The Maine Sportsman September 2021 Digital Edition

Fill Your Moose Tag! Pages 31, 34, 66

Sportsman The Maine

September 2021 • $4.99

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>> Shotgun Safety Page 27 >> Choosing the Best Guide Page 26 >> Scout from Your ATV Page 18

>> Fish with Bandy the Rodeo Clown Page 61 >> Camps, Boats & Land for Sale Page 88

2 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————

FALL SPORTING AUCTION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2021

Wildwood Function Center, Route 113, Steep Falls, ME Giguere Auction Co. is proud to present our 2021 Fall Sporting Auction! This Auction has been long-delayed – Two Years in the Making – but we think it is One of the Finest Auctions we have had in our 30 Year history! The Auction will feature an amazing Estate Collection from Florida, as well as Items from Estates in Maine and throughout New England. Offerings will range from Artifacts, Firearms & Ephemera of Historical Significance to Modern & High-Tech Cameras, Optics & Equipment! Whatever Your Areas of Interest – There will be Something for Everyone, from a Half-Scale Napoleonic Mod. 1857 – 12 Pound Field Artillery Black Powder Cannon to Early 19th C. Scrimshawed Whale Bone & Baleen! Mark Your Calendars & Plan to Join Us – This is an Auction Event You Don’t Want to Miss! For More Photos & Info, Please Visit our Listings on our Website www.giguereauction.com and on www.auctionzip.com.

Following is a very Partial List of Some of the Highlights of this Auction Event!

TAXIDERMY: AFRICAN – Scimitar Oryx Life-Size Mount (Listed as Extinct) – Deassissed from Smithsonian National Museum; numerous African HEAD MOUNTS, including a Zebra Head on Pedestal Mount; Huge Asssortment of NORTH AMERICAN & OTHER TAXIDERMY, including – American Bison Heads; Canadian/Northwest Territory Moose Head Mount; Shiras Moose Head Mount; Mountain Lions, Lynx & Bobcats; DEER – Whitetail, Mule, Red & Fallow; Pronghorn Antelopes; Black & Other Bears; Caribou & Elk; Coyotes & Red & Grey Fox; Mountain Goat & Chamois; Big Horn Sheep & Arapara Sheep & Stone Sheep & Dahl Sheep; Tahr; Red Stag & Golden Red Stag; Life-Size Austrian Red Deer Mount (In Velvet) – Deassissed from Smithsonian National Museum; River Otter & Beaver; Rabbit & Skunk & Mink & Squirrels & Weasels and Lots More! BIRDS, FISH & REPTILES – Walking & Standing Pheasant & Prairie Chicken Mounts; Small Mouth Bass Mount on Panel Mounted by Herby Welsh (Restored by Gene Bahr); 1920 – 11 Lb. (Sebago, ME) Landlocked Salmon Mounted by Carl Garish (Restored by David A. Footer 1991); 1951 Rangeley Lake Maine 5 Lb. Landlocked Salmon Mount on Panel by Herby Welsh w/ Tag & Provenance; Quimby Pond Maine 17” Brook Trout Mount on Panel by Herby Welsh w/ Tag & Provenance; 36” Chinook Salmon on Panel Sg. David A. Footer; Early Sebago Salmon (Found in a Barn in Standish, Maine); Large Assortment of Fish Mounts; Blue Marlin Tail Mount; Landlocked Salmon Mount on Oval Board w/Painting by Parks, Bangor, Maine; MISCELLANEOUS SKINS, RACKS & SKULLS – Lg. Alaskan Brown Bear Skull on SCI Plaque; Lg. Black Bear Skull on SCI Plaque; Mountain Lion Skull w/ Boone & Crocket/Pope & Young/SCI Awards on Plaque; Alaskan Wolf Skull on SCI Plaque; Miocene Period Whale Vertebrae; Pleistocene Period Cave Bear Jaw Bone; Cretaceous Period Dinosaur Egg Fossil & Misc. Teeth; Etc. GUNS: Pistols & Shotguns & Rifles of All Kinds – Modern and Antique and Historical – Custom, Semi-Auto & Black Powder! Including French-Made 1763 Flintlock Musket Marked Maubeuge w/ Bayonet & Ramrod (Antique); Committee of Safety Flintlock Musket (Battle of Concord April 19, 1775) w/Bayonet & Ramrod (Antique); US Springfield Mod. 1795 Flintlock Musket Dated 1799 w/Bayonet & Ramrod (Antique); Mississippi Harpers Ferry Mod. 1841 Caplock Rifle Dated 1847 w/Ramrod (Antique); US Mod. 1861 Springfield Rifle/Musket w/Bayonet & Ramrod (Antique); US Trenton Mod. 1861 Contract Rifle/Musket Dated 1864 w/Bayonet & Ramrod (Antique); Custers US Springfield Mod. 1873 – 45-70 Cal. Trapdoor Carbine w/Saddle Ring (Antique); AMMO & MISC. – Half Scale Napoleonic Mod. 1857 Functioning 12 Pound Field Artillery Black Powder Cannon w/Accessories (Repro); 1943 - 12th Regiment 4th Infantry Division US Army Foot Locker w/ Provenance & Contents; Confederate Civil War 4” Cannon Ball w/Stand; Confederate Civil War 5” Cannon Ball w/Federal Bormann Fuse & Stand; (2) Large 7” Ships Cannon Balls; Civil War 3” Cannon Ball; Barney’s Original (1968-1971) 16” Black Powder Signal Cannon; Brass Powder Flask & Powder Horn; (2) Early Flintlock Powder Horns; (2) 1918 US Bayonets; (1) 1896 Swiss Bayonet; M-1 Carbine Paratrooper Stock; US Bayonet M5 – A-I Garand w/Ammo Belt w/M-I Clips; (5) WWII – 155MM Artillery Rounds w/(2) Hoist Rings; Lg. Steel Security Cabinet/Box w/ Lock & Keys; (14) Early (1890-1904) Rare Oriental Powder Co., Portland, Maine 3 Lb. Smokeless Powder Tins & Shipping Box for 8 Tins & Other Vintage Box; Misc. Leupold & Zeiss & Leica Scopes, Optics & Binoculars; Lots More!

BOATING, BOWS, KNIVES, SWORDS, BAYONETS & TRAPS: 15’ Sea Wilderness Sea Kayak w/ Paddles, Skirt & Neoprene Hatch Covers; Kayak Dolly; Kayak Paddles; (3) Custom-Made by Bill Weymouth “Solo” Canoes (14’ Carbon-Fiber, 16’ Carbon-Fiber, 16’ Cedar/Mahogany); Tohatsu 8 HP O/B Boat Motor W/ Gas Tank; Barnett Crossbow w/Bolts & Soft Case; Outfitter Mod. PL-1 Compound Bow w/ Arrows/Case & Soft Bow Case; W. Walscheid Solingen (Prussia) Civil War-Era US Model 1840 Cavalry Saber w/ Scabbard; 1860’s Civil War Ames Mfg. Navy Cutlass; Civil War 1865 Mansfield & Lamb Cavalry Saber w/Scabbard; Civil War 1864 Ames Mfg. Regulation Navy Saber w/Scabbard; Revolutionary War Infantry Officer’s Sword; (Repro) Civil War Saber; (3) Schultz Custom Hunting Knives w/Sheaths; Springfield Rifle Bayonet; Benchmade “Mel Pardue No. 556” Folding Knife w/Case; Benchmade “MiniGripillian” Automatic Folding Knife w/Box; Benchmade “Bedlam” Automatic (Continued on Next Page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

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Folding Knife (NIB); Benchmade “Impel Lerch 3150” Auto Gents Knife (NIB); Benchmade “Osborn Contego” Folding Knife (NIB); Benchmade “AFO II” Automatic Folding Knife (NIB); Benchmade “Triage” Automatic Folding Knife (NIB); Benchmade “APB Assist” Automatic Folding Knife w/Blue Handle (NIB); 1940 LaVespa Switchblade Knife; Virginia Switchblade Knife; Swiss 1911 Pioneer Bayonet w/Sawbacked Blade & Scabbard; Schrade D’holder L.E. No. 1 Knife w/Bronze Sheep Head Bolster Insert, Leather Sheath, Zippered Case, Certificate & Box; Schrade D’holder L.E. No. 2 Knife w/Bronze Elk Bolster Insert, Zippered Case, Certificate & Box; Schrade D’holder L.E. No. 3 Knife w/Bronze Bear Bolster Insert; Sheath, Zippered Case, Certificate & Box; US – L.F.&C. 1917 Trench Knife w/Knuckle Buster Guard & Sheath; Alaskan Seal Trap; (3) Victor No. 14 Beaver Traps & English Single Long Spring Trap; Large Bear Trap w/Offset Jaws & Teeth; Very Early Hand-Forged English Poacher/Man Trap; American Fur & Trade Mod. HBC – No. 6 Bear Trap; Vintage Hand-Forged Bear Trap; Newhouse Community No. 5 Bear Trap w/Signed Springs; Blake & Lamb No. 44 Wolf Trap; Oneida No. 14 Beaver Trap; Lots More!

ART, CARVINGS, DECOYS, BOOKS, CIVIL WAR & SPORTS MEMORABILIA & EPHEMERA: W/C “Bufflehead Ducks”; O/C “Indian Maiden Drinking at Stream”; O/C “Mountain Man on Horse” Sg. Braun; O/C “Turkeys” (Possibly by Gustave Muss Arnolt); Carved/Painted Brook Trout Sg. Lawrence Irving; Carvings Sg. W.C. Harris (Winthrop, Maine); Flicker Carving on Tree Branch Sg. Luce; Moose Antler Carving “Walking Elk” Sg. Cricket; Large 37” Round Bronze on Mirror “Monarch” (Whitetail Deer) Sg. Bud Burger; Bronze “African Impala” Sg. Fred Hoppe; (Repro) Scrimshaw Walrus Tusk Sg. T. Bowers; Framed Arm & Hammer Ad Poster Sg. Gustave Muss Arnolt; Greater Yellowlegs Shorebird Carving Sg. Susan Woodside; (7) Decorative Decoys Sg. Luce; (3) Carved Shorebirds & Tern Sg. (B) Bruce Bieber from Cape May, NJ; Carved Shorebird on Driftwood Base Sg. Capt. Dick Henderson 1999; Civil War Marching Drum w/Painted Eagle Decoration & Peep Hole w/CDV of George Washington; Civil War Brass Bugle; Framed Original Civil War Albumen Photo by Matthew Brady; Assortment of Sports Memorabilia, Photos, Signed Baseballs & Sports Cards – Muhammad Ali, Cam Neely, N.Y. Yankees (Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra), Boston Red Sox; Etc. FISHING: RODS – REELS – LURES & TACKLE & EQUIPMENT of All Kinds and Lots of It! MISCELLANEOUS: Gemstone World Globe W/Brass Base; Huge Amethyst Geode Tube; Lot of Mens Jewelry w/ Elk Ivory/Teeth in Gold Settings Items & Elk Teeth; Vintage Native American Stone Ax Head (New England); Early Native American Bowls, Pottery Shard, Pottery Trivet & Framed Primitive Clay Molds (New England); H. Upmann Dome-Top Mahogany Cigar Humidor; (2) Diamond Crown Mahogany Cigar Humidors; Cigar Saver & Decatur Cigar Humidors; Mahogany Cigar Humidor w/Marquetry Inlay Decoration; Period (1830-40’s) Whalers Harpoon & 1850’s Pierce Killing Lance; Vintage Charles Osborn Percussion Harpoon Gun w/Accessories & Case; Period 1918 USS Eagle-22 Brass Ships Bell; Vintage Copper Ships Masthead Light; O.C. & K.R. Wilson Vintage Brass Ships Hand Lantern; Late 18th/Early 19th C. Ships Octant; Early-Mid 19th C. English 2-Section Brass/Leather Ships Telescope; Kelvin-White Co./Thomas Mercer Ltd. Gimbled Ships Clock; Early 19th C. Scrimshawed Whale Bone, Decorated Whale Baleen, Vintage Sail Makers Needles Box in Display Case; Whalers Harpoon; Copper Divers Helmet; Vintage Brass Telescope w/Mahogany Tri-Pod; Framed 1926-1940 Connecticut Resident Fishing Badges; Ash Gathering Basket Sg. Ted Bear; Birchbark Basket; Early Childs Ash Pot Belly Pack Basket; Early Pot Belly Pack Basket (Old Green Paint); Misc. CAMPING EQUIPMENT; Misc. SNOWSHOES; Callaway “Big Bertha” Irons & Woods, King Cobra & John Daly Woods, Odyssey Putter & Golf Bag; Cycle-Pro “Rendezvous” 21 Speed Street Bike w/ Helmet & Elec. Air Pump; (2) Midland – Xtra – Talk Mod. GXT-450 Walkie-Talkie Radios w/Manual; Etrex Summit Garmin GPS w/Manual; Sony “Handycam” Mod. DCR-SX45 Digital Video Camera/Recorder w/Accessories, Manual & Box; GoPro Hero3+ Black Ed. Digital Camera w/Helmet Strap Mount & Accessories (NiB); Canon Power Shot SX 700 HS Digital Camera w/Batteries & Accessories; Olympus OM-D Mod. E-M5 Mark II Digital Camera w/75-300mm & 70-150mm Telephoto Lenses, Case & Accessories; Garmin Wristwatch GPS w/Charger & Accessories; Udir/c Mod. U639 Drone w/Controls, Charging Cord & Extra Blades; Sanyo Xacti 10X Zoom Digital Video Camera w/Battery & Case; Casio Exilim Digital Camera w/Batteries, Charger & Accessories; Olympus Stylus Tough Digital Camera w/Batteries & Case; Swift Stereo M23 Microscope w/15X-10mm Lenses; Misc. TOOLS; Blue Jacket Ship Crafters Kit “Constitution”; Marine Model Co. Kits (Schooner Yacht “American”, Viking Ship, Cannons of the Civil War, American Revolution & Ships Cannons); Spirit of St. Louis & B24D Liberator Bomber Airplane Kits; Parallax Robot Kit; Italian Ship & Italian Combat Place Kits; M-109 Tank, Command Post Car M-577 & Metal Earth WWII Tanks Kits; Dumas Boat Kit w/Manual & Accessories; 1920’s Christmas Life-Size Deer Display from McKelvy’s Dept. Store in Warren, Ohio; Much More!

PREVIEWS: Friday, October 1, 2021, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. Saturday, October 2, 2021, 8:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. TERMS: Cash or Good Check. NO Credit or Debit Cards Accepted. 15% Buyers Premium.

LISTING SUBJECT TO ERROR. 5.5% Maine Sales Tax Charged on Bid Price + Buyers Premium.

Buyers Please Bring a Copy of Your Valid Resale Certificate with You! All Local, State & Federal Firearms Regulations will be Strictly Adhered To. ALL ITEMS SOLD AS IS. The Hall Phone the Days of the Preview & Sale is (207) 675-3207.

CATERED. GPS Address of Hall is 945 Pequawket Trail, Steep Falls, Maine 04085 Absentee Bids will be Accepted & Executed on a Competitive Basis.

Orders of Sale will be Available for Purchase on October 1 & October 2.

AUCTIONEER GERARD P. GIGUERE (ME. LIC. 00884) Phone: (207) 892-3800 – (207) 233-8724 Cell Email: auctions@fairpoint.net – Website: www.giguereauction.com

www.MaineSportsman.com

4 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————

Editorial

No Need to Investigate Poachers – They Will Incriminate Themselves on Social Media There’s an old expression among members of the Warden Service: “There are very few silent poachers in prison.” The point is clear – back in the day, poachers often got in trouble by talking about, or even boasting about, their own violations of wildlife laws.

Today’s social media technology has given poachers new ways to get themselves into trouble, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s happening: • In Kentucky, a hunter posted photos of himself and a trophy wild turkey on Snapchat. Wardens saw the post, looked into their electronic records, and realized he had not registered the bird, and perhaps for a good reason – he didn’t have a license.

• Also in Kentucky, a deer hunter registered a deer, claiming it had been harvested in a certain county. However, trophy photos of the deer began to circulate online, leading the Warden Service to question the hunter, at which point he admitted shooting the deer in a different county.

• Three Montana men illegally killed a mountain lion in Yellowstone National Park. Rangers identified the men thanks to – you guessed it – the photos the trio posted to Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

• In Washington State, a hunter successfully bowhunted a big cougar. When he registered the animal, he produced a valid hunting license. However, the time-stamped photos he posted to Facebook showed he harvested the big cat before he purchased the license.

• An Oregon man posted photos of his prize elk on the state’s big game Facebook page. It did not take long for law enforcement to view the post, check his license, and realize he had no elk tag. That cost him $7,600 in fines.

