, including two that Gene wrote. He’s an artist with music, too.
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 13
“Snapshots in Time”
Historical Glimpses from Maine’s Sporting Past Compiled by Bill Pierce, Former Executive Director, Outdoor Heritage Museum
Skunks, a Mouse and a Bear I love reading vintage short stories about the Maine woods. I found these three items in the “Fish & Game Oddities” section of the January 3, 1902, edition of the MAINE WOODS newspaper. I hope you enjoy them, and be sure to get outside and make some outdoor history of your own! —
A Den of Skunks At the approach of winter skunks come together in good numbers and pass the winter in holes or dens. A Mr. Austin, who lives about five miles from Skowhegan, dug into a den the other day and found eleven skunks. This seems like quite a family, yet
we hear others tell of getting thirteen of these same animals out of one hole. —
to, and when he did, he didn’t look so funny. —
“Kangaroo Mouse” Revived
Gripped Bruin’s Tongue
The workmen on the Phillips & Rangeley railroad repair shop found a “kangaroo mouse” in the gravel pit near Dead River Station that was “frozen stiff.” He was curled up in an almost perfectly round ball. His head was between his hind legs. The front “hands” were hooked over the head, and the long tail formed many even circles over the head.
While in the army, Mr. Aaron Beedy was intimately acquainted with a man who had been bitten on the left arm by black bear in the woods of Maine. Mr. Beedy had seen the scars many times. The way the gentleman told it to Mr. Beedy is this: “I started up over a ridge, a very sharp one, and just as I reached the crest, two much-surprised creatures met. One was myself; the other an enormous black bear. I had no gun, and probably should not have used it if had had one. The first thing I did was to throw up my hands to sort of protect myself and at the same time I made a backward fall down the hill. As I did, the bear grabbed my left arm in his mouth, and down over the hill we went. I managed during the contest to get hold of the bear’s tongue, and while I held on to that he could do no biting. I had my right hand to work with, and I assure you it was not long, although it seemed hours, before I had my knife out and with many desperate lunges and plunges, I finally cut the bruin and he ran away, but you wouldn’t have believed it if you’d seen that bear try to spit my arm from his mouth after I had taken the grip on his tongue.”
The mouse had curled itself into a tight ball to stay warm, and did not appreciate the railworkers interrupting its winter nap. Photo: Wild Dales
Classic skunk harvest using a hound. Photo: Gant Daily
Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 12)
metal structure, was itself a work of art, with all the paint dripped onto and down it over the decades. Tigerfish A stark white, rather weird looking toothy fish carving hugged part of one wall, and Gene said it was a tigerfish that a Virginia gentleman ordered to commemorate the unique specimen he caught on a trip to South Africa. Gene
This strange little “pet” was put in a warm place in the engine and finally in the top of one of the dinner pails to get warm and revive. He finally came
had used a scale stencil he fabricated, and the subtle scale pattern was the only mark on the bare wooden canvas that would blossom into a beautifully painted wall mount. I asked him to send me a picture of the final product before the lucky owner picked it up. Back at the house, a wonderful Reuben sandwich awaited me, and it didn’t last long, a testament to Donna’s cooking skills. I settled back in my chair and Gene picked up his guitar and harmonica rig. Donna, Miss Tilley and I were treated to a couple of songs, including two that Gene wrote. I easily
could hear that Gene Bahr also is an artist with music, and I continued to be very impressed. I’ll be back for another concert of hospitality with these very fine folks. ***** Give Gene a call or email if you need his services, and to visit his gallery. I guarantee you’ll experience a fine reception. Be prepared to be dazzled by the glory of the outdoors when you visit. Gene Bahr Wildlife Creations on Bridgton Road, Sebago. 207-6475238. www.genebahr.com.
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Almanac
14 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Steller’s Sea Eagle a Welcome Visitor “From Away”
Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —
Scotia, and Massachusetts before arriving in Maine at the end of 2021. These photos were taken in Pemaquid Harbor by Maine Sportsman reader Mark Allen of Newcastle. Mark used a Canon R5 with a Sigma 150-600 f 5.6-6.3 on a carbon fiber tripod with a gimbal. See more of Mark’s work at https:// markallenphotography.smugmug.com/ —
Three Minutes with a Maine Guide Paddling Rapids 101 by Lisa DeHart
Slow it down. When canoeing rapids, remember – you’re driving a vehicle with NO brakes. Then, let’s put a whole bunch of rocks in front of you that you have to steer around. Do you want to steer around those obstacles going 2 miles an hour, or 20? If you paddle that canoe like you stole it, you’re going over. The faster you go, the less time you have to pick a route and the less time you have to get to that route. And if you do hit a rock while going fast, you’ve got so much momentum you’ll flip, not just glance or get stuck. Photos by Mark Allen, Newcastle The appearance of a Steller’s Sea Eagle – the largest eagle in the world – along the Sheepscot River near Boothbay caused a sensation among birders. Native to eastern Russia, this individual was likely prospecting for new territories when it crossed the Bering Sea, and, since its first sighting in interior Alaska in the summer of 2020, was spotted in Texas, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova
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At the top of the rapid, back paddle, scout, and – when you’re ready – slowly drift into it. Once you descend into a rapid, you should only be steering and slowing yourself down. You don’t need to paddle forward – the current will do that. Communicate. When I’m leading a group through a rapid, I love to hear talking behind me. Partners figuring out whether they’re going to say draw, cross draw, left, right … your other right, whatever works. “Your other right” will get them to stop doing the wrong thing the fastest. When in doubt … straighten out. Let’s say you know you’re going to hit that rock – straighten out the canoe, point it downstream, keep those paddles in the water, and take the pop. It’s the same as riding a bike and knowing your gonna hit a pothole you can’t avoid. Also, canoes move like bicycles in long diagonals, so “get there before you need to get there.” A whisker is as good as a mile. If you miss a rock by a whisker, you’re good. And if you think it’s a rock … it’s a rock. Don’t look down as you go by to make sure you were right, and then look up to see yourself headed for a ledge, Wile E. Coyote. —
New State Record White Perch
Maine Guide Mike Patterson (poling); Shawna Patterson paddling. Bonaventure River, Quebec. Photo by Lisa DeHart
Matthew Lund of Bath holds the new state record for a white perch, after pulling this 3.51-lb. monster (see next page) through the ice on a small pond in the Rumford area.
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Matthew Lund and his New Year’s Day white perch, a state record that was almost too large for the fish tray on the Wiscasset Shaw’s certified digital scales. (Continued from page 14)
The fish took a smelt on New Year’s Day 2022. Its weight was calibrated at the Shaw’s supermarket in Wiscasset (it looks like a codfish on those scales!) and the specimen was reviewed and certified by Sgt. Justin Fowlie of the Maine Warden Service. —
Land for Maine Future Purchases Benefit Anglers and Hunters The State of Maine recently announced the planned purchases of five separate parcels of property. Two have special significance for angler and for hunters: 1) K e n n e b a g o Headwaters This 1,723-acre parcel will help protect the headwaters of the Kennebago River, becoming part of the larger Kennebago Headwaters project that includes over 10,000 acres and protecting nearly the entire Kennebago watershed. The area provides some of the highest quality habitat for Eastern brook trout, and the river annually attracts thousands of anglers. Conservation of this land will also protect habitat for many wildlife species, including moose, deer, Canada lynx, marten, upland birds, and waterfowl.
2) Caribou Stream Deer Wintering Area The Caribou Stream Deer Wintering Area purchase will conserve 930 acres of priority deer wintering habitat in the Aroostook County towns of Woodland and Washburn, as well as 1.8 miles of stream habitat for wild brook trout. There are existing hiking and snowmobile trails on the area. The area will be managed for habitat needs for deer throughout the year in order to increase deer survival rates through the winter. The project protects two large parcels of prime wildlife habitat in an area of high agricultural use that will benefit not only deer but also (Continued on next page)
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Almanac
March 2022 Sunrise/Sunset
(Continued from page 15)
Portland, ME DATE 1 Tue 2 Wed 3 Thu 4 Fri 5 Sat 6 Sun 7 Mon 8 Tue 9 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri 12 Sat 13 Sun 14 Mon 15 Tue 16 Wed
RISE 6:15 6:13 6:12 6:10 6:08 6:07 6:05 6:03 6:01 6:00 5:58 5:56 6:54 6:52 6:51 6:49
SET 5:30 5:32 5:33 5:34 5:36 5:37 5:38 5:39 5:41 5:42 5:43 5:44 6:46 6:47 6:48 6:49
DATE 17 Thu 18 Fri 19 Sat 20 Sun 21 Mon 22 Tue 23 Wed 24 Thu 25 Fri 26 Sat 27 Sun 28 Mon 29 Tue 30 Wed 31 Thu
RISE 6:47 6:45 6:44 6:42 6:40 6:38 6:36 6:34 6:33 6:31 6:29 6:27 6:25 6:24 6:22
SET 6:50 6:52 6:53 6:54 6:55 6:56 6:58 6:59 7:00 7:01 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:06 7:07
March 2022 Tides DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
Portland, ME HIGH AM PM 9:44 10:22 10:37 11:10 11:26 11:55 — 12:12 12:37 12:57 1:18 1:42 1:59 2:28 2:42 3:18 3:29 4:11 4:21 5:09 5:19 6:12 6:21 7:14 8:22 9:08 9:16 9:55 10:02 10:36 10:44 11:13 11:24 11:49 — 12:03 12:24 12:42 1:00 1:23 1:39 2:06 2:20 2:54 3:07 3:48 4:01 4:49 5:03 5:57 6:12 7:10 7:26 8:21 8:37 9:23 9:39 10:16 10:34 11:05 11:24 11:49
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LOW AM PM 3:26 4:08 4:20 4:57 5:11 5:41 5:58 6:24 6:44 7:04 7:29 7:45 8:15 8:28 9:03 9:13 9:55 10:03 10:51 10:58 11:53 — 12:00 12:58 1:04 2:55 3:00 3:43 3:47 4:23 4:29 5:00 5:09 5:36 5:49 6:12 6:29 6:48 7:10 7:27 7:54 8:09 8:41 8:55 9:33 9:47 10:31 10:46 11:36 11:51 — 12:46 1:03 2:00 2:17 3:05 3:22 4:01 4:19 4:50 5:10 5:35
brook trout. This area was identified as a conservation priority based on historical and current-day deer wintering habits. David Trahan and the Sportsmans Alliance of Maine worked very hard to make this purchase a reality. —
Certain Recreational Boats Must Have Newer-Model Fire Extinguishers A new federal regulation relating to fire extinguishers on motorized recreational boats will take effect on April 20, 2022, according to BoatTest.com. As of that date, fire extinguishers older than 12 years from the manufacturing date will no longer considered good and serviceable, and must be replaced with a newer fire extinguisher. Any boat under 26 feet that is powered by an outboard motor and which carries fuel in a
Marine fire extinguisher. West Marine photo
portable fuel tank and has no areas where fuel vapors can be trapped, is not required to carry extinguishers. However, any recreational boat with a permanently installed fuel tank or with spaces that are capable of trapping fumes, including compartments under seats or other storage areas where portable fuel tanks may be stored, must carry one or more extinguishers. — (Continued on next page)
— Trophy Gallery —
On his first-ever solo hunt on Opening Day, 2021, 16-year old Owen Heseltine harvested this 242-lb., 10-point monster buck in Chesterville. Photo courtesy Jeff Heseltine
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 17 (Continued from page 16)
CYC Lake Association Works to Stop Milfoil Spread on Cobbosseecontee According to a recent story by Chris Bouchard of the Kennebec Journal, a lake association is working to prevent further spread of Eurasian watermilfoil in Cobbossee Lake, one of Central Maine’s most popular fishing and recreation destinations. Those striving to control the invasive plant in the lake thought they had it conquered in 2019, after the state DEP applied ProsellaCOR, a selective herbicide that only targets invasive plants. However, Eurasian watermilfoil has again been found in several areas of the lake. The plant is particularly problematic, since a single shred of a leaf or stem can drift and then take root wherever it comes to rest on the bottom or along the shoreline. Left to grow, the weed will quickly spread to the point where it chokes off access, preventing boaters and swimmers from using the water. The association has set about
Eurasian water-milfoil can grow in water as deep as 15 feet. The invasive plant forms thick, nearly impenetrable mats, choking off recreational access to the water. Source: Maine DEP
organizing a coordinated response, including fundraising and also conferring with lake associations in Maine, Vermont and New York that have successfully fought the spread of the invasive plant.
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18 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Maine Wildlife:
American Robin by Tom Seymour
When a robin cocks its head, is it listening for a worm? Scientists say no, but Tom’s not so certain they’re right. It seems unfair that common birds get taken for granted. Blue jays, crows and robins head the list of overlooked species. Robins, Turdus migratorius, seem to me one of our more important songbirds, and for good reason. Harbingers of spring, the first groups of robins always signal good things to come. Folklore and legends abound with references to robins. The importance of European robins to the culture came across the sea with early settlers and was transferred to American robins. Thus from the very beginning, affection for robins became ingrained in American culture. Today, much of that affection has waned. Robin’s song consists of a series of sweet, liquid variations upon a theme: “Cheerio, cheerily, cheery, cheerio.” Mostly uttered at twilight time but continuing into the night in springtime, a robin’s song casts a feeling of calmness and serenity across the still landscape. Picture the misty time of the setting sun, sunbeams streaming across lawns and fields, turning them a golden yellow, with the robin’s song as a background. Their ubiquitousness stands as another point in the robin’s favor. Robins are found most everywhere, and travelers far from home who linger outside in the early evening or who arise with the sun, can hear the robin’s song, assuring them that everything is still as it should be. Expert Hunters Robins’ prowess as earthworm hunters continues to amaze me. I have watched as robins pull one worm after another from what had seemed to me a barren area of my lawn. The soil there was not fertile, being mostly sand mixed with some sandy loam. And yet, www.MaineSportsman.com
the robins managed to locate and harvest more earthworms than I would have thought possible. Robins have an upright stance and only lean down upon locating food, earthworms or insects. This stance, on display as they hop across lawns, lends some credibility to the claim of some scientists that robins are modern-day dinosaurs, descended from the longdead giant reptiles. Watch robins and think Tyrannosaurus. Robins are total migrators in northern Maine, but in southern, south-central and coastal regions, groups of robins may remain all winter, finding cover in damp thickets and feeding upon dried berries, insect eggs and whatever else they might wrestle from the frozen landscape. Robins may also migrate on a shortterm basis. Some coastal robins will take off for the closest offshore island when winter storms approach, and return to the mainland once more favorable conditions prevail. This sometimes leads people to assume that spring has arrived unrealistically early, when that is not the case at all. Aggressive Behavior Male robins are highly territorial and will go to lengths to drive an intruder, or a perceived intruder, away from an area it has claimed. This often gets out of hand when a male robin sees its reflection in a window. Watching a robin standing there, cocking its head from side-to-side and then slamming into the glass with all its might tends to dispel any notion of intelligence on the bird’s part. Being so full of animosity toward an outsider overrides any trace of logic and causes
the robin to lose all sense of reality. I have watched robins beating themselves against my glass front door and felt terribly sorry for them, and wished there were some way to signal that there was no intruder, only their own reflection. But you may as well command the tide to stand still as to try to reason with a jealous robin. Once a male robin decides to do battle with its own reflection, there is no turning back. The bird will continue its one-sided duel until light and shadow combine to erase the threat. But the robin will almost certainly return the next morning, when once again it will see its shadow and rejoin the battle. Robin Traits We have all seen robins cock their heads from side to side while hunting for earthworms. The bird may remain frozen in one position, as if waiting for the worm to make the next move. While it appears that the robin is listening for the slightest sound from its prey, scientists say that that is not the case. Instead, the robin cocks its head one way and another because it is looking, not listening, for prey. The birds are compelled to do this because their eyes are set back on the sides of their heads. My un-scientific mind, though, keeps me asking if hearing does not play at least some, part in this behavior. I’m probably wrong, but still, I wonder. Can you tell a male from a female robin? It’s easy. The male’s head is nearly black, and its breast is bright orange. The female has a grayish head, and a lighter-colored breast. The next time you see a robin, ponder these things. You may see robins in a new light.
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One Outboard or Two for Your Sportfishing Boat? by Capt. Ron Dupuis – Yarmouth, ME It’s that time of year where we start seeing boat shows on the calendar, and excitement begins to build for the upcoming boating season. New models of boats and motors are always the focus of attention, as well as new technology – especially controls and electronics. Motors technology has advanced rapidly in the last several years. Also, boats equipped with dual outboards motors are appearing more and more on New England waters, even on relatively small boats. What are the pros and cons of single vs. dual motor set-ups? And what new technologies are being offered in terms of independent controls on dual-motor assemblies? Considerations When deciding to buy a boat with either a single outboard or dual powerplants, several considerations come into play. Factors include cost, performance, type of boating you’ll be doing, and safety Regarding cost, obviously having two
It’s not your imagination – you are seeing more dual-engine rigs on ocean sportfishing boats, even relatively small vessels. And where you see twin outboards, you are also likely to see a “jet stick” controller that acts to coordinate the effects of the counter-rotating props, increasing the maneuverability of the boat. smaller engines still costs more than a single larger engine, so the upfront cost for dual outboards will be greater. The costs of maintaining two engines instead of one
should be factored in, as well as fuel costs. However, one factor may level out those costs – a single engine may work harder than two outboards, leading to more wear and tear
on the single engine, and therefore more maintenance costs. In addition, as discussed further below, if your single engine breaks down, you may be rowing home, or calling
Sea Tow or Towboat US, whereas with two outboards, you’ll be able to limp back to port if one seizes up. Performance On average, for equal total horsepower provided, dual engines will use about 25% more fuel than a single engine. Dual engines will also affect the trim of the hull – more weight on the stern will cause it to ride lower in the water. (Continued on next page)
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20 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
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Boating (Continued from page 19)
However, economy may depend in part on sea conditions. Many of the captains I have spoken who are out on rough water all day say that fuel consumption of single vs. duals is relatively close. However, they generally agree that maintenance of dual engines costs more than with a single. Size and Location Matter When deciding on single vs. twin engines for your sportfishing boat, consider the type and length of hull, and where you’ll be operating the vessel. Most Maine saltwater fishing boats range in size from 23 to 27 feet. Single engines are adequate for lakes and bays, because the water is generally calmer and boat hulls are flatter. However, many anglers who own deep-V hulled boats and operate them on the ocean and for longer trips, opt for dual outboards. Dual Engines Offer Maneuverability At the docks, twin motors are great. Maneuverability is superior with dual engines vs. a single motor. When you are navigat-
ing very tight places at the dock or marina, twins are the way to go, especially if your boat is not equipped with a bow thruster. The advantage with twins occurs because the engines can push or pull from both corners of the stern. Dual engines can work like a team when docking. Counterthrusts, or the ability to have one engine in forward and the other in reverse, allow the caption to literally turn the boat 360 degrees and provide a great deal of control. It’s always fun to watch experienced boat captains back into their slips effortlessly and align their boats perfectly. Dual engines not only maneuver better when docking but provide more horsepower for additional speed on the water. Even with the increased drag from a second outboard and the added weight, most boat owners are able to gain 100 hp or more when moving from a single outboard to twins, meaning more speed to get home and beat the incoming ocean squall. Dual rigs also provide a stronger start (hole shot) to get you (Continued on next page)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 21
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Yamaha offers a multi-feature “joystick” controller. Photo: Yamaha Marine (Continued from page 20)
up to cruising speed faster, because having two propellors greatly increases the total blade area, allowing faster acceleration. On modern dual engine set-ups, the propellers operate as counter rotating pairs (i.e., one turns clockwise while the other rotates counterclockwise). The counter-rotation reduces cavitation, which is the tendency of a propeller to draw air down from the water’s surface. Joystick Steering Mechanisms Joysticks were introduced into the recreational boating world in 2004. Joysticks are now commonly offered
on boats with multiple engines, allowing for separate steering control. Each motor is separately controlled, instead of using a steering wheel set-up found on conventional set-ups. Joystick control offers several advantages, including 1) providing even more maneuverability than dual engines alone can provide; and 2) improved safety at the dock enabling better steerage and more control in high winds or currents and getting around tight spaces. More and more manufacturers are offering them on smaller boats.
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These twin Tohatsu 60-hp outboards are engineered to work as a team, providing better maneuverability than a single engine, as well as the safety factor of redundancy. Photo: Tohatsu Marine (Continued on next page)
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*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, 2017 and newer models, sold and delivered between January 6, 2022 and March 31, 2022 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. **Warranty is limited to Honda Outboard Motors and related original equipment distributed by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Power Equipment Division, 4900 Marconi Drive, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005-8847. The Honda Outboard Motor must be purchased from American Honda or a dealer authorized by American Honda to sell Honda Outboard Motors in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. This limited warranty applies to the first retail purchaser and each subsequent owner during the applicable warranty time period. See dealer for details. Always wear a personal flotation device while boating and read your owner’s manual.
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22 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Boating (Continued from page 21)
See Your Local Yamaha Outboard Dealer for Current Promotions! BAR HARBOR Bowden Marine Service 713 Norway Drive (207) 288-5247 www.BowdenMarine.com
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dual engines as a safety net, in case one of the engines fails while at sea. Redundancy has been less of a focus in recent years because of the reliability of engines has improved, but unplanned events can still lead to engine failure, and twin motors still provide an advantage when a mechanical problem occurs.
¶
Is There a Mandatory Boating Safety and Education Course in your Future? by Will Lund
© 2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Remember to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal flotation device and protective gear.
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els can be synched with GPS to help steady the vessel, acting like a digital anchor. I fished with a guide this year who had this option on his Grady White Fisherman 257, and it was amazing to see the boat stay extremely steady on the fishing area based on the GPS coordinates he had entered. It’s truly amazing technology. Many captains who fish offshore consider
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The Maine Legislature’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee is considering a bill that would require operators of certain powerboats to complete a boater safety and education course. The legislation is LD 1663, “An Act to Improve Boating Safety on Maine Waters.” A discussion draft being circulated at press time would apply the course requirement: 1) Starting January 1, 2027; 2) To anyone operating a powerboat in excess of 25 hp on inland waters; and 3) To any operator 12 years of age or older. Under the proposed wording, a person younger than 12 years old would be prohibited from operating a boat more powerful than 25 hp unless they were under the “immediate supervision” of another person in the boat who had completed the boater safety and education course. Registered Maine guides authorized to carry passengers for hire, and persons holding a maritime captain’s license, would be exempt from the requirements. Also under the proposed legislation, beginning January 1, 2027, no one under 16 years of age would be permitted to operate a personal watercraft, and no person 16 years of age or older would be permitted to operate a personal watercraft until such time as the person had completed a boating safety and education course. Once the bill clears the Committee, it will be considered by both the House and Senate, and if it receives majority votes, it will be sent on to the Governor for her review.