• Wardens in many states have stories about seeing online photos of unlicensed anglers proudly showing off their catches, or photos of pickup truck beds full of over-the-bag-limit rabbits or grouse.

What are the lessons here? First, don’t violate fish and game laws. Second, understand that night hunting and other forms of poaching give the sport a bad name, put folks in danger, and diminish natural resources for everyone, so support Maine Operation Game Thief, www.MaineOGT.org. Third, think twice before you post anything online, and that’s good advice whether the subject matter is work, recreation or family life.

¶

On the Cover: Photo by Gail Smith. Gail (gsmith1955@tds.net), a resident of Etna, tells The Maine Sportsman that she’s “spent most of my life in the woods of Maine, looking for animals and antlers.” She’s amassed an impressive portfolio of wildlife photos, including this one of a bull moose against the majestic backdrop of Mount Katahdin and the Knife Edge. www.MaineSportsman.com

New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication

Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 587 • 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 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.................. 60 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves..................... 53 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia.................. 50 Big Woods World by Matt Breton................................. 49 Central Maine by Steve Vose....................................... 71 Cooking Wildly by Kate Krukowski Gooding............... 33 Downeast Region by Jim Lemieux............................... 68 Editorial.............................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by William Clunie...................... 44 Jackman Region by William Sheldon.......................... 61 Jottings by Jon Lund........................................................ 8 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon......................... 56 Letters to the Editor.......................................................... 6 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes....................... 41 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour................................... 12 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose............................... 28 Midcoast by Tom Seymour........................................... 69 Moosehead Region by Tom Seymour......................... 64 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.............................. 83 Nolan’s Outdoor World by Nolan Raymond............... 82 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie............................ 58 Outdoors & Other Mistakes by Al Diamon.................. 86 Quotable Sportsman by Will Lund.................................. 9 Rangeley Region by William Clunie............................. 77 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers............................. 87 Saltwater Fishing by Barry Gibson................................ 24 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth..................... 75 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews.................. 66 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard............................. 29 Smilin’ Sportsman by Will Lund...................................... 87 Snapshots in Time by Bill Pierce.................................... 13 Southern Maine by Val Marquez................................. 74 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie.................... 67 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery................. 10 Tidewater Tales by Randy Randall............................... 72 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller.................. 79 Trading Post (Classifieds)............................................... 88 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour....................................... 42 True Tales from the Warden Service by Ret. Lt. Doug Tibbetts.73 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.............. 80

GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

ATVing in Maine by Steve Carpenteri......................... 18 Bear Hunting in Maine by Bill Graves........................... 36 Choosing the Right Outfitter by Michael Tuminaro.... 26 First Bear Season by Emily Goode................................ 40 Five Lessons from a Moose Hunt by Kate Ward......... 34 Kill a Bear wtih a Bow by Dean J. Baker...................... 38 Moose Hunting in Maine by Steve Carpenteri........... 31 Saltwater Fishing in Maine by Capt. Ron Dupuis Jr.... 21 Shooting Sports by Brad Varney................................... 27 The Duel, Part 1 of 2 by Alan Haley.............................. 85 Tomboy’s Fish Tale by Beverley Baum Soule............... 43

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6 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————

Letters To The Editor

included, nightcrawlers work well for me. Most of the perch in this bucket are twelve to fourteen inches long. These were all caught by me and my future son-in-law.

Phil Polk – Princeton, ME

—

Which Catches Bigger Perch – Worms, or Live Bait?

Does Spraying Affect Moose?

To the Editor: I was reading the July 2021 issue, and it has some great columns in it. I would like to provide feedback, however, on a passage in Tom Seymour’s “Midcoast” column in which he writes that in his experience fishing for large white perch, while worms catch more fish, live bait (such as shiners) catches bigger fish.

I am not fully in agreement with that idea. I fish white perch quite often and give some fillets away to some of the elderly folks in town. I normally go after big perch and enjoy catching them. But I love using night crawlers.

Tom Seymour recommends live bait for big fish, but in my experience live bait also attracts a lot of unwanted fish, such as bass and pickerel.

As you can see from the photo I’ve

Tom Seymour responds: Well, Philip, the proof is in the pudding (or in your case, in the 5-gallon bucket), and you obviously have the secret of lunker white perch figured out in your region of the state.

Having said that, let me add that while there are few absolute certainties in fishing, there are some generalities, one being that compared to worms, baitfish usually catch bigger white perch.

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To the Editor: After reading the August article written by Tom Seymour titled “Governor Vetoes Bill to Ban Aerial Spraying,” and after spending the better part of the last decade recreating and owning in the Greenville, ME area, I am writing to report we are seeing fewer moose these days, and to wonder aloud whether there’s a connection between aerial spraying and fewer moose.

I believe 95% of Maine is privately owned, and the paper company industry is massive, with lobbyist in play. They provide jobs, which is appreciated.

We went out with a Greenville fishing guide on Moosehead Lake this summer, and he said he believes the aerial spraying is directly affecting the moose population – he doesn’t see the big animals as frequently, either.

(Continued on next page)

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This is not to say that “garden hackle” (that’s a fancy name for a worm) does not take big perch, because as your photo shows, it clearly does. Overall, though, fish grow largest by feeding upon other fish.

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Launchings of Note

He said he’s watched the paper companies spray and has seen moose feeding in that same forestry cut the same day.

The other big challenge is food for wildlife.

What can they eat – pine trees only?

There are hardly any deciduous trees in this region. Anything from a blade of grass to a tree with leaves dies once sprayed, and takes years to grow back.

A final concern is the watershed and the effect on the fishing or ducks and loons. I wonder what research has been done there?

I love to see wildlife, hunt and fish and I value all the state has to offer.

If spraying is banned in VT and in the town of Allagash, what stones did they flip over? If the studies are conflicting, that means the truth may be somewhere in the middle or is based on who is paying for the study. Moose eat 50 lbs of food a day -- what about all the other critters of the woods if spraying kills off everything deciduous? Hope our biologists, legislators and governor are looking closely at this.

Rick Bois – Falmouth, ME —

To the Editor: I enjoy Bill Sheldon’s columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine.

I especially enjoyed the story of Bill and his daughter building a kit kayak.

When I opened my July-August issue of Wooden Boat magazine, I saw that he had entered his kayak in the “Launchings” section.

Quite an accomplishment!

Loyal L. Avery III – Eliot, ME

Member of the Catch-and-Eat Club To the Editor: I enjoyed William Clunie’s article on catching, keeping and cooking stocked trout that have lived in a body of water for a couple of years (see “Responsible Catch-and-Eat Fishing in Maine”; Rangeley Region column; July 2021).

William echoes many of the sentiments I put forth in my upcoming book, Fly Fishing the Hex Hatch.

As William writes, we are no longer able to rely strictly on identifying clipped fins to determine which fish were stocked. In fact, biologist Liz Thorndike told me that because of Covid, DIFW didn’t clip fins in 2020.

William also writes about veteran angler Steve Marsters, who advises identifying stocked fish by looking for markings on dorsal and pectoral fins that indicate repeated contact with hatchery walls. Good advice, but it may not prove a good indicator with fish that are stocked as fingerlings.

Leighton Wass – Adamant, VT

—

Begs to Differ on Climate Change To the Editor: In the August issue, a gentleman from Eliot requested conservative views regarding climate change. What next … a right-wing view of gravity? Or maybe a debate on whether the earth is round or flat?

Science, unlike Santa Claus, doesn’t care whether you believe in it or not. It carries on regardless.

Such is climate change a part of our reality. We are currently experiencing the hottest years on record, resulting in more numerous fires, tornadoes, and disastrous flooding.

Many politically conservative sportsmen understand. They get that warmer temperatures impact cold-water fish. Climbing temperatures allow for certain species like ticks, mosquitoes, and invasive fungi and diseases to increase their range and intensity—harming habitats and the creatures within.

The environmental issues resulting from climate change are happening so rapidly that the game we hunt and fish doesn’t have time to adapt; populations of these animals, fish, and fowl will decline in number in the near future.

The letter-writer says to “some extent,” sportsmen should be involved in politics. If you care about our future, you’d better either get involved or get out of the way. Folks who know the outdoors are the eyes and ears of our environment. We outdoorsmen indeed should be very involved.

Joe N. Weiss, Ph.D., Lifelong Republican – Clarence, NY

¶

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8 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————

Do Some Deer Eat Stupid Pills?

There are no easy explanations for some of the unusual events that take place in the Maine deer woods.

Some deer hunters take their sport very seriously. Some are more casual about it.

Some hunting firearms function flawlessly in most situations, while some hunting rifles have quirks that must be learned and accommodated.

Some hunters plan their efforts each day more carefully than a general planning a military campaign.

Some of us just take to the woods and make the best of whatever happens.

Is there a right way or wrong way? Who is to say?

Deer Call I was hunting alone in the vicinity of Redington Pond many years ago and needed to cross an old gravel pit. The pit had a small island of uncut trees and brush.

I was walking carefully and quietly when I heard a deer jump, take several strides, and stop behind the island of trees and brush.

I never saw the deer and didn’t know what to do. The deer was obviously aware of my presence, and I thought it would be unlikely that I could

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sneak up on this deer.

Instead, I voiced a sound like a dog whining to be let out of the house.

In response, a young buck stepped out from behind the island, stood broadside and looked at me, perhaps 50 yards away.

Firearm Quirks I was hunting with a Remington Model 141 pump action, chambered in .35 Remington, a cartridge with ballistics roughly comparable to that of the familiar 30 – 30 Winchester.

Surprised at the sight of the deer, I brought up my rifle and hurriedly took a shot, missing the animal completely.

The deer stood still

When the author aimed carefully at the buck and pulled the trigger, all he heard was an loud click.

Empty chamber.

while I carefully and quietly worked the action back, ejecting the empty shell and slowly sliding the action forward to chamber the next round. I brought the rifle up to my shoulder again, and drew more careful aim this time.

When I pulled the trigger, all I heard was an audible click. Empty chamber.

Explanation?

The deer never moved, but still stood and looked at me.

I slammed the ac-

tion back vigorously this time, and pushed the pump forward noisily to chamber a second round.

The deer still looked at me as I drew careful aim again and squeezed the trigger.

This time, my trusty rifle fired, and the deer dropped.

The only explanation I can come up with to explain the deer’s patient cooperation is that the deer may have been eating stupid pills.

¶

��������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 9

Quotable

Sportsman “Social Distancing.”

– The second most popular new boat name for 2020, according to BoatUS. The most popular? “Andiamo” – Italian for “Let’s go!”

— “Social media is proving to be a useful tool to catch poachers.

Why? Because, fundamentally, poachers are not the brightest people in the world.”

– From “Social Media Proving to be a Useful Tool to Catch Poachers,”

by S.H. Blannelberry. The author cites cases in Kentucky, South Dakota, Washington State and Oregon in which hunters who had illegally killed game, were easily apprehended because they posted trophy photos of themselves on Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram.

— “I can’t get over how excited I am, I tell ya! If you haven’t tried to do something crazy and risky and succeeded at it, you just don’t know the feeling. You don’t. Know. The

by Will Lund

feeling.”

– Zachary Fowler, former Maine Sportsman contributor and reality show winner, discussing his latest accomplishment – fabricating a kayak solely out of tree branches and duct tape, and paddling the kayak from a Maine offshore island, back to the mainland (see photo below).

The stunt was filmed for Zach’s website, “Fowler’s Makery and Mischief.”

— “Kate Krukowski Gooding, food columnist for The Maine Sportsman, has made tacos with venison, moose and other game meat. Gooding’s favorite taco was one she made with chipotle pulled beaver, served with a summer peach balsamic coleslaw.”

– Portland Sunday Telegram article titled “Tastefully Taking On Tacos: Once Hard to Find in Maine, a Mexican Staple Suddenly Stands Tall,” by Meredith Goad

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10 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Stripers are for the Birds!

I cast the shad dart on a light spinning rod into a nice looking run on Virginia’s Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg, and was rewarded with a good hit that signaled, or so I thought, a chunky hickory shad. Instead, it was a fresh Chesapeake Bay striped bass of about 25 inches. I eventually landed it, admired its beauty, and let it go.

A pod of similar stripers – they are called “rockfish” in the Chesapeake Bay region including the tidal tributaries where they spawn in the spring – was moving upriver to reproduce, and I managed to catch a few others before returning to hooking the much smaller shad. All the fish were released.

Several decades ago, I was mentoring a young outdoor writer. The lad sent me a draft article on fishing for striped bass.

One of the sentences read as follows: The

Find the birds, find the stripers – it’s often that simple. Striped bass drive schools of small fish to the surface, and gulls, terns, and cormorants swoop and dive onto and into the tightly-packed fishes. strippers were everywhere, and when they bit I set the hook and wenched them up. Note that “strippers” and “wenched” really should have been “stripers” and “winched.”

At the time, Elizabeth and I got a real kick out of the writing, but we wondered where the young man’s mind really was when he wrote it. (He developed into a fine writer who now is published in national magazines, and he’s written two good books on fishing.)

I mention the above sketches because now every time I go fishing for striped bass, I think fond thoughts of my protégé who made good, and how you never know what’s going to bite your bait, lure, or fly when you cast upon the waters.

Registered Maine Guide Frank Lepore uses a Sabicki rig to jig for river herring out of Capt. Cal Robinson’s Bay Boat on the Saco River. The herring will be used for striper bait and for baiting Capt. Cal’s recreational lobster traps. Photos by King Montgomery www.MaineSportsman.com

And recently, in the early summer of 2021, I’ve been out on the Saco River and Bay, including at Biddeford Pool, with Captain Cal Robinson looking for these wonderful fish that, like so many snowbirds among humans, make their way from the South to the coast of Maine as the weather and the water warms.

The Saco area joins Casco Bay off of Portland and the Kennebunks as the places I’ve fished in Maine for striped bass, and I plan to increase my repertoire in the future.

What are Striped Bass?

Okay, so largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass are not really bass at all: they are sunfish. But is a

striped bass a bass?

Yes, stripers are the largest members of the true or temperate sea bass family.

And where did the name “rockfish” come from? The species name of striped bass is “saxitilis,” meaning “dwelling among rocks” in Latin, and that’s why the fish is called rockfish, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay region.

They do hang out in rocks, rip-rap and ledges.

In late winter, nearing early spring, many striped bass move out their wintering areas in the Chesapeake, the Delaware and Hudson River estuaries and head north, spreading out along the coast until some reach the Gulf of Maine. When the water temperature is

Terns by the hundreds dive on a surface blitz of striped bass feeding on schooling baitfish. Good anglers keep eyes to the sky as well as on the water.

right – generally mid60s or so – they move into the warmer tidal tributaries to spawn, just like the Rappahannock River rockfish I caught those many years ago.

Striped bass are long-lived, and can survive to around 30 years of age. Females reach sexual maturity at age 4 or slightly older, and males at 2 years. They are broadcast spawners, with the females releasing up to 500,000 eggs into the current of a riverine environment, while males spread their milt to fertilize those eggs.

After the larvae hatch and mature, they move with the downstream current or tide to estuaries and sounds, where they grow into juveniles. They may remain in those nursery areas for several years before joining the migrations of the bigger kids in the spring and fall.

(Continued on next page)

This “schoolie” striped bass took a chartreuse and white streamer. It quickly was released. One striper between 28 and 35 inches may be kept per angler per day.

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 11 (Continued from page 10)

Striped bass can grow to over a hundred pounds, and the sportfishing all-tackle record is 81-pounds, 14-ounces caught off of Westbrook, Connecticut’s coast in early August 2011. Gregory Myerson hooked the fish on a deep rocky area on a live eel.

The largest I can find for Maine’s rod and reel record is Douglas Dodge’s 67-pound Sheepscot River specimen, taken in September 1978.

Striper Places Captain Cal Robinson guides anglers in his comfortable Bay Boat out of Camp Ellis at the mouth of the Saco River, and after doing it for a lot of years, he knows the river and bay much better than most. He also is a fine teacher of fishing, and he particularly enjoys getting families out on the water in late spring, throughout the summer into early fall. In the fall he exchanges fishing rods for shotguns, and he guides sports for grouse and woodcock over his fine gun dogs at Grant’s Kennebago Camps.

Cal, like some other inshore saltwater fishing guides, runs

a small string of five licensed lobster traps that he checks on almost every sportfishing trip, particularly for the experience of kids and tourists. If the lobsters trapped are legal, the sports may take them home if they wish. It’s a nice touch, and everyone learns a lot about our unique Maine coastal marine ecosystem in the process. Tastes good, too.

Find the birds, find the fish. It’s often that simple. Numerous species of baitfish move in and out of our tidal rivers, creeks, and guts, and the Saco River is no exception. River herring, pogies (menhaden), mackerel and glass minnows travel in large schools that often are driven to the surface by striped bass that gorge on the tasty fishes. Gulls, terns, and cormorants swoop and dive onto and into the massed schools, feeding on the helpless masses.

The last couple of trips with Cal, our mutual friend Frank Lepore, who also guides for birds at Grant’s Camps, and I tried “switch rods” to aid our maturing bodies in properly getting a fly to the fish. Switching is a cross between

Frank Lepore, of Alfred, steadies himself in the rocking seas as Capt. Cal Robinson holds a striper that fell to a streamer presented on a switch fly rod. It was released.

overhead fly casting and Spey casting. A switch fly rod can be used some with one hand when needed, but is best cast with two hands using the Spey method of roll casting and shooting, and the occasional overhead casting motions within the same presentation. My first impressions are favorable, but more on this later as some lines I’ve ordered arrive, and I spend more time on the water.

Kennebunk and the Kennebunkport communities of Cape Porpoise and Goose Rocks Beach also provide some fine fishing opportunities. At least a half-dozen licensed and certified professional guides operate out of the Kennebunk River. These guides, just as Cal Robinson up the coast, run fishing trips for several hours, half, and full days, and their excursions are not limited to anglers. Folks interested in marine ecology, photography, sea and shore birds, or those who just like to “mess around in boats” book trips with these knowledgeable U. S. Coast Guard Licensed Captains and Registered Maine Guides.

On my first trip

years ago with Captain Paul Rioux of Stone Coast Anglers, we jigged Sabicki rigs attached to medium freshwater spinning gear, and we hauled up Atlantic mackerel, sometimes two or three at a time. We did this with Cal, too, and the fish can be used as bait either in chunks or alive whole for striped bass, and as bait in lobster traps. Families, particularly those with young children and/ or teenagers, love to fish for these plentiful schooling fish, because there usually is a lot of catching involved.

Sometimes the fish just don’t cooperate by biting cast lures or flies, so trolling or baitfishing are the ways to go, particularly on those blue-sky dog days when the fish are deeper to get out of the sun. Stripers prefer low light conditions, and almost all game and bait fishes are more active during periods of moving water. The first two hours of the incoming tide and the first several hours of the outgoing often are the best bets for scoring.

One of the best flies for stripers is a crab pattern the size of a quarter and larg-

Capt. Cal Robinson checks and re-baits his lobster traps. The traps are a good vehicle to teach fishing clients, particularly children, about Maine’s ways.

er. It can be bounced along the bottom, off of rocks, or stripped to give it a swimming motion. Permit-type flies long have been staples of the striper fly angler in the Chesapeake Bay area in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. The crab fly has become more popular in Maine’s warming waters, as the invasive Asian green crab continues its population march toward exceedingly high numbers.

James Brown at Eldredge Brothers Fly Shop in Cape Neddick ties the Crab Pot Fly that I like to use.

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•

•

•

South Coast Striper Info – Capt. Cal Robinson (Saco): Saco Bay Stripers, 207-2830712, www.sacobaystripers.com.

Capt. Paul Rioux (Kennebunks): Stone Coast Anglers, 207-4689781, www.stonecoastanglers.com.

Capt. Bruce Hebert (Kennebunks): Libreti Rose II Fishing Charters, 207432-4349, www. libretirose.com.

Eldredge Bros.

Fly Shop: 207363-9269, www.eldredgeflyshop.com.

¶

The sportfishing all-tackle record is 81 pounds, 14 ounces caught off of Westbrook, along Connecticut’s coast, in early August 2011. Gregory Myerson hooked the fish on a deep rocky area on a live eel. Photo credit: Kierran Broatch, OnTheWater.com www.MaineSportsman.com

12 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Wildlife:

Moose

by Tom Seymour

Maine’s iconic wild animal, moose, thrill me with each encounter. Moose sightings are never mundane, no matter how close or how far away.

It couldn’t be otherwise. Moose are massive animals, impressive if only because of their sheer bulk. There’s more to it, though. Moose are special.

An adult bull moose with huge, palmated antlers conjures images of limitless power and strength. Nature’s bulldozers, with a W.C. Fields nose and an Uncle Sam beard.

Moose are uncommon in many areas, while in other places they are ubiquitous. We may find moose munching vegetation on our front lawn. Or moose may play the will-o’-wisp and allow only fleeting glimpses, translucent sprites seen through a fog. Either way, moose sightings are always memorable.

Many Maine guides capitalize on this, taking clients out to encounter a moose or several moose. Remember, more people have never seen a moose than have seen one. We live in Maine, and moose are more common here than anywhere else in the lower 48. Also, a large part of the population nationwide lives in urban or suburban areas, places where there are no moose. For these people, seeing a real, live Maine moose is a big deal.

Ticket to Ride Moose, being so big and having so few enemies, can go practically anywhere they please. Moose have a ticket to ride, and they don’t care.

This explains why the occasional unlucky motorist gets stuck behind a moose slowly trotting down the road, clip-clop, clip-clop, refusing to let anyone pass. This moose-induced traffic jam can go on for many miles. And what sane person would take the chance of passing a moose, anyway? Did I mention that moose are unpredictable?

Case in point. One of my favorite moose sightings occurred while sitting by a fire along a northern Maine lake, talking with friends. This was in a small town, the last place where you would expect to see a moose. Then, sudwww.MaineSportsman.com

Photo by Eric Holbrook

denly, there was a bull moose, swimming across the lake just as if such a thing were routine for it. That’s just how moose are.

Once, a moose walked across the Route 1 bridge in Belfast, Maine. This was a real traffic-stopper. Someone got a photo of it, which appeared in the local newspaper. Another time, a moose ran through Belfast’s residential district and managed to take down several clotheslines filled with laundry. With moose, you just never know.

Moose Facts Moose can weigh up to 1,180 pounds, but animals of that size are more common in Alaska than Maine.

Alaskan moose run a bit larger than Maine moose.

Because of their large, overhanging snout, moose look like space aliens from a Dr. Who episode. The 4- to 10-inch “bell” hanging from their throat more closely resembles a scrawny beard.

Overall, moose seem awkward and ungainly, their front legs appearing too thin to support their massive frame.

Despite their clumsy look, moose can run up to 35 m.p.h., way too fast for a human to outrun. A cow moose defending her calf or calves, can run as fast as two men in a canoe, both paddling frantically to outrace the outraged mother.

Veteran outdoorsmen know never to paddle within close range of a moose, since the moose would have the advantage if push came to shove. Moose are excellent swimmers.

Included in a moose’s diet are branches of saplings, particularly striped or “moose” maple. These small trees have just enough flexibility for a moose to straddle and push them down as it walks, effortlessly munching on

the tender branches and twigs. In winter, moose nibble on hardwood as well as conifer twigs, preferring balsam fir over all others. A moose will strip fir branches as high as possible, and then stand on its hind legs to extend its reach. Moose can nibble firs 18 feet or more off the ground. Moose make a real mess of the trees they eat as well as the general area. It’s like a mechanized shredder came through the place.

Midnight Battlers Signs of moose feeding pale in comparison to the battle scenes left when two rutting bull moose spar for the favors of local cows. The aim of this contest, which takes place at night throughout Maine’s woodlands, is for one or the other moose to succeed in pushing its opponent off with its antlers. It’s a Maine version of Sumo wrestlers jostling for position and then slamming the opponent with a force that drives him away, staggering.

The end result of these midnight encounters is a war-torn landscape, ground that appears as if a maniac using heavy equipment decided to tear up the woods. Sometimes, when moose fight it out along a wood road, it is possible to track and evaluate the process of the fight and perhaps even determine the probable winner. It really is something to see.

Moose are not dainty nor are they refined in any sense of the word. Big, heavy, with an attitude that never admits defeat, moose add to the charm and appeal of the Maine woods.

If you live in Maine and have never seen a moose, isn’t it time to remedy that? Either go solo or hire a guide. You won’t regret it.

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 13

“Snapshots in Time”

Historical Glimpses from the Region’s Iconic Past Compiled by Bill Pierce, Executive Director, Rangeley Lakes Historical Society

A Prescient View of Stocking Invasive Fish – from 121 Years Ago! In the early 1990s, while working at IFW, I was asked by a regional fisheries biologist to create a poster aimed at bringing public attention (and the newly-adopted fines) to a fast-growing problem … illegal fish introduction.

“Trouble By the Bucketful” seemed like a catchy title, so I went with it, and now this notice is posted at every boat launch in the state and at many trout ponds. I am honored that something I created became the rallying cry against

a real threat to our native fisheries, but saddened that it was ever even necessary.

What follows is an interesting early warning from a concerned sportsman, found in the September 21, 1900, Phillips Phonograph highlighting his concern over the possible introduction of non-native fish white perch into his beloved waters. Oddly enough, landlocked salmon and rainbow smelt had been introduced to the Rangeley watershed just

23 years prior, which then contributed, at least in part, to the decrease in the catch of the huge brook trout mentioned, as well as the complete loss of the native Blueback trout.

Please have fun fishing this September, and be sure to make some smart outdoor history of your own. Let’s avoid any further “Trouble by the Bucketful” for Maine’s fabulous fisheries!

Phillips Phonograph September 21, 1900

PERCH AND THE RANGELEYS

I laid aside your brief editorial of July 13, inviting opinions as to the advisability of stocking the Rangeley lakes with perch, for the purpose of “furnishing angling during the hot months, when the more gamy fish are not biting well.”

I have intended sending you my brief word on this matter before now but will assume that the polls are still open.

My strong conviction is that we have had far too much mischief done by stocking trout waters with fish not native to them and that nothing of the sort proposed should be done, save after the most thorough discussion by experts and the most positive assurance from the wisest and most experienced, that no harm and much positive good, will be the result.

I know that there is in some of the Maine lakes an excellent fish, locally known as the white perch, which sometimes attains the weight of 1 pound or more. It is good eating and affords pleasant sport of a very mild type when nothing better is available.

I know it exists in some trout waters and without damage to the trout fishing, but I do not personally know of such occurrence, and I would never venture to put this fish into good trout waters where it does not now exist.

Now, it is well understood that the Rangeley lakes are the finest “brook trout” waters in the world. They are the home of the giant squaretails, the pride and glory of Maine and

In 1900, a debate raged that still resonates today -- should non-native fish be stocked in Maine water, either by design or illegally by “bucket biologists”? In the accompanying editorial from 1900, the focus of attention was the white perch. Photo credit: “The World Around You -- Invasive Fish” (Tulsa World, 2018)

the whole country. The conditions in these lakes must have been for a long time exceptionally favorable to trout life to have produced these giants of the species.

I do not know that the introduction of whatever kind of “perch” the “prominent sportsman” had in mind would in any way injure the trout, but I am confident that no ordinary man and no ordinary newspaper discussion can determine that it will not.

In many parts of the civilized world, whole communities are now bitterly lamenting the folly of unscientific interference with natural conditions of animal and plant life. These warnings leave us utterly inexcusable if we commit any more such blunders.

The temptation to commit them springs often from no more serious reason than mere desire for something new. I knew the misguided man who first put black bass into one of

the very finest trout waters in Maine, where now no one thinks of trying to take a trout. He lives to see the act in its true light, but no conceivable effort of man can now undo it. He confessed to me that he had merely become “tired of catching nothing but trout and wanted a change.”

Gradually the trout waters diminish, and the black bass and pickerel encroach upon them. Game fish, though he be the black bass, is, as every true trout lover knows, coarse and inferior in every way to the trout. As for that freshwater shark, the pickerel, there is not a word to be said for him when trout are concerned.

Yet people still go on introducing these fish where they should never be, and the mischief is done for all time. In my opinion the Rangeley lakes should be jealously protected from any such experiments as the one proposed.

– C. H. Ames www.MaineSportsman.com

Almanac

14 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Boating During the Pandemic: More Boaters; More Accidents

The US Coast Guard recently issued its 2020 boating safety report, and the results show dramatic increases in boating, but also unfortunately in the numbers of boating accidents.

The report, and an analysis by the Foundation for Boater Safety, sponsored

by Boat Owners of the United States (BoatUS), indicate what happens when more boats – many of them apparently not well maintained – and more people, head for public landing (many with capacity limits) and for the water.

Boats are intended for water use, and are not designed for travel over land and into trees. Photo: BoatUS

Among the key take-aways from the report?

A Change in the Top Five Reasons for Accidents In 2020, the top five reported contributing factors in accidents were 1. operator inattention, 2. operator inexperience, 3. improper lookout, 4. excessive speed and 5. machinery failure.

“Machinery failure,” at number five on the list, is new for 2020. A likely conclusion is that a well-maintained boat is also a safer vessel, and perhaps that some owners had difficulty arranging for maintenance or repairs during the pandemic, according to the BoatUS Foundation.

“Operator Inattention” and “Improper Lookout,” are Constants on the List.

These two factors have remained consistent across many years of Coast www.MaineSportsman.com

Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

Guard reporting.

More Accidents The Coast Guard noted 5,265 accidents in 2020, a full 26% more than in 2019.

Access and Congestion Analysts cite the fact that some public facilities were closed during the pandemic, increasing congestion – and occasional conflict – on those that remained accessible. A BoatUS spokesperson said this proves that in times of unrelated crisis, we need to figure out how to keep access open.

—

USDA Distributes Oral Rabies Vaccine for Wildlife in Northeastern Maine Oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits were distributed in northeastern Maine from August 6, 2021, through August 11, 2021, as part of rabies control efforts aimed at reducing the spread of raccoon rabies in Maine.

Approximately 385,000 ORV baits targeting raccoons were distributed by air and ground over a 2,650-square-mile area. The project was a joint effort between USDA’s Wildlife Services, and the Maine CDC. Vaccine baits are coated with fishmeal, and are distributed in one-inch square cubes or two-inch plastic sachets.

The vaccine in the baits is said to be safe for more than 60 species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats, according to the USDA.

Rabies vaccine packets are coated with fishmeal, and are marked, “Rabies Vaccine; Do Not Disturb”

The vaccine packets were distributed by airplanes in rural, wooded areas, while employees from Wildlife Services distributed vaccine baits from vehicles in the more populated areas, such as Houlton.

Though the baits themselves do not transmit rabies, humans are encouraged to leave them undisturbed and should try to keep their pets away from

the baits, said the USDA. Distribution occurred in Burlington Township, Carroll Plantation, Chester, Houlton, Lakeville, Lee, Lincoln, Mars Hill, Oxbow, Patten, Prentiss Township, Springfield, Stacyville, T3 R1 NBPP, T7 R3 NBPP, Webster Plantation, Weston, and Winn.

As of late July, 37 animals had tested positive for rabies this year in 10 of Maine’s 16 counties, including bats, raccoons, striped skunks, gray foxes, and red foxes. Rabies can be fatal to mammals, including humans, if left untreated, but responds well to early treatment.

—

More New Maine Hunting, Fishing and Boating Laws 1. Resolve, to Direct DIFW to Examine Sunday Hunting: This legislative resolve appropriates $15,000 to pay a facilitator to manage a large group of stakeholders, including landowners, hunters and nonhunters, to make findings and recommendations on “issues related to allowing Sunday hunting.”

The resulting report must be presented to the legislature’s IFW Committee by January 3, 2022.

2. An Act to Support ATV Trail Improvement: This law requires that all funds collected from the tax on ATV rentals, be deposited in the ATV Recreational Management Fund (90%), and the Multimodal Transportation Fund (10%).

3. An Act to Establish a Sales Tax Exemption for the Purchase of Firearm Safety Devices: This law exempts from sales tax purchases of trigger locks, barrel locks, gun safes or gun lockboxes.

4. An Act to Establish and Promote a System of Safe Disposal of Expired Marine Flares: This law requires the Department of Public Safety to develop a program to allow recreational and commercial boaters to drop off expired flares for safe incineration.

5. An Act to Preserve Deer Habitat: A noteworthy accomplishment by Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM) and its director, David Trahan, this law directs the Land for Maine’s Future Board to give preferential treatment when the board has an opportunity to purchase deer wintering areas and deer habitat in northern, eastern and western Maine.

(Continued on next page)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 15 (Continued from page 14)

Young Mainer Prominent in Regional Bass Fishing Tournaments

Tyler Williams, 19, of Belgrade, has been performing consistently Looking through some daily bass fishing derby results from a Lake Erie contest earlier this summer, we were surprised to see that a young man from Belgrade was in second place in the standings.

We caught up with Tyler Williams, and asked him a few questions: The Maine Sportsman: How did you become involved in bass tournaments?

Williams: I got involved when I was 15.

I saw people I know catching some big fish, and I watched some YouTube videos about the tournaments. I decided to join a club and fish some small tournaments, and the passion took off from there. I’ve been competing in tournaments for 4 years. I’m 19 years old.”

TMS: What’s the organizational and scheduling structure of the qualifiers?