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 23
Cusk: Maine’s Midnight Miracle by Steve Carpenteri
When ice fishing for cusk at night, check your baits at hourly intervals, and treat each line as if there’s a fish on the other end. This regular tending of traps is more than just an effective technique – under Maine law, all lines set at night for cusk must be visited at least once every hour by the person who set them. It seems almost fitting that Maine’s ugliest fish is also its most delectable. Anyone who is familiar with the state’s deep, cold-water lakes knows that, aside from haddock, cusk makes the best chow-
der in the world. Even so, only the hardiest of outdoorsmen can dredge up the gumption to challenge these tasty bottom-dwellers. The problem is that cusk are notorious night feeders. A few are caught during
daylight hours on cut baits set for lake trout (which also live near the bottom in these same lakes), but the majority of cusk are taken during the deepest, darkest, coldest hours of winter. In fact, it’s traditional for
Maine’s freshwater ling, or cusk, is one of the ugliest fish that swims, but it is also one of the tastiest. Illustration: Maine DIF&W; Joseph Tomelleri/ AmericanFishes.com
daytime trout, salmon and togue fishermen to “drop lines” come sunset, all with the hopes of catching a few nice, fat cusk for the chowder pot. Truth be told, there are days when the cusk are far more cooperative than any
of our treasured salmonids. Burbot Background The cusk (a/k/a burbot) is the only freshwater member of the cod family. It has an eel-shaped body (Continued on next page)
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Ice Fishing (Continued from page 23)
with a large mouth and a single barbel dangling from its lower jaw. The skin is smooth in appearance, with very small scales and olive brown to black mottled markings over a cream-colored underbody. The anal and second dorsal fins are elongated, extending from the midpoint of the body to the base of the caudal fin. A rath-
er amusing addendum to most descriptions of the cusk is that it is never mistaken for any other species of fish – it is that ugly! The cusk is one of very few species that is known to spawn under the ice in mid- to late winter. Female burbot are extremely productive, with larger individuals capable of laying more than one million eggs.
As with lake trout, burbot are restricted to the colder water below the thermocline of deep lakes during the summer. Burbot also inhabit cold-water rivers and streams. Spawning takes place over shallow reefs or shoals in large lakes where currents keep the gravel substrate free of silt. Multiple males writhe around a female as eggs are released into the water column. Eggs gradually settle to the bottom, and
hatch in early spring. Basic Rigs It doesn’t take much to fool a winter cusk. A simple piece of cut bait (chopped suckers are fine) on a No. 3/0 hook will attract any cusk in the area. For a couple of reasons, I recommend using easy-to-handle thick, braided line in the 20-pound class: first, because cusk can grow to 10 pounds or heavier; and second, because they are found very near the bottom
in 100 or more feet of water, so you don’t want a weak point anywhere along the long line. Constant references to how deep cusk may be found should trigger a “How much weight?” response among fishermen. Novice ice-fishermen are invariably astounded by the strength and depths of current flows in Maine’s deep cold-water lakes. In places, the current can lift an (Continued on next page)
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 25 (Continued from page 24)
unweighted bait right off the bottom and carry it to a point just under the ice, albeit 150 feet away from the hole. Given that very few surface-feeding fish (notably salmon) are attracted to cut baits, these drifted rigs produce few flags, to the chagrin of ice-anglers everywhere. Therefore, it is imperative that a substantial amount of weight be added to the rig – at least 1 ounce for starters, and more if the water is
exceptionally deep and fast-flowing. Most popular these days are the clip-on style weights that are often elongated and less prone to snagging on bottom structure. These days, use of less than one ounce or shorter than 2-1/2 inches lead weights is no longer allowed. Alternative weights made of heavy composites or metals can be used to keep cut bait rigs on the bottom no matter how strong the current flow. Some anglers use spinners, jigging lures
and other attractants to catch the eye of wandering cusk, but that lonely chunk of cut
bait will do the trick in most cases. Put it in the right place (just off the bottom) and keep
it there as long as possible. Cusk are roving (Ice Fishing continued on page 29)
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26 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
The Fun Side of Snowmobiling by Steve Carpenteri As we work our way toward the home stretch of another great Maine snowmobiling season, it’s fun to look back at some of the wild and crazy experiences we’ve enjoyed on (and off) the trail. In the world of hound hunting, such reminiscing is referred
We stopped our snow machines to admire the five huge moose standing in the middle of the trail. Our admiration turned to concern and then alarm as the animals began running directly toward us, grunting loudly. to as “tailgate talk,” when the gang gathers around the truck to brag about their exploits or, better yet,
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laugh at the mistakes and mishaps of their fellow hunters. Having been at the throttle of a snowmo-
bile for more than 50 years, I have had more than my share of great moments in the snow, although there were
days when I would have been better off staying at home. For example, on my very first snowmobile trip I was riding a used Ski-Doo Bombardier that I had swapped for a couple of bicycles and a bunch of well-used (Continued on next page)
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 27 (Continued from page 26)
trapping gear. In time, I realized that I got the short end of that stick! That old Ski-Doo was an early model that was extremely heavy, poorly balanced, and smoked like a chimney on a rainy day. It would start easily enough, but would not run without considerable coaxing of the throttle. I took off across the farm, expecting to have an enjoyable day of cruising the back fields, woods and irrigation ponds, but got only as far as the first low spot, at which point the machine tipped over, stalled and stopped. It took every ounce of strength I could muster to get it upright and going again. Upright, but Wet Not much farther on, I decided to cross over one of the frozen irrigation ponds. Well, I thought it was frozen! Down the machine and I went, in about waist-deep water. The engine sputtered, gurgled and quit with a loud, steamy gasp.
I had to get my father and a crew of farm workers to help me drag the thing back to shore. Needless to say, that was the end of my snowmobiling adventures for a while. Easy-Riding Trailer In later years, I managed to afford better machines and gained more experience on the trail, but the fact is that misadventure is never more than a bad decision away. I learned, for example, that it’s best not to overload a trailer being hauled by a snowmobile – the machine can take the pounding, but the trailer may not! While heading in to Schoodic Lake near Milo for a weekend fishing derby (this was back in the 1970s), I loaded up at the last plowed road and headed for camp. I was zooming along in great shape, enjoying the winding, twisting, bumpy trail down to the water and arrived at camp in what I thought was record time. When I got off the (Continued on next page)
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WARNING: Arctic Cat snowmobiles can be hazardous to operate. For your safety, all riders should read and understand their owner’s manual and safety instructions. Always wear an approved helmet and other safety apparel. Be aware of natural hazards you may encounter and don’t drink and ride. All scenes depicted or described were performed by professional riders under carefully controlled conditions. Never attempt to duplicate these maneuvers or encourage others to do so. Arctic Cat recommends that all operators take a safety training course. For safety and training information, please see your local dealer. ©2022 Arctic Cat Inc. All rights reserved.
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28 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Out of gas, and civilization is a long way that-a-way! Pre-trip planning is critical for Maine’s snowmobilers. Photos by Steve Carpenteri
Snowmobiling (Continued from page 27)
snowmobile, I saw why I’d had such a quick trip – the trailer was gone! It had separated from the hitch back at the first turn in the trail. Fishing gear, food, clothes and two precious bottles of brandy were scattered all over the trail. I had, of course,
broken the hitch in the process, so I had to pick up what I could carry and ferry it all back to camp over several trips. At the end of the trip, it was nearly as challenging to haul everything back out, having rigged a makeshift hitch.
This North Country rider was very lucky that three other snowmobilers happened by when his sled broke through the ice near shore.
Stopping for Fuel On another memorable trip, I put my trust in a fellow rider who insisted he knew the way into a great spot to ice-fish for salmon. It would be a long ride to a remote spot, he said, but he assured me that there would be gas, food, wood and other supplies at our destination.
Off we went, and sure enough, the place was just as remote and pristine as my friend has promised. Unfor-
tunately, he brought us to the wrong side of the lake, at which point we ran out of (Continued on next page)
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At 7:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day 2022, nine-year old Aliyah Spencer caught this impressive 19-inch, 2-pound rainbow trout through the ice at Lake George in Canaan and Skowhegan. It was her first-ever rainbow. She baited her tip-up ice trap with a smelt from the Bait Bucket, in Norridgewock. Aliyah is the daughter of Justin Spencer, Park Resource Manager at Lake George Regional Park.
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 29 (Continued from page 28)
gas about a mile crosspond from our destination. We had to carry our gear to the camp, get the wood stove going and then carry two five-gallon cans of gas back to our rigs. As I recall, the snow drifts were only thigh-deep
in the center of the lake, but we sunk in up to waists getting from the trail to the shoreline. Of course, neither one of us had thought to bring snowshoes. Fun times! Obstructed Trail Not all of my snowmobiling mem-
Ice Fishing (Continued from page 25)
bottom-feeders and are sure to find your offering eventually. It’s the Law -- Check Lines Often Of greater importance is checking lines frequently because cusk are slow, tentative fish that will take a bait and just lay there, unmoving, while they swallow it. Some will take the bait and
ories have been as cringe-worthy. For example, while a group of us were riding through some swampy country up north, we came around a sharp turn, where five moose stood in the trail. We stopped to admire them but were sur-
prised when they began running right at us, grunting all the way. Not knowing what to expect, we bailed off our sleds and ran for the woods. The moose charged past us and on up the trail, all but ignoring us. The massa-
(apparently) take a nap, often without even tripping the flag. Check baits at intervals and treat each line as if there’s a fish on the other end. (This same advice applies to togue fishermen, by the way!) And checking traps at night is more than just a good idea – under Maine law, all lines set at night for cusk must be visited at least once every hour by the person who set them.
cre we expected didn’t take place, but every now and then the subject of the Great Jackman Moose Attack does come up!
¶
Cusk for the Pot Cusk can be skinned and filleted for the chowder pot just as bullheads, catfish and other smooth-skinned fish are handled. A skilled chef adept with a fillet knife can whittle a cusk into pot-worthy pieces with two swipes of the sharp blade.
¶
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30 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Firearms Suppressors: A Quiet Approach by Bob Humphrey People, particularly hunters, are often skeptical of – and resistant to – new, high-tech gadgetry, but when innovations prove pragmatic, they’re eventually accepted. For example, early on, I was not a fan of early in-line muzzleloaders, but now I own several. I had a similar initial reaction when what were then called tactical weapons or black guns started encroaching into the hunting world. Now, modern sporting arms based on an AR (Armalite Rifle) platform proliferate. In function, the modern Bushmaster is no different than the classic Brushmaster. Form is a different story, and while I still prefer a wooden stock and classic lines, to each his or her own. There’s a new type of technology quietly slipping into the mainstream that does offer a distinct functional advantage. Like ARstyle guns, some folks, including hunters, see no place or need for silencers or suppressors. Perhaps that’s www.MaineSportsman.com
When used responsibly, suppressors can improve accuracy and reduce hearing loss, as well as increase options for a range of hunters and target shooters.
While Mainers no longer need a state permit to possess a firearm with a suppressor device, a federal permit must be obtained from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Bob Humphrey photos.
because our exposure has largely been seeing them used as military weapons or by nefarious criminals in crime dramas and movies. However, if you dig a little deeper, with an open mind, you might begin to recognize some practical applications for sportsmen. Range Test I had a chance to try out some suppressors (a better term than silencer, because
The lack of a loud report could provide more opportunity for follow-up shots when hunting varmints or predators.
they suppress – but don’t silence – the muzzle blast) several years ago while sharing a Texas hunting camp with Darren Jones, head of sales and public relations for Silencerco. Jones’ company makes and sells suppressors for the military, law enforcement and yes, sportsmen. That experience changed my mind. Advantages Yes, suppressors
reduce the sound of a gun shot, substantially but not significantly. A well-engineered suppressor will reduce the sound of a gun shot below the level recommended by OSHA for hearing protection. Folks like me who have experienced some degree of hearing loss from repeated exposure to loud gunfire can appreciate that, and it could help others avoid the same fate.
Reduced sound could also minimize complaints from people who reside near the local gun club. And, not needing hearing protection increases situational awareness and allows for easier communication among hunters and shooters. Makes for More Accurate Shooting? That’s not the only, or perhaps even the most important, advantage. The greatest variable in accuracy is not the firearm or the load, but the shooter. We all have a tendency to flinch, especially on successive shots – a behavior that increases with larger calibers. Much of that is due to anticipating the recoil. However, sound also contributes to flinching. Remove the loud report and you reduce the tendency, which makes it easier – especially for kids and other smallframed shooters – to handle larger calibers and gauges more comfortably. Suppressors also reduce recoil and muz(Shooting Sports continued on page 33)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 31
The Curse by Mike Stevens
The buck with stunted antlers stepped into the sights of my 760 carbine. Was it the deer I’d been tracking, or should I let it go? In the end, recent history repeated itself. Fresh snow had blanketed the foothills of northwestern Maine during the third week of the 2021 deer season. At daylight, I stopped the truck to drop off my son, Cam, on a fresh track. A big buck had crossed a logging road during the night. Cam figured that based on the track, he could catch this bruiser at some point. I wished him luck while he loaded his 30-30 Winchester. The buck was headed for the edge of a beaver bog. In the past, I had followed many bucks in this area, prompting me to bark out scenarios he would find while chasing the big-footed buck. Cam nodded his head in agreement while checking his gear. Then, he quietly vanished in the faint daylight. Father and Son This was our time to hunt together. Truth be known, hunting with Cam is the time I most look forward to during each deer season. After spending the last 25 years guiding deer hunters, I have reduced my guiding duties down to one week. The rest of the season is dedicated
to hunting with my youngest son. It seems I have lost the urge to chase bucks every waking moment of November. Age and health have made me accept limitations. The days of tracking up and down mountains and valleys are over for me. Don’t be mistaken, however – the hunt still “calls out” to me each year. Decision Time I hunted all morning this day and finally spotted a few does crossing in front of me. While assessing them, I heard a buck grunt a couple of times. The wind was wrong, which sent him running. I found his track to be that of a good-size buck. I tracked him for a while, and found that he was headed toward the only major road in the area. As I crept closed to the buck, I could hear logging trucks driving fast along the road. Just then, movement caught my eye. It was a deer, walking straight towards me. I raised my 760 carbine and put the deer in my scope. The deer had stopped and was looking back. I could see that the buck had gnarly spikes with one
brow-tine. The question was, is this the buck I’d been tracking, or a smaller buck? He stood for a bit, allowing me to decide: Do I shoot him, or not? I let him walk off, passing by me at 30 yards. After checking the tracks, I could see that he was the buck I was following. Seems like he had a deformed rack – most likely an older deer that was fading with age. A Time to Reminisce The walk back to the truck gave me time to reenact the hunt. In fact, it gave me time to reenact the hunts of the last three years. Seeing this buck reminded me that I have gone three seasons without hanging a deer. Oh, I have let some nice bucks walk during that time. Maybe I shouldn’t be so picky now that I have grown old. Perhaps I should pay closer attention to my wife’s plea for fresh venison and not antlers. Maybe I deserve to be subject to this curse that has haunted me in recent years.
The author’s son, Cam, with one of his many bucks. Mike Stevens photo
having undertaken a long tracking job with no buck to show for it. He got in the truck and peeled off some sweatdrenched clothes while telling his story and guzzling bottles of water. I sat back, listening to a story I have lived many times. Cam’s a good a tracker, and his string of 11 bucks supports this. His persistence and
ability to track down bucks reminds me of a guy named Hal. After his story, he asked how my day went. “Oh, I saw a spike buck and let him go.” We looked at each other, cracking smiles simultaneously. He said, “So, the curse continues, huh, Dad?” (Big Woods World continued on page 33)
Son has Tagged Eleven Bucks When I met up with Cam early in the afternoon, he was showing the signs of www.MaineSportsman.com
32 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Maine is Top Turkey-Hunting Destination Why would hunters from distant states come all the way to Maine for a wild turkey? Simply put, according to the author, it’s currently one of the best turkey-hunting spots in the country. My very first day turkey hunting hooked me on the sport. How amazing is it to make a call and have an animal answer?! Never, in my few short years of hunting, had I experienced this type of interaction while hunting. I was a terrible turkey caller back
then, but it didn’t matter. The big Tom I was calling answered with two, three and four gobbles, every time I yelped at the bird. When its red, white and blue head appeared just 30 yards in front of me, my heart raced. As the big bird crept closer, I could
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barely keep the shotgun’s bead on its head. When I pulled the trigger and my first turkey fell to the ground, I nearly passed out from excitement. That hunt took place in May of 1992. That Tom is still my highest scoring bird. It weighed just over 20 pounds, had one-inch spurs, and sported two beards of nine and nine and a half inches. What a trophy! When I arrived in Unity, Maine for college in 1992, it didn’t take me long to hit the woods of Waldo County, looking for game. The deer population was strong and healthy. Small game populations (grouse, hare, and waterfowl) were also abundant. Surprisingly, there were few turkeys, but I knew Maine had a turkey season (lottery). I quickly discovered that dairy farms were the favored habitat for most local birds. A small but healthy population was enough to keep me interested, even though there was no chance to hunt locally. The turkeys of greater Waldo County provided me with an opportunity to observe and practice calling, before leaving the state for NY and better turkey hunting
Here’s the author in 1992, at age 22, with his first turkey. The big tom weighed just over 20 lbs, had 1-inch spurs, and sported two beards of 9 and 9 1/2 inches. Since that time, Maine’s turkey population -- and our state’s hunting opportunities -- have dramatically increased, while birds in other states are fewer in number.
(over-the-counter tags, and lots of birds). Today, the tables have turned. The portions of New York State I hunted in the 1990s and early 2000s with such confidence, now seem nearly void of turkeys when compared to 20-30 years ago. Central Maine bird populations, on the other hand, seem to have exploded over
the last 20 years. It’s now similar to what the Southern Tier of NYS (those counties west of the Catskills) used to be. Though I’ve never seen a great explanation of what happened to the NY turkey population, I do know what has made Maine’s population thrive. (Continued on next page)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 33 (Continued from page 32)
Amazing Habitat and Few Hunters Among the things I’ve always loved about Central Maine, are the farms. Active dairy farms mean healthy corn fields and hay fields. Healthy corn fields and hay fields, coupled with diverse forests along the borders, provide excellent food and habitat for wild turkeys. When DIF&W first allowed turkey hunting in this part of the state, large numbers of hunters entered the lottery in hopes of drawing a coveted tag. Turkey hunting was new and exciting, pro-
viding an opportunity most had never experienced. During my first 10 years hunting turkeys in Maine, many hunters felt crowded at times. The competition for unmolested flocks was fierce. A well prepared turkey hunter had three or four spots to hunt, in case they showed up and another hunter was already there. Still, the bird population grew, and hunter success rates were excellent. Back then, we were allowed to kill one bird only in the spring. Fast forward to the last few years. As a dedicated turkey hunter and turkey ob-
Shooting Sports
server, it’s easy for me to see that the turkey population in much of central Maine is not only healthy and large, but also it’s likely one of the best places to hunt the Eastern subspecies of wild turkey in the country! That’s a bold statement, but I believe it to be true. Invaders from Foreign Lands? I’m not the only person who believes Maine turkey hunting is awesome. Anyone who’s chasing Maine turkeys in the spring has noticed an increase in the numbers of out-of-state license plates. These aren’t just the normal plates
from MA, NH, VT, CT and RI. I’m talking about plates and trucks with two, three and four hunters from NY, OH, PA, even TX, MS, AL and the Midwest states of MO, IN, IA and TN! Why would hunters from these states come all the way to Maine for a turkey? Simply put, Maine is a turkey hunting destination! The Maine DIF&W has done an amazing job managing and expanding the turkey population, enabling it to now offer increased opportunities (in certain WMDs, multiple birds and two seasons) to hunt and harvest them.
zle flip. That promotes even greater accuracy, which is the goal of every hunter and target shooter.
the latter case might be more practical for resident goose or even small game hunting in more developed areas – where you can still meet the legal setbacks, but might upset local (human) residents.
More Second Shots? While you may not need suppressors, they have some very practical applications. Accuracy is key for the types of long-range shots often taken by varmint and predator hunters, and a quieter report could provide more subsequent shot opportunities. Keeping folks in the neighboring farm happy is also important. A lot of predator hunting occurs at night, when the sound of gunfire is more likely to draw unnecessary and unwarranted attention, and simply make folks uneasy. Even during the day, there may be situations and circumstances where suppressors make sense. They’re made for both rifles and shotguns, and in
Regulatory Details Before you run out and try to buy one, there are a few things to know about restrictions and requirements. In order to legally purchase or possess a suppressor, you must be a U.S. resident legally eligible to purchase a firearm. You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase from a dealer, or at least 18 to purchase a suppressor from an individual using what’s called a “Form 4 to Form 4 transfer.” You also must pass a Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives background check, which has a typical process time of 8 to 10 months, and pay a one-time $200 Transfer Tax. Finally, you must also reside in a
(Continued from page 30)
Big Woods World (Continued from page 31)
Hal’s Thoughts I am only a few years behind Mike as we approach the time in our lives when we realize it’s time to slow down a bit in the woods. I feel fortunate that I can still put in long days on a track up and down the mountains, but it takes its toll on
me by the end of the season. I think as we grow older and have shot our share of bucks, we have come to the point at which killing a buck for the sake of doing so or proving something is not important to us. Just the fact that we can still be out there in the game, with our sights still set on outwitting one of those old toe-dragging bucks, is all we need to feel grateful. I call it the evolution of a deer hunt-
Mild winters the last 10 years have certainly played a role in the increased population. Increased bag limits don’t seem to have affected turkey numbers. As most hunters know, one bad winter could reduce numbers quickly. Fortunately, that hasn’t happened, and spring 2022 is looking like another banner season! It’s nearly time to get scouting. In April, I’ll share some observations and scouting tips to help increase opportunities for an enjoyable and productive spring hunt.
¶
state like Maine that currently allows civilian ownership of suppressors. For those who travel to hunt, you should be aware that other states may have more restrictive laws regarding the sale and possession of suppressors. The concept is still new and hasn’t yet gained widespread acceptance, but the trend is growing. According to Silencerco, suppressors are now legal in 39 states, including Maine. Yes, in theory they do make it easier for poachers; but poaching is still illegal. Like the firearms they’re fitted to, suppressors are a tool that when used responsibly can increase accuracy and reduce hearing loss as well as increase options for a range of hunters and target shooters. To learn more about suppressors, visit the American Suppressor Association’s website at: www.americansuppressorassociation.com.
¶
er. Reminiscing about past hunts and the places we’ve been is what keeps us going, so we can have more of those experiences. The best part of age and experience is that we can pass it all on the younger generations of hunters. It’s called paying it forward and I hope the next generation and the one after that will keep the momentum going.
¶
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34 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
There is Silver in Maine In the past, the fur of silver foxes was used by royalty and nobles across Europe, Russia and Asia. They were commonly raised on fox farms. However, it’s very rare to trap a silver fox in the wild. That’s what made two trappers’ recent experience in Aroostook County so unusual. If one goes online and does a web search for “Silver Mines in Maine,” they will be surprised at the number of such mines. In Somerset County where I live, there are thirteen silver mines listed. I have one over the hill in front of my house in the town of Emden called Robinson Zinc Mine. It produced lead, silver, zinc and some copper. In Aroostook County, there are only two listed. But we are supposed to be talking about trapping here. There is a different and rarer type of silver found in Maine. It is the Silver Fox. A Darker Version of the Red Fox This fox is the same canid as the red fox; both are Vulpes vulpes. The difference is that the silver variation is a melanistic form of the red fox, meaning that the animals fur exhibits dark pigmentation. Silver foxes vary in color from jet black to a bluish gray or ashy grey. No matter what the color, all silver foxes have white-tipped tails. Historically, the silver fox has been www.MaineSportsman.com
among the most valued of furbearers. In the past, their fur was used by royalty and nobles across Europe, Russia and Asia. Wild silver foxes do not normally have the opportunity to breed with each other, simply because they are so rare – the vast majority of kits born are of the red fox coloration with the silver being extremely unusual. Even if two were to cross paths and breed, the colors would vary in their offspring. In the wild, the blended offspring of a silver and red fox is known as the cross fox, which is far more common than the silver fox itself. Rare in Maine The chances of a melanistic form being born in nature is rare. This makes the silver fox rare in the wild, as are other melanistic forms of mammals. On the other hand, when silver foxes are captured and put together for breeding, by the third generation a color line is normally standardized. Silver fox are bred in “fox farms” for fur in many countries. I personally have
not seen a silver fox since the mid-1950s, when one was trapped in North Yarmouth (DeLorme’s Map 5, C-4) along a power line. Two CarrabassettArea Trappers in The County Steve Rankin and Gordon Blauvelt, two members of the Carrabassett Valley Trappers caught a silver fox this past trapping season (2021) while trapping in an undisclosed location in Aroostook County. Steve and Gordon go up to The County and stay at Steve’s camp in Masardis (Map 58, A-2) for two or three weeks each year to trap canines. While running traps one morning, they were shocked to find that they had caught a silver fox. Neither had caught one before. Steve sent me the photo of the fox that is included in this article. After they got back from their trip, I got together with Steve and asked him some particulars on their good fortune of taking this rare form of fox. They caught it in a Duke 550 trap, which is a
Steve Rankin and Gordon Blauvelt, two members of the Carrabassett Valley Trappers, traveled to Aroostook County during the 2021 season and trapped this rare silver fox in a potato field using a Duke 550 canine trap. Rankin/Blauvelt photo
new version of canine trap that the Duke Company had recently started to manufacture. The furbearer was caught in a standard dirt hole set in an Aroostook potato field. They were using a meat-based bait that Steve makes and markets. They used pure fox urine as the scent to attract the fox to the set. Word Spreads Since they caught it, they have been made offers by various individuals around the country to purchase the fox. With today’s social media the word spread fast that they had taken one of the rare wild silver foxes. In the end, they decided trapping the fox was a once-in-alifetime catch, and that they would get it tanned and keep it. To them it is worth much more than money. When I contacted Maine Department of Fisheries and Wild-
life furbearer biologist Shevenell Webb and inquired about how many silver foxes and how many cross foxes have been taken, she responded by saying that she had not received any reports of silver or cross foxes in recent years, so she thought it is fairly uncommon. She suspects that there are a few each year that are not reported. She also said that she had just returned from tagging a well-known canid trapper’s fur. She said, “He is a big canid trapper, and he agrees that silvers are much more rare than cross foxes. He told me he catches one or two cross foxes most seasons. He mentioned that he’d caught a silver fox many years ago. So, it sounds like it’s pretty special to catch a silver fox.” I think Steve and Gordon would agree.
¶
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 35
Winter Canoe Repair Leads to Warm Thoughts of Future Trips I felt the webbing of the canoe seat give way beneath me as I was approaching the campsite for the first night out on Telos Lake. Maybe it was caused by the extra exertion necessary to paddle crosswind to reach the landing spot. Somehow, the grinding of paddling muscles, bone and sinew was being transmitted from shoulders down through my torso to the sit bones – and to the already sagging cane center of the wooden seat. Whatever the reason, the wooden seat was toast by the time I reached High Bank campsite. The caning was completely torn – creating something like an uncomfortable outhouse effect for the paddler. In my solo canoe, a 15-foot Old Town “Northern Light” model, I was part of a small group of solo canoeists and kayakers. We were heading for Telos Dam and the portage trail to Webster Lake (DeLorme,
While the snow fell outside, the author hunkered down in his warm basement workshop and replaced the seat on his rare Old Town “Northern Light” solo canoe. It was worth the investment. Built in the 1990s of Kevlar and fiberglass, the 15-foot, 45-pound canoe was ahead of its time.
The lightweight 15-foot “Northern Light” solo canoe is easy to launch, haul and portage. Photos: Jim Andrews
Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, Map 50, A-2). It was planned as a fourday trip, and a temporary repair of the seat seemed to be in order. While my companions pitched their tents and started dinner, I used a canoe strap to weave a temporary seat cushion for the Old Town.
Frequent, heavy use finally resulted in a tear-through of the solo cane seat.
When I looked up from my work, the setting sun was dramatically lighting the high peaks of the Traveler Range in nearby Baxter State Park. Warm Thoughts on a Cold Night All of this came to mind recently, as I completed the perma-
nent repair job on the seat of the Northern Light. Meanwhile, a snowstorm raged outside my warm cellar workshop. Repairing, outfitting and messing around with canoes in the workshop is my winter mental therapy. It seems less gruesome to think about open water be-
A convenient Upstate New York parts supply source, and a few hours of work by the author, resulted in good-as-new seating.
ing weeks away if I can spend a few hours replacing a thwart, repairing a seat or installing new Kevlar keel guards. A more committed traditionalist would have woven a new seat with rattan or caning material. Instead, I ordered a replacement caned yoke seat online from Essex Industries (EssexIndustries.org). The company manufactures a full line of canoe accessories in upstate New York. I’ve relied on them for years to supply parts for my mid-winter therapy sessions. A Unique Seat for a Rare Boat Old Town manufactured the Northern Light model for only a short time, and they are a rare find on the used boat market. Most of the company’s single seat canoes were simply scaled down versions of larger boats – think the 11’9” Discovery model, and the Penobscot 15’. Even the famous 13(Self-Propelled continued on page 38)
Here, the author is underway in his solo canoe on Telos Lake. An innovative sliding seat allows the canoeist to adjust fore-andaft weight distribution to accommodate different payloads and wave conditions. www.MaineSportsman.com
36 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Maine Forests Provide a Diversity of Cover and Age Classes Let’s start our series on Maine’s working forest by asking the following question: How can timber harvesting be good for Maine’s forests, wildlife and recreation? Forest Cover Types One benefit of Maine’s long history of timber harvesting is the diversity of forested habitats and age classes across the state. Yes, I know, there are some significant downsides to this, such as habitat fragmentation and a lack of old growth forest, but let’s focus on the positives for now. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are part of the globally significant region of temperate broadleaf and conifer forests that spreads from the Minnesota all the way to New Brunswick. Maine’s 17 million acres of forest land comprise a wide
A great deal of Maine forest is older growth. Many animals and birds, however, need mixed-age growth. For example, white-tailed deer browse young saplings in the morning, munch on acorns in mature oakhickory stands in the evening, and seek winter cover in dense hemlock stands. Likewise, chestnut-sided warblers prefer recently-harvested hardwoods, while the black-backed woodpeckers require large tracts of older spruce-fir or pine forests. diversity of habitat or cover types and age classes, from coverts of young aspen saplings to towering stands of oak and pine, which in turn support a tremendous diversity of wildlife and birds. The most common forest cover type statewide is mixed hardwood – maple, oak, beech and birch, at roughly 8 million acres total. Next is the spruce-fir cover type, at 6.5 million acres. These two cover types account for three-quarters of the forest land in Maine. Other cover types
include aspen/birch (~2 million acres, mostly in northern Maine), white/red/jack pine (~1 million acres), followed by oak/pine and other hardwoods and softwoods, including cedar, at about 600,000 acres. Age Classes Each of these cover types has a different mix of age classes. Various age classes, including uneven age stands, provide different types of habitat to support Maine’s 50+ species of mammals, 30+ species of reptiles and amphibians, and 100+ species of birds
The so-called “budworm bulge” in 20 - 40 year old spruce and fir is the result of growth following heavy harvesting in the 1970s connected with the spruce budworm infestation. Charts prepared for James W. Sewall Co., 2018 www.MaineSportsman.com
that make their homes in the woodlands. According to a 2018 report by Sewall Company, there is a big bulge in the 2040 year age class of spruce-fir, about 1.8 million acres, largely the result of heavy cutting during the spruce budworm outbreak in the late 1970s and 80s. Harvesting in that cover type declined precipitously since then, so we have only 300,000 acres of early successional spruce-fir today – less than 5% of the total (see chart below). You might be sur-
prised to learn that almost a million acres of spruce-fir, roughly 15%, is in the 81+ age class – a considerable amount of mature spruce-fir, despite intensive management for those species. Similarly, we have about 300,000 acres of mixed hardwood (less than 4%) in the under 20 year age class. In the 30- to 80-year age range, the distribution across the decades is more even, lacking the “budworm bulge” (see chart below). Maine has about 2 million acres, or 25%, in the 81+ range of mature hardwood forests. Again, this represents a significant amount of mature timberland. Pine, Cedar, Hemlock Two other important cover types, pine and cedar, show a stronger skew toward (Sporting Environment continued on page 38)
Maine hardwood forests contain a surprising volume of mature hardwoods, 80-plus years old. While some game and birds thrive in old-grown forests, others require mixed-age stands of trees.
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Shed Hunting Tips Successful shed hunting requires strategy – where do you look, when, and how. It’s fun to discover a single antler or even a matching pair. And even if you come up empty, at least you’ve accomplished some scouting for next season, and you’ve had a good walk in the snowy woods with your dog. Winter can be a difficult time to get outside and be active. Days are short, and you likely spend weekends ice fishing or snowmobiling, but consider shed hunting this winter. Best case, you gain useful intel for next year’s deer season and find a shed or two; worst case, you go for a long, healthy walk in the woods. No dog? No problem – I’ve had great success and don’t use a dog (well, Argos does keep me company while I search). I shed hunt in Southern Maine, so these tips are focused on that, though some information could apply to looking for moose antlers to the north.
Before You Go Before you head out looking for sheds, take an antler you have, and toss it on the ground outside. Notice the way it falls and how it looks. Walk ten yards away, then twenty yards. Notice the tines, the smooth curves, and the color compared with its surroundings. These are the cues you will be looking for in the field. Where should you look for sheds? Obviously, you can search the areas you hunt, but the best land to shed hunt is land that still holds bucks after hunting season. Do a little online scouting before you venture out. Check MDIFW “Beginning with Habitat” maps, which shade the
Follow tracks in the snow to find a shed. Christi Holmes photo
areas in Maine that are designated “deer wintering areas.” Also, look for areas that don’t allow hunting, such as: • Designated wildlife sanctuaries (found on MDIFW website), • Town-owned land where hunting is not allowed, and • Private property where hunting is not permitted. Timing The success of shed hunting depends, to a great degree, on timing. Go too early in the year, and the deer haven’t dropped their sheds. Go too late, and the antlers are buried in snow. I leave my game cameras out for this reason. You may get
Shed hunting is a good way to get outside in the winter months. Christi Holmes photo
a photo of a one-antlered buck, or if you look closely, you may be able to see indentations where a buck’s antlers used to be.
Smaller deer sheds are harder to spot than larger sheds. Train your eyes to look for smooth curves, points, and sun-bleached white colors. Christi Holmes photo
Ask landowners if they’ve seen any antlered deer recently. Join the Facebook group, Maine Shed (Continued on next page)
The author found this matched set, despite receiving absolutely no assistance from her dog, Argos. Photo: Randy Huntley www.MaineSportsman.com
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Maine Sportswoman (Continued from page 37)
Hunters, and look to see if others posting about finding fresh sheds. If so, it’s time. I usually start looking for sheds at the beginning of February, when there’s been a stretch without substantial snowfall,
so my odds are finding sheds are increased. Strategy Snow is your friend, not only because you can follow tracks, but also because a fresh brown antler sticks out better against the white backdrop. Fol-
Self-Propelled (Continued from page 35)
foot Pack model was never specifically designed for long-distance flatwater paddling. In many ways, the Northern Light was ahead of its time. Fifteen feet long, 45 pounds and a rounded Kevlar/fiberglass hull with a very sharp entry line – it was built for speed on flat water, but also designed to carry a decent payload – 625 lbs. The 18” bow height and 13” center depth make it extremely dry for a solo boat. Old Town sold the model in the early 1990s – before the big explosion of interest in these types of boats – at least in Maine. Part of the attraction was a solo seat that would slide forward or back to adjust for load and water conditions. Because there was no center thwart, the seat was designed to double as a
Sporting Environment (Continued from page 36)
older stands. About a quarter of our pine habitat is over 80 years old. Cedar and hemlock cover types are even older, with 60 to 70% of those cover types in the 81+ age class. Impact on Wildlife What does all this mean for Maine’s wildlife? It depends, of course, on the species. Each species of animal has a specific set of habitat characteristics that are suitable for different life stages, seasons, or behaviors. To support the widest diversity of wildlife, biologist have identified two dozen “focus species” whose habitat needs cover those of many other forest species. Landowners can maximize their impact by managing for these focus species. A few of them include: • Snowshoe hare • Pine marten www.MaineSportsman.com
low tracks, and when you see evidence of feeding, droppings, beds, anything to indicate the deer did more than pass through, slow down a bit and look harder. If the deer went under a low branch, or jumped over a fence, search extra hard there. These are opportunities where the
antler may have been jolted free. A deer antler is much smaller than a moose antler, so you must be close to spot it. Some people bring binoculars – give it a try, and see what works for you. If you’re searching in an area you hunt, you can scout for next fall. Cartain sign, like
carrying yoke for portaging. Essex Industries carries this unique seat design – these seats are not easy to find elsewhere. Afternoon Delight While the snow fell outside, I removed the seat with the torn webbing from the sliding device that anchors it to the gunnels of the boat. The new seat is a bit wider and deeper than the original, and should be more comfortable. I cut the new seat to length and re-attached the sliding device before positioning it back in the boat. I’m a slow and clumsy canoe mechanic. The job took two hours or so, including time spent tracking down the necessary tools. The pellet boiler kept me warm enough in the cellar – but thoughts of future trips in the Northern Light did their part as well. For thirty years, I’ve paddled big White-tailed deer Northern goshawk Ruffed grouse Wood turtle Chestnut-sided warbler Black-backed woodpecker, and Spotted salamander For example, white-tailed deer require a wide variety of habitats used by other species, depending on the season or time of day. Deer will browse young saplings in the morning, munch on acorns in mature oak-hickory stands in the evening, and seek winter cover in dense hemlock stands. In contrast, the pine marten requires extensive mature hardwood, mixed-wood, or conifer forests with abundant snags (standing dead) and downed trees. • • • • • • •
For the Birds As for birds, a cool publication called A Woodland Owner’s Guide to Forestry for Maine Birds helps foresters, loggers and family woodland owners “see the forest for the birds” when
rubs on trees, are evident in the winter. What should you do with a shed once you’ve found one? I’ve made a jewelry holder; I have some in a wildlife-themed wreath; I’ve given them to Argos to chew on; and the rest are on the mantle.
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tripping canoes, both solo and tandem, on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the upper St. John, all kinds of smaller lakes, ponds, streams, and even on the Atlantic Ocean. These canoes can swallow huge loads of gear, they are incredibly stable and virtually indestructible. Big boats invite you to paddle and pole while standing. They adapt well to rowing, and in a pinch, I can attach a side-mounted outboard for extra power. But at almost twice the weight of my solo Northern Light model, the big tripping boats are agony on the portage trail. Even loading, unloading and launching the 18- and 20-foot behemoths can be a challenge as I slip into my sixth decade. I think I might be starting to see the light.
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designing and implementing management strategies. Forestry For Maine Birds is a collaborative effort of Maine Audubon, the Forest Stewards Guild, the Maine Forest Service, and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The guide describes what habitat features are best for twenty forest bird species of highest conservation priority. For example, the chestnut-sided warbler prefers recently-harvested hardwoods with large overstory gaps and dense young growth in the understory. In contrast, the black-backed woodpecker, a northern species, requires large tracts of older spruce-fir or pine forests with larger, taller conifer snags (dead trees); it prefers higher-density vegetation in the canopy. By providing diverse habitat for these priority species, timberland owners can protect and improve Maine’s biodiversity.
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Where Lady Slippers Bloom With a sickening growl and a loud bang, the excavator sunk its teeth into the ridgepole of the old camp. Rafters snapped and buckled, and the weight of the bucket flattened the roof. Within twenty minutes, the entire cabin had been demolished, and my heart was broken. I wondered what Mom and Dad would say. They had built our little family camp back in 1950 after the “Fire of ’47.” I had saved the two-man crosscut saw they had used that to cut down the blackened pine trees and clear a path to the water. The backhoe grappled walls, windows and shingles, and lifted them all into a giant dumpster. The camp was around 70 years old, and the framing and joists were so badly rotted there was no point in making repairs. “Tear it down and rebuild,” was the advice from the contractor. Hard to see it go, though – so much history; so many memories. Full House, Aces Over Queens Dad was in the Navy during WW II and he won a huge pot in a Saturday night poker game. The winning hand was a “full house,” aces over queens. Dad sent the money home to his mother and told her to buy the camp lot on Swan Pond. Years later we carved a wooden sign and called the camp “The Full House.” We had almost no money, but Dad was resourceful. A fellow in Old Orchard Beach was tearing down his garage, and Dad agreed to take the walls. He borrowed a flatbed truck and hauled those walls up to the pond. Somehow, they saved enough money to buy lumber for the floor and roof. For years Mom and Dad kept improving the little camp. Dad had a hammer, a handsaw and a wooden level. He added a porch. Then he added a lean-to on the side with two bedrooms. He built a bathroom on the back, and finally into the 1990s, they brought in electricity and dug a leach field.
Lots of children came to the camp during its 70 year history. They learned to swim. They went fishing. As they got older, they snowshoed to camp in the winter without their parents, and felt grown up as they chopped wood and made their own meals. Randy Randall photo
Off to Camp I walked around the pile of debris and remembered so many things. Dad had an old panel truck. On a Friday afternoon, he’d load the truck with lumber and nails. Because the boards stuck out the back, he couldn’t close the doors. Mom and Dad sat in the front, and Ruthie and I and the dog sat on the pile of lumber and looked out the open doors as the road rushed away behind us. We were off to camp. I remembered the summer evenings in the 1950s and lying in the bunk beds Dad had made and listening to the whippoorwill sing just outside the wall. It’s been years since I’ve heard a whippoorwill. Family, friends, relatives and lots of children all came to the camp. We kids learned to swim and hold our breath as we swam under water from one huge rock to another. We went fishing. We rowed our boat up along the shore to a natural spring where we filled our Coleman jug with ice cold water. Restorative The years went by. They bought a new aluminum boat and an Evinrude motor. I helped dad shingle the roof.
We came with our three sons, and Mom taught them how to play cribbage. My cousin came from Canada. She was blind, and Dad tied ropes from the front steps to the trees so she could find her way down to the pond to go swimming. When Mom was recovering from cancer, they walked the trail along the shore and back up to the main road and then down the hill to the back door of the camp. It was two miles, and she got stronger every day. Before we could drive, my friends and I convinced our parents to let us go to the camp alone for ice fishing. We snowshoed the mile down the hill and thought we were very grown up as we chopped firewood, experimented with tobacco, and prepared our own meals. Trusting us and letting us work things out on our own was one of the greatest gifts our parents could have ever given us. Lady Slippers After Mom died, Dad and his dog, Cody, stayed at the camp. He was too old to do any projects, so we helped paint the clapboards, repair the steps and rake the leaves. The lady slippers bloomed in the front yard where we had spread Mom’s ashes. Mom loved the lady slippers. All the while, the pond was changing. More new camps and year-round homes were built. The little pond barely had room for all the jet ski’s, pontoon boats and wakeboarders. Eventually, Dad stopped staying by himself. He’d drive up for the day then drive home in time for the 6 o’clock news. When he died, we spread his ashes around where the lady slippers grow. Now there’s just empty space where the old camp had stood. Soon a new modern cottage will take its place. It won’t be the same, of course, but I hope maybe Mom and Dad would approve; and when the lady slippers bloom, we’ll remember Bob and Polly and the little camp they built and loved so long ago.
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www.MaineSportsman.com
40 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
WE’RE BACK!
The 40th Annual
State of Maine
Sportsman’s Show
LIVE & IN-PER SO
N!
Mark Your Calendars for Maine’s Premier Outdoor Show! April 1st 1PM–8PM • April 2nd 9AM–7PM • April 3rd 9AM–4PM Augusta Civic Center Outdoor enthusiasts from all around the state and beyond have been patiently waiting for the return of Maine’s biggest outdoor trade show. THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER! Join thousands of outdoors-minded folks for an entire weekend of everything outdoors! There truly is something for everyone:
OVER 100 EXHIBITORS • DEMONSTRATIONS • SEMINARS TAXIDERMY • KIDS ZONE • YOUTH TURKEY CALLING CONTEST ART, PHOTOGRAPHY & CARVING CONTESTS • AND LOTS MORE!
TICKETS:
TICKETS AT THE DOOR: Adults 8, Kids Ages 5-12, Veterans & Seniors $6, 3-DAY BRACELET ONLY $15 PRE-SALE TICKETS: $5 Picked up, $6 Shipped – Call (207) 622-4242 $
Are you a returning or new exhibitor with questions? Contact Carol at Carol@MaineSportsman.com or (207) 622-4242, or Becky at Becky@SportsmansAllianceOfMaine.org or (207) 623-4589.
STAY TUNED TO THE SHOW WEBSITE & FACEBOOK PAGE FOR UPDATES!
www.show.mainesportsman.com www.MaineSportsman.com
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www.MaineSportsman.com
42 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
— The Maine
2021 GRAND SLA
The Maine Sportsman’s G “An Association of Hunters Who Have Taken a Turkey
Sixteen year old Heather Nevells’ 2021 four-animal Grand Slam included this turkey as well as a 693.2-lb. bull moose harvested in T16 R8. The New Gloucester hunter was often accompanied by her supportive parents, Fred and Regina Nevells.
Keven Denis of Limington sealed the deal on his 2021 Grand Slam with this 160-lb. black bear. Truly in a patch club league of his own, Keven also earned Grand Slams in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
TOWN / CITY
STATE
Argraves Sr
Ronald
Castle Hill
ME
Barnes
Nicholas
Edmunds Twp
ME
Batchelder
Dakota
Enfield
ME
Bires
Michael
Bucksport
ME
Blaisdell
Kenneth
Roxbury
ME
Boothby
Gavin
Steep Falls
ME
Brewer
Trey
Easton
ME
Clement
Adam
Rome
ME
Crowley
Ryan
Litchfield
ME
DeLong
James
Monticello
ME
Denis
Keven
Limington
ME
Dow
Marissa
Hodgdon
ME
Dow
Kylie
Sebec
ME
Dugas
Joshua
Windham
ME
Emery
Joshua
Sumner
ME
Franck
Shawn
Steep Falls
ME
Frazier
Clifford
Farmington
ME
Gagner
Rylan
Hampden
ME
Gould
Joshua
Auburn
ME
Grant
Daniel
Gorham
NH
Hendrickson
Jeffrey
Kittery Point
ME
Check out more 2021 Grand Sla
Barbara Plummer of Frenchtown TWP shot this impressive 163-lb. buck in Spencer Bay TWP to complete her 2021 Grand Slam. www.MaineSportsman.com
Denver Small of Pittsfield bagged this 540-lb. bull moose in T16 R13 Wels on the way to earning his 2021 Grand Slam patch.