Williams: In Maine, we have a tournament called the state fish-off. The top 10 finishers in that tournament are considered our state team. The state team goes to the regional qualifier, which consists of anglers from 11 states. The top finish-

Tyler Williams, 19, of Belgrade, has already made a splash by finishing high in the standings in multi-state regional bass tournaments, such as a recent contest held on Lake Erie. Photo: Bassmaster

one else finds it.

TMS: How does fishing in Florida or Texas differ from fishing in Maine?

Williams: Florida and Texas have an entirely different strain of bass. They grow large much faster than ours. A lot of Texas lakes are flooded manmade lakes – very different from our glacier lakes.

TMS: What gear is allowed and what, if any, is not allowed?

Williams: There’s lots of rules, and things are always getting banned, Alabama rigs are not allowed. At B.A.S.S. events, nets are prohibited, so we have to land fish with our hands. And outboards are limited to 250 h.p.

TMS: What’s the most fun part of the tournaments?

ers from each region advance to the national championship. The boat owners in that tournament have a chance to qualify for the Bass Master Classic – basically the Super Bowl of bass fishing.

TMS: How do you know where to go on a lake on which you’ve never fished?

Williams: Lots of research, and trial-and-error. You look for things on a chart that should hold fish at that time of year, plus we do lots of scanning with our down- and side-imaging units, trying to find isolated structure before any-

Tyler takes the wheel of a specialized bass boat -- featuring the largest GPS/ fishfinder screen we’ve ever seen! -- in search of prize-winning fish.

MAINE CAMPING GUIDE — Explore All that Maine Has to Offer! —

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www.webbsrv.com www.MaineSportsman.com

16 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 15)

Williams: It’s definitely the comradery, fishing against all your friends and being competitive but being able to laugh and congratulate each other at the end of the day.

—

Emerging Threats to Loons

by Nick Lund Network Manager, Maine Audubon

Maine Audubon has worked for decades with the Tufts Veterinary School to study Common Loons found dead in Maine to determine the cause of death.

For most of those years the leading cause of death was lead poisoning. Lead sinkers and jigs would fall off fishing lines and mix with stones at the bottom of a lake, and loons would accidentally ingest the fishing gear while they were gathering stones for their gizzards, resulting in lead poisoning. Loon advocates succeeded in banning bare lead sinkers and jigs in Maine (painted lead equipment is still permitted, though it is still just as dangerous to loons), and overall awareness is growing about the use of non-lead tackle.

A result of these advocacy campaigns is that lead poisoning is no longer the leading cause of loon mortality in Maine.

Taking its place at the top of the list of threats is blunt-force trauma, i.e. boat collisions.

Loons spend much of their time underwater in pursuit of fish. They are

excellent swimmers, and have bodies specially designed for underwater speed and maneuverability. But they don’t have lungs, and loons must come up for air eventually. When they do pop back to the surface, the exact location is a surprise both to them and to any boaters speeding through the water. Fast-moving boats or jet skis popular on many Maine lakes often may not have time to spot a loon out ahead and change course or slow down — indeed they may not even know they’ve even hit a loon at all as they speed past. The intersection of a surfacing loon and a speeding boat may be a tragic and unlikely accident, but it’s one that a loon cannot survive.

A new kind of threat has emerged on Maine lakes: wake boats or wakeboard boats. These vessels have special features, like increased ballast, hydrofoil, or hull technologies designed to increase the size of the wake behind the boat to facilitate wakeboarding or stand up surfing. Larger wakes out on the lake also means larger waves hitting shore and, increasingly, washing out loon nests.

One evolutionary trade-off of the Common Loon’s specially-modified swimming body is that they’re terrible at walking. Consequently loons build their nests right at the edge of the water; it’s as far as they can haul themselves.

Loons’ nests are especially susceptible to washout. Many lakes associations ask that boaters create a no-wake zone within 200 feet of shore in order to reduce the likelihood of large waves crashing on a nest, but wake boats can make

Tagging Station Information Available Online To find the nearest tagging station, go online to the website of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (www.maine.gov/ifw); click on “Hunting and Trapping,” and then scroll down to find the links, “List of Turkey, Deer and Bear Registration Stations,” and “List of Moose Registration Stations.

The lists are organized by county. For example, under “Cumberland County,” you will see the following information:

dangerous waves from much farther out.

As the popularity of wake boats grows, lake associations are taking notice and wondering how to protect their birds.

The Kezar Lake Watershed Association has created a 500 foot no-wake zone after video emerged of wake boat waves overwhelming a loon raft. Other lakes in Maine, and other states including Vermont and New Hampshire, are taking notice and wondering what to do.

Balancing human enjoyment of Maine’s lakes with the protection of our beloved Common Loons takes constant effort, and it’s been a success: there are unquestionably more loons today in Maine than there were 40 years ago.

Speeding boats and wake boats are simply the latest threat, and in time, with education and understanding, we’re optimistic that loons will continue to thrive.

—

North Maine Woods Hires New Executive Director

The Board of North Maine Woods, Inc. has hired Thomas Pelletier of Eagle Lake to fill the position of Executive Director. Pelletier will come on board August 30, 2021 to replace Albro Cowperthwaite, who is retiring at the end of September from the position he has held for nearly 40 years.

Pelletier served in the Navy for six years, retired with the rank of Sargent from the Maine State Police after twenty-five years, and most recently, served the Town of Fort Kent as Chief of Police since 2014. In 2018, he served Fort Kent as the interim Town Manager. He is a registered Maine Guide, and has guided moose and bear hunters.

—

Fall Wild Turkey Hunting New Law for 2021: Wild turkey harvested in the fall season do not need to be registered or have a label attached for transport. All wild turkeys harvested in the spring season must still be registered and have a label attached for transport.

Equipment • Shotgun: A person can use shotgun gauges 10 through 20, using shot sizes (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 17

September 2021 Sunrise/Sunset Portland, ME

Nighttime Campfire by the Lake Maine Sportsman contributing photographer Jonathan Wheaton reflects on another great summer in the northwest Maine woods.

(Continued from page 16)

4 through 6 or mixed loads that include shot sizes 4 through 7. In addition, shotgun gauges 10 through 28, including .410, may be used with shot sizes 7 through 9 in Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). A person must possess a valid big or small game hunting license and a turkey permit.

• Bow & Arrow: A person must possess a valid archery license, and a turkey permit.

• Crossbow: A crossbow may be used to hunt wild turkeys during the fall wild turkey hunting season beginning in 2020 through 2022.

A person hunting with a crossbow must possess either a valid big or small game firearms hunting license or an archery license as well as a turkey permit and crossbow permit.

• Electronic Calling Devices: The use of electronic calling devices is legal.

• Dogs: Use of dogs is legal to hunt wild turkey during the fall season.

2021 Fall Wild Turkey Seasons and Bag Limits Bow and Arrow, Crossbow or Shotgun

¶

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

RISE

6:03 6:04 6:05 6:07 6:08 6:09 6:10 6:11 6:12 6:13 6:14 6:16 6:17 6:18 6:19

SET

7:17 7:16 7:14 7:12 7:10 7:09 7:07 7:05 7:03 7:01 6:59 6:58 6:56 6:54 6:52

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

RISE

6:20 6:21 6:22 6:23 6:25 6:26 6:27 6:28 6:29 6:30 6:31 6:33 6:34 6:35 6:36

SET

6:50 6:48 6:47 6:45 6:43 6:41 6:39 6:37 6:36 6:34 6:32 6:30 6:28 6:26 6:25

September 2021 Tides Portland, ME DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

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

HIGH AM PM 7:27 7:38 8:26 8:34 9:18 9:24 10:03 10:10 10:45 10:53 11:25 11:35 — 12:04 12:17 12:44 1:01 1:24 1:46 2:07 2:34 2:54 3:27 3:47 4:26 4:45 5:30 5:48 6:39 6:57 7:49 8:06 8:54 9:10 9:51 10:06 10:42 10:57 11:28 11:44 — 12:10 12:28 12:49 1:09 1:26 1:49 2:02 2:30 2:40 3:12 3:20 4:00 4:06 4:51 4:58 5:47 5:54 6:45 6:53

LOW AM PM 1:12 1:15 2:12 2:13 3:05 3:06 3:51 3:53 4:33 4:36 5:12 5:19 5:51 6:02 6:31 6:47 7:11 7:33 7:54 8:21 8:40 9:13 9:31 10:10 10:26 11:12 11:27 — 12:19 12:34 1:29 1:44 2:37 2:51 3:37 3:50 4:29 4:42 5:15 5:30 5:58 6:15 6:37 6:57 7:14 7:37 7:50 8:17 8:27 8:58 9:07 9:43 9:51 10:32 10:40 11:26 11:34 — 12:24 12:32

www.MaineSportsman.com

18 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Scouting by ATV

by Steve Carpenteri September is an excellent time to hit Maine’s ATV trails if for no other reason than to enjoy the ambience and atmosphere of autumn in the Pine Tree State.

Gone are the hot, heavy, humid days of summer, with their high dew points, sweltering temperatures and oven-like winds that can’t be avoided even when traveling down the open trail.

When scouting for bear, moose, deer or small game on your ATV, be certain to pack enough fuel. A good rule is to have 25% more than you think you’ll need. It’s common for ATV riders to run out of gas because a trail is unexpectedly closed, requiring a long, unplanned detour.

Bear, Moose and Expanded-Archery Deer For me, the draw of September riding is the opportunity to scout for great places to hunt this fall. Already bear hunters are

hard at work placing and maintaining baits, a process that started back in July.

In addition, you’ll encounter more than a few moose hunters on trails where ATVs are allowed, as the

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hunters investigate the best places to find a big bull or cow in the coming weeks.

Our 2021 Expanded Archery Deer Season opens September 11 in designated areas, giving bowhunt-

ers extra time to exercise their skills on the state’s southern, south-central and coastal zone deer herd.

Many hunters are not yet aware that Maine’s small game hunting season (for grouse, pheasants, squirrels and hares) opens September 25 statewide, providing an extra week of opportunities for those who can’t wait to get back into the woods (Continued on next page)

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Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. Minimum and Maximum Amount Financed may vary. Not all buyers will qualify. Higher rates apply for buyers with lower credit ratings. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply, depending on the participating financial institution(s). BRP is not responsible for any of the financing terms and conditions. Offer subject to change without notice. Financing promotions void where prohibited. See your BRP dealer for details. †Rates as low as 6.99% APR (Annual Percentage Rate) for 60 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 60-month term at a 6.99% APR rate: $19.80 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of 6.99% APR for 60 months at an MSRP of $9,999 is $197.50/mo. Total cost of borrowing $1,877.70 with a total repayment obligation of $11,876.70. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. Minimum and Maximum Amount Financed may vary. Not all buyers will qualify. Higher rates apply for buyers with lower credit ratings. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply, depending on the participating financial institution(s). BRP is not responsible for any of the financing terms and conditions. Offer subject to change without notice. Financing promotions void where prohibited. See your BRP dealer for details. BRP recommends that all ATV-SSV drivers take a training course. See your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATV and SSV can be hazardous to operate. Never carry passengers on any ATV-SSV not specifically designed by the manufacturer for such use. All adult model Can-Am ATVs are Category G ATVs (General Use Models) intended for recreational and/or utility use by an operator age 16 or older. Carefully read the vehicle’s operator’s guide. Follow all instructional and safety material and observe applicable laws and regulations. ATV and SSV are for off-road use only; never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. For your safety, the operator and passenger(s) must wear a helmet, eye protection and applicable protective clothing. Always remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Never engage in stunt driving. Avoid excessive speed and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Always ride responsibly and safely. See your authorized BRP dealer for details and visit www.can-am.brp.com.

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 19

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September is the best time to accomplish your fall scouting. Use a map and GPS, and mark productive-looking waypoints, to maximize the value of your search for productive hunting areas. Photo: Steve Carpenteri.

(Continued from page 18)

with rifle, shotgun or bow in hand.

No matter what your chosen sport, September is the perfect time to get out there and see what’s going on, catch up on current conditions and situations, and decide where you’ll want to spend your precious time off in pursuit of big and small game this fall.

Be Prepared As is the case with any excursion into the Maine woods, it is important for ATV riders to hit the trail with high expectations along with common sense and safety in mind. One should not expect or fear disastrous results on every ride, but it’s important for riders to be prepared for any mishaps that could happen when one wanders miles back in the wilderness on any mechanical device. Those who are well versed in Murphy’s Law know that if it can happen, it probably will happen, and this applies no matter which manner of travel you choose.

Even hikers traveling on foot know enough to pack spare laces, socks and Band-Aids, just in case.

And so it is with ATV enthusiasts. A

basic tool/repair kit should accompany you on every trip, no matter how long or short the excursion. Be sure to take inventory to ensure that all of the basic tools (including wrenches, screwdrivers, shovels and jacks) are on board, and that all lighting gear (such as headlights, flashlights and cell-phone chargers) are packed as well.

Check the spare tire to be sure it is pumped up and serviceable, and be sure you have the proper tools available for changing or re-inflating a tire if necessary.

Of course, check to be sure you have enough fuel for the trip. It’s best to have 25% more than you think you’ll need – more than one ATV rider has run out of gas because a trail is unexpectedly closed, requiring a long, unplanned detour. Getting there is half the battle, but getting back is the other half, and it’s equally important!

Scouting Equipment September scouting involves much more than simply riding the trails looking for game tracks, trails, crossings and other sign. To make the (Continued on next page)

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Offers vary by model. Financing available on 2016 – 2021 new and unregistered Polaris® RZR®, RANGER®, Sportsman®, GENERAL®, and ACE® models purchased between 8/1/2021 – 9/30/2021. †Rates as low as 3.99% APR for 36 months. Examples of monthly payments required over a 36 month term at a 3.99% APR rate: $29.52 per $1,000 financed; and with a 60-month term at a 6.99% APR rate: $19.80 per $1,000 financed. An example of a monthly payment with $0 down, no rebate, an APR of 3.99% APR for 36 months at an MSRP of $13,399 is $395.53/mo. total cost of borrowing of $840.16 with a total obligation of $14,239.16. Down payment may be required. Other financing offers may be available. See your local dealer for details. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $50,000. Other qualifications and restrictions may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Tax, title, license, and registration are separate and may not be financed. Promotion may be modified or discontinued without notice at any time in Polaris’ sole discretion. WARNING: Polaris® off road vehicles can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. Passengers, if permitted, must be at least 12 years old. All riders should always wear helmets, eye protection, and protective clothing. Always use seat belts and cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. All riders should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. ©2021 Polaris Industries Inc.

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LEBANON Northeast Motorsports 451 Carl Broggi Hwy. 207-457-2225 www.nemotorsportsofmaine.com WARNING: Arctic Cat® vehicles can be hazardous to operate. For your safety, all riders should always wear a seat belt (Side-by-Sides), helmet, eye protection, and protective clothing. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Arctic Cat recommends that all operators take a safety training course. For safety and training information, please see your dealer or call 1-800-887-2887 (ATVs) or visit www.ROHVA.org (Side-by-Sides). Arctic Cat vehicles are for operators age 16 years and older with a valid driver’s license, except the Alterra 90, which is intended for operators 10 years of age and older. ©2020 Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. All rights reserved.

www.MaineSportsman.com

20 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

ATVing in Maine (Continued from page 19)

most of your scouting trips, come prepared with a topographic map (Delorme’s Gazetteer, available at buy. garmin.com, is the gold

standard in Maine), and it’s invaluable for marking trails, crossings, feeding, roosting and bedding sites and other hotspots. Bring

a GPS unit and extra batteries (or cell-phone app), but have that be your back-up rather than your primary navigation tool, since electronic devices can and do fail to perform.

Bring a notebook for

Visit Your Local Yamaha ATV Dealer for Details Today!

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

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

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

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

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Read the owner’s manual and product warning labels before operation. Model shown with optional accessories. Vehicle specifications subject to change.

jotting down impressions, ideas, stand or blind locations and other details.

A camera will come in handy for recording interesting or unusual sites or encounters, and binoculars are always useful for getting a better look at distant objects, features or landmarks.

I also bring along a chainsaw, axe and loppers in case a trail is blocked, or if I find a spot that just begs for a ground blind to be built. Of course, check with the landowner before doing any cutting, limbing or building activities. Most of my landowner friends are fine with using available fallen trees, branches, stumps and other detritus for blind making, but most do not approve of felling

live trees for the purpose.

As an alternative to a natural blind, these days it’s easy to buy a pop-up blind and place it near a game trail or crossing.

The blind can be removed and folded back into its case without a trace at the end of the season.

No matter how or why you ride this month, make the most of the early autumn weather, trail conditions and the great opportunities for ATV fans made available by the state and its many private landowners.

Without their blessing we’d have far fewer trails to ride on and fewer opportunities to enjoy Maine’s many and varied wild places.