Adam Clement of Rome, Maine bagged two turkeys to kick off his successful 2021 Grand Slam effort, which also included a 160-lb. bear and a 667-lb. bull moose.
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Sportsman —
AM PATCH CLUB
Grand Slam Patch Club – y, Bear, Moose and Deer in the Same Calendar Year” LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
TOWN / CITY
STATE
Jack
Ian
Oxford
ME
Jacobs
Alexander
Millinockett
ME
Jacobs Sr
Keven R
Carmel
ME
Linkletter
Jason M
Hermon
ME
Lucas
Renner
Nobleboro
ME
Maschino
Jacob
New Goucester
ME
McKay
Riley
Holden
ME
Merrill
Erin
Belgrade
ME
Nevells
Heather
New Gloucester
ME
Parsons
Steven B
Standish
ME
Perez
Joseph
Appleton
ME
Plummer
Barbara
French twp
Me
Pritchett
Jeremy
Eliot
ME
Ray
Eric
Bucksport
ME
Scott II
Charles E
Dover-Foxcroft
ME
Seeley
Tyler
Presque Isle
ME
Small
Denver
Pittsfield
ME
Smith
Brandon
Gray
ME
Thomas II
Eben A
Winthrop
ME
Turcotte
Jason
Durham
ME
Wallingford
Michael
Shapleigh
ME
Kylie Dow of Sebec, profiled last year in Christi Holmes’ “Women to Watch” feature, successfully bowhunted for this button buck in Old Town. Her bull moose, harvested in T4 Indian Purchase TWP, weighed an impressive 770 pounds.
Steve Parsons of Standish shot this 18lb. tom turkey in Gorham on May 4th, 2021, and then went on to earn his Grand Slam patch with a 170-lb. buck, a black bear from T4 R11, and a 696-lb. moose from Oxbow.
Joshua Dugas of Windham got this black bear in Grafton, Maine, and also harvested a 160-lb. buck in Westbrook while bowhunting, as part of his 2021 Grand Slam-qualifying four big game animals.
Rylan Gagner of Hampden earned his 2021 Grand Slam patch in impressive fashion, including a 657-lb. moose, a 21-lb. turkey, a 150-lb. bear, and this 225-lb. buck, which also earned him a “Biggest Bucks in Maine” patch.
am Patch Club photos page 82!
Gavin Boothby (right) earned his 2021 Grand Slam with trophies including this 557-lb. bull moose from Allagash. The 13-year old hunter is shown here with his father, Todd.
www.MaineSportsman.com
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I’ll Have a Cheeseburger and Fries Les Simpson, from the Old Newport Road in Corinna, had been complaining for a couple of weeks about a large beaver dam that had backed the water up adjacent to his wood lot. He and his son Everett wanted to get across the brook with his John Deere 350 crawler to cut some spruce and fir, as that was the way they had always accessed that wood lot. At that time, we were still utilizing dynamite to blow up beaver dams, so I called him one morning and told him I could blast the dam that day. So, on a hot sticky June day, I went over to his farm and picked him up in my 1979 GMC pickup. He asked me what my father’s name was; I told him, and he said he had sold my dad a few hundred bales of hay about 25 years ago. I asked Les if those were tied with baling wire instead of twine, and he replied that they were. I said I remembered that, as it was the only hay bales I ever saw that were wire tied. We proceeded down an old, discontinued town road and came out in an area where the brook ran across the old road and along the side of a high voltage electric transmission line. On the west side of the road there was a large beaver dam that had backed the water up for a considerable diswww.MaineSportsman.com
The author tried to embed ten sticks of dynamite deep into the beaver dam. He did the best he could. As it turned out, however, he did not do a good enough job.
“I touched it off, and there was a massive explosion. To my surprise and horror, a quantity of sticks and mud blew up and away from the dam.”
tance. Ten Sticks of Dynamite I got my equipment and dynamite out, including my spool of wire that Warden Roland Pelletier had given me in 1970 when he gave me my 20-minute class on how to do this, and I set to work. I had ten sticks of dynamite and wanted to use them all up, as they were getting old and I needed to get rid of them. So I put in two separate charges of five sticks each and wired them together – something I had figured out on my own. I did notice the power line, but figured it was far enough away and high enough from the dam that it wouldn’t be a problem.
The trick is to set the charges on the upstream side and get the charges embedded into the dam as far below the water line as possible, to decrease the blow back. That isn’t all that easy when the water is deep and everything is muddy and slippery. I did the best I could, but as it turned out, it was not good enough. Thinking back about that reminds me of my beaver trapping partner, Dan McAllister, who used to always tell me when setting traps, that “the best you can do is only half good enough.” Massive Explosion After the charges were in place, I connected the blasting caps to my spool of wire, and then ran it out for what I consid-
ered a safe distance. I prepared to use my flashlight batteries to set off the charge. I told Les to watch for any flying debris that might come raining down from the sky and to be ready to duck, since that was a lot of dynamite I had put in. I “touched it off,” and there was a massive explosion. To my surprise and horror, a quantity of sticks and mud blew up and away from the dam, and then made direct contact with the high voltage power lines. That created a large orange ball of fire and a loud bang like a .30’06 being fired. I dropped the electrical cord to the ground just as the high voltage lines began to whip violently, like yoyo strings. Thinking
the lines were coming down, we ran for the woods, away from the lines. The lines did not come down, but my heart was in my throat for a few seconds until the lines calmed down and stopped whipping. I realized what a foolish mistake I had made, and having ahold of the end of the electrical cord could have had severe consequences. Time for Lunch? I gathered up my equipment, and we made a hasty departure from the area. I realized I had dodged a bullet on this one. In the back of my mind, I also wondered whether shorting out the wires would cause any ramifications. I dropped Les off at his place. He didn’t seem to be the least bit fazed by this episode and I was rather glad of that. After getting all calmed down, I decided that I needed an early lunch, so I swung into Gallison’s Diner in downtown Corinna. I plunked down in a booth as the waitress, Marsha Doherty, come over and asked, “What can we do for you today?” I replied, I think “I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries.” She replied, “We can’t make you anything hot – the power is out. Has there been an accident somewhere?”
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— Guest Column —
A Guide to Requesting Landowner Permission by Staci Warren Good landowner relations are key to hunters being able to access hunting grounds in Maine, but one of the most dreaded aspects of hunting is asking for permission to hunt on land that isn’t yours. I’ve talked to people who would rather stick a pin in their eye than face the possibility of being turned down to hunt by someone they may or may not know. Others simply don’t know how to find out who owns the property to even ask. This column will get you started by providing you the information you need and tips on how to make the ask. Permission is Good Practice for Hunting; Required for Trapping One of the first things we’re told in hunter safety is that despite Maine’s open access law, it’s always best to ask for permission to hunt on private land. If you’re a trapper, you are required to have written permission. Prior to the spring turkey season is the perfect time to do the leg work. Getting permission now will give you time to scout and plan your hunt so you’ll be ready for opening day, whether that’s turkey season or deer season. While face-to-face is always best, it’s not always feasible, and these days, finding telephone numbers is
Now’s a good time to start obtaining landowner permission, whether for the spring turkey hunt or the fall whitetail season. Here’s how to determine property ownership. far more difficult than it used to be, since landlines aren’t the norm, and the white pages have stopped providing that information for free. Since I’m unwilling to pay for information that may or may not be correct, I resort to letter writing, which so far, has proved a 100% success rate in getting permission, despite my early worries that my requests would go unanswered. Finding Out Who Owns the Property These simple steps can help you find the information you need so you can make the ask whether letter writing or in person. 1) Identify the property. Note the town and road where the property is located. Write down any information, such as known surrounding owners, names of roads, or landmarks that will help you identify the location on a map. You’ll want this information when you start looking at tax maps, either online or at the municipal office. You can also cut through a lot of the work if you use one of the hunting apps such as HuntStand or onX Hunt on your phone
If you encounter a sign like this, it’s time to get to work obtaining landowner permission. Source: Maine DIF&W
that has landowner information; however, not all municipalities participate. Therefore, you may not find what you’re looking for, and the information you get may not be current. 2) Go the website for the town where the land is located to access the tax maps. Many towns now publish their tax maps and yearly tax commitment files online, usually under the “Tax Assessor” tab on the website. In towns that don’t have a website, you’ll have to physically visit the town office. 3) Tax maps are broken down into parceled, detailed maps, but there’s usually one cover map used as a key – that will give you an idea where to begin. If there isn’t a cover map, go the tax commitment files and
look up a known landowner or an address, and compare the map and lot numbers to the location you are looking for. This will usually get you in the ballpark of which tax map to start with. 4) Once you identify the individual map, find the property using your notes in step 1, and note the lot number. 5) Go to the Tax Commitment book that lists property by map and lot, which will be in ascending order. Once you find the map and lot number, you will find the owner(s), and a mailing address. Bingo. You’re halfway there. 6) You can either take that information and try to arrange a face-to-face meeting if the owners are local, or you can decide if a letter (which will be covered in a future column) would be a better option if the landowner is not local. On more than one occasion, I’ve found the information and the landowner turned out to be someone I knew, so asking was either easier or ruled out altogether. Note: If you’re looking to gain access to property that has new
owners, or to newly posted land where you now need permission, then searching the Registry of Deeds in the county where the land is located, will help you find names and the address of new owners. Most towns don’t update their records until the following year’s tax commitment book is generated. Start by looking up the previous owner and finding the latest deed transaction that will have recorded the sale and transfer of the land to the new owner. That will produce an address of the new owner(s). You will need to be prepared to look at a few pages to find it. Not everyone takes out a mortgage when they buy land, so if there are no mortgage docs, look for a deed. If you can’t find it, you can always contact or visit the Registry of Deeds office for help in getting that information. It’s public information, but the Registry of Deeds may charge a fee for services. Visit the Town Offices If you don’t use or have access to a computer, all land maps and tax rolls are available for public viewing at each town office/city hall, and so you don’t need any special permission or need to provide an explanation. (Landowner Permission continued on page 47) www.MaineSportsman.com
46 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Survival in a Remote Land Planning to drive out into the woods in cold weather? Take an inventory of everything in your truck or SUV right now – would those items feed you, light your way. and keep you warm and dry, if you had to spend the night by yourself? Remote travel during the winter requires extra thought. What if you get stuck way out in the woods and have to spend a night in the cold? This might be a “worse-case-scenario,” but it must be considered. Even though I carry an extensive amount of gear to extract my truck from most places, there will always be the lingering thought of driving into a spot where I just can’t easily make it out. Try as I may to avoid getting into a situation like this, a thinking person must prepare for the worse so they can free their mind and enjoy the beauty of Maine’s deep, remote, wild, winter wonderland. I always let my wife know where I’ll be hunting and when I’ll be back. If I’m out for the day and it gets past 9 p.m. without me contacting her,
she knows that something is wrong and will make the appropriate phone calls. Even though I have this measure of protection in place with my wife, I still have to consider the possibility of spending some lengthy time in the cold elements. With that in mind, I keep the truck loaded with a snow shovel, more food than needed for one day, a propane stove for heating up a meal, a flashlight with extra batteries, extra water, a winter sleeping bag and pad, chemical heat packs, phone charger, fire starting kit, and a small tarp. If I can contact my wife by phone and find that help is on its way in a few hours, I can sit in the truck, keep the engine running, and stay warm as long as I have enough fuel – I always fill up the tank before heading out to hunt. Just remember to clear the
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area around the vehicle of snow, especially around the tailpipe/ muffler, to avoid trapping exhaust fumes, and also keep a window slightly cracked open for proper ventilation. If I can’t get to an area where I can use my cell phone, I know the wait will be longer. Let’s say it gets to be 9 p.m. and I’m not home, so my wife calls for help and I’m two hours from home ... I’m going to be sitting there until close to midnight. I would probably drop the tailgate, cook up some supper, and build a small fire to stay warm. If it gets really late and I’m not sure about getting out until the morning, I’ll build a small shelter of some sort and prepare to stay overnight. I’ve got a super-warm sleeping bag, extra blankets, chemical heat packs, and a compact, silicone-treated, nylon tarp for a shelter ... I will survive in style. Avoid Disaster Of course, the only sure way to avoid getting stuck out in the willy-whacks overnight in the freezing cold would be to stay home on the couch ... but adventurous sportsmen and women
If there’s a chance you’ll be spending an unexpected overnight in this type of rugged terrain, make certain your vehicle contains gear to keep you warm, dry and fed. William Clunie photos
don’t do this. There’s a fine line between staying safe and enjoying the wild and remote winter woods, so take the above measures, and don’t worry. With the lower-than-average snow depths this past bird season, I really gave my studded snow tires a workout. A few times while out hunting, I experimented to see just how far I could push the tires before getting stuck, or sliding toward the edges of the slippery logging roads. I found out that if I kept it in two-wheeldrive, some hills were just too steep to climb.
If I got going up a steep hill and let myself get too close to the inside of an uphill curve, the truck would get sucked to the inside ditch. However, I was able to completely avoid this situation by leaving the truck in four-wheel-drive and riding on the outside of any uphill curve in the road. In some places where there was a layer of slick ice under the snow, even the downhill sections of the road presented problems that need addressing. My studded tires worked great for avoiding any lengthy (Continued on next page)
��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 47 (Continued from page 46)
skidding on ice or snow, but when it got really steep, I found it better to stay off the brakes and downshift – rolling out of a slide worked better than applying more brake. There’s another point of caution to consider when traveling plowed logging roads. If logging roads are plowed, it usually means the road is being actively used for logging operations. Traveling these roads requires special attention to avoid, at all costs, interfering with an active logging op-
eration. Fully-loaded logging trucks rule the road – they just can’t stop or maneuver very easily, with or without a heavy load. Take all of these suggestions and considerations in mind, apply the steps that seem necessary before the trip, and go out into the wild regions of Maine with confidence. With all of today’s modern technology and crafty tools for safe travel, why waste time by sitting out the winter months on the couch ... there’s nothing good on TV anyway.
Landowner Permission
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(Continued from page 45)
Local libraries also have public computers if you don’t have access to one of your own.
Snow-covered logging roads won’t stop this bird hunter from heading out into Maine’s winter wildlands. Equipping your vehicle with emergency gear and food offers peace of mind, allowing you to relax and fully enjoy the outdoors.
Using your phone can be challenging, but not totally out of the question if you can print from it. Bring a phone or a camera to take a picture of the map, and a pen and pad of paper to write down information. If you can’t find a paper copy of the tax commitment book, reach out to your town clerk, who
will have access to that file and can get you the information either on the spot or by request, depending on how busy they are when you ask. In a future column, we’ll go back to school and look at writing a letter to landowners.
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48 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Aroostook’s March Outdoors Smorgasbord While the southern half of Maine heads toward the first vestiges of late winter/early spring mud and slush season this month, March is just another thirty-one days of winter here in Aroostook County. On the plus side, days are a bit longer, the sun a bit brighter and warmer, and snow
depths a bit shallower. It’s been my experience over the years that March is generally the most comfortable period for winter sports, and often the last of the season for most, so here’s the agenda. Time for Togue Ice fishing season is quickly melting away (literally), and
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ration. Check Delorme’s Atlas, Map 63, C-3 for an overview. There are several species finning about – moderate-size togue, brook trout and salmon will keep tip-up flags flying, while youngsters can keep busy handlining for smelt and yellow perch. For those who enjoy a tasty fish chowder, there are a lot of good-sized cusk to provide the firm white meat needed. They may look atrocious, but they taste delicious. There are five inlet and outlet streams at
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various points around the lake’s shoreline; smelt and trout action is generally brisk at these locations. Setting out traps for togue on the deeper sections will be more productive – say 55- to 65-foot regions, as 72 feet is the maximum depth, and that’s only in one small area. Carr Pond garners only moderate ice fishing pressure, most by day visits, and only a handful of ice shanties are in place. Bringing along a portable fishing huts is a good idea for comfort, especially on windy days, and also for those who plan on using handlines or jig rods for smelt and perch. Carr Pond is not a stocked lake, and therefore its waters depend on natural reproduction to maintain all species. It is part of the Fish River watershed. Be sure to check current regulations, as there are several in effect for this particular ice-drilling location, including line limits, length limits and bag limits. Carr is a dependable spot, since usually at least one or two species are biting. Its close proximity to over a dozen towns and villages makes a half-day outing reasonable and enjoyable. The March Hare Snowshoe hare are “crepuscular” by nature, meaning that they are most active at dawn and twilight, (Continued on next page)
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Carr Pond is a great spot for youngsters and newcomers to ice fishing since smelt and perch offer consistent action, and once in awhile a big togue bites. All photos: Bill Graves (Continued from page 48)
while hunkering down in protective cover during the day. For this reason, hunting rabbits with dogs usu-
Only a handful of fishing huts are on Carr Pond all season. This crew of ice drillers keep their smelt shanty on their pickup truck , and move the structure around each weekend. In this photo, they are on their way across Carr Pond to set up for the day, to be followed by an evening of smelt jigging.
ally offers a lot more action than using stopand-go stalking tactics. The month of March is different,
however – it’s mating season and the breeding-inclined hare are bounding about, steadily seeking companionship. Add this
Jim Shaw of Mars Hill enjoys an afternoon outing on Scopan lake as ice fishing season starts to wind down.
incentive to the moderate March weather, and it’s obvious why the most consistent and comfortable hare hunting is now.
Regardless of your location in Aroostook, there’s a productive rabbit-gunning location within a 15 (Continued on next page)
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50 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
If you want kids to have fun and enjoy ice fishing, use a portable hut, pick a warm March day, take lots of treats, and hope a few fish bite.
The County
Hare hunting perks up this month, thanks to mating season keeping the animals more active during the day. A set of well-trained and eager beagles will really increase the action.
(Continued from page 49)
minute drive. With so many wood lots, hedgerows, fence lines and second growth fields from which to choose, over-hunting and crowding seldom occurs. Best of all, many likely locations are right along established snowmobile trails, offering quick, easy access. It’s possible for two or three sports with or without beagles to spend an hour or so at several locations during a half-day
outing and bag a few bunnies. One excellent area to visit abuts the snowmobile trail on the old B&A railroad track bed crossing Route 1 in Bridgewater. There’s plenty of space to park your vehicle and trailer, unload a sled, and hunt a couple of wooded spots between town and the Corner Road. Check DeLorme’s, Map 59 grid B-4. Farther north along Route 1A just south of Limestone,
there is another old train-track-turnedsnowsled-trail near Goodrich Village and Cloney Brook. The area is accessible via secondary and field roads as well as snowmobile, and there are a dozen productive covers. Toward the end of March, just before hare season closes, it often possible to walk these woods in boots as snow cover shrinks. DeLorme’s Map 65, section B-4 overviews this late-season rabbit-hunting option. Spring Varmints Coyote hunting,
Jered Young of Mars Hill hunts coyote all winter, both day and night, and readily admits that March outings are more comfortable and equally productive compared to the results during heavy snow months.
especially over bait, tends to be a winter sport, and Crown of Maine night hunters are particularly active during cold, snowy months. By March, however, shooters dwindle quickly in numbers and interest, and that’s a shame, since it can be a prime period for calling coyotes. Perhaps the willingness to check out a decoys and rabbit distress call has to do with the increased hare activity in March or the milder weather. Whatever the case, it’s a more comfortable time for the hunters,
and a better chance for handgun, shotgun and archery shooters. Like rabbit, coyote are everywhere in Aroostook, more and more in the urban-edge settings. Locate spots with lots of hare tracks, runs, droppings and feeding areas. Set up with a decoy from good camo cover for coyote action this month. There’s a spot nearby and these varmints are a great challenge during a month when other hunting options are slim.
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MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: American Robin by Steve Vose
The American robin (Turdus migratorius), a member of the “thrush” family of avian, inhabits an impressive range stretching across Alaska, Canada, the Lower 48 States, and Mexico. Most American robins migrate south for the winter, returning to their native breeding grounds shortly after the snow begins to melt. American robins (or just plain “robins,”) possess a dark black head, back and wings, accentuated by a beautifully colored reddish-orange breast that stretches from the rump to the base of their neck. In flight, a white patch under the rump can easily be seen, further assisting identification. Robins can also be located by their song, a high, shrill,
often sharp ki, ki, ki, ki, typically heard at the first light of dawn. In urban areas, robins are frequent lawn visitors, where their impressive hearing allows them to forage for subterranean earth worms, beetle grubs,
Questions 1. To what family of avian do robins belong? 2. Do robins migrate south for the winter?
3. What color is a robin’s breast? 4. In flight, what detail makes robin’s easy to identify? 5. How many eggs do robins typically lay?
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grasshoppers, caterpillars and other small invertebrates. In more forested areas, robins also feed on wild nuts and berries. One of the earliest bird species to lay eggs, female robins build nests and begin breeding shortly after returning to their summer range. Females construct nests by forming dead grass, moss, paper and twigs into a cup shape, reinforced with soft mud. Females typically lay 3-5 unmarked blue-green eggs that hatch in approximately 13 days. If juveniles can grow into healthy adults and avoid predators including hawks, cats and large snakes, robins can live to be almost 14 years of age. 6. How long after laying do eggs hatch? 7. What are the natural predators of the robin? 8. How long do robins live?
Answers on Page 55
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Moving Old Barrels of Bunker C Fuel Out of the Woods According to the Maine Snowmobile Association, in 2018-2019 there were 60,000 resident and 25,000 nonresident snowmobiles registered in Maine.
The author and his wife snowmobiling on the Allagash.
Winter Travel Today many use these motorized sleds to travel into the Allagash Wilderness, a far cry from the time when travelers donned snowshoes to slog across isolated lakes and forests, or in the 1930s when woodsmen like Game Warden Dave Jackson used a dogsled while living on Umsaskis Lake.
Warden Jackson used dog-power in the 1930s. From the Caverly collection
Moving Oil A popular modern destination is the Allagash Tramway, where hundreds journey each year to see the two abandoned locomotives – examples of early forest mechanization. Hauled to the woods in the 1920s, the two engines were dismantled in Canada, placed on tote sleds, and moved fifty miles cross-country using Lombard Log haulers. When the engines arrived at the present site near Eagle Lake in T8R13, they were reassembled. On location, the steam trains were converted from coal to oil, to prevent embers from starting forest fires.
This photo depicts the carriage of one of the locomotives being transported by a Lombard log hauler. T. Caverly collection
When the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad was abandoned in the middle 1930s, the company not only left the trains, but also several barrels of bunker C fuel. Over the years, these multi-gallon drums became popular targets for hunters. By the middle 1980s, the metal containers had been punctured so often that on a hot summer day, thick oil would ooze through the small holes. With each barrel weighing hundreds of pounds, the drums were impossible to physically lift. In addition, Rangers worried that any attempt to manhandle the containers could split the fifty-year-plus old barrels, spreading the petroleum into the environment. Searching for way to avoid this potential environmental damage, I contacted the engineers at the Maine Bureau of Parks and Recreation. Eventually the division head suggested that the following summer the Bureau could arrange for the oil to be loaded into cargo nets and flown out by National Guard helicopters. After consideration, my rangers and I worried about the consequences if a net broke while flying over water, or if quantities of oil escaped from the bullet holes. We decided the best course of action was to move the drums during the winter, while the fuel was congealed. With that in mind, makeshift hoists were constructed near each batch of barrels. Then come-a-longs and nylon straps were used to winch the drums into the air, and then to lower them down onto tote sleds. To prevent leakage while traveling, we wrapped and strapped the hauling sled and barrels with heavy nylon tarps.