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Keeping Saltwater Fish to Eat – What You Need to Know

by Capt. Ron Dupuis, Jr.

Those of us who fish Casco Bay know there’s a bounty of cold-water fish that are wonderful to eat.

These include tuna, haddock, striped bass, pollock, blue fish, flounder, halibut – they are all excellent table fare, and they can be a delight to eat when prepared appropriately.

However, cooks who specialize in seafood know that fish must be handled properly BEFORE getting to the kitchen, to maintain their fresh taste. How an angler handles the fish on the shore or in the boat determines how tasty and safe they will be to eat. This article focuses more on how to get the catch from the boat to the chef to be able to enjoy the bounty that Casco Bay offers While some captains and recreational anglers practice catch and release, many others enjoy keeping their catch, since fresh fish is very tasty and a great source of protein.

If you plan to keep your fish to eat, here

Fresh-caught ocean fish make for healthy, tasty meals – if you understand the secrets of proper care and handling. are some things you need to know.

Trip Preparation Prior to leaving the dock it’s important to decide whether or not you’ll be keeping what you catch.

And before keeping any fish, always check the regulations for seasons, minimum or “slot” size limits, and maximum possession limits. If you are going to release fish, do

it right away rather than keeping them in a livewell and deciding to release them at the end of the day.

Also, determine before you head out how you will keep your

catch fresh. Will the fish be iced immediately, or stored in a live-well? Both techniques require ongoing maintenance during the trip to ensure adequate amounts of ice are available, or to make sure the live well is aerated adequately and not overcrowded.

(Continued on next page)

Contact Your Local Suzuki Marine Dealer for Details!

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

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

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

www.MaineSportsman.com

22 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

the head with a blunt object. Dispatching a fish quickly and placing it on ice, maintains the highest meat quality.

Some anglers take a different approach, choosing to keep the fish alive in a live-well until they get to shore, at which point they kill and clean the fish.

This is fine if you manage the fish box appropriately by avoid-

Saltwater Fishing in Maine (Continued from page 21)

On Ice, or Into the Live Well?

Before keeping a fish, inspect it thoroughly.

Healthy fish will have bright eyes, and gills that are red and not damaged. Don’t keep fish to eat that exhibit discolored skin or

loose scales.

When you land the fish, don’t allow the fish to die slowly on the floor of the boat or in a cooler or bucket.

If you know you are keeping the fish, kill it immediately, using a knife or striking it on

ing overcrowding. Too many fish in a fish box will deplete the oxygen level, resulting in unintentional mortality.

Of the two options, my preference is to kill the fish immediately and place it on ice.

I make sure there is plenty of ice on board the vessel to replenish the cooler when the ice starts to melt.

Anglers must keep an eye on the ice sup-

ply throughout the day and decide when it’s time to add more ice or end early to preserve the quality of fish that have been caught. This is where the experienced guide or angler balances the importance of preserving the day’s catch with maximizing the time spent on the water. Bottom line? For a full day of fishing, be (Continued on next page)

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 23 (Continued from page 22)

sure to have plenty of ice on the boat.

When You Get to Shore Once you’re ashore, gut and clean the fish immediately, if that was not done earlier.

If you have kept the fish alive during the trip, the first thing to do upon landing is to kill and bleed the fish.

Even if they’ve been on ice, get them gutted and cleaned, filleted, or cut into steaks or chunks. Use a clean filet knife, and clean the knife frequently to keep scales and other fish parts away from the fish’s flesh.

When you have cut up your fish, rinse the filets or steaks liberally. Keep the fish moist, but wipe gently with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture or blood. Place the fillets

or steaks into Ziplock bags, and place them back on ice.

How Fast to the Grill?

It’s rare that an angler can return home and immediately put the fish on the grill or into oven to bake.

The one exception is bluefish – in my experience, bluefish fillets should be marinated and them grilled as soon as possible to enjoy the fish’s fresh and distinctive flavor. But I digress.

Refrigeration is fine for all fish if you are going to cook them quickly.

Otherwise, it’s best to freeze the meat, double-bagging or taking other steps to avoid freezer burn if possible.

So the key takeaways: 1) Use plenty of ice, after catching the fish and again after clean-

The most important rule in preserving the fresh taste of your catch, says the author, is to immediately put the fish on ice, and keep it there. To do that, you’ve got to plan ahead by having enough ice on board to last for your full day of fishing. Photo credit: MossyOak

ing or filleting; 2) Clean the fish as soon as you have an opportunity, using a clean knife; and

3) Continue refrigerating the fish while you get the grill or oven ready.

Good luck on the water, and in the kitchen.

¶

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24 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Cunners: Fun, Tasty Saltwater Panfish If there’s one attribute of cunners that stands out, it’s their ability to steal a bait intended for other species. But they’re a hoot to catch in their own right, and their fillets are sweet.

I’ve noticed quite a bit of interest on social media this summer about cunners, small bottom-dwelling fish that inhabit rocky shorelines here along the Maine coast.

Some folks have posted a photo of one they caught and asked for help in identifying the critter, or inquired whether it might make decent table fare. Still

others have proudly posted a shot of a giant 10- or 12-inch specimen but have refused to reveal the “secret spot” where it was caught.

I’ve never devoted a column to cunners, but I guess it’s time.

I caught lots of them from shore when I was a kid, and when I inadvertently catch one today, it instantly brings

back some fine memories.

Cunners are members of the wrasse family, a close relative of the tautog, a much sought-after game and food fish found from Cape Cod south to Delaware Bay. The cunner is smaller than the “tog,” rarely reaching a foot in length, and can be quickly identified by its dark

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Use bait and tiny hooks to catch cunner along Maine’s rocky coastline. Illustration: Sherman Foote Denton, courtesy NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

reddish-to-blueish color and you’ll often see iridescent, electric blue streaks running from its mouth to the back of its gill plate.

Cunners have small mouths, rubbery lips, and a set of extremely sharp teeth they use to feed on barnacles, small shellfish, crabs, shrimp, and even eelgrass.

If there’s one attribute of cunners that stands out, it’s their ability to steal a bait such as a clam or seaworm intended for other species. Considered pests by flounder and striper fishermen, cunners can aggressively whittle a hook clean in mere seconds. That’s what they do best.

But cunners are a hoot to catch in their own right, and you’ll find that their flesh is sweet if you can cut through the tough skin and fillet the meat away from the small, thin bones. They are well worth targeting,

especially from shore, and are ideal for introducing kids to saltwater fishing. The whole trick, however, is to really scale down your tackle.

Light is Right … but Hook ’em Quick!

A freshwater or light saltwater spinning outfit with sixpound line will work fine. You’ll need a small, light-wire, freshwater hook, and when I say small, I mean small. Figure that a fully-grown cunner’s mouth is about the size of a dime, so a #6 to #10 hook tied directly to the line is about right. Pinch on a couple of split-shot six inches above the hook, and you’re good to go.

Best bait? I’ve found that the meat of a periwinkle works fine and is just the right size, but a small piece of clam “foot” or half-inch section of seaworm will also do the trick.

(Continued on next page)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 25 (Continued from page 24)

If you’re shore fishing along a boulder or ledge shoreline, the drill is to find a spot where you can lower your bait straight down into five to ten or more feet of water.

You may have to wait for high tide, but this is the best scenario.

Send your bait down to the bottom and then reel it up a foot or so. If there are any cunners in the area they will quickly find and attack the bait, and you’ll feel a staccato rap-rap-rap.

Don’t wait. Lift the rod tip sharply and try and hook the fish. If you aren’t quick enough you’ll reel up a bare hook. Every time!

Boat Tactics & Big Ones If conditions are calm and favorable enough, the small-boat or kayak fisherman can maneuver in close to the rocks and toss a similarly baited hook in against the shoreline. In this case a single, small split-shot is best, just enough to allow the bait to slowly sink to the bottom. Try to keep as tight a line as possible, and again,

attempt to set the hook as soon as you feel the peck-peck-peck. Hooking a cunner can be something of a challenge, but that’s what makes it fun for kids and adults alike.

Most of the cunners you’ll catch will run from six to 10 inches long. I have a hand-painted skinmount of a very fat 12½-incher on my kitchen wall that an antique dealer friend gave me years back, that likely dates to the 1930s, so big ones are out there. The all-tackle world record is a three-pound, eight-ounce monster taken from Revere Beach in Massachusetts in 2009. Currently there’s no size or bag limit here in Maine.

As mentioned, cunner fillets make tasty table fare, either baked, broiled or sautéed. In fact, years ago, there was a fairly robust commercial fishery for them – but thankfully no longer.

Cunners. Lots of fun. Just remember, you gotta hook ’em before you can cook ’em!

¶

Milton Kelley of Georgia is shown with an extremely large 1-pound, 15-ounce cunner, caught off Boothbay Harbor on July 4, 2000. Barry Gibson photo

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26 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

Choosing the Right Outfitter, Part 1

by Michael Tuminaro, BlackRockMaine@gmail.com Just as a good waiter can make or break your dinner out, a guide can impact your dream hunt in a similar fashion. How do you make an educated decision when choosing one? When is it best to go out on your own? There are several key factors that can help you make this important decision.

DIY Hunts are Sometimes the Best Option Should you even use a guide? Not always. There are times when it is best to go without one. If you are familiar with the terrain and game species, it may not be worth your while to hire a guide.

For example, hunting grouse in Michigan’s U.P. has similarities to hunting in the northwoods of Maine, so if you are experienced upland hunter from Michigan, perhaps you can save the cash and DIY (do it yourself). If you have your own equipment, dogs and expertise, you’re likely able to figure it out on your

own.

Perhaps you’re one of those intrepid souls who figures that the journey is more important than the destination, that the hard hunt is the best hunt.

If this resonates with you, then you’re likely a good candidate for a DIY hunt.

Guides Can Really Level Up Your Hunt For most hunts, however, good guides are worth their weight in gold. A guide will take the worry and planning out of your trip by arranging your lodging, transportation, meals and licenses. Most importantly, they will know where the birds are.

For an upland hunter – even an experienced one – narrowing down the unknowns of exactly where to find birds can take years to figure out. Covers and conditions are subject to change day to day, and year to year.

The guide has already put in the sweat equity and knows where the birds will be in rain and windy

Mike Hegarty is the owner of Chick Hill Guide Service. He is shown here on East Grand Lake with one of his shorthairs. www.MaineSportsman.com

weather, uncommonly hot days, and when they’re under pressure from other hunters.

The guide will know where the water is for the dogs.

A guide can put you on birds much more quickly than you’d find them on your own, and you’ll be able to spend your time enjoying your day hunting instead of logistical planning.

A few years back, a work trip put me within striking distance of the Smoky Mountains.

I decided to go after the trout alone and find the fish myself. I reasoned that, as an experienced fly fisherman, I’d be able to figure it out and would not need a guide.

I ended up spending a day and a half figuring out the area before I started catching trout with any regularity, and by that time I was on my last afternoon there.

Hiring a guide would have led me to the productive spots that first morning, and this would have added to the experience immensely.

The author, Mike Tuminaro, is a Registered Maine Guide and co-owner of Maine Upland Guide Service, in Jackman.

Questions to Ask, and Red Flags to Look For Interview your guide!

The guide should be happy to answer your questions.

How many people will be in camp? What are the accommodations like? Who will be your guide? Many times the owner whom you spoke to on the phone will not be the person you’ll be guided by, and that can make a big difference in your experience.

Find out what’s in-

Casey Mowers on a bird hunt. Casey owns Reddog Guide Service in Bowdoinham.

cluded in your hunt.

The guide should be clear and forthcoming about these things.

Be wary of any guide too eager to book your hunt. If they mention that they’re “filling up” or offer you an early booking discount, it may be a sign to steer clear. In my experience, this can mean that the priority is the paycheck, and not the client.

A good guide should come with good (Choosing the Right Outfitter continued on page 28)

Chip Woodman on a turkey hunt this spring. Chip is the owner of Northeast Wilderness Outfitters in Monmouth.

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 27

Loading and Unloading a Shotgun Safely

by Brad Varney, Varney’s Clay Sports I’ve been shooting since I was five years old. I was fortunate to have a wonderful big brother who taught me safety with firearms.

Al taught me how to hold and carry a gun safely. First with a BB gun, he removed the inside barrel tube, which made my red Ryder BB gun a pop gun. He told me I must learn to carry my pop gun safely without swiping him, or his rabbit hound, with the muzzle.

To me, it seemed like years, but Al later recalled that “it was only a month or two.”

Next, Al showed me how to load and unload a single shot Savage .22 rifle correctly, and eventually an H & R 20-gauge shotgun.

Disadvantageous to be Ambidextrous I was lucky that Al and I are both right-handed, and we are in no way ambidextrous.

Personally, I think this is the reason I see so many shooters loading and unloading shotguns in a less-than-desirable fashion.

I teach wing shooting, and it is alarming how many right-handed shooters load and unload their shotguns with their left hands,

and vice versa!

If you use your left hand to load and unload, your right forefinger may rest on the trigger. Closing the action of a firearm with your finger on the trigger immensely increases the odds of an accidental discharge.

Witness I’ve operated Varney’s Clay Sports in Richmond since 1998.

Not a year has gone by when I haven’t witnessed the accidental discharge of a shotgun.

And 95% of those discharges occurred while the shooter was closing the action. I have also seen some accidental discharges happen when the shooter is attempting to open the action.

If you think I’m a little fanatical about safety, you are right.

And for good reason.

A good friend once told me that if anyone is likely to be shot at my shooting facility, it would probably be me.

I asked him to explain his logic. He responded, “It’s simple math – I come here twice a year, while you are here 365 days a year.

Who do you think has the best chance of being shot?”

The light went on!

(Continued on next page)

✓

X

Here, the author demonstrates the INCORRECT way to load a shotgun, in this case an over/under. If you’re a right-handed shooter and you attempt to load shells with your left hand, there’s a dangerous tendency to leave your finger on the trigger.

Photos by Christine A. MacKenzie, info@beforeafterphoto.com

In this photo, the author demonstrates the CORRECT way for a right-handed shooter to load a shotgun. Grasping the stock with the left hand and loading with the right means the shooter’s finger is off the trigger.

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28 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Shooting Sports

tricks.

(Continued from page 27)

Even the Experts Make Mistakes Recently, I had an instructor shooting sporting clays at my range. He kept the muzzle down range, but his forefinger stayed on the trigger all the time.

Because he was mindful of where the shotgun was pointed,

some people might consider him to be a safe shooter, especially people who shoot in a similar fashion.

I felt bad for him, but I felt worse for his students.

I think it all boils down to this – bad habits are difficult to break, and it’s hard to teach an old dog new

Choosing the Right Outfitter (Continued from page 26)

recent recommendations, not from people they guided ten years ago. They should be able to provide you with a list of recent clients.

A reputable guide should be a member of his or her state’s professional association. This allows the outfitter to stay aware of law changes, pending legislation, and the opportunity to

Final Thoughts • The NRA and the hunter safety officers should teach the safest way to load and unload a firearm.

• Safety is everyone’s responsibility.

• Hitting the target is the goal in shooting, but never at the expense of safety.

• There are three separate safeties on a firearm: • the muzzle • the mechanical safety, and • you!

• I believe an open action may be the best safety.

• If you shoot from the right shoulder, have your ammo on your right side, and load and unload with your

network with other outfitters. Associations may provide the opportunity for training. Membership shows they’ve been vetted to a certain degree, and are a good option for your consideration.

A guide cannot guarantee success.

If someone is offering you a 100% guarantee that game will be harvested, I’d think twice. There may be ethical issues here.

When a guide takes a rigid stance on his hunts and has an “It’s my way or the highway” type of inflexibility, keep looking. If they are not willing and ea-

right hand. Left handers, vice versa.

• Your forefinger must remain off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot, ideally after the stock is in contact with your shoulder.

At the very least, if you teach anyone to shoot, teach safety!

¶

ger to hear what it is that you are looking for in a hunt, then they may not be interested in making your hunt what you want it to be.

Next month: “Guides must be a mixture of woods experts, medic, risk-manager, entertainer and facilitator. They will keep you on the legal side of fish and game laws, and recommend appropriate gear for the conditions you’ll be encountering.”

¶

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: Moose by Steve Vose

The moose (alces alces) is the largest member of the deer family. Unlike deer, however, who possess antlers with a dendritic (“twig-like”) configuration, bull moose (males) have palmate – or “open-hand” shaped – antlers.

Impressive woodland creatures, bull moose can weigh as much as 1,800 pounds. A mature male moose is called a bull, a mature female a cow, and an immature moose of either sex a calf.