After the hefty containers were loaded, then the work really began. We started at the northeast shore of Chamberlain Lake, and our destination was a long eighteen miles down the massive lake, to the Chamberlain Bridge Parking lot. Anyone who has spent time traveling across frozen surfaces quickly learn about the dangers masked by winter’s white blanket. One hazard are the pressure ridges, or compressions ruptures, that form when two or more sheets of ice warm and expand, producing fractures sometimes as much as a mile long. These cracks typically appear when ice is 2-4 feet thick, as it warms and expands from a cold spell freeze-up. As subzero temperatures reoccur, the ice creases remain in place, but the edges of the frozen folds contract, triggering lake ice on one side or the other to pull away from the ridge, thus exposing a section of open water. Another is danger is slush. This frozen mush occurs when the weight of snow pushes down on the ice, triggering crevices that allow water to push up through and mix with snow. This blend sometimes builds into twelve inches or more of treacherous slush. This is especially true in sheltered coves protected from the freezing winds out on open lakes. While the crew watched for pressure ridges, we also stayed away from the coves where impassable mush would prevent travel. With a Bombardier Bombi’s and snowmobiles, we were quite the procession hauling barrels of oil down Chamberlain Lake. Once all nineteen containers were out of the woods, they were delivered to an environmental processing center in Portland. Today, visitors to the Tramway can enjoy artefacts without the hazardous material. I hope to see many of you at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show, April 1 – 3 at the Augusta Civic Center. With any luck, I will be able to show you my latest book. Tim Caverly (www.allagashtails.com) has authored ten books about Maine’s northern forest.
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52 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
March – A Month of Contrasts in the Maine Outdoors Last year, Facebook posts showed folks ice fishing at the southern end of Sebago Lake, while at the same time anglers in search of salmon trolled near the north end’s inlets near the Songo River in small boats. March is a month of great contrasts in Maine. Some days bring snowstorms that rival anything we see in January for accumulation and intensity, while the sun and warmth of other days tempt the boldest among us to dig out shorts and Hawaiian shirts. When it comes to fishing, the month also offers a wide range of conditions and opportunities. In early to mid-spring, salmon fishing starts to heat up. The challenging part is getting to the fish. This month, many central and southern lakes lose their ice. Meanwhile, Northern lakes remain frozen solid. I recall ice fishing a northern trout pond on my birthday a few years ago, in late March. I also know that by this time in the year, Sebago Lake is likely to be open water, at least in portions of the
lake. Last year, Facebook posts showed ice fishermen on one end of that big lake, and a group trolling for salmon on the other. Although ice conditions are likely to be safe throughout the state in early March, it’s important to remain vigilant in checking thickness; it can change quickly, and can vary from spot to spot. Slush pockets are often a sign of bad ice. Where to Find the Fish Salmon are all over the place this month, from areas that have just a few feet of water, to the deepest spot. They generally cruise just under the ice. I rig my salmon traps with a 10-foot monofilament leader and a size 6 hook, with a non-lead split shot. I pull between 5 and 15 feet of line off the reel, and set the trap at that depth. I’ve found that all baitfish work,
but lively smelt are unbeatable. Salmon love to chase. It’s not too early to think about iceout trolling, either. Many southern lakes are opening up this month, and the bravest of fishermen have the opportunity to have the entire lake to themselves, and a chance for some fun trolling. Be aware of the effects of cold temperatures on your gear. For example, if water is left in the outboard motor’s cooling system or impeller and it refreezes when it’s pulled out of the lake, it causes issues. Rigging Up I run a number of salmon rigs for ice-out. An 8-weight fly rod with floating line and a 10-foot fluorocarbon leader is often very effective. Troll a streamer, such as the Grey Ghost, Red Ghost, or Warden’s Worry.
Conditions vary wildly in March. The month may come in like a lion ... but it often goes out like a lamb. Nolan Raymond photos
The leader material sinks, suspending the streamer a foot or so underwater. Troll fast – again, salmon love chasing. Use a GPS or an app on your phone to track your speed, and try for around 3-3.5 mph. A lot of people run sinking fly line, and that also is quite effective. It gets the streamer deeper down. Once you find the depth they’re hanging at, target that level accordingly. Where to Go In the Bangor area, salmon fishing is hard to come by. Brewer Lake is only about 30 minutes from Bangor, and is heavily stocked with salmon. I’ve had luck at the southeast side of King’s Island. Branch Lake, although farther east towards Ellsworth, is a
hot spot for salmon, as well as togue. You also have a chance of hooking into a brown trout, although they must be released if caught. In southern Maine, Sebago Lake is likely to be open water in late March, in at least a good portion of the lake. Streamer trolling is an incredible experience here, and you have a chance to hook a trophy. I’ve heard of people wading on the sandbar in the state park and fly casting for salmon, as they inhabit the Songo River. As someone who can’t stand sitting around, I encourage you to take any opportunity you have to get out on the water and enjoy our state’s natural resources. And bring your friends and family along!
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No, Really – Chocolate Moose
Chocolate Moose with Garlic, Gruyére and Herbed Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin There are 10 different types of chocolates: Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Semi-Sweet, Bitter-Sweet, Sweet German, White Chocolate, Unsweetened Powder, Couverture, Compound and
Ruby Chocolate. I grew up cooking or eating 5 of these. I just learned that Couverture Chocolate has the finest texture because of the addition of cocoa butter in the highest amount. Because
of this, both the texture and flavor of couverture chocolate are supreme. This is what makes those Champagne Truffles out of New York so amazing!! Enjoy, and Bon Appetit!
Chocolate Moose The two chocolates I like the best and use most often are Bittersweet and Dark Chocolate. Bittersweet contains less sugar, while dark chocolate contains no milk solids and has a bitter aftertaste. The bittersweet here balances with the pepper and wine in this recipe. Ingredients: • 4 (½ - inch thick) top round moose steaks • ¼ cup taco seasoning* • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced • 3 teaspoons fresh garlic, pressed • 1 teaspoon dried chipotle pepper, ground • 2 cups red zinfandel wine • 1 teaspoon salt • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped Directions: Preheat grill pan over high heat. Season steaks with taco seasoning and set aside. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan; add onions, garlic, pepper and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Reduce heat to simmer and stir in chocolate. Stir until smooth. Keep warm on very low heat until ready to serve. Spray grill with cooking spray, and grill to desired doneness. Serve steaks with chocolate Zinfandel sauce. *Taco Seasoning Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons chili powder • 1 tablespoon smoky hot paprika • 1 tablespoon roasted ground cumin • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • ½ teaspoon onion powder • 1 teaspoon sea salt Directions: Combine all ingredients together, and store in an airtight container. —
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Garlic, Gruyére and Herbed Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin Gruyere is a Swiss cheese with a delicious nutty flavor. You can substitute Jarlsberg or most Swiss cheeses. I usually make this in the morning, then cover with plastic and chill. Ingredients: • 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/8-inch-thick rounds • 1 pound golden potatoes, cut in 1/8-inch-thick rounds • 2 cups heavy whipping cream (1 heavy, 1 whole milk) • ¼ cup butter • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 2 tablespoons fresh flat parsley, minced • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 6 ounces Gruyére cheese, coarsely grated
Directions: Butter 9x13x2-inch glass baking dish. Fill large bowl with cut potatoes, and fill with water. Combine cream, butter and garlic in saucepan; bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Combine herbs, salt and pepper in small bowl, and set aside. Drain potatoes, and pat dry with kitchen towels. Arrange half potatoes in baking dish. Sprinkle half of herb mixture and half the cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes, herbs and cheese. Pour cream mixture over gratin, pressing lightly to submerge potato into mixture. Cover with plastic, and chill for 5-6 hours. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove plastic, and cover tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until top of gratin is golden and most liquid is absorbed; 25 minutes. Stand 10 minutes; cut and serve.
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54 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
March Gladness – Winter’s Final Push The author provides the latest regional intel on snowmobiling and trail-grooming, as well as hare hunting, ice fishing and (spoiler alert) a new-tohim motorboat with a launch date next month! March brings all the promise of spring wrapped in a winter coat. On bright days, the incrementally increase in the sun’s intensity forces me to slip on my polarized sunglasses. These are a heavy, real glass version I bought for my son Matt when he was taking flying lessons. Pilots need exceptionally good sunglasses, so we – my wife Denise and I – went to the folks at Kittery Trading Post and bought the best pair available. Matt never liked the heavy glass eyewear. Dads always seem to pick up the gifts their kids don’t want or use. A good set of shades
helps those of us on the ground, too. The sun bounces off the snow hard this time of year. The strong rays tell me spring is on the way. However, the ice fishing shacks on Millinocket Lake insist winter still has firm footing here in the region. Spring Sledding Winter outdoorspeople still have a solid month before this cold-weather playground starts a slow melt into spring. Late season snowmobiling has a strong following. Various unsung groomers have spent the winter building a frozen base on the trail system, and they continue to perfect their
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craftsmanship. The art of grooming requires careful monitoring of weather patterns. I’m told that the secret to smooth trails lies in the “when to groom” decision. This time of year, bright with sunshine, can cause the top layer of some sun-splashed trails to soften up, and maybe get a little slushy. Dragging a grooming sled across these trails after the sun slips behind the horizon and before they re-freeze for the night seems to set the table for smooth sailing the next morning. It requires a dedicated group of volunteers to take advantage of this narrow window of opportunity. Trail reports come from these same folks who keep this winter highway open for travel. Area snowmobile clubs have websites and Facebook pages that post real time conditions. Local lodges will also have daily reports. Living in the communication age gives trail runners fingertip access to the heartbeat of the winter highway. Last Hop Bunnies The snowshoe hare season lasts until March 31. Still, hunt-
Ice fishing starts with drilling holes in ice measured in feet. The author likes to bring along a friend who owns a gas powered auger. Here, long time fishing buddy Lenny Potvin demonstrates just how a little power speeds up the process. Anglers in the region revel in February’s left-over ice, and March’s bright sunshine. Bill Sheldon photo
ers looking to stalk Lepus americanus can take advantage of the softening snowpack and bunnies with mating on their minds. By now, areas that have large concentrations of rabbits will have their travel highways carved into the snowpack. Un-pressured hares, like most forest dwellers and humans, will navigate through daily life using the easiest methods. Tracks in the snow certainly tell a story. Just make sure the story is current. A few rabbits can make a lot
of tracks in a single night. A fresh snow reveals real-time intel. Furrowed “rabbit runs” usually mean a healthy population living in the cover. A sprinkling of snow tells what’s on the agenda for today when it matters. A combination of the two can set the table for a successful hunt. Another natural wonder that gives a slight tip of the cap to hunters involves the Lepus americanus’ state of mind this time of year. The snowshoe (Continued on next page)
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hare mating season kicks off this month. What makes distracted bunnies vulnerable? It’s above my pay grade to know exactly what goes on in the mind of male rabbits chasing female rabbits. However, lots of studies concerning male deer in rut – as well as human behavior – suggest that clear thinking gets put on hold. Still hunting this time of year gives hunters a higher percentage chance of spotting rabbits paired up. It takes some keen eyesight and a thorough scanning of the underbrush to spot hares on the snow. This adds to the challenge and offers hunters a chance to hone their stalking
skills. It also comes with the benefit of enjoying the soft side of winter. It’s one of the few times of year that hunting while wearing sunglasses might deliver some small advantage. Late Season Tactics As I mentioned earlier, the ice-shack cities on various local lakes lets those of us planning for spring ice-out fishing know that we still have time to take advantage of hard-water action. A time-honored late season tactic for salmonids involves setting tilts near the mouths of inlet brooks. Melting snow, however subtle, can wash food into the larger body of water. At some point, smelt will start to gather near these inlets in preparation for spawning runs.
Lenny Potvin displays his reward for braving cold weather and drilling through two feet of ice. The big ones don’t come easy! It’s great when a plan comes together! Lenny Potvin photo
A veteran saltwater fisherman once told me the key to success was simply to “follow the bait.” I believe this holds true for freshwater fishing, also.
And finally, spoiler alert – your fearless writer has acquired yet another boat that has a launch date of April 24th on Grand Lake. More on that
Wildlife Quiz Answers: Animal 1. Robins belong to the thrush family of avian. 2. Yes, a majority – but not all – robins migrate south for the winter. 3. A robin’s breast is a beautifully reddish-orange coloration.
4. In flight, a robin can be easily identified by a white patch on its rump. 5. Robins typically lay 3-5 unmarked blue-green eggs. 6. Eggs hatch approximately 13 days after they are laid in the nest.
next month. March is also a great month to put the final touches on that new-to-me motorboat!
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(Quiz on Page 50)
7. Robins are preyed upon by hawks, cats and large snakes. 8. Robins can live up to almost 14 years of age.
WIN KATE’S CLAY SCULPTED BEAVER! Our award-winning recipe guru, Kate Krukowski Gooding, has been hard at work sculpting this cunnin’ beaver, and it will be given away to one lucky new subscriber! If you are a new subscriber to The Maine Sportsman between now and Apri1 1, your name will be entered to win Kate’s beaver! There are 10 second prizes – Scorpion Hot Sauce; and 5 third prizes, Scorpion Salts. Several other lucky new subscribers will win waterlogged copies of Kate’s “50 Ways to Eat a Beaver” cookbook, which were caught in a flood – Guaranteed to be collectors’ items!
To subscribe, call 207) 622-4242 or go to www.MaineSportsman.com/Subscribe www.MaineSportsman.com
56 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Peters Makes What’s Old, New Again Anyone who began hunting or shooting sports in the decades before the internet knows the Peters Cartridge Company. Back when social media was a telephone and the postage stamp, Peters owned a huge slice of the civilian and military ammunition market. Before Hornady, CCI and Nosler existed, Peters brand shotshells, center-fire and rimfire cartridges were found on store shelves and sportsmen’s kit bags from Maine to California, Florida to Alaska. Peters’ prod-
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ucts are as much a part of shooting traditions in Maine as the Winchester Model 94, Savage 99 or A. H. Fox shotguns. Maybe even as much as red and black plaid wool jackets. Gershom Moore Peters became president of the Miami Powder Company in 1885, after the death of his father-in-law, Joseph W. King. Located on the banks of the Little Miami River in Kings Mills, Ohio, Miami Powder was the third largest producer of gunpowder in the United States.
They’re back! Remington Arms has brought back the famous Peters Cartridge brand, including paper-hulled shotshells. Photo: J.C. Allard
Two years later, Gershom Peters founded the Peters Cartridge Company adjacent to the powder mill. A retired clergy-
man when he joined forces with his fatherin-law, Peters also dabbled with inventions. He developed a steam-driven shotshell press that by 1889 pushed out 4,000 shells per hour. His brick drop-tower for making lead shot remains a landmark in southwest Ohio today. His inherited powder company manufactured smokeless powder 15 years before DuPont started. Peters’ products fed the growing sporting market through the 1890s and into the early years of the 20th
century. During World War I, they fed the war machines of many of the combatants. Imperial Russia became a major client. Enduring Change Industry giant Remington Arms Company purchased the Peters Cartridge Company in 1934. They marked their brasses as “Remington-Peters” or “R-P,” but continued production of both Remington and Peters branded ammunition. Some products today still carry the Remington-Peters marking. (Continued on next page)
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The United States military built a munition plant on the Peters’ Ohio property during World War II. But when military demand ceased in March of 1944, Remington sold the facilities and moved on, taking their trademarks with them. The Federal Government declared the old ammunition plant a National Historic Site in 1985, and a Superfund environmental disaster site in 2012. After changing hands a few times, what remains today of the original Peters site has morphed into Cartridge Brewing Company, and several apartments under the historic shot tower festooned with the old Peters “P.” Remington shifted all the ammunition production to other locales in the Remington Empire. In 2018, Remington announced a resurrection of sorts, with the reintroduction of the “Peters Premier Blue” line of shotgun ammunition. Both the shells and the packaging would bear the look of the old Peters line – a look to carry any shooter of a certain age back to the days of their youth. For those first
runs, that packaging looked retro but the shells inside were anything but. Remington chose to launch Peters Premier Blue with shells for waterfowlers. They were blue as in times past, but they were 3-inch, 12-gauge Magnums firing steel shot sized BB, No.2, No.3 and No.4. New Vistas Vista Outdoors, a parent company of Federal Ammunition, purchased Remington Arms in 2020. America’s oldest arms maker fell onto hard times financially and was gobbled up by a conglomerate seeking opportunities for bargains. Thankfully, it seems as if Vista Outdoors is
standing Remington back on its feet. They also appear to be sticking with the plans for the Peters brand. Late last year, another line of Peters Premier Blue shotshells arrived on scene. These shells were truly retro, with blue paper hulls – something that all but disappeared 50 years ago. The advertising calls this a run of target loads and claims the paper hull means less perceived recoil, a boon to those who shoot a lot. They also use a so-called “competition” wad to cradle high antimony lead shot in sizes No.7.5 and No. 8. Either shot
size is available with velocities of 1145 or 1200 feet per second. Remington sells the Peters paper shells through its website and, like all ammunition these days, is subject to limited availability and eye-popping prices. When we ordered some for testing, only the No. 8 shot at 1145 feet per second version was in stock. At $19.99 per box, four boxes made for a big bill. Not so long ago, that $19.99 would have bought all four boxes of target shells. Still, there is some-
thing special about the prospects of shooting paper shotgun shells again – some sense of bygone days and people we wish we could walk with once more. The artistry on the boxes stirs feelings long thought lost. The slick, waxy paper of the hulls rolls easily in the hand. The brass gleams. The old-style, six-segmented Peter’s crimp feels familiar against my thumb. Maybe the $19.99 is worth it, just this one time.
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58 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Yes! You Can Get Here from There! Getting here from there, or there from here for that matter, requires traveling over Jackman’s snowpack. The snowfall in this region averages around 13 feet. That’s one NBA basketball player standing on the other’s shoulders! It takes some form of snow travel to unlock the remote parts of this region. Once upon a time that meant snowshoes or primitive cross-country skis. The advent of the snowmobile gave access to the nooks and crannies of Jackman’s wild and woolly
wilderness. Of course, early riders had no trail system. As time moved on, snowmobiles got bigger, faster and more readily available. Before long, makeshift trails penetrated remote wood lots and started connecting various hamlets scattered across the north country. From those humble beginnings, the ITS (Interstate Trail System) was born. Now modern snowmobiles whizz along in relative comfort, at sometimes scary rates of speed. To realize just how
far snowmobiles have come one only needs to take a ride on an “antique” machine. Of course, that’s where I come in. “Ski”Mobile Back in 1970, my father brought home a brand new “ski” mobile. For some reason, everyone around us referred to them as “ski” mobiles instead of “snow” mobiles. Yup, a shiny new “Jay Hawk” powered by a 400cc engine. It was the only skimobile ever manufactured in Rhode Island. It was a knock-off version of a Rupp, and it was
originally produced in Canada. The company closed after a fire in 1978. In 52 years we put 1,740 miles on it. In 1990, I totally restored it to new condition. Other than when it’s in use, I’ve stored it inside. Starts first or second pull every time. It’s small by today’s standards. The bogey wheels that guide the track transmit every bump to the operator. The narrow front end makes the unit tippy at best. Don’t bother looking for hand warmers or heated seats. It does
have lights, and a spot to store an extra belt. The best way to compare the ride is to think how nice a 2022 Ford rides compared to a 1930 Ford Model A (and the one in my garage rides better than most Model A’s). Those early sleds where a handful ... but we enjoyed the heck out of them. Jackman Hub The hamlet of Jackman eventually became known as a “Hub” of sorts for sled jockeys. In essence, all roads lead to Jackman and, yes, you can get (Continued on next page)
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to here from there. Whether you’re headed north to Canada, south to Rangeley or east toward Greenville, the town of Jackman makes the perfect base of operations. Not only does the trail system favor this small hamlet, but the local business community also embraces the daunting task of playing host to snow travelers without losing the municipality’s small-town identity. They have it all covered. Plenty of lodging options that range from renting a room to an entire house. Most of the establishments offer trailer parking and direct trail access. Restaurants, filling stations and more lodging options line Main Street. No sled? No problem. Easy enough to rent a snowmobile for the day or week. Resourcing specifics starts with a visit to the Jackman Moose River Chamber of Commerce (www.jackmanmaine.org). Their informative website does an excellent job of promoting the various businesses that ca-
ter to snow travelers. They also have a trail report, which is updated daily. Another must-visit resource, the Border Riders Sportsman Club (www.borderridersclub.com), provides online trail maps and important trail information. They also have parking at the club house on Route 201 just north of “Downtown” Jackman. Self-Propelled Before snowmobiles became a way of life in the north country, folks navigated the backcountry one step at a time. A precious few used dog teams. Today, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing have made a remarkable comeback – especially snowshoeing. Any retailer trying to sell a set of snowshoes will quickly point out that “If you can walk, you can snowshoe.” I’d have to agree. One key component for success involves purchasing the correct size shoe. This is based on weight more than shoe size. Some of the major retailers (L.L.Bean,
The author came across this impressive lineup of snow machines parked outside a local eatery. The Jackman Region offers more than just a great trail riding, and this crew stopped for a noontime snack before blasting off to parts unknown. Bill Sheldon photo
Kittery Trading Post, Cabela’s) are big players in the snowshoe market and have staff trained to assist newcomers in selecting the proper size. L.L.Bean has a snowshoeing course in their Outdoor Discovery Program. These courses are great to test the waters before plunging in. My wife Denise and I took one of their cross-country skiing courses. The class was great, well-organized and informative. We both had a great time and learned
one important lesson – cross country skiing is not for us. That’s the beauty of trying before buying. Motorized winter travel has come a long
way, and it’s great to see some things – snowshoeing, for example – haven’t really changed that much at all.
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60 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
March Fun on Moosehead Lake March, especially late March, often brings balmy temperatures to the Moosehead region. Ice-fishers capitalize upon this by getting out on the ice and targeting togue and salmon. Sometimes people organize great meals, too, cooked on-the-spot out on the ice. This kind of ice fishing appeals to those who otherwise might opt to stay home because of cold temperatures. Indeed, end-of-the-year ice fishing has much to recommend it. Young people and old-timers especially, benefit from sunny, moderately warm days on the ice. Just because conditions can be more pleasant now doesn’t mean that fishing isn’t as good as in January and February, because it is. In fact, I believe that March could be designated as “Togue Month.” And it’s about more than just the pleasant weather – the fact is, the biggest togue of the year
Using four traps and one jig rod offers considerably more freedom of movement than just using five traps. Leaving the four traps in place and cutting new jigging holes in the target area allows the angler to move from one spot to another while still keeping an eye out for flags.
Balmy days on the ice invite anglers to host elaborate cookouts. Tom Seymour photo
often come to hand in March. Those who specifically target trophy togue know to make plans to get out on the ice as much as possible now. March, more than any other time of the year, is when double-digit togue are more likely to bite.
Sure, open-water anglers always have the chance of hooking a wallhanger, but yearin and year-out, the big ones bite in March. Togue Tactics Ice-fishing traps stand as standard fare for togue fishing, but in addition to a minnow or smelt-baited trap, plenty of oversize togue fall to a slowly fished ice-fishing jig. Some anglers don’t even bother with bait,
but for those who do, don’t neglect to bring along a jigging rod as along with your traps. Here’s my reasoning on traps versus jigging, and why the most productive approach may be a combination of the two methods. An angler using only a jig rod can easily move from one location to the other in order to find the fish. This freedom of movement can save the day when bites are slow in com-
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ing. Just grab jig rod and auger and move another 50 yards or so and set up shop again – no need to haul traps only to reset them again at the next location. This kind of approach works best for those who travel light. However, baited traps make for lots of excitement when fish are biting well and flags fly fast. Besides, those who set up ice shacks and similar devices find themselves constrained to fishing the immediate area, so setting out traps makes all kinds of sense. Using four traps and one jig rod offers considerably more freedom of movement than just using five traps. Leaving the traps in place and cutting new jigging holes in the target area allows the angler to move from one spot to another while still keeping an eye out for flags. Group Effort When fishing in large groups, it’s best to stay in one area rather than to move around too much. This also allows for extracurricular activities, such as setting up picnics. I fished Moosehead Lake with my pal Andy Collar, and we ate like kings. A variety of foods cooked on the spot made for a memorable day. While Andy’s group went all-out with an elaborate menu, it’s also possible to refine (Continued on next page)
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your efforts and scale down the amount of cooking gear. A single Coleman stove can work great magic out on the ice. The limits as to what you can cook are defined only by your imagination. Some years ago I accompanied Maine Sportsman columnist Bill Sheldon on a crappie-fishing trip in the Sebasticook River
Valley. Bill carried in his boat a small stove and pre-made meals, wrapped in aluminum foil and ready to cook. Something like this could easily fit into an ice-fishing cookout, too. Those who scored on deer or moose the previous fall find that nothing tastes better than venison cooked out on the ice. An easy way to do this is to bring skewers. Thread
venison on the skewers, turn while cooking, and eat off the skewer. Any and all of these suggestions beat cold sandwiches or in my case, a can of Brisling sardines and perhaps a few slices of cheese. Snow Sports Snow cover remains pretty much intact through March in the Moosehead Region. Regarding tem-
peratures, though, the same conditions that often contribute to such delightful days on the ice also make for comfortable snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. While other interests as well as a bit of senior gimpiness have taken me away from cross-country skiing, my younger days saw me chomping at the bit to get out skiing on those sunny, comfort-
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able days in March. Who knows, though, that one of these balmy March days may still see me digging out the skis for a short excursion. Snowmobilers, like ice-fishers, can take advantage of March for a fun cookout. March brings out the best of everything in the Moosehead Region. Come see.
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62 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Do You Have a Fly-fishing Bucket List? Part II I waded carefully into the translucent water, avoiding any splashing that might spook the fish. I eased over a clean cobblestone bottom, dappled in shade by trees, draped in vines, towering overhead. In a current seam on the far side of the run, goodsized rainbows were tilting up to sip small mayflies floating on the surface. I inched closer and attempted a cast. Subtle currents caused an almost immediate drag on my leader, and my fly floated by untouched. I picked out one of the larger (and closer) risers, and put slack into my next cast so that the fly landed with a few curves in the tippet. A better drift, a solid take, a good hook set, and a red-sided rocket took off downstream. I was slow to react, and a quick change-of-direction around an underwater rock ended the fight early.
You don’t need to travel far to find great fly fishing for trophy trout, says the author. Maine and Northern New England offer many options that provide national- or international-style experiences, close to home.
Southern Maine tailwater brown trout caught on a zonker-style streamer in late March. Photos: Lou Zambello
Westfield River What I just described was the Westfield River in central Massachusetts. I discovered this place when I explored New England for my book, Flyfisher’s Guide to New England. The Westfield River is fed by a bottom-release dam and passes through miles of nat-
Gene Bahr MASTER FISH CARVER & WILDLIFE ARTIST
ural woodlands, including a long gorge without a single paved road or building. It is stocked with high-quality fish, some best measured in pounds, not inches. In my January column, I explored the exceptional fishing destination that is New Zealand. I also promised to suggest some closer-to-Maine locales that would provide a similar “adventure destination” vibe. For me, this means fish species not com-
monly found in Maine, a chance at large or challenging fish, and unfamiliar or spectacular natural beauty. Of course, for many “living away” and reading this publication, fishing in Maine is already an adventure vacation experience. It all depends on your perspective. The Westfield River is an example of a unique fly-fishing opportunity, a tankful of gas away from southern Maine. The Westfield contains the
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uncommon-to-Maine rainbows in a variety of sizes, and in treelined sections, I can imagine I am back in Patagonia. Black River On another fly-fishing trip, I stayed at a quaint Airbnb at the base of a ski mountain after enjoying a tasty organic dinner at a microbrewery. The next morning, several miles down a river-side road, I pulled over in front of a shallow riffle the size of a football field that ended with some of the current narrowing into a deeper slot the width of a small driveway. This river feature is typical of western rivers and looked like a good spot for a nice trout to hang out. I tied on an elkhair caddis and managed a reasonable drift. In slow motion, a brown trout rose and inspected my fly before retreating to the bottom – an obvious and conclusive refusal. Changing flies to a smaller caddis imitation that floats lower in the water, I rested the water a bit, and then cast again. Another slow-motion appearance from Mr. Brownie, but this time a deliberate take. Soon an 18-inch buttery brown with bright red spots lay sideways in the water at my feet, awaiting its release. I had a similar weekend once in Butte, Montana, but (Continued on next page)
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Nymphing the upper gorge section of the Westfield River. (Continued from page 62)
this time I was actually in south-central Vermont and enjoying the trophy section of the Black River. Surprised? Vermont has designated several trophy sections of several beautiful rivers that are stocked with big fish under special regulations. Some, like the brown I caught, hold over. Excellent microbreweries, bakeries and restaurants are never far away. Good fishing does not mean you must eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and granola bars.
A happy angler with a Black River rainbow trout.
sas’ White River, and Lake Ontario tributaries. Because I am a fly-fishing writer, I also receive photos of weighty brown trout from proud fly casters. But the fish aren’t all caught from afar – some are brought to net a half-hour from Portland. The outflows from the dams on the Mousam, Saco, and Presumpscot Rivers all produce big browns,
even during the winter months. You must put your time in, but even I have lucked into a few. And there are many more examples. Is fishing the tailwaters of big western dams for powerful rainbows on your bucket list? Try the Kennebec, below Wyman Dam, for wild rainbows as a less-expensive substitute. Have you al-
The author’s wife, Lindsey, with a hefty Roach River landlocked salmon caught on a size-12 Wulff dry fly.
ways wanted to take a western-style driftboat trip on the Madison River in Montana? Look no further than floating the East Outlet of the Kennebec River. The fish species are different, but the experience similar. Three or four-pound
salmonids on a dry fly or small nymph in a small river setting as per New Zealand? Try Maine’s own Roach River, near Greenville. As Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, “Sometimes there’s no place like home.”
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64 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Wait Until April for Trout? Not Necessarily! March has arrived, and with it perfect conditions on brooks and streams. Unfortunately, the season on open-water fishing in brooks and streams under general law doesn’t open until April 1, an entirely arbitrary date, not in any way based on science or biology. In my opinion, opening day should get moved earlier, at least by one month. Whereas once March was just another winter month for much of Maine, a changing climate has bumped spring up to the point where at least the last two weeks of March see springlike conditions. Perhaps if enough anglers petitioned the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) to re-examine the date for open season on open-water fishing, we could effect a positive change. We have already
mous or sea-run trout represent something of a will-o-the-wisp quarry. That’s partly because fish in each stream and river have separate timetables for when they will run. These fish come in from estuarine areas in spring, often in pods of two or three or perhaps even by the dozens. The trick here is to place yourself there when the trout are there. Here’s something to consider when searching for a place to catch sea-run trout from tidal water. Almost every stream or brook, no matter how large or small, that has a population of trout, whether wild or stocked, will have a sea-run population of trout. As long as a trout stream empties into tidal water, it will probably hold searuns. The trick to fishing these places in
Even if DIFW doesn’t open the spring fishing season early, there are other options, including fishing for sea-run trout below the “head of the tide” demarcation in streams that flow into salt water.
Tidal sections of this small Maine river hold runs of anadromous brook trout. Rivers like this abound up and down the coast. Tom Seymour photo
seen DIF&W open the season early on an emergency basis during extra-early springs. Well, these early springs have become the norm. The next time you stand on a bridge over a small stream on a warm, March day and wish
you could wet a line, ponder these things. Fortunately, we have a few alternatives that allow us to get out on those sweet, warm days in March and do some trout fishing. Maine’s DIF&W has opened some small rivers to year-round
fishing. These are mostly concentrated in Central and Midcoast Maine. Also, fishing is permitted in tidal water. This ranks as a missed opportunity for most anglers, however. Tidewater Fishing For many, anadro-
(Continued on next page)
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March, so as to not place yourself in jeopardy of fishing above tidal influence, is to ferret out the head of tide. This isn’t always easy, but at a minimum, if there is a discernable ebb and flow, then you are on tidal water. The line of demarcation can be quite finite, too. A highway bridge spans one small stream I know. Beneath the bridge, some large stones mark the head of tide. Above these stones is freshwater and below, saltwater. If you believe you have defined the line between fresh water and brackish or salt water, make your identification complete by visiting on a falling tide. Rocks and stones along the bank should remain wet as the water level lowers because of the outgoing tide. Stocked Runs Once, while fishing a new spot on a small Midcoast river, I hooked a fish about 10
inches long. It shone silvery-white, and it fought like a salmon. Imagine my surprise upon pulling in a searun brook trout, fresh from its salty environs. The surprising thing about this was that the stream had no self-sustaining trout population. All fish there were stocked by DIF&W. Stocked or not, all trout remain subject to the same instincts to visit the sea, and these were no exception. I even took some sea-run brown trout from this unlikely spot. These were the prettiest browns I had ever seen, and they fought like bluefish, in that they absolutely refused to give up. These fish were all stocked several miles upstream and in order to get to the sea, they needed to navigate some considerable hazards. But they did it, and now these stocked brook trout and brown trout have established a run of sea-run trout. I have caught rainbow trout in brackish water, too. These
came from far to the south, where they were stocked in a lake, swam over several dams and then headed up the coast to where I found them. My point is that to our good fortune, stocked trout will go to sea if given the slightest opportunity, only to show up far from their point of introduction. Year-Round The streams and small rivers stocked by DIF&W offer great fishing, because they get stocked regularly with large numbers of trout. However, everybody and his uncle are aware of this, and consequently, hoards of anglers descend upon these places, creating a carnival atmosphere. If you don’t mind crowds – often, hectic crowds – then by all means consult the law book for year-round streams in your area. If not, then you might want to go hunting for sea-run fish. Good luck.
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Hunting Gear on a Budget, Part 2 Last month, Luke covered affordable firearms and ammo. In this second instalment, he covers clothing, calls, scents, decoys and trial cams. Once you have your rifle and shotgun, you’re good to go after any legal game in Maine. Clothing is the next thing I’m going to bring up, but I’ll try to keep it short. If you’re miserably cold, it’s not going to be a good time, especially if you bring your girlfriend with you. It pays to make sure she’s warm. It will be a better time for you and her, I promise. So make sure everyone layers up – wool socks, flannel-lined pants, bibs – in other words, dress for the occasion. Marden’s sometimes has good deals on outdoor clothes. Online shopping can also get you some bargains. Sometimes it’s best to go to the stores. I just picked up a pair of bibs at Cabela’s this year, and they were worth every penny. I was never cold once while deer hunting, and they are awesome to wear underneath your waders. Gear Not Helpful if There’s No Game Around Now onto the fun stuff – scents, calls and decoys. Approach purchasing these items with care, since it’s easy to get caught up in things you don’t www.MaineSportsman.com
necessarily need. And keep in mind that the real key is to be where the game is. As general a statement as that may be, the more you can get out and scout, the better off you’ll be. Calls, scents and decoys can’t help you if you’re in a good spot where animals can’t hear or smell your calls and scents. I’m not saying these things don’t work, but I would leave all that stuff behind to be where the game is at. I’ve brought up deer and waterfowl a lot because there’s so much gear marketed for them that I find it’s easy to spend a lot of money quickly. But for the deer hunters, I keep it simple. Trail Cams The biggest expense I would say that’s very useful is trail cameras. I have had good luck with Moultrie cameras. They’re not that expensive, and you can often find them at discounted prices online or at a salvage store. That’s the only thing I would spend a good bit of money on, just because they help you to pattern deer so much easier, and it also tells you if you’re wasting your time
because there are no deer around. But cameras are not an absolute necessity. Instead, the more time you put in to find out where the deer are traveling, the better, and all that’s required is to invest the time. Cushion Get yourself a foam cushion – that makes long sits in the woods much more enjoyable. They’re a lot cheaper than a tree stand, and easier to use. Put one of these down at the base of a tree, and you’re ready to go. Calls; Scents I do use a can call once in a while, but I’ve never had a lot of luck with them. However, they’re always worth a try, and they’re cheap. Scents are always good during the rut to keep big bucks stirred up. It’s easy enough to take a few drops on a tampon and hang it in a tree. Sounds dumb, but it works, and it’s inexpensive compared to those cotton things you can purchase at high-priced outfitters. Duck Decoys Can Be Expensive I’m an avid waterfowl hunter, and that’s where it’s easy to blow a lot of money quickly. But keep it simple – get yourself a dozen mallard decoys and some camo burlap
Despite keeping their gear simple, the author and a hunting buddy were able to achieve a good level of success on a recent duck hunting trip. Luke Giampetruzzi photo
to make a blind, and that’s all you need. If you get a call, practice with it. Don’t just make a lot of noise; if it doesn’t sound good, it won’t help you. You can get decoys many places cheaply, such as at yard sales, or Facebook Marketplace. Keep an eye out for post-season sales – it’s the best time of year to get all this stuff. Get yourself some string and a dozen weights, and you won’t be in much more than a couple of hundred bucks. I do like decoy bags to keep them organized and untangled. But find a good spot, stay hidden, and you will do fine. Try it, see what works and have fun with it.
Remembering that steel shot has limited range, so let the ducks come in close – that will save you a lot of money on ammo. Stay well-hidden – it makes a huge difference in your success. Final Duck Hunting Hints Whatever you’re using for a blind, take as much grass and weeds or whatever and cover your blind – that will also get you good results. Need some “new” decoys? I take old mallard decoys, and using a little white and black spray paint, I can make any kind of diver or sea duck I want. The ducks flying in toward the set will never know the difference.
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Hot Hunting and Fishing Prospects Downeast Rabbit hunters report good populations of snowshoe hare along alder-strewn, south-facing stream banks. And the author provides a where-to guide for area ice anglers in search of togue, splake, brookies and smallmouth bass. The woods and waters in the Downeast region produce notable ice-fishing and rabbit hunting prospects each March. By checking Delorme’s, The Maine Atlas, a majority of area fishers or hunters find that Maps 16, 23, 24, 25 and 26 contain some of the best prospects for both sports in Washington and Hancock County. An outdoor activity to please gun enthusiasts is rabbit hunting. Beagles are often heard in full chorus on the warmer winter days of March. Rabbit hunters in the Orland Region are finding more bunnies in the woods than in previous years. Several rabbit covers in this area that provide top-notch gunning lie along Route 166 in Orland. Look for locations that feature streams and an abundance of cedar vegetation – those areas will hold more than a few bunnies. Wherever alder cover combines with a southern exposure, you’ll enjoy some thrilling rabbit hunts this month. Bunnies are going through their March mating period, so be prepared to see a couple of rabbits cross the trail ahead of a baying bea-
gle.
This area has been logged in recent years, creating good vantage points for a hunter to get some clear shots at an ever-circling bunny. Fellow hunting partner and beagle owner, Eric Peddle of Bucksport, and I have often picked up a few bunnies on each outing. Trophy Togue If you are looking to catch a trophy lake trout this winter, a good bet is to set up your ice traps on Beech Hill Pond in Otis. Refer to Map 24, C-1 to locate this water. Beech Hill Pond has an abundant lake trout population. Beech Hill produces togue in the 8- to 10-pound range. Monster lake trout in the double-digit numbers are not uncommon catches from this water. This mid-sized pond contains 1,351 acres of solid water surface for winter sportsmen and -women to set out their ice-fishing equipment. According to Region C fisheries biologist Greg Burr, DIF&W is “encouraging Beech Hill Pond anglers to keep six fish under 23 inches, to enhance the growth and condition of the remaining lake trout.”
Keep in mind that all lake trout between 23 and 33 inches must be released at once, and only one lake trout over 33 inches can be kept. Anglers can also expect a fairly high catch of lake trout, and good catch rate for landlocked salmon in March. DIF&W stocked 100 14- to 16inch landlocks into this water in the fall of 2021. A popular area where togue are abundant is located along the northeast shore, from School Cove to the outlet. Another area where togue buffs spend a lot of their time is situated on the south-central part of this water. Several good lake trout honey holes exist along this shoreline, especially the waters northwest of the boat landing. Winter folks typically ice lake trout ranging from 3 to 5 pounds; however, enough record-book trophies have been caught from this pond to keep winter anglers interested in setting out ice traps all winter. 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.
Katahdin FitzGerald jigged this 17-inch brookie through the ice at Craig Pond in Orland, in Hancock County, on January 14, 2022.
Washington County Trout Pleasant River Lake is located south of Route 9, Map 25, A-2. There are many shoreline camp roads that can provide winter access. People can also get to the lake by following the gravel road to the boat launch at the northeast end of
the lake. Splake and brook trout are the sought-after species on the lake. Last fall, 350 13-inch splake and 700 13inch brookies were released. Splake appear to be surviving, and their growth rate is good. (Downeast Region continued on page 70)
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New Exotic Species Found in Swan Lake In a surprise discovery, biologists found a single white catfish in Swan Lake, located in Frankfort, Searsport and Swanville. Where did the fish come from? Are there more in the lake? Will they compete for forage by feeding on smelt that also supply togue and salmon? At this point, says the author, there are many questions, and few answers. The “bucket brigade” is at it again. This time, a new species has appeared at Swan Lake, no doubt as the result of an illegal introduction. According to Jason Seiders, regional fisheries biologist for Region B, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W), trapnetting results at Swan Lake this past fall showed several trends. First, salmon are numerous and in fine condition. I already had an inkling of that, having caught a good number and all were fat and sassy. Next, a trapnetting session yielded 100 togue, showing that this self-sustaining population is in no danger of dwindling away. However, of those 100, none were terribly large, although many were at least the legal length of 18 inches. Jason added that in order to
reduce the togue population, the department may in the future allow five ice-fishing traps as opposed to the current two traps per person. This should reduce competition for smelt, the lake’s forage species, which would in turn serve to increase the average size of individual fish. The final bit of info garnered from the 2021 trapnetting was that at least one of a totally new and exotic species now swims, or swam, in Swan Lake. In with those 100 togue was a single white catfish. Catfish Question White catfish, surreptitiously introduced to Maine by parties unknown, have firmly established themselves in the Kennebec River. There, these sporty catfish have gained numerous adherents. And now, white catfish have be-
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come established in the Penobscot River. The catfish trapnetted in Swan Lake may well have come from Penobscot River stock. White catfish have reached weights of eight pounds in Maine waters. Their fillets are very tasty, and in addition, white catfish possess several other favorable attributes, one being that they actively feed in daytime, as opposed to our nocturnal native species, the black bullhead, or “hornpout.” Finally, white catfish readily take artificial lures. Put it all together and you have a desirable fish species. The trouble is, they are not native to Maine, and no one knows how they will interact with native ecosystems. Potential “trouble by the bucketful,” as the DIF&W poster says, addressing unsanctioned stocking. Getting back to the white catfish taken in Swan Lake, we have many questions thus far unanswered. First and most important, are there more? It seems unlikely that a lawbreaker would go to the trouble of stocking only one illegal fish. If you are going to risk steep fines
In addition to fish like this salmon, Swan Lake anglers may soon begin taking white catfish. Tom Seymour photo
White catfish populations are already firmly established in the Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers. Somehow, at least one fish found its way (or was illegally stocked) into Swan Lake. Specimens weighing eight pounds have been caught in Maine rivers. Credit: Duane Raver, for NC Wildlife Resources Comm’n
and loss of license, you would probably want to make your efforts worthwhile by stocking sufficient numbers to ensure that they would reproduce in their new water. But then again, who knows? Jason Seiders said that Maine fisheries biologists know little about white catfish, and that puts them at a disadvantage in terms of how to react to an illegal introduction. My own gut feeling is that if there is a newly established white catfish population in Swan Lake, they probably wouldn’t affect the coldwater fishery to any great degree. But again, no one knows for sure. Lake Versus River Here’s another thing to consider about white catfish in Swan Lake. To my
knowledge, this is the first account of these exotics appearing in a Maine lake. They have lived in our rivers for a while now, at least enough to greatly expand their population and become solidly established. But will they act different in a lake? Might they grow even larger than in a riverine environment? We will just have to wait and see. One thing that does bother me is the issue of whether white catfish will prey upon the lake’s smelt. If white catfish become established in Swan Lake, and if they turn to smelt as forage, that could upset the predator/prey balance – not a good thing. But there is little sense in worrying about something we can’t change right (Midcoast Report continued on page 70)
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New Recreational Mackerel Restrictions Possible In June of 2021, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released what they call a “Management Track Survey” of Atlantic mackerel along the East Coast of the U.S. The survey was designed to create a snapshot of the size and health of the current mackerel stock. Unfortunately, according to the survey, the news is not good. The stock has apparently been overfished for the past eight years. Although the mackerel stock tripled between 2014 and 2019, it is said to be only 24% of the target biomass of some 180,000 metric tons. So now, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (MAFMC), the board that develops management plans in federal waters off New York down through Virginia and which is responsible for Atlantic mackerel management, is tasked with creating a rebuilding plan. The MAFMC, which is based in Delaware, held two informational public webinars in January to explain the problem and to solicit input from fishermen and others. According to MAFAC, a 70% reduction in commercial landings and a staggering 50% reduction in recreational landings will be needed in order to rebuild the mackerel stock within 10 years.
Fishermen Blindsided Needless to say, fishermen from Massachusetts through Maine were blindsided by the news. Over 150 tuna, striper, and mackerel fishermen, as well as members of the party and charter fleet, participated in the webinars. Their main issue was that the survey results do not match what is being seen out on the water. There were plenty of mackerel along the New England coast in 2021 (and especially here in Maine), and that has been true for the past few years, so everyone was mystified as to how the survey could indicate (Continued on next page)
Young anglers enjoy catching mackerel. Limits on fishing that are being considered starting in 2023 would interfere with that enjoyment. All photos: Barry Gibson
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Saltwater
(Continued from page 69)
there was a serious problem. The MAFMC staffer who conducted the webinar agreed that there were plenty of mackerel right along the coast, but explained that in offshore areas, the survey ships did not encounter very many mackerel where they had found them during previous surveys, nor did they find the amounts of eggs and larvae they had in the past. Flawed Survey Methods? That triggered a lot of speculation that perhaps the offshore mackerel stock may have moved north or east due to the warming of Gulf of Maine waters over the past few years, as has happened with other species. Some fishermen questioned the timing of the survey samplings, saying that if they had been performed during other
months, the results may have been different. In general, most of the fishermen on the webinar stated that they believed the survey methods, timing, and areas sampled were questionable, and that the data appeared flawed given the numbers of mackerel that have been observed on the water. The new management plan process will take some time, but if MAFMC’s plan ultimately calls for a 50% reduction in recreationally-caught mackerel – and the plan is ultimately approved and implemented by NMFS – recreational mackerel fishermen along the New England coast may be faced with a two- or three-month “mackerel season,” say May and/or June and July. After that, possession of mackerel would be prohibited.