Moose inhabit the boreal forests of Russia, Canada, Alaska and New England, with Maine having the largest population in the lower 48 states. The moose population in New Hampshire fell from 7,500 in early 2,000, then rose to a current estimate of 4,000. In Vermont, the numbers have declined to 2,200, from a high of 5,000 animals in 2005. Much of the decline has been attributed to the winter tick, with about 70% of the moose calves in Vermont and New Hampshire dying due to the parasite. Biologists also predict moose populations are in decline in the southern extent of their range due to heat stress

as a result of climate change.

Aside from winter ticks, the most common moose predators are wolves, bears and humans.

Moose eat only plants, and are therefore categorized as herbivores. A moose may consume as much as 50 to 60 pounds of both terrestrial and aquatic vegetation per day.

Moose have digestive systems similar to domestic cattle, and are “ruminants,” having four parts to their stomachs.

Moose can reportedly dive underwater in pursuit of aquatic plants to a depth of almost 20 feet, and stay submerged for a full minute.

Questions 1. A moose is the largest member of what family?

2. Moose have what kind of antlers?

3. What is an adult male moose called?

4. How many pounds of plants can a moose eat per day?

5. How deep underwater can a moose dive?

6. How fast can an adult moose run?

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Although generally slow-moving and sedentary, moose can become aggressive and move quickly if angered or startled. This is especially true of cows with calves, or bulls during the fall breeding season, when energetic fights occur between males competing for females.

An adult moose can run as fast as 35 miles per hour and they are excellent swimmers, able to cross large bodies of water at speeds of up to 6 miles per hour.

Moose mating season occurs in September and October. Female moose have an eight-month gestation period, usually bearing one calf, or twins if food is plentiful, in May or June.

Moose weigh 25 to 35 pounds at birth. Calves can run within a few days and can swim within two weeks. The young stay with the mother until just before the next young are born.

The life span of a moose ranges between 15 and 25 years.

7. How fast can a moose swim?

8. How much does a moose calf weigh at birth?

Answers on Page 34

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 29

The “Wildcat” – Winchester’s New Age Rimfire A visit to an up-country gun shop provided an opportunity for a close encounter with Winchester’s bold new semi-automatic rimfire rifle, called the Wildcat. The brazen little design makes two immediate impressions. First, this is like no other Winchester rimfire or center-fire rifle that came before it; and second, the rifle looks like a survival rifle from the emergency kit on board the Battlestar Galactica.

Easy to mistake for some sort of youth model with its small size, feather weight, and red-accented controls, the Wildcat is a fully-capable .22 rimfire for grown-ups. In fact, this little rifle incorporates some of the best leading-edge technology in the industry.

Winchester first brought the Wildcat to market in 2019. In a move that promises increased sales, this year they added a threaded barrel version called the “Wildcat, SR,” for “suppressor ready.”

This decision capitalizes on the skyrocketing popularity of sound suppressors, and gives the Wildcat a feature that the most popular rimfire in America, the Ruger 10/22, does not have.

The Wildcat offers several other features not offered by the Ruger 10/22, nor are these features available on any other rimfire to-

day.

For now, the Wildcat is unique. However, it would be wise to consider the Wildcat as a trend setter. In coming years, its numerous features and technological advances are bound to spread to other manufacturers. Given some time, the Wildcat could challenge the supremacy of Ruger in the rimfire marketplace.

Striking Changes The design team at Winchester went far beyond cosmetic alterations to make the Wildcat competitive. They fundamentally changed how a blow-back operated semi-automatic functions, and build the rest of the rifle from that starting point.

Writing in the May 2021 issue of American Rifleman magazine, B. Gil Horman said, “The

Winchester Wildcat 22 SR employs a striker-fired ignition system instead of a traditional hammer-fired system. A striker configuration was selected because it provides a faster lock time and a lighter, more consistent trigger pull.” Horman later says, “The Wildcat’s bolt is outfitted with a patented governor mechanism that manages the bolt’s cyclical rate in order to make it more reliable.”

These design changes combined with a rounded firing pin rather than a more typical chisel shaped pin are designed to make the Wildcat more dependable with a broad range of ammunition types, bullet weights, and velocities. They also helped Winchester engineers achieve their goal of

With its cut-out stock and red accents, the new Wildcat .22 could be mistaken for a beginner’s rifle. It’s not. Photos: Winchester Arms

The Wildcat easily disassembles to clean the chamber and barrel.

making the Wildcat compatible with a variety of proprietary and after-market magazines. For example, Winchester designed the Wildcat to accept Ruger 10/22 magazines.

Wildcat’s one-piece polymer lower receiver contains all the operating controls for the

bolt, magazine well, and trigger group. It also stores the two hex wrenches needed for adjusting the rear sight and separating the upper receiver and barrel from the stock.

The tool-less removal of the lower receiver assembly makes for easy cleaning and oth(Continued on next page)

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30 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Shooter’s Bench (Continued from page 29)

er maintenance.

The Wildcat’s own magazine holds ten rounds rotary fashion, like those from Ruger.

However, Winchester gave theirs a small

wheel on the rear of the magazine that releases tension so that the magazine may be loaded or, more importantly, unloaded more easily.

Winchester

magazines also lock the bolt to the rear when the last round is fired.

Turkish Made Out of the box, a Wildcat weighs in at three pounds, 13 ounces and carries a 16-and-a-half-inch

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barrel, which contributes to the sense that the lithe little gun must be for kids.

However, most parents would not choose a semi-automatic that handles 10, 20, or more rounds in a magazine for their youngsters to learn the principles of shooting.

The Wildcat’s very nearly ambidextrous and bright red controls do lend themselves to teaching new shooters, but the Wildcat remains a sophisticated, up-to-date rimfire for serious small game hunting or dedicated plinking. Whether using a sound suppressor or not, the included sights, or some optics mounted to the Picatinny rail, the Wildcat makes a superb choice for inclusion in the emergency kit onboard a boat, plane, or snowmobile Winchester produces the Wildcat in Istanbul, Turkey.

MSRP is about $300.

Given all of the fea-

tures, such as fully adjustable sights, a Picatinny rail accommodating a variety of optics, and a covered second Picatinny rail in the forearm that will take a bipod, flashlight, or other accessory, the price for a Wildcat seems very reasonable.

The skeletonized black polymer stock with its sling swivel “ports” no doubt also helps to keep that price point low, but a Ruger 10/22 on sale may well undercut the MSRP of a Wildcat.

That said, no other .22 rimfire has challenged the dominant sales of Ruger’s 10/22 in a very long while. If the Wildcat proves itself as reliable and as flexible as it should, then Ruger has a horserace on their corporate hands.

Winchester’s innovations could knock the 10/22 off its well-seasoned pedestal.

¶

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 31

The Great Moose Hunt

by Steve Carpenteri

The first several days of the hunt were uneventful.

We hunted along the river (no moose), inside the alders (no moose), in the adjacent bogs (no moose) and on the high, wet tundra above (still no moose).

Some years ago, after several typical moose hunts in which I spent the better part of a week burning a tank of gas every day riding, riding, riding back roads and logging trails in search of a fat cow or bull, I decided that I would try hunting the animals the traditional, old-fashioned way – on foot, packing all my gear, carrying my rifle, and reading the sign to find the particular animal I was after.

I chose an area that featured a long, winding river bottom bordered by swampy alder and cedar bogs, and wetland areas that rose up into even wetter areas where, I was assured, there were “plenty of moose.”

Being in my mid60s, I decided to employ a guide who would act as much as a companion, partner, cook and meat packer as he would a moose-finder.

I’d been hunting on my own for the better part of 50 years and had found more than my share of moose for myself and others, so I didn’t need a “guide” as much as I needed a helper.

Durmand the Magnificent My cohort in this adventure turned out to be an enthusiastic, amusing, energetic young French Canadian named Durmand, who was half my age.

His idea of “fun,” after struggling for long hours over and through flooded roads, rain-drenched forest and boot-sucking bogs, was to raise his arms over his head and run (yes, run!) hell-bent across the undulating bog just to feel the wet moss bounce under his feet.

Indeed.

For a solid week my daily routine consisted of rolling out of my sleeping bag at 4 a.m., staggering to the fire pit where Durmand made coffee and breakfast (bacon, eggs, pancakes and toast) over an open fire. Just as the heavy darkness began to lift, we loaded up and headed out on foot for a “walk” that would (according to Durmand’s GPS unit) take us 5 miles out and back through some very remote, rough and scenic country.

Sounds almost idyllic, doesn’t it?

Rained. Every. Day. I’d agree, except for the fact that it rained every day and most nights – a slow, steady, cold rain that never let up and kept us and our gear soaking wet whenever we weren’t inside our tents. My (Continued on next page)

It was a cold, wet hunt. It rained every day and most nights. The only place the author could get a hot cup of tea was in his tent, where the drink was not cooled off by rainwater falling into his cup.

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32 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Moose Hunting (Continued from page 31)

knee-high boots were perennially full of water after tripping, slipping and sliding across the endless network of flooded ruts and trails.

The hunt was interesting but unevent-

ful. There were plenty of moose trails coming and going to and across the river. We hunted along the river (no moose), inside the alders (no moose), in the adjacent bogs

(no moose) and on the high, wet tundra above (still no moose).

Finally, on Day 6, after staggering over 60 miles without having seen the first moose, we slowly made our way back to camp for the last time. I was dejected about not see-

ing a moose, miserable from the constant rain, and exhausted after all that walking.

Da Moose!

Plodding along in the pouring rain, head down and sensing failure with every step, I plowed right into Durmand, who had stopped dead in the trail – something he hadn’t done all week.

“There’s da moose!”

What? NO!!!!!

At that particular moment in time, I was not the least bit interested in seeing, shooting or dealing with a moose, but Durmand’s enthusiasm was contagious. Sure enough, there was a cow and small bull in a clearing about 200 yards ahead of us, each one idly munching on alder tips while gazing at us with typical moose disinterest.

I steadied my Ruger Tropical Rifle in .375 H&H Magnum on a convenient spruce sapling and fired. The moose dropped where he stood, and our hunt was over, just like that.

Durmand began singing a happy tune

in French as he ran (yes, ran!) to the fallen moose. By the time I caught up to him, he was on his knees preparing to gut the steaming animal.

I trudged back to camp with my gear and Durmand’s gigantic pack in tow, while he stayed behind to quarter the moose. By the time I returned to the kill site, Durmand had already hauled out the first hind quarter. He made three more trips, each time carrying a quarter of moose on his back. I was able to make one trip out and back with our plastic gear sled, into which I put the heart, neck and back straps (which weighed 80 pounds).

Sunday morning, we packed the meat plus our gear back to the river, and crossed in a boat to our waiting vehicles, once again in the pouring rain.

It had been a great experience, a real adventure and, in the end, a successful hunt.

Next time, however, I think I’ll opt for a week of riding the roads in Zone 1!

¶

— Trophy Gallery —

Cassidy Rood, 16, of Benton, earned her Grand Slam in 2020, with a 15-lb. turkey, a 185-lb. bear, a 165-lb. buck and this 700-lb. bull moose.

She is shown here with her father and hunting companion, Eric Rood. www.MaineSportsman.com

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 33

Moose Burger Tacos As I was saying to Meredith Goad, a Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram food reporter recently, “It’s not just fresh, local seafood that makes a taco a Maine taco.” Her article explained that Maine’s hunters and anglers are tackling tacos by filling tortillas with local caught fish and hunted game meats.

I mentioned my Chipotle Pulled Beaver Tacos!

I agreed with Meredith that the Mexican market has made its presence known in new corners of Maine. I reiterated that when speaking with Maine Sportsman Show attendees, some have shared their dislike for gamey taste of

wild meat. I offer suggestions of different styles of cooking from Sous Vide to tenderize and marinate, to incredible combinations of spices, to help cover game taste.

Have questions? Write me for a solution! Enjoy, and Bon Appetit!

add moose and break apart with wooden spoon. Cook, stirring and breaking apart. Add espresso mixture, stir well to blend seasonings into moose. Cook until just browned.

Serve moose in tacos, or flour tortillas, topped with creamed salsa, Pico de Gallo, cheddar (or pepper jack) cheese, pickled onions, and fresh cilantro! *A delicious chocolate espresso balsamic vinegar substitute is espresso powder.

See this at next Maine Sportsman Show, starting April 1, 2022. I’m not too excited!!

• • • •

Layers, and layers of flavors, colors, and textures are the allure of the taco. It is one of the easiest dishes to put together. Go through your fridge right now, I bet you have leftover combinations that would please a “hangry man” (or woman)!

As I wrote this, I just went and looked, and here is what else I could to fold into a taco – arugula, moose breakfast sausage, sweet onions, cherry tomatoes, avocado, pepper jack cheese and chipotle barbecue sauce. Everything works!!!

Ingredients: • ½ cup salsa • 1 jalapeno, stemmed and chopped • 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 2 tablespoons sour cream • 1 ripe avocado • ½ teaspoon smoked sea salt • 1 lime, juiced • 1 tablespoon chocolate espresso balsamic vinegar* • 1 tablespoon roasted cumin, ground • 1 tablespoon chili powder • 1 teaspoon brown sugar • ½ teaspoon sea salt • 1 pound moose burger • Pico de Gallo (recipe below) • 1 cup pickled onions (recipe below) • Cheddar cheese, grated • ½ cup fresh cilantro, slightly chopped • Corn, black bean or flour tortillas (great kept warm in oven) Directions: Combine salsa, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, sour cream, avocado, salt and lime juice in food processor. Pulse until combined.

Combine espresso vinegar, cumin, chili powder, brown sugar and salt in large bowl.

Heat skillet over medium heat in teaspoon of olive oil. Once skillet it hot,

Pico de Gallo • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

½ sweet onion, diced small ¼ cup cilantro, chopped ½ lime, juiced ¼ teaspoon chili lime sea salt (or pinch of salt and pepper)

Pickled Onions • 1 red onion, thinly sliced • ½ cup warm water • 1 ½ tablespoons sugar • 1 teaspoon kosher salt • ¾ cup apple cider vinegar Place onion in glass jar. Whisk warm water, sugar and salt until dissolved, add vinegar; whisk and pour over onions. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

34 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

Five Lessons Learned from a Guided Moose Hunt

by Kate Ward That was the day – September 28, 2020, the first day of our hunt! My dad, Jim Hawkes, and I were on the moose hunt of a lifetime in Zone 1. Our guide, Ernie Spaulding, with Allagash Adventures, led us to our first setup of the day.

Walking down a dirt road, we called as we went, listening all the while. We stopped at the crest of a hill, Ernie walked to a knoll and we positioned so that Dad and I could see into the corner of a cutoff, 200 yards distant.

The day would end with me taking a 53” spread, 920-lb. bull, but I learned some valuable lessons along the way.

Lesson 1: Listen.

Really listen! The first sound of your moose may not be what you expect.

Our guide called, and I heard a cow respond from behind us – a long call (wait, or was that just an echo?), then a short one (nope, definitely a cow calling!). Ernie walked out of the clearing, we met up at the road, and I told him what I’d

From left to right: The author’s father, Jim Hawkes; the author, Kate Ward; and guide Earnie Spaulding, of Allagash Adventures Guide Service. In the foreground -- the author’s 920-lb. bull moose with antlers that featured a 53” spread.”

heard. We all walked farther down the road together and into a clearing on the oppo-

site side.

Lesson 2: Calling for a moose can be more frequent and

louder than “seen on TV.” Our guide started calling, long cow calls, then grunt-

Wildlife Quiz Answers: Moose

ing, almost constantly. I thought I heard a grunt, a long way off, then raking, grunting again. Ernie was still calling, and it was hard to hear any responses. Grunt again – yep, I was positive that I was hearing a bull responding, and he was getting closer.

It sounded like that bull was with the cow we’d heard initially, and he was coming in to take a closer look at the new moose in his territory.

Lesson 3: The closer the bull gets, the quieter your calling gets. I let Ernie knew I heard a bull.

He increased the calling, with more aggressive and louder calls, grunting, and thrashing the small tree next to us. This went on for what seemed like five minutes, but must have been only one or two minutes. Now the guide could hear it, too! He continued calling, but more quietly.

Now Dad could hear the bull grunting!

We were all excited and ready. Ernie stopped calling when he saw a flash of ant(Continued on next page)

(Quiz on Page 28)

1. A moose is the largest member of the deer family.

4. A moose can eat 50-60 pounds of plants per day.

7. A moose can swim up to 6 miles per hour.

2. Moose have palmated, or open-hand shaped, antlers.

5. A moose can dive to a depth of nearly 20 feet underwater.

8. A moose calf weighs 25-35 pounds at birth.

3. An adult male moose is called a bull.

6. An adult moose can run 35 miles an hour.

www.MaineSportsman.com

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 35 (Continued from page 34)

lers through the trees.

His first impression: “It’s just a ‘scrub bull’”; then, with a better view, turned to us with eyes wide and whispered, “It’s a good one!”