Downeast Region (Continued from page 67)
The splake’s main food on this water are smelts and small white perch. Small shiners at this stocked trout ponds works well, as does jigging with small lures, such as a Swedish Pimple. Daily limit on trout – 2 fish, minimum length limit 12 inches, and only one may exceed 14 inches. The white perch rarely reach lengths that would attract serious
Midcoast Report (Continued from page 68)
now, so we’ll just have to take a waitand-see approach, and hope for the best. Another aspect of white catfish in Midcoast Maine is that they may be available near me, in the Town of Frankfort. Frankfort maintains a beautiful public landing on Marsh Bay, a branch of the Penobscot River. According to Jason Seiders, there is no reason www.MaineSportsman.com
And that would mean no use of mackerel as bait for stripers and tuna. Other Restrictions Considered A bag limit is also possible, but there is so little data on how many mackerel people normally catch in a day that establishing a 50% reduction may be next to impossible. Finally, the survey found that there were fewer large mackerel in the stock makeup than there should be, so perhaps a minimum size might be a possibility. However – and get this –MAFAC has assumed a 100% release mortality for recreationally caught mackerel, meaning that every mackerel caught and released ends up dying. This assumption defies logic as well as most fishermen’s observations. But if it’s believed to be true, how would releasing loads of undersized mackerel in order to retain a big “keeper” help rebuild the stock
Mackerel are easy and fun to catch, and are often used as bait for large game fish.
if all the small ones die? Hmm…. Right now there are far more questions than answers about the survey and the upcoming management plan. It appears that any new regulations won’t be implemented until January of 2023, but that will come on us fast. I plan to continue to participate in the management process as the New England Regional Director for the Recreational Fishing Alli-
ance and as a Maine charter captain for the past 51 years, and will provide updates in this column as things move forward I’ll get into what’s happening with striped bass in next month’s column, but there doesn’t look to be any further restrictions or changes to the current bag and size limits for the coming season. At least that’s a bright spot!
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perch-chowder enthusiasts. Smallmouth bass are at times caught during the winter. The majority of bass are 12 to-16 inches, with a few larger 4-pound trophies caught each winter. Long Lake in Marion, Map 26, B-5, is another good bet for Washington County anglers to find success in March. Hatchery personal dropped off 250 13-inch splake in the fall of 2021. Ice anglers may want to drive a fourwheel-drive vehicle 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 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, smallmouth bass are the principal fish in the lake. A small springy tributary, located on the northeast shore, is an outstanding place to set out ice traps for trout in March.
why they wouldn’t swim in Marsh Bay as well as the main river. It that were so, two lines, each baited with one-half of a nightcrawler (a broken nightcrawler exudes twice the scent, and catfish locate much of their food by scent) and cast out in the current, should take white catfish. While I am in no way condoning any illegal introductions, I also am quick to take advantage of any new opportunity. If these white catfish prove to be harmless exotics, then why not fish
for them? I plan to find out as soon as weather warms this spring. Hornpout begin biting in early spring, only weeks after ice-out, so it seems that white catfish might follow suit. If I do find any nearby, I’ll report it.
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Early Trout While fishing in brooks and streams is banned until April 1, it is legal to fish in tidewater. I plan to try for sea-run brook trout in Marsh Stream, in Frankfort.
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Maine’s State Parks The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands manages 48 state parks and historic sites that every year provide over 2 million people direct access to some of Maine’s most beautiful areas. The 12 state parks in particular offer residents and non-residents alike recreational opportunities in safe and well maintained campgrounds all across the state. Lake St. George State Park In central Maine, Lake St. George State Park is located on the northwest shore of the pristine, crystal clear spring-fed waters of Lake St. George in the town of Liberty, just 16 miles west of Belfast and 25 miles east of Augusta on Route 3. The park covers 358 acres and offers camping, lifeguard-supervised swimming (dogs are even allowed to swim at a dog beach!), picnicking, canoeing, motorized boating, and fishing. The park also has a brand new playground and numerous picnic tables and hibachi grills. The park also offers canoe, paddleboat, rowboat and kayak rentals for a minimal fee. Because of Lake St. George’s close proximity to my residence my family and I use the facilities for day use; however, the park also has 38 camp sites (31S is by far my
Camping, swimming, hiking and fishing – Maine’s parks have it all. The author provides an overview of areas easily accessible to folks in Central Maine, including a place to slake your thirst after a strenuous hike up Frye or Haystack Mountain. favorite) that can accommodate everything from a pop-up tent to a 35-foot trailer. Lake St. George Perhaps one of the biggest visitor draws to Lake St. George State Park is Lake St. George. At 1,017 acres and boasting a maximum depth of 65 feet, the lake supports fine populations of landlocked salmon, brook trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, chain pickerel and white perch. The lake has an excellent boat launch and parking facility located off Route 3, only minutes from the state park. Landlocked salmon and brook trout are stocked annually, and have been since the late 1930s. The salmon fishery is considered top-notch, and anglers routinely catch salmon in the 3-lb. range. Larger fish are present but not as common. MDIFW fisheries biologists trap-net Lake St. George each fall. In 2018, netting revealed that salmon growth and survival were comparable to other years; however, there were noticeably more fish, an indication that perhaps regulations limiting catch
Lake St. George State Park even accommodates canine pets, offering dogs their own swimming beach!
are being effective. In 2021, the lake was stocked with 2,500 brook trout in the 8-10 inch range, and 1,000, 7 inch salmon. The environmental conditions and availability of forage in Lake St. George are ideal for the growth and survival of trout and salmon, making it a rare gem in Central Maine. Hiking For those looking to get out and stretch their legs, just two miles from Lake St. George State Parks is the Haystack Mountain trail. This 1.3 mile loop trail is truly a hidden gem and features beautiful wildflowers and wonderfully expansive views. It’s a good moderate hike, appropriate for
almost all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips, and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also welcome on the trail, but must be kept leashed. Also, only 11 miles away, and for campers looking for a greater hiking challenge, is the Frye Mountain section of the Georges Highland Path trail system. The Frye Mountain trail offers a 10.6 mile loop trail that leads to the summit of 1,122 ft. Frye Mountain. Dogs are also welcome on this trail, as long as they are kept on a leash. Beverages Located on 4 Marshall Shore Road, minutes from the state park, is Lake St. George Brewing Company. The brewery offers an impressive selection of “beers to go” that includes IPAs, stouts, pale ales, brown ales lagers and even hard seltzer. They also have an expansive tasting room where patrons can sit back and relax while sipping on an adult beverage and enjoying the many and varied live events throughout that occur throughout the year. Dogs are also wel-
come in the outdoors sitting area as long as they are kept under the direct control of their owner. More information on the brewery can be found at lakestgeorgebrewing. com. Reservations The Bureau of Parks and Lands recently reported that Maine state park attendance increased 8% in 2021, setting an all-time visitation/attendance record. For all of the struggles we have undergone over the past few years, one shining light is that people seem to be reconnecting with the outdoors and finding serenity in the wilds. However, because of this newfound enthusiasm, individuals and families looking to secure reservations at Lake St. George Campground should contact the reservations call center (in Maine: 800-332-1501; outside of Maine: (207) 624-9950) or online reservations system (www.campwithme. com). Lake St. George State reservations open on February 4th at 9:00 am. For those hearty souls looking for a real adventure, winter camping is allowed at Lake St. George State Park; however, campers must contact the park staff prior to visiting, to make arrangements: (207) 589-4255.
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March Nights are Made for Cusk Fishing Old-timers used to leave a baited trap set inside their shacks when they went home at the end of the day, hoping to hook a cusk overnight. That activity would be illegal now, as by Maine law cusk traps must be checked hourly through the nighttime. With ice coming late to Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, C-1), I have been looking forward to doing some good old-fashioned cusk fishing. Cusk are the only fish we are allowed to ice fish for with unattended traps. The caveat is that the traps must be tended once each hour. Since cusk fishing is best at night, anglers set their tipups at dusk and then venture out hourly to see if they’ve been successful. I know of old time anglers who would always leave a trap set in their shack at the end of the day for cusk and check it the next morning. This practice is illegal, but the old timers bragged that they usually had a “big ’ol monkey fish” caught overnight.
Cusk 101 Cusk, or Lota lota, as they are scientifically named, are a strange looking but good-eating creature. They are related to the saltwater cod, and even have the tell-tale barbel (or whisker) that the cod has on the underside of its chin. It’s unusual to catch cusk in the summer months, as the fish slows their metabolism, only to increase it to feed voraciously and spawn during the winter months. Cusk feed on almost anything, and are actually quite the predator. Cusk will attack and eat most any fish, although smelt and crayfish seem to be preferred. My fishing partner and I almost always use saltwater
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smelt that we caught at the coast and froze for later use. We sink the bait to the bottom and wait. I’ve heard of some anglers using chopped up sucker meat with good luck. Old timers would soak their bait in fish oil to make it even easier for cusk to find as they prowl the bottom for food. Aside from their accelerated winter feeding schedule, cusk spawn in the winter months and flock to sandy and gravely areas to do so. Knowing where these spots exist on a lake is key to finding good cusk grounds to set up around. Fishing for cusk is best in 15 to 30 feet of water. The sandy spots where rivers dump into a lake are prime set-up spots for cusk traps. I have caught cusk during the day when bottom fishing for lakers, and other catch them occasionally while jigging. Interestingly, New Hampshire prohibits jigging for cusk on their inland waters. In fact, any baited hooks must have heavy sinkers within six inches of the bait to keep the bait from enticing non-target fish such as lake trout.
Cusk-fishing starts with cutting holes. Here, outdoorsman Bobby Reynolds makes the chips fly with his power auger.
Equally odd is that Mainers have to check their cusk traps every hour, while New Hampshire cuskers need only tend their traps once within 24 hours. Nearby Thompson Lake (Map 5, A-2) is a good cusk destination. As I used to say, cusk fishing is a great excuse to stay up at night when looking for something to do. Sebago Lakers March on Sebago Lake is still a good time to target lakers. By now, we generally know where fishing is best, but I never cease to be amazed at how these fish move around. Last year we tried something different, and found fish as deep as 170 feet. I even had
to rig my jig rods with more line to reach those depths. As always, I did best with a Swedish pimple tipped with a bit of shiner, or a tube jig in white (last year, white was the hot color). March Hare While we still have snow, this is a great month to get in some snowshoe hare hunting. Milder days make it more enjoyable for sports, but dogs have it better too. Warmer days mean more scent and easier sniffing for those who hunt with dogs. Even dog-less hunters can push the thickets and get a fleeting shot at a bouncing bunny. Often times while (Sebago to Auburn continued on page 75)
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A Great Time to Get Into the Sport of Archery In order to become a successful bowhunter, you first need to learn to be an archer. Here’s how to get started. Archery is a popular sport in southern Maine – each year, new archers are joining our ranks, and bowhunting license sales are on the rise. And why not? Southern Maine has a lot to offer archers. Bowhunting seems to be the biggest draw in archery sales, and this region has great archery shops that can get new archers set up properly. Why is archery growing here in southern Maine? Bowhunting is excellent in our coastal areas, and the Extended Archery deer season allows archers to bowhunt for three months. In addition, archers can harvest multiple deer – this is a great opportunity for folks who can only hunt on weekends. Bowhunting in southern Maine compares favorably to northern sections of the Pine Tree State. Bowhunters kill more deer in the coastal Maine towns of York, Wells, Kennebunk, Scarborough and Eliot, than in the entire northern half of the state. Bowhunting Suburbs Bowhunting coastal Maine isn’t for everyone, though – many folks want a true deepwoods hunting experience and dislike knocking on doors to
gain access and hunt. A typical hunt can go something like a hunt I had in Kittery years ago. I was hanging from a tree saddle overlooking an inland bay. The positive was that the ground around me was littered with deer tracks. The negative? I could see the roof of Kittery Trading Post in the distance, and hear traffic along Route One. Just to add to the quality of the hunt, I could also hear numbers being called out from a local clam shack – sound travels well over water. I was hunting with one of my homemade recurve bows, and the first deer that passed under me was a small doe that I let walk by unharmed. An hour later, a large doe stepped out from the jungle of alders into the small clearing, I moved around the tree trunk, and placed an arrow into the deer’s lungs. It ran about 50 yards, and died. After cleaning chores were complete, I decided to get my cart from the truck. When I got there, it was getting dark, but Bob Strauss, who was hunting nearby, was sitting in his truck waiting to see if I had killed a deer. He helped drag the deer
to my truck. However, not all extended archery zone bowhunts are like this. I now hunt public lands in Wells and Kennebunk in locations that offer larger tracks of forest – spots where I never see rooftops or other hunters. I don’t see as many deer there, but the hunting experience is much better. Getting Started – Archery Clubs But there’s more than bowhunting opportunity. Archery is an activity you can pursue all year long. In fact, the flight of an arrow can become addictive. Another reason for the sport’s popularity is that new archers can shoot at home, and the whole family can participate, as well. So how can you get started? Becoming a member of a local archery club will get new archers on the right track. Much like golf, archery is a repetitive sport, meaning that each shot must be executed the exact same way, over and over again. New archers often find it difficult to turn their bodies into shooting machines. NFAA, MAA & MBA The National Field Archery Association (NFAA) and the Maine
Members of the Maine Archery Association at the state shoot. This is a great club that will help you get into the enjoyable sports of archery and bowhunting. Val Marquez photo
Archery Association (MAA) are organizations that promotes target archery, and bowhunting. Many people think they are just a target archery association, but in fact the NFAA and MAA are groups of people who enjoy shooting a bow, all year long – not just during bowhunting season. Archers who shoot all year become better bowhunters. This is the reason I became involved with target archery. Bunk Libby, a very successful archer and bowhunter in southern Maine, once told me, “You need to be an archer in order to become a bowhunter.” Archery can become a year-round, lifelong sport. People who are considering archery, be it for hunting or recreational archery, should join a club, so coaches and experienced members can get you started properly. If you enjoy bowhunting during the Extended Archery
Season, you should be thankful for the Maine Bowhunters Association (MBA). Ron Wilson and I were on the SAM deer committee, representing the MBA. Ron and I co-authored the rough draft that was turned into a legislative bill. SAM then presented the bill to the Maine State Legislature, and after some tweaking, it was enacted into law. The late George Smith was chairperson of our committee, and he testified in support of the bill that is now the Extended Archery Season. Later, I wrote an article for Bowhunter Magazine titled “Milestone in Maine.” So there’s a little history about how one aspect of Maine bowhunting evolved in Maine. I plan to be at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show, being held at the Augusta Civic Center, April 1 – 3. I’ll be helping to staff The Maine Sportsman maga(Southern Maine continued on page 75) www.MaineSportsman.com
74 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
Fly Fishing Dreams, and Cleaning and Storing Fly Line We’ve all seen it happen – you try to cast a line out, and it lies on the surface of the water, all kinked up in tight coils because it’s been wrapped around the reel’s spool all winter long. Here’s how to prevent that from occurring, and how to fix it if it happens to you. All winter long, I dream about fishing in the Rangeley Region. Inevitably my computer search will find me on the dreaded mindtrap called Facebook. I read a post the other day in which a fellow stated that he had purchased a fly rod and reel combination, took it out fishing in some icy stream, and was very dissatisfied with the “cheap” line on the reel. A photo showed the line with kinks and bends that looked like it would surely inhibit any kind of smooth casting. The fellow’s post indicated that he was fairly new to fly fishing, and he wondered if others had similar problems. Some of the folks who responded did a
good job of steering him in the right direction, telling him to warm up the line and give it a good stretch before casting it the next time he fishes. Some of the suggestions also directed him toward the purchase of a better line. New Fly Line Buying a better grade of line is always a great answer ... line manufacturers have really improved line quality over the last few years. Anglers will notice a great improvement in their casting when they replace old line with a new line, not just in the improved mechanics of some of the new lines, but just for the simple fact that the old line has broken down and become less efficient.
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On certain rod/reel combinations that I use more frequently than others, I’ll change the line every year. I have two rod/reel outfits that are in constant use throughout the season – a 7-weight G. Loomis with an Orvis “Hydros” reel, and a Thomas and Thomas 5-weight with another Orvis “Battenkill” reel. The Loomis/Orvis combination is used for the heavy stuff ... flinging poppers and big sliders for bass and huge streamers for bass, trout, and salmon. The line used on this combination gets stepped on and ground into the rocky river bottom, sandy shore, and dirty drift boat floor. By the end of the year, a new line is in order. I use the T&T/Orvis combination for trout and salmon with dry flies and some lightweight streamers. I am rough on line, and constantly find myself stepping on it on the sandy shoreline, in the bottom of my canoe, or as I wade a rocky stream or river. I can’t help it ... I get too focused on the fly or the fish, and forget about the line at my feet.
Between seasons, if an angler stores line off the reel and in loose wraps, that will prevent “memory” loops and kinks from forming in the fly line. William Clunie photo
Further Suggestions I know some folks will probably suggest using a stripping basket, but I just haven’t found that to be a solution for all conditions ... especially wading. Last year, I purchased a medium-sized laundry basket for the drift boat and will keep it there this year to try out. The front seat space has enough area to strip line into a clean spot, but when casting in the rear of the boat, the line gets tangled in a number of places that can easily damage line. I often gently remind folks who step into the boat to rinse the sand off their wad-
ing shoes so it doesn’t add to the damage by grinding the line every time they shift their feet on the floor of the boat. Sometimes they comply, and sometimes it can’t be helped. Anyway, hopefully this new basket will help keep our line from excess wear and tear. I have tried to use a stripping basket around my waist when wading. It just doesn’t work for me, so I go about casting while trying to manage my excess line as best as possible. With that said, I still find myself stepping on the line and grinding it into rocks and sand (Continued on next page)
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throughout the day. A yearly change of line is in order for both of the rod/reel combinations mentioned above. Maintaining Fly Line Other rod/reel combinations that don’t get used as often get a
good line cleaning and stretching at the beginning of the season. If I’m diligent, I will also remove the line at the end of the season, clean it, stretch it, and store it in a loose manner that help avoid the dreaded little loops that happen when line
Sebago to Auburn (Continued from page 72)
deer hunting I’ve bumped a hare in its brown coat, only to have it run off and stop a short distance to be spotted again. Although they’re harder to spot in their white win-
stays tightly wrapped on a reel all winter. I’ll stretch and clean the line a few times throughout the season if I think it’s dirty or needs to lose some of the “memory” that causes kinks and curls. I use any of the commercial line clean-
ter coat, a quick flash of their black nose betrays the bunny. Whether you are targeting cusk to get a nice chowder, getting in some last-minute lake trout angling, or choosing to chase rabbits, March is our last-chance month before weather, and fish & game seasons, change.
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ing systems available. For storing line, some folks simply strip the line off of the reel and loosely wrap it in bigger circles onto a coffee can or similarly-sized object. I just strip the line in bigger circles (maybe teninch diameter) and
place it and the reel into a plastic shopping bag that hangs in the closet. The line stays attached to the backing and the reel for ease of returning to the fishing season for the next year.
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Southern Maine (Continued from page 73)
zine’s booth on Saturday April 2, and I’d enjoy talking archery and bowhunting with anyone interested. I’m the Vice President of MAA, and Southern Rep. for the MBA. We can discuss how to get started in archery. Hope to see you all there.
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“Music of the Chase” Fills the Woods in the Western Maine Mountains The author formerly used a shotgun to hunt hare. In recent years, however, he’s begun using a .22 LR – either a lever-action rifle, or a Ruger Mark II pistol. Using a smaller caliber firearm, especially the pistol, adds a new level of challenge to the hunt. I go through a molting process of some sort, switching from bird hunting season in the fall to rabbit hunting season in the winter. If I had fur, I’d be changing hair color from the vibrant hues of fall to a more drab, diffused winter-gray ... the way a white-tailed deer so efficiently camouflages itself for the new season. Even though the only hair color change might be some new white (platinum) areas on my head and beard, I still feel a strong changing process between fall and winter. The adjustment is minute, and most folks won’t notice it, but for
me it is almost shocking. While I’m in the middle of the process I’m thinking, “How can I just forget about bird hunting? How is my dog going to take this? What do I do with the shotgun – just oil it up and put it away?” And so I quietly hang up my thornproof pants and bird hunting shirts in the closet. My melancholy mood takes a drastic lift when I dig out the winter wool and reflect fondly on tromping through snow drifts and frozen swamps after snowshoe hare. As the fragrant odor of cedar and wool fills my nostrils, I can almost hear the beagles filling the silent win-
ter woods with their delightful canine composition, “Music of the Chase.” Tool Change This molting process also has me switching my shooting gear. When bird hunting season ends, I exchange the old double-barreled 20 gauge for a Marlin Model 39, .22 long rifle (LR). I used to always hunt hare with a shotgun, but now prefer to use my little .22LR lever-action. Sometimes I’ll only take a Ruger Mark II .22LR pistol, preferring to keep things simple, yet interesting. Hitting a hare with a .22LR pistol is
Joe Plante (left); his beagles, Waylon and Sarge; his nephew, Alex Plante; and a nice snowshoe hare. Photo courtesy of Joe Plante
quite a challenge. I can’t forget to take my Silva compass from the pocket of my bird hunting pants and tie it onto the belt loop of my wool pants. I never go without that compass, even though I also carry some sort of GPS unit with me while rabbit hunting. Over the last few years I also have always carried a cell phone ... for conveniently taking photos, keeping in contact
with my wife at home or buddies in the field, or the excellent hunting application, “onX Hunt” (onxmaps.com). This convenient application allows me to track myself even if I travel out of cell coverage ... it’s an amazing tool for finding your way around the woods. Burning Calories When I’m bird hunting, I can get away with a simple (Western Maine continued on page 78)
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Coyote Calling – A Team Sport Hunting with a companion makes the process easier and more productive. A friend of the author sets up just off logging roads, and his wife runs the electronic coyote call from the comfort and warmth of their truck. Regular readers of my column know that when it comes to deer hunting, I’m a “leaveme-the-heck-alone” type. But when it comes to coyote hunting, company is not only preferred, but often required, for success. A Different Breed There have been some good coyote hunting shows on TV and the internet over the years, but most of them take place in the wide-open spaces of the Midwest or West. Many times, the coyotes can be seen com-
ing from hundreds of yards away. In these cases, the hunter has an opportunity to resettle/reposition himself, dial in his longrange scope, and make a carefully calculated shot. In many of these western shows, the hunter sees/shoots several coyotes almost every setup. I confirmed this when I was in Wyoming a few years ago antelope hunting. After filling my tag, I decided to call coyotes. On my second setup, I called in a pair, and killed one. In northern New England, it is rare to
find a place where you can see more than 200 yards. If you see a coyote at one out of every 10 setups, you are doing well. I have a friend who says his kill ratio is 1 coyote to every 60 setups. You’ve got to love coyote calling to suffer through that many sits without action. I think the success disparity between the Northeast and West correlates directly to visibility. God knows there is no shortage of coyotes around here – it is just a matter of catching one making a mistake. In the wide-
Coyote hunting is a great two-person sport. The writer’s friend, Jack Cormier, ran the electronic call and watched the back entry, allowing the writer to focus on the primary area. When the coyote appeared, the writer already had his .243 up and ready for a quick shot.
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call. In the densely forested Northeast, how(Continued on next page)
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New Hampshire (Continued from page 77)
ever, they can skulk along undetected. Evasive Tactics Coyotes are wary. They often won’t expose themselves in an open area unless they have to. So, I try to find calling locations where they will have to. Taking notes from some of the coyote shooting shows, I tend to put less weight on concealing myself than I do in finding a place where the coyotes will have to make themselves visible to approach me/the call. Oftentimes, successful coyote hunters will just sit against a small fencepost in the middle of the open plain. The next best thing to an open plain in the Northeast, is the ice. Coyotes often use frozen rivers as nighttime runways. Sitting high up on a bank overlooking a river-runway is a great ambush tactic. But rivers and streams are often surrounded by alder thickets that a wary coyote may use instead, to avoid daytime detection. A better ice set-up is on a frozen beaver
pond or bog. They are usually surrounded by thick softwood that provide good habitat for both coyotes and their prey to live in. A frequent challenge, though, is being able to find a high spot to see from. Swale grass or hummocks around the edges can obscure your view. One may want to consider a climbing stand, even if it is only to get off the ground five feet or so. If you’re sitting on the edge of a frozen bog, place your electronic call toward the middle, but not directly between you and where you think the coyotes will come from. You don’t want the coyote looking at the call and seeing you fidgeting with your scope in the background. The best set-up I’ve found utilizes a small island of tress or low cover in the middle of a large field or frozen pond. If you set up on the island, the coyote will have to cross the open backdrop on its approach. Teamwork Coyotes will
Western Maine (Continued from page 76)
sandwich for lunch, with maybe an apple or potato chips to fill in the afternoon. Rabbit hunting weather is always extra cold, requiring more calories at the lunch table. I like to enjoy a hot soup, chili, or chowder with a sandwich, or even toast the sandwich to add a little warmth to the meal. I carry a propane-fired Coleman stove in a tote box, filled with extra food items that might be needed when the temperatures drop. I often include beef jerky, crackers and cheese and granola bars to fight off the heat-robbing weather. Hearty food seems to help me stay warm when it www.MaineSportsman.com
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This is one of the writer’s favorite types of calling setups – a high berm looking down on the swamp and ice of a river oxbow. There is a large coyote runway at the bottom of the hill along the edge of the ice.
most always try to circle where the sound is coming from. They do this to try to obtain a favorable wind or to check for other competition, and to find the most concealed entry/ exit routes. They are smart. This is why you need a second shooter to watch the back door. More times than not, when I do an unsuccessful solo setup, I cut fresh coyote tracks on my walk back to the truck. Even if there is no large opening behind your setup, a second hunter with a shotgun is a good idea.
One of my friends has had several encounters where a coyote approached just mere yards behind him, and he had to try to turn and shoot from the hip with a rifle, to no avail. For this reason, Les Johnson, from the TV show Predator Quest, brings both a shotgun and a rifle with him when he calls. One other reason to employ a friend or two on a coyote hunt is to have a designated caller. Running the remote of an electronic call is distracting. And blowing on a squealer requires the hunter
gets cold, so I make sure to keep the food box full all winter. I also like to carry those chemical hand-warmers to take the chill off. Sometimes my fingers get so cold I stick a couple of the warmers right in my coat pockets. When I am way out in the woods and only have snow to clean my hands after field-dressing a hare, it sure feels good to heat up my cold hands up in the extra-warm pockets. New Backpack I always carry a small backpack when I’m rabbit hunting, usually carrying a bottle of water, dog leash, water dish, and extra food items. This year I want to try something different to carry my gear – an item that also provides a seat in the woods.
to make cumbersome movements. Delegating these duties to one person, so that the other can keep their eyes peeled and rifle ready, is an efficient tactic. An older friend of mine will set up just off a logging road and ask his wife to run the electronic call from the comfort and warmth of the truck! What a great way to share the hunt with someone who doesn’t necessarily want to share in the cold, snow, and killing aspects of the adventure.
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As I have aged, I find that standing for hours on end while waiting for the beagles to run a rabbit back to my position really puts a strain on my problematic lower spine and hips. I usually carry a foam pad to sit on, but can never depend on finding a good stump for a seat in most places. This year, I’ll be trying out a backpack that includes a comfy seat built right into the frame. Chair-Pak (chairpak.com) makes a great combination backpack and chair for many uses. I can take it with me while rabbit hunting. If I feel like sitting while waiting for the beagles to turn a rabbit my way, this unit will provide a way to comfortably sit and wait.
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Smilin’ Sportsman
Some Guys Just Have a Gift Wife: “Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweetie! You know, last night I dreamt that you gave me a diamond necklace. I wonder what’s the meaning of that dream?”
Husband (handing her a package): “Well, you’ll find out in a minute!” Wife: “Is it a diamond necklace?” Husband: “No – it’s a book, titled ‘The Meaning of Dreams’.” —
Walk a Mile for a Camel Eb: “Recently, I traveled to the Western Sahara, where I saw people crossing the desert.” Flo: Bedouins? Eb: Bedouins, good ones – both types, I suppose.
www.MaineSportsman.com
80 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
In Defense of Denim Our columnist fights back against those who disparage his fabric of choice. For some reason, I’m rarely asked for advice about fashion. This may have something to do with my dressing as if my clothes had been chosen by color-blind reptilians and then spewed out by a cement mixer. It’s true I’ve never been able to work up much enthusiasm for selecting my wardrobe. So long as all private parts are sufficiently covered to allow me to appear in public without risking arrest, I’m not real fussy about what I wear. Well, that’s not entirely true. I’m insistent that my clothing be comfortable and reasonably practical. I want it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I want plenty of pockets for my stuff. I also demand it be easy to buy. When I need new clothes, I prefer to call the place I bought from before, and have the following conversation: Me: “Do you have a record of whatever I ordered the last time I called?” Call center employee in Bangladesh: “I’m sorry. Our computers are down.” Me: “When they come back online, send me the same thing again.” This means I spend no more than a minute www.MaineSportsman.com
or two a year worrying about what I’ll wear, freeing up crucial time for more important activities, such as drinking beer and taking naps. Reputation Matters I do, however, recognize my reluctance to pay attention to what I’m wearing has earned me the reputation of being a slob. This isn’t entirely fair. I suspect the notoriety I’ve achieved for serial slobbiness is not a result of being dirty or unduly disheveled, but rather it’s because I wear more or less the same thing every day. I own a bunch of blue jeans. I’ve got several identical denim shirts. My t-shirt drawer is full of gray ones and navy-blue ones and not much else. All my socks are the same color. I can understand why a casual observer might conclude I never change my clothes. Lumberjack Tuxedo “You’re always wearing the same lumberjack tuxedo,” an acquaintance once observed. Wrong. I actually have several different lumberjack tuxedos. They just all look the same. For those not familiar with the term, a lumberjack tuxedo consists of pants and a
shirt or jacket of denim. In refined society, it’s considered a fashion faux pas for reasons that escape me, as do almost all the rules of refined society. Wearing more than one item of clothing made of denim may offend those guardians of haute couture, but their criticism must be tempered with the knowledge these same people regularly wear a suit coat and dress pants made of the same material. As long as that fabric isn’t denim, their arbitrary rules seem to say it’s OK. And wearing designer jeans and a matching jacket renders one immune from derisive comments, so long as that ensemble cost more than a winter’s worth of heating oil. I should note that the term lumberjack tuxedo is far from universal. Up north, I’ve heard it referred to as a Canadian tuxedo. Farther west, it becomes a cowboy tuxedo. Among hoboes, it’s known as standard business attire. None of these variations are considered compliments. Back to Socks Earlier, I mentioned that all my socks are the same color, which, after nu-
merous washings, has become a neutral tint somewhere between the original tan and a sludgy shade of gray. This has a couple of advantages. First, they don’t clash with anything else I’m wearing. Second, I don’t have to sort my socks. They all get thrown in the drawer in a pile, and each morning I just grab any two. One more positive result: If a sock gets lost in the wash, I don’t even notice. I just keep wearing the ones that survived until my supply runs low. Then, I order some new ones. Me: “Send me some more of those socks.” Call center employee: “I’m sorry. Our computers are down.” It’s true that when the replacements eventually arrive, with original color intact, they don’t match the old socks. It’s a great shortcoming of the clothing industry that nobody markets pre-faded socks.
But I manage to work around this inexplicable oversight by wearing mismatched socks until multiple washings render the recent arrivals indistinguishable from their predecessors. Avoiding Stains I haven’t mentioned my little problem of occasionally dribbling food on myself. This used to result in unsightly stains on my shirts, pants and even my socks, thereby adding to my already tattered reputation for being a slob. Fortunately, I found a solution. I only eat foods the color of my clothes, so the stains don’t show. Blueberry pie, anyone? Al Diamon writes the weekly column Politics & Other Mistakes for the Daily Bulldog and the Portland Phoenix. He can be emailed at aldiamon@herniahill. net.
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— TRADING POST — • Subscribers may place one free 20-word • The regular rates are $15 for up to 20 line classified ad per month (2-month limit) words and 50¢ for each additional word • Items for sale must include a price • Check, money order, MasterCard or VISA (Credit or Debit) are accepted • Real estate ads must include an address or location
• You may submit your ads by: Phone: 207-357-2702 E-mail: classifieds@mainesportsman.com Mail: 183 State Street, Suite 101 Augusta ME 04330
SUBMIT AD AND PAYMENT BY THE 30TH OF EACH MONTH AND YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE. Also daily or weekly hookups and 4 sewer 338mag. Gary, Dover 229-8468. CAMPS rates. Call 207-322hookups, tax incenNH 603-953-3220 ———————— FOR SALE 3877. tives possible. 207WANTED 474-0778 FISHING
TWO BEDROOM CAMP FOR SALE T28 MD leased land. $25,000. Contact Sandy at 207-460-2919. ————————
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NOYES REAL ESTATE AGENCY www.noyesrealty.com | info@noyesrealty.com (207) 864-9000 | 2388 Main Street, Rangeley, ME 04970
Maine Real Estate Specialists: Rangeley–Kennebunkport Earl Bowen, Virginia Nuttall, Aimee Danforth, Brent Quimby Chris Botka, Wendy Dodge, Jamie Mandell
56 Liberty Drive Hermon, ME
(207) 848-2866
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★ EXCITING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY! ★
Korell Outfitters — Emmett, Idaho —
Caryn Dreyfuss, Broker • (207) 233-8275 caryndreyfuss@morton-furbish.com www.realestateinrangeley.com
RANGELEY – INVESTORS TAKE NOTICE Two 2 bedroom cottage on scenic Hunter Cove with good 4-season rental potential! Both camps are fully year-round, well maintained, move-in ready, furniture included. Protected frontage with dock, small boat launch. Sweeping lake and mountain views, wildlife galore. Snowmobile trail access from your door, minutes to Oquossoc and Rangeley. Don’t miss this super opportunity to own on Rangeley Lake! MLS #1516014 – $425,000 SANDY RIVER PLT – Potential lake and mountain views from this 1 acre lot located in a desirable subdivision with protective covenants, well maintained roads and underground power. Lot is lightly wooded offering privacy and easy snowmobile trail access from your door. Deeded access to the HOLA association waterfront on Rangeley Lake offering small boat launch, marina, swimming area with dock. Close to Rangeley Village and Saddleback. MLS #1518070 – $65,900 RANGELEY – Rare opportunity to own a building parcel with one of the best views of Rangeley Lake, Doctors Island, sunsets over Bald Mt and beyond! This 1 acre lot in the highly sought after Lodges Subdivision offers underground power, public water and sewer at the street. Minutes to town, Saddleback, and 4-season activities. Plus ATV/snowmobile trail access from your door. Don’t miss out on this special property, inquire today! MLS #1512282 – $199,000
Korell Outfitters has been operated by the same family for 30 years. It is located on the South Fork of the Payette River in Southwest Idaho, Idaho Fish and Game Units 33, 35, and 39. The business has 200 square miles licensed for all species (deer, elk, bear, mountain lion, wolf, sheep, goat, moose, and predators). There are also summer recreation opportunities for trail rides and overnight fishing pack trips at some of Idaho’s beautiful high mountain lakes. There is an additional 80 square miles adjoining south of the South Fork of the Payette that is also licensed for bear, cougar, wolf, and predators. These areas are accessible by 4X4, ATV, snowmobile, horse/pack string. The business comes with 10 guaranteed Sawtooth Outfitter B tags (rifle), 13 guaranteed Sawtooth A tags (archery), and 6 guaranteed Unit 35 deer tags for either rifle or archery with the opportunity to increase allocation on a two year basis. There are unlimited bear, mountain lion, and wolf hunts. The Forest Service Permit includes 250 priority use days and 3 assigned camp sites. The business includes equipment and stock- equipment list will be available upon request. This is a high-income business with a lot of potential to expand. Price is $325,000. Contact Chris Korell with Korell Outfitters at (208) 484-1787 for questions. www.MaineSportsman.com
82 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
— The Maine Sportsman —
2021 GRAND SLAM PATCH CLUB A continuation of the feature on pages 42-43.
James Delong of Monticello bagged this 150-lb. buck as part of his 2021 Grand Slam. The deer was registered at Beals’ Country Store on Route 1 in Monticello.
Eben Thomas II of Winthrop harvested this black bear in T24 MD BPP, as well as a 605lb. bull moose, a 178-lb. 8-point buck, and a big tom turkey that was registered at Audette’s Sporting Goods and Hardware in Winthrop.
Michael Wallingford of Shapleigh earned his 2021 Grand Slam patch with this 14-lb. wild turkey. Among his other qualifying trophies was a 705-lb. moose, taken in Allagash.
Alex Jacobs of Millinocket bagged this buck in Katahdin Iron Works TWP as part of his 2021 Grand Slam. Alex registered the whitetail at “The General Store and More,” in Brownville Junction.
Ian Jack of Oxford became a member of The Maine Sportsman’s Grand Slam patch club in 2021 with qualifying trophies such as this tom turkey, registered at Doe’s Variety, on Park Street in Paris. Ian and his father Rickie, a police captain, are regular readers of The Maine Sportsman magazine.
Riley McKay of Holden harvested this 178lb. buck among the qualifying trophies toward his 2021 Grand Slam patch. The whitetail was registered at Bob’s Kozy Korner on Johnson Mill Road in Orrington.
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��������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • March 2022 • 83
Four Season Lakefront Rentals on Mattanawcook Pond Brand new, fully furnished units have full kitchens and sleep 4+ people Located in the center of Lincoln, ME
The Maine Sportsman is Growing! The Maine Sportsman is seeking an experienced, self-motivated Contract Ad Sales Account Executive to assist businesses and organizations in promoting products, services and events. Qualifications include a proven sales record, superb customer service, fluent in English, and access to computer and phone. Knowledge of the outdoors a plus. Training and contacts provided, monthly commission, and bonus potential. Send resume and introduction to nancy@mainesportsman.com.
ITS Trails Nearby Free WiFi and parking, on-site laundry, and all the comforts of home
Book Now for Snowmobiling & Ice Fishing Trips!
(207) 403-9229
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NEW HOME ON 1.55 ACRES
NEW HOME – 1,000+ square feet, nice location in the town of Perham, Maine on 1.55 acres. Two bedrooms, one bath, open concept for kitchen and living room, new appliances, attached 2 car garage, close to ATV & ITS trail. Call (207) 455-8340 or email realty@mfx.net for more info.
WELLINGTON – Cute two room camp in the beautiful Maine countryside! Camp is fully wired and power is available at the street. Driveway is already in place, and the camp is just waiting for you to come put the finishing touches on. Leave right from the camp and hit the ATV trails! If you’ve been looking for that seasonal getaway or hunting camp, this could be it! Taxes are TBD. MLS #1512343 – $66,900 HARTLAND – Here is your chance to own your own camp for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, riding your ATV or just relaxing by the camp fire. This one room camp has power, is tucked in nicely on the property and accessed from the state maintained paved road. The surveyed property is located near the trails, hunting lands and the Great Moose Lake public boat landing is a short drive away. Come and make this your get away. MLS #1493828 – $44,900 WELLINGTON – Hunter’s paradise! A whopping 580 acres of land - a rare find. There is a gravel pit within the property and frontage on both Higgins Stream and Buzzell Brook. Property offers 3 miles of interior roads. This is truly a piece of Maine’s beautiful outdoors and waiting for you to come and explore. MLS #1369861 – $490,000 MOSCOW – RARE OPPORTUNITY! 235 surveyed acres with over 3,700 feet of frontage on Route 201 in Moscow. This property has a nice interior gravel road with access directly from the main road. Enjoy wildlife galore on this property from moose, deer, bear, and upland game. Come here and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and Wyman Lake. This is a perfect property to build your own recreational retreat or your dream home. This property also has some harvestable timber and the interior road makes it an ideal place for developers. Call today for your private showing. MLS #1486370 – $475,000 CORNVILLE – Nice 4 acre lot on a quiet country road! Property abuts the ITS trail and would make a great spot for your camp or year round home. Drilled well already in place, power available at the road! MLS #1491304 – $40,000 CORNVILLE – Nice 9.0 acre lot to build a camp or home. 200’ of frontage on a town maintained gravel road with power at the road. Steam Mill Road is also the ATV trail. Approximately 1100’ on Burrill Woods Road which is not town maintained. Mobile homes are allowed. MLS #1511026 – $38,000 EMBDEN – 4.64 acre surveyed lot is located on a year round, town maintained road with power available at the street. The seller has soil tested the lot and the report is available. This would make a great spot to build your new home or camp on. There is a small unnamed brook/ runoff not shown on maps. Only about 40 minutes to Sugarloaf and only 10 minutes to the Embden Pond public boat launch this spot has a lot to offer. MLS #1513044 – $32,500 FAIRFIELD – A wonderful opportunity to own 64 acres of private, well wooded property. Minutes from all the amenities of civilization, yet isolated. Build the homestead of your dreams, explore recreational opportunities. If you have been looking for the right piece of land and privacy, come take a look. Only minutes from downtown Waterville. MLS #1514384 – $149,999 03/22
Lakeville – Lots of well wooded land. This cute cabin is located at the end of a private road with no through traffic on Spaulding Pond Road. Situated in a wonderful area for many of Northern Maine’s recreational activities. Ready for you today. $70,000
Prentiss TWP – Sitting on 43 acres in a nice wildlife area, the cabin has been lived in, year round, the past few years right on Rosewood Haven. Put the work into removing the mold, put down a floor and turn this into a nice, little hunting cabin. $49,900
Grand Falls – This cabin was landed on this lot two years ago and ready to finish off and use. This 41 acre lot sits high on a hill with great views on Lord Brook Road. ATV and snowsled from this location. Take a look. $79,000
Mt. Chase – Two quaint cabins with picturesque trout pond in front. Separate shower house with toilet. Private setting on 5.4 acres at the foot of Mt. Chase just off Mountain Road, great ATV and snowmobile area. $149,000
Carroll PLT – This lot was recently selectively harvested. Driveway in place, a year round road, electric available and a small Tolman Brook at one edge - it’s too good to pass by. POSSIBLE OWNER FINANCING! Come look today. $39,000
Burlington – A nice, seasoned driveway and a 16’x24’ concrete pad. Madagascal Pond is a good warm water fishery and excellent direct access to ATV and snowmobile trails. $79,000
Lincoln –1.56+/- acres, field, electricity available, 4 lakes in 1 direction, all of Cold Stream Ponds in another, few miles from downtown, corner frontage on Transalpine Road and Folsom Pond Road. $19,900 Lincoln – Own one of the few locations left on Transalpine Road. This large lot feels out in the woods but is only 1.1 miles from the hospital and one more to downtown. $18,900 Lee – Looking for some privacy but still need year round access and electricity? This lot is well wooded, fairly level and ready for you to take a peek at on Old Steamboat Road. $37,500 Lincoln – A nice lot on the high side of Route 6. Surveyed with driveway already in place and electricity available. Plenty of room for a small home or mobile home on the currently cleared driveway. $17,500
R E A L
E S T A T E
5 LAKE STREET, P.O. BOX 66, LINCOLN 207-794-2460 www.cwalakestreet.com E-mail: cwa@cwalakestreet.com
1-800-675-2460 Call any of our brokers to work for you! “Tate” Aylward ............. 794-2460 Peter Phinney............... 794-5466 Kirk Ritchie................... 290-1554
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR PROPERTIES VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT CWALAKESTREET.COM
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84 • March 2022 • The Maine Sportsman ——————————————————————————————————————————————
WINTER CELEBRATION
4.99% FOR 36 MONTHS *
Now through March 31, 2022 2022 MXZ-X
Visit Your Local Ski-Doo Dealer for Details! AUBURN Wallingford Equipment 2527 Turner Road 207-782-4886 www.wallingfordequipment.com
FORT KENT Fort Kent Powersports 377 Caribou Road 207-834-3659 www.fortkentpowersports.com
LINCOLN Lincoln Power Sports - Access Auto 265 West Broadway 207-794-8100 www.lincolnpowersports.com
AUGUSTA North Country Ski-doo 3099 N. Belfast Ave. 207-622-7994 www.northcountryh-d.com
GREENVILLE JUNCTION Moosehead Motorsports 13 Industrial Park 207-695-2020 www.mooseheadmotorsports.com
LEEDS Reggie’s Kawasaki Ski-doo 255 US Hwy 202 207-933-4976 www.doitatreggies.com
CARIBOU Plourde & Plourde 11 Laurette Street 207-496-3211 www.plourdeplourde.com
JACKMAN Jackman Power Sports 549 Main Street 207-668-4442 www.jackmanpowersports.com
WILTON Mountain Side Powersports 912 US Route 2 East 207-645-2985 www.mountainsidepowersports.com
DETROIT Huff Powersports 284 North Road 207-487-3338 www.huffpowersports.com
WINDHAM Richardson’s Boat Yard 850 Roosevelt Tr, Rt 302 207-892-9664 www.richardsonsby.com
© 2021 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. *Offers valid in United States only from Wednesday 1st December 2021 to Thursday 31st March 2022. The terms and conditions may vary depending on your state and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. Offer may not be assigned, traded, sold or combined with any other offer unless expressly stated herein. Other conditions may apply. Void where prohibited by law. Always consult your snowmobile dealer when selecting a snowmobile for your particular needs and carefully read and pay special attention to your Operator’s Guide, Safety Video, Safety Handbook and to the safety labeling on your snowmobile. Always ride responsibly and safely and wear appropriate clothing, including a helmet. Please observe applicable laws and regulations. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. See your authorized BRP dealer for details and visit ski-doo.com.
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