Lesson 4: Be ready for your shot, and don’t be afraid to change positions if need be. We could hear steady, rapid grunting – the guide later said

he’d never heard grunting that fast-paced. The bull was moving along at a trot; headed directly toward us, but then turned and then came broadside. I was getting only glimpses of antlers between branches.

It all happened so fast! I knelt down to steady myself; Dad also knelt down off to my side – I was then getting glimpses of

his dark brown body, I could not see his legs at all, but had an opening in the undergrowth coming up and I was ready.

Lesson 5: Play the wind. As the moose stepped into that opening, I fired into the hump and he dropped immediately!

Down with one shot at 40 yards with my Browning BAR 30.06. Ernie

later said the moose was downwind at that point, and he scented us, turning his head toward us just as I fired.

Only 20 yards past where I shot him was a drop-off; had the bull kept going, I’d have lost the shot. Yet had he winded us earlier, I’d have lost the opportunity altogether.

What occurred was the perfect circum-

stances – the location, the guide calling that bull in, hearing the approach of the bull to prepare in time, and setting up for an excellent shot.

The whole hunt was a thrilling experience, made even better by sharing it with my Dad. Best hunt of my life.

¶

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36 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Better Bear Baiting, Part 3 of 3 –

Making Your Shot Count, and Packing Essential Gear

by Bill Graves The next steps in a successful bear season are pretty much common sense items, but they are too often overlooked or taken for granted.

1) Get Comfortable with your weapon for the season.

Whether you favor a rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, handgun, bow or crossbow, select a specific load, arrow or bolt, and go to the range. Shot distances may be as close as 20 feet, and few exceed 40 yards, but bear are big, tough game that

require a well-placed lung shot to anchor the animal. Sight in and practice several times before the season – many big bear are never recovered due to poor shot practice.

2) Refrain from shooting a bear that’s lying down or standing upright at any angle. Internal organs can shift locations a bit in these positions. Be patient, wait for a clear broadside double lung shot.

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wounded, lost animal!

Bear have a lot of hair and most seem larger than they actually are, so be patient and wait for the adrenaline to drop and breathing to steady, then squeeze the trigger.

3) Outfit yourself in scent free camo clothing from head to toe. I highly recommend the use of lightweight gloves with non-slip palms, as well as a mesh facemask, since these two areas move the most.

Use some sort of rubber or neoprene boots, because leather and most fabrics tend to gather and hold un-

Good bait and plenty of it are crucial, not just for attracting bears, but to keep them coming back.

Greg Palm puts at least 5 gallons per day per barrel on each bait site. All photos: Bill Graves

wanted scents. Wash the clothing with a scent-free detergent, and once they’re dry, place and transport all

items in a commercially available scent free dry bag.

(Continued on next page)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 37

Start baiting early and use good quality, sweet bait to attract bear, sometimes in twos and threes.

(Continued from page 36)

Keeping Clothes Scent-Free Don the hunting clothes just before heading into the bait site, and liberally apply scent-free spray.

Once in the stand or ground blind, I spray the general area and nearby leaves and bush with an attractant scent to further cover my human odors as well as entice hungry bruin. Place the hunting garb back in the special bag as soon as the outing is over to keep the items scentfree until the next day’s hunt.

There are two good size bear in this photo and neither is in a position allowing a good double lung shot. Lying down, sitting in a twisted position behind brush, or standing off center at the barrel, are all poor options.

ture comfort and bear retrieval essentials that are always in my backpack or nearby vehicle.

A MR 300 Thermacell insect repellant unit keeps mosquitoes and black flies at bay while I’m in my tree stand. It’s scent free, so bear aren’t spooked; it’s DEET-free, flameand smoke-free as well, and very compact

and simple to use over and over with just a quick change of repellant mat and fuel cartridge.

Trying to remain motionless for hours on end in a cramped tree stand or uncomfortable blind seat is tough. My Gelcore, camo covered, 14 X 16 X 3 seat cushion by Hunt Comfort distributes weight to assure

While sows with cubs are fun to watch and photograph, sportsmen don’t shoot. Small bears also eat a lot of expensive bait over the weeks. You can see where the mother pawed out food that the cubs could not reach.

stationary comfort for hours; bear stand, duck blind, ice fishing hut or tree stump on a deer trail, this cushion does it all.

I keep a high intensity head lamp, my Primos Bloodhunt tracking light, a (Bear Hunting continued on page 39)

Take Care of the Bear Meat If you aren’t able to process and pack your own bear meat, be sure to contact a meat cutter and set up delivery options. A meat cutter will cut and wrap the tasty steaks and roasts for the freezer.

While you’re at it, check in with a local taxidermist for directions and suggestions on how to handle the cleaning and transport process, in case you down a trophy animal.

Essential Extras After hundreds of hunts and thousands of hours on stand, I’ve established a few crea-

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38 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

To Kill a Bear with a Bow

by Dean J. Baker – Bonifay, Florida “Can’t kill a bear with bow.” Even with all the lunchtime chatter in the café, those words rang clear above the din. It was the first week of September in Allagash, and I was in Maine with my outfitter, Wade Kelly, for another bear season.

Twin Rivers Café was where all the meals were served while hunting with Wade, and it was a nearby café patron who made the pronouncement, “Can’t kill a bear with a bow.”

I had hunted with Wade for years, with bow, and had taken a bear every year. Over fifty percent of Wade’s hunters were bow hunters and many nice bears had been taken by, yes, a bow.

Getting to the Site Traveling over fifty miles of rutted, dustfilled logging roads in the Allagash to get to a bear stand was a true adventure. Made a person look forward to the five or six hour sit in a bear stand.

Perched in a twelve foot ladder stand set down wind at the intersection of three trails, I began my afternoon hunt. Such a majestic territory. Big pines, birch, and an abundance of berry bushes. No sounds of automobiles, planes, trains.

No stress.

Just the sounds of the woods.

Time passed by and all I had seen were a few squirrels stealing bait from my barrel and a few grouse. Then to my left came the dis-

tant branch-snapping sound. “Bear? Maybe.

Wait, not a bear ....

Moose! Maybe two!” I could not see through the dense woods, but the noise was getting closer.

Big Bear!

My heart started rapid thumping. What an experience! I was concentrating so completely on trying to see the moose I forgot I was hunting bear.

Then my focus went back to the bait barrel – “Bear! No, two bears! Make that three!” The biggest bear – and I mean biggest – was at the barrel, and the other two were on opposite side trails waiting their turns.

Now here is where I would like to say my nerves of steel activat-

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ed. I went into complete focus; took deep, calming breaths.

Yeah, right. None of that happened. The reality is I was shaking so hard I don’t know how I stayed in the tree. No focus whatsoever. And deep breaths? Small gasps were all I could muster.

That bear at the barrel was big; the one I wanted to harvest. He was having a time trying to get the bait out of that barrel.

His head was so big it didn’t fit in the opening, and his shoulder stopped him from getting his arm inside. As the bear’s frustration grew with the barrel, it took his attention from my direction.

Here was my window of opportunity. I always sit with my bow in my lap and I shoot sitting, so I didn’t have to move much to get in the ready. I drew

back the bow, set the pin middle of the bear, and released. Thwack!

The bear exploded forward, sending the barrel over end, and leaving the arrow stuck in the ground.

The big bear ran twenty yards down the trail, stopped to look back from where he’d come, and then just fell over.

Transport Challenge I thanked God for the blessing of the hunt, then just sat there in wonder and relived what just unfolded. With the other two bears in the vicinity, I just sat in the stand to watch, and wait for the dark and my guide to return. A guide named Hilton came for me, purposely making noises to drive the bears away, allowing me to get down.

I described the shot to Hilton, the (Continued on next page)

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 39 (Continued from page 38)

story flowing from my mouth as fast as my tongue would allow. When I finished, Hilton asked me how I felt about the shot placement. “Well,” I replied pointing down the pitch-black trail, “the bear’s lying about 35 yards that way, so I’m feeling pretty confident.”

With a grin, he led the way to the recovery site.

After confirming the bear was dead, Hilton remarked, “We may need a bigger boat.” In the back of the van was an old Coleman canoe that Hilton’s son had accidently cut in half when he’d been plowing snow the previous winter. Would it be a big enough bear drag for an animal of this size?

We gathered up six guys, rope, flashlights, and the half a canoe, and headed back into the dark woods. Now you’d think it would be simple for six guys to roll a bear into half a canoe. Nope. Keeping that canoe up-

right while trying to roll that bear into it seemed an impossible task, but we eventually prevailed.

With four guys in front pulling and two behind pushing, we started out. However, the same remoteness and cover that made this an effective site, also made for make for an exhausting retrieval. We lost the bear out of the drag twice, and ran the canoe right over one fellow in front who lost his footing.

How Big? Finally, we made it to the van and loaded the bear. As we started the ride back to camp, the topic quickly turned to guessing the weight, a ritual after every successful bear hunt.

After several guesses, it was Hilton’s turn. “365 pounds,” he declared. Asked to explain, he said, “Well, that canoe, when it was in one piece, had a label on it that said max load weight 650 pounds. So half that canoe seems to me would hold 325. Some of that bear was hang-

ing over the sides, a good leg and a half, and I figure that’s good for 40 pounds.” Still makes me laugh.

Arriving at cam at 10:30 p.m., I noticed right away the activity level was higher than normal. On each previous night, my parents, neither one a hunter, waited in the café for my return to hear how that night’s sit had gone. That night, however, they were standing on the small deck in front of the café, and they weren’t alone. Seems Hilton had radioed that a good bear was coming in, and folks were coming to see it. News travels fast.

When Hilton swung open the van’s back doors and eyes laid upon that bear, there was a lot of oohing and aahing, and then the questions started: “What you shoot him with?”

“When did he come out?”

“What did he do?”

Now I did nothing special to have this particular bear come

The author, his trophy bear, and his weapon of choice.

to the bait site I was sitting. My only real contribution was to make the best shot I could for a clean, quick harvest, the result of many hours of practice.

I retold the story many times that night.

Morning came sooner than I wanted; the night’s events still processing in my mind.

Being the hunter who harvested an animal such as this was new to me. I’ve got to admit it felt good. Yet I was humbled and grateful to be in the position.

Bear Hunting (Continued from page 37)

Leupold LTO thermal tracker and a roll of toilet paper in my camo backpack that goes to the stand with me.

Beyond its intended use, the TP works wonderfully as a trail of breadcrumbs for tracking in deep cover, especially at night. I place a single sheet on a tree branch at eye level each time I locate blood spoor. It shows up vividly when it’s time to return to the shooting site, and disintegrates naturally after a rainstorm or two.

In the back of my SUV is the large size Shappel Jet Sled in camo color.

Nothing helps move a bulky bear over rough terrain and through brush and trees better than one of the slick, durable tote sleds. It also keeps blood and offal contained during transport, and

Charlie Anderson of Massachusetts was successful on his first ever bear hunt sitting on one of the author’s baits two years ago on Youth Day. He used a single shot Thompson 45-70.

allows a consolidated location to store hunting gear in a vehicle before the hunt.

Not a Sure Bet Bear baiting garners a lot of con-

The bear tipped the scales at 388 pounds. He was fat and healthy.

After the tagging agent left and just before processing started, in walked a guide with a familiar face.

Yup. It was Mister “You can’t kill a bear with a bow,” from the diner. He shook my hand and offered congratulations. And yes, I told the story again, politely making certain he clearly understood you can kill a bear with a bow.

¶

troversy. Those not familiar with the endeavor assume it unsporting and a sure bet to fill a tag.

A quick review of recent years’ hunter success numbers proves most are under 25% – certainly not an inspiring success rate. That’s part of the reason Maine’s black bear population continues to grow annually.

Due to extremely thick, heavy woodland and cover, and the “black ghosts’” acute senses of smell and hearing, as well as the propensity for nocturnal activity, very few bruin would be tagged if hunters were unable to hunt over bait.

I hope this list of suggestions adds to your bear hunting success, whether you carry a firearm, a bow or crossbow, or even just a camera.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

40 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

First Bear Season – Lessons Learned

by Emily Goode

The author learned to differentiate among the bears, and often she could tell which bear had been there by the way the bait was hit. She looked forward to the daily trips in to see which bear had visited.

My boyfriend Chris and I successfully baited a site and harvested two black bears in 2020. I learned a lot while preparing for, and participating in, those hunts. Here are some of the lessons learned.

Location, and Persistence The first step is to find a good bait site.

Bears need a handful of things to survive, and if you can find a location that has most (or all) of those elements close by, you’re off to a good start.

The next thing I learned is not to get your hopes up with a first-year site. In our case, however, we remained optimistic, and as it turns out

we ended up going in Every. Single. Day. Which isn’t typical, as most hunters go in every few days, but we had a BIG bear coming in from Day One. He came in every day for 17 days straight, before heading elsewhere for reasons we never determined.

However, there was no slowing of activity. In total, we had nine different bears hitting the bait throughout the season. Most were regulars, while a few others seemed to just be passing through.

No Perfume We learned to differentiate among the bears, and often we could tell which bear had been there by the

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way the bait was hit.

We began looking forward to our daily trips in to see which bear had visited.

Both Chris and I harvested bears off this site two days apart, and what we believe led to our success was being consistent for the entire month.

We came in the same path, at the same time, wearing the same type of gear (gloves; rubber boots; no perfume or cologne). We were meticulous.

The Hunt Fast forward to opening day. We were fully scent-free – bodies, clothes, and mosquito nets. I climbed into our double stand, and waited while Chris freshened the bait then came to join me.

If you’ve deer hunted, you know a tiny squirrel can sound like a giant buck. Well it’s no different bear hunting, and my heightened sense of awareness and anticipation every time I heard a snap that came from our trail was off the charts.

Twenty minutes before last light, out of nowhere, in complete silence, not one but TWO bears came into our bait. We couldn’t believe it. We watched them for a few min-

The author and her bear, one of two harvested from the same bait site in 2020. Chris Sargent photo

utes, and picked out the larger of the two. I lined up and waited for my shot. He stepped just right and BAM, a shot right through both lungs! He spun around, ran toward us, then turned left into the woods and collapsed, dead.

The other bear ran off with the shot, but suddenly we saw him again! He was coming back to the bait! We sat and watched him for a while as he ate and then finally left, clearly not bothered.

We finally climbed down and found my bear about 40 yards into the woods.

Advice for Beginners The whole experience was surreal. I learned a great deal, not just about hunting, but about bears and their habits, movements and personalities. I also learned about hunting with someone else, rather

than just solo.

The advice I would give first-time bear hunters or seasoned hunters is – • be patient • be consistent, and • don’t change things if you don’t have to.

• Bang a bucket or something else loud, every time you go out, so the bears get used to hearing that noise and begin equating it with a freshened bait.

• Go scent-free and all camo (hands and face too), and • if possible, use video mode on the camera at your bait site. This helps to see the animals’ movements, which direction they’re coming from, how they act at the bait, and how they interact each other.

“Goode” luck out there, fellow hunters!

¶

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 41

Taxidermy Do’s and Don’ts You squeeze the trigger once and a wood duck falls into the brook before you.

You wade over and pick it up. It’s a beautiful, mature drake.

He’s the one – you’re definitely getting him mounted. But now what? Proper field care helps ensure a better mount.

Birds Take your mature wood duck and gently carry it back to your vehicle. Don’t worry if there’s a little blood on it; your taxidermist will take care of that. When you get home, wrap a wet paper towel around the bird’s feet, and place the entire bird in a Ziploc bag (two-gallon Ziplocs works great if the bird is too large for a one-gallon). Squeeze the air out of the bag, and place it flat in your freezer.

Paul Reynolds of Wild Wing Taxidermy in Dayton suggests targeting your trophy waterfowl as late in the season as possible. “It’s common for birds shot in October

to still have pin feathers, which are underdeveloped feathers that are still growing,” he said. “They can fall out during the process, and it’s difficult to produce a quality bird mount.”

For full turkey mounts, cool the bird off and take it to your taxidermist as soon as possible. For turkey tail mounts, remove the tail above the anus.

It’s better to give your taxidermist too many feathers than too few, and tail mounts do not simply include the fan feathers but can include the feathers in front of the fan. Place the entire thing in a plastic bag and freeze it.

DO • Freeze in a Ziploc bag DON’T • Wrap it in newspaper or vacuum seal it • Gut the bird • Carry it by its neck or let your dog retrieve it

Mammals Keep the animal as

Tanned hides take up less room and are less expensive than mounts. Randy Huntley photo

clean and dry as possible, and skin it as soon as you can. If you can’t skin it immediately, cool it down quickly. If you aren’t sure how to properly skin the animal, bring it straight to your taxidermist, and ask him or her to do it.

For a whitetail shoulder mount, cut well behind the front legs so your taxidermist has plenty of material to work with.

When skinning animals, avoid cutting holes. Your taxidermist has to hand sew each hole you cut, and you may be charged extra if you have too many holes.

“The two things that can cause major issues with your animal are heat and bacteria,” advised Cody Gould, of Crown of Maine Taxidermy.

“Get your animal to the taxidermist as soon as possible. If it will take a few days, make sure the blood is cleaned off the animal, and do not leave it soaked with water.

Both blood and water can result in increased

bacteria growth.”

DO • Get it to your taxidermist ASAP • Cap deer well behind the front legs • Skin the animal ASAP DON’T • Hang it in your garage for three weeks • Hesitate to have your taxidermist skin the animal for you Fish There are two types of fish mounts – replicas, and skin mounts. Skin mounts use the skin and fins from your fish, while replicas are just that – replicas. Both skin and replica mounts have fabricated heads, and both types of mounts must be painted. A replica is a good option for anglers who practice catch and release, or who caught a fish many years ago and regret not mounting it at the time.

“Whether you want a reproduction or skin mount is just a matter of preference

Think of alternative ways to memorialize your bird hunts, such as with a feather wreath. Christi Holmes photo

by the customer,” said Tim Sansoucy of Tim’s Fish Taxidermy located in Alfred. “Replicas do not come in every shape and size, so sometimes customer must be willing to go larger or smaller, unless the replica is custom cast, a more expensive option. I hand-carve the bodies on my skin mounts to ensure proper size, so each of them is one of a kind, just like the customer’s fish.”

Regardless of the mount you prefer, to help guide your taxidermist you’ll want to take plenty of photos of your fish in good lighting, avoiding glare from direct sunlight, as well as dark shadows.

“Take photos of your fish while it’s still alive,” recommended Cody Gould. “The color begins to fade the minute the fish is pulled from the water. A taxidermist can only paint your fish accurately if the angler provides photos showing the de(Maine Sportswoman continued on page 45)

If your partner says you have too many mounts, there are plenty of other options, such as a fur koozie! Photo: Darling Leather and Fur, Etsy www.MaineSportsman.com

42 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Time to Revisit April Haunts Walk softly streamside, says the author, since heavy footfalls cause vibrations that get transmitted into the water, where they are sensed by the fishes’ “lateral lines” -- those thin, nearly imperceptible lines that run horizontally the lengths of their bodies.

It’s September, and last April seems so far in the past. Much can happen in five months.

The world can change.

But one thing remains constant – brook trout streams that produced in April also give up their treasures in September.

For those who like to keep a trout for the pan, general law dictates a bag limit of one brook trout per day.

But you can catch and release as many as you wish.

Not all the places that yield trout in spring will produce now, however. Low, warmer water drives trout to the comfort of spring-fed sections of

the stream, and where springs are lacking, fish congregate at the bottom of the deepest holes.

Speaking of springfed areas of streams, these aren’t always the deepest sections.

One pool on a little trout stream that flows between Route 1 and the sea holds only about one foot of water, yet trout come from up and down the brook to luxuriate in the cool water.

There is no secret to finding such places, no key ingredients or signs to look for. It simply takes a bit of legwork, or sometimes lots of legwork. But once found, always

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remembered.

Deep Holes Spring-fed sections aside, most September trout come from deep holes. A deep, 15foot diameter pool can hold dozens of trout, all gently finning near bottom.

However, these fish are always alert to any movement from above, from prey or predator. This means that we need to ensure a stealthy approach in order not to spook these trout, since once spooked, it may take an hour for fish to settle down.

Most of these small streams can’t be accessed by fly casting because of streamside brush, so I long ago quit using flies and switched to ultralight spinning gear. The enhanced casting abilities of the thin lines associated with ultralight tackle allows for an extremely gentle presentation.

Regarding whether to use bait or artificials, remember that smaller trout often beat bigger trout to the punch. Also, these fish bite voraciously, and if you’re using angleworms, they will tend to swallow the hook. Artificials such as spinners and small spoons will work, but they are too splashy

This small stream that produced in springtime is worth revisiting in September, especially if it features deep holes and cool water. Tom Seymour photo

and can put fish down.

Tiny jigs and Trout Magnets, which are a form of jig, enter the water gently, and they don’t move much water on the way down.

Usually, especially on the first catch, the jig won’t make it all the way down to the bottom.

This brings up another point. Because trout that are confined in one pool are so easily spooked, it is important to play fish carefully, and to keep a low profile while doing so. I have seen people get excited and stand up when a fish hits, only to throw a shadow across the pool and put the rest of the trout down. So keep your rod low when playing a trout, and land it as gently as possible. It you release the fish, don’t just throw it in with a splash, but instead, lower it back to the water and allow it to swim away on its own.

Water Color Water color dictates how trout react to your presence. In dark, tannin-stained water, the fish can’t see very far, so it isn’t necessary to keep such

a low profile. Still, other things we do can put trout on alert, and walking heavily and stomping around are top offenses.

Heavy footfalls cause vibration, and streamside banks can transmit those vibrations to the water, where trout pick them up via their lateral line – that thin, nearly imperceptible line that runs horizontally the length of their bodies.

So walk softly, and you should be able to catch one trout after another without spooking them.

Some freestone streams feature crystal-clear water, and even in deep holes visibility remains very high. So here again, stealth is advised. This reminds me of one pool I fish on a little mountain brook. The brook crosses a road, and the bridge crossing creates a 4-foot waterfall that splashes down into a large, deep pool. This pool is so deep that bubbles from the waterfall never reach bottom, creating a continual bubble trail going down and going back (Trout Fishing continued on page 45)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 43

— Guest Column —

A Tomboy’s Fish Tale

by Beverley Baum Soule, Kennebunkport

“Okay, Bev, now you are gonna have-ta PLAY-’UM!” said Dad. The battle between me and the big bass was about to begin!

To my dad, fishing wasn’t just a leisurely way to enjoy the scenery. Fishing was an art and a science and a view into his personality of patience and perseverance.

I shared Dad’s passion for fishing, and honed my skills as a 10-year old tomboy.

I became a good fisherman because of the summers we spent at our camp on Roxbury Pond, about 12 miles from our home in Rumford.

In the early 1950s, my parents purchased a two-room seasonal camp on the pond.

Heat was provided by a Franklin Stove; facilities consisted of an outhouse next to the driveway.

The camp did offer one modern convenience – a telephone box hanging on the wall. After you cranked the handle and picked up the listening device, an operator asked, “Number, please?” You gave her the number, and she would connect you.

Our camp also had a screened-in covered porch overlooking the cove of water and the lake beyond. Being “up-ta camp” was pure happiness for this 10year-old.

Ketchum Dad built a dock on the edge of the water, which held “Ketchum,” our 12 foot long, whitewith-red-trim, flat bottomed wooden boat. A

five-horsepower Johnson outboard powered the boat. It was heavy, but sturdy and safe.

I had two brothers, who found a greater variety of outdoor activities to enjoy than I did. Because I was “a girl,” they did their best to exclude me from their fun. My focus became the water – either fishing or swimming.

Fishing was good even off the end of the dock. With a sinking red and white “daredevil” spoon, I pulled pickerel from the weedbeds. Casting a Jitterbug, I caught small bass that lurked among the rocks.

I became proficient at casting, practicing for hours, learning how to stop the line without it getting all tangled up. That is, after having to untangle the line many times.

Because of my interest and growing skill, Dad started inviting me to go fishing with him – for the day, yes, for the day! My mother would smile and call us the “fishing fools” as we left in early morning and returned just before dark. We took sandwiches, something chocolate, coffee and soda. If the sun got too hot during the day, I could easy dive off the boat for a short swim to cool off.

Fish On On one particular day, we got up just

after dawn, with the morning fog still rising from the water.

Dad made us a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, and coffee, while I prepared a stack of boloney sandwiches for our lunch.

Fortified for the day, we packed the boat with provisions, fishing gear, jackets and hats. While dad started the engine, I untied the boat and pushed us off.

Dad maneuvered Ketchum along the shore of the lake, so we’d know where we were in the heavy fog.

Once we got to the deep water, Dad cut the boat’s motor and positioned the boat to drift by the rocky shore of Little Island, in the middle of the lake.

We’d brought a pail of minnows we’d caught the previous day in a trap on a bank of the Sandy River. Dad rigged a rod for me, using a small hook for the minnow, a sinker, six feet of leader, and a red and white bobber attached where the leader met the fishing line.

It was cloudy – ideal fishing conditions.

Dad dropped the minnow and line into the water, and we watched the baitfish begin to swim off.

Then, as we watched in complete amazement, a large bass rose up from the depths and grabbed

The author and the State of Maine “One That Didn’t Get Away Club” certificate and patch she earned by catching a 5-lb., 1-oz. smallmouth bass, September 1, 1952 on Roxbury Pond, northwest of Rumford, while fishing with her father.

my minnow. Then, with a nonchalant flick of its tail, it glided back into the blackness of the deep water.

We both looked at each other wide eyed!

What had we just seen?

Hook ’um! Play ’um!

After a few minutes, the bobber started dancing up and down on the surface of the water, and then it disappeared. I had learned to give the fish line as it swam away, maintaining only a slight tension.

After what seemed like an eternity, probably 10 minutes, Dad instructed me with gusto, “Okay, it is time to HOOK ’UM!” which meant to set the hook into the jaw of the fish.

With my rod tipped down near the surface of the water, I pulled up with all my might.

The rod bent over, and I started reeling in to keep the line taut so as not to give the fish any slack to shake my hook out of its mouth.

“Okay, Bev, now you are gonna have-ta PLAY-’UM!” said Dad.

The battle between me and the big bass was about to begin!

I could feel the 50 feet of extended line begin to rise up to the surface of the water.

Then the bass exploded two feet out of the water, trying to shake the hook out. “‘DON’T LOSE ’UM,” exclaimed Dad. My job was to not let the fish have any slack line while reeling any loose line.

After the fish disappeared back into the water, I could still feel its weight on the line; I did not lose it! From past unsuccessful fishing experiences, I knew the letdown of an empty line. I took a deep breath, looked at Dad, and then, BAM!, the fish decided to run with my line.

The reel screeched as the handle and line threatened to spin out of control. By placing my thumb on the spool, I was able to slow it down. As the reel slowed and stopped spinning, I could feel that the fish was still on the line.

(Tomboy’s Fish Tale continued on page 45) www.MaineSportsman.com

44 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Superb Fly Fishing Happens When Anglers Master Details I always thought fluorocarbon was made solely for subsurface use, but not for dry flies, because I’d been told fish could see it when it was used on the surface.

But that information was wrong, wrong, wrong.

Not to be too dramatic, but my whole world of fly fishing seemed to turn upside down in late June of this year. I was fishing at Grant’s Camps on Kennebago Lake with an old friend and a fairly new friend ... and this old dog learned a new trick that just might take my fly fishing to another level.

Rangeley angler Steve Marsters is the fairly new fishing buddy, and Ron Apter, a retired doctor from Virginia, is an old fishing client-turned-fishing buddy. I wanted Steve to show us how to catch trout and salmon during the Hex hatch that usually happens in late June or early July.

Well anyway, Mr. Apter’s leader was getting too short to use, so I offered to tie another one on for him. When I looked in his bag for

the correct leader (a tapered 4X), all he had was fluorocarbon ... his monofilament leaders were all too light.

Apter said, “Fluorocarbon will be just fine.”

I had always thought fluorocarbon was made for subsurface use, because fish could see it when it was used with dry flies on the surface. Both Apter and Marsters said they have used it with dry flies and really had good luck.

Marsters went so far as to mention that fluorocarbon is all he uses for leaders and tippet material. Maybe this is why he is always catching all the big fish while I seem to get lucky with a few.

For years, experienced anglers always told me to use fluorocarbon leaders for subsurface fishing, and anything else (nylon or monofilament)

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for fishing dry flies on the top of the water.

With this recent information, my mind has been changed ... in a huge way.

Speedy Order Over the years I’ve noticed something that troubles me ... incorrect information sometimes gets passed along by folks who appear to be sincere.

I mean, they really don’t mean to mislead you, but it happens. So why had I been wrong about fluorocarbon all these years?

I am kind of a gullible person, and what makes matters worse, once I absorb a tidbit of information like this (even if it’s not true), it’s stuck in my head for eternity. Also, I must admit, I’m a terrible listener – I could have gotten it wrong in the first place.

Once I heard from these two highly-ex-

Full moon over Grant’s Camps on Kennebago Lake. William Clunie photo

perienced anglers, Marsters and Apter, that fluorocarbon worked great for dry fly fishing, I got on the computer and ordered some extra fluorocarbon tapered leaders and tippet material to fill my vest.

I immediately put an order in with RIO Products (rioproducts. com) for some of their “FluoroFlex” and another order with Orvis (orvis.com), stocking up on their “Mirage” tippet and leader material.

I learned a good lesson from this ... always check your sources, then double check with other sources. Don’t take the word of one “expert” as solid evidence until you check a few other sources. Also, remem-

ber that fishing is an evolving subject and can change, sometimes rather quickly.

New products and developments in technology really can change the effectiveness of the items we use for fly fishing and tying flies.

The lack of fly fishing shops has caused some of this trouble.

It used to be that an angler would simply walk into a shop, ask a few questions, and get updated on new products and helpful information. Try to get as much information by connecting with folks in the business on a regular basis. If I would have simply contacted a local shop, or Orvis or RIO, I could have been a more informed and effective angler.

Something like the situation mentioned above might seem small and insignificant to some, but it really can mean the difference between mediocre fishing and hauling in trophy fish.

A small detail like this reminds me of when I used to guide bear hunters. Anybody could put bait out and have clients shoot average, 150-pound-bear all day long. It was the (Continued on next page)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 45 (Continued from page 44)

insightful, highly-experienced guide who knew how to bring in the huge, trophy-sized bear by covering every detail necessary.

The magic takes place when you master the details – in bear hunting, as well as fly fishing.

Fly Fishing Details Almost every time I mention a tip about any subject to a group

of people, there will surely be someone that comes up with a friend or family member that does the opposite of what I am speaking of with great success.

For instance, I tell folks not to smoke or make noise while deer hunting and guess what – “My Uncle Charlie used to smoke constantly on stand, and he was known for shooting a big deer every year – and he was

Maine Sportswoman (Continued from page 41)

tails clearly.”

DO • Wrap a wet fish in Saran wrap; wrap a dry fish in a wet towel and then Saran wrap. Lay flat, and freeze • Take lots of photos, including closeups of the head, cheeks and back • Take length and girth measurements DON’T • Wrap it in newspaper or paper towels • Take photos once the fish has been dead a long time

Trout Fishing (Continued from page 42)

up. Trout hang along the edge of this well-aerated bubble stream, waiting to grab whatever goodies may pass by.

Perhaps it’s because of light conditions here, or maybe because of mineral content of the water, but this deep pool appears blue, like the ocean. And visi-

Tomboy’s Fish Tale

(Continued from page 43)

We waited for the next move of the fish, Then, the extended line began to rise, and the fish made a second leap out of the water.

Into the Net

“Better start reeling him in Bev – he’s getting tired,” coached Dad. While I slowly reeled, he steered the boat toward the fish. I handed him the rod so he could control the fish and line in one hand, while steering the direction of

the noisiest hunter around.”

Some folks get lucky, but for the average angler, we need to pay attention to all of the minute details to find great success. Let me lay a few details out here that make a difference under most conditions.

Learn how to tie the best knot for the situation. I have mastered the Duncan Loop and find it works well

for almost any fishing application. I will use a Davy knot for flies smaller than a number 18, and a Palomar knot for big lures or when going with a hopper-dropper rig.

Find a solution that keeps dry flies from sinking and take the time to replenish it often. Checking flies routinely, sometime every 10 to 15 casts, helps an angler fix wind knots, tangles,

• Gut or bleed the fish Caring for Your Completed Mount Once you get your mount back, keep it away from direct sunlight, in a climate-controlled room with low humidity. Dust your mount occasionally, but don’t use any chemical products on it. A damp soft cloth can be used to clean a fish mount.

Other Ideas Taking a game animal’s life is a serious matter, and if you’re like me, it pains you to throw away beautiful hides or cool skulls from animals you shot. You cannot mount everything, but think of other ways to display parts of the animal, such as: • A feather wreath is a great way to showcase grouse and turkey feathers. bility being so good, you can see trout swimming about, like little sharks, ready to leap on anything unfortunate enough to fall in the water. This scene always excites me. It’s one of those sights in nature that come across as totally remarkable.

Stream Rotation In order not to stir the trout up too

the boat in his other.

Quietly, I reached for the landing net. “Okay, Bev, be ready,” said Dad. “I’ll tell you when to put the net under him.” I reached over the side of the boat, and when Dad gave me the goahead, in a quick, smooth move, I slid the net under the bass and scooped it up. Together we had landed the largest bass I ever saw!

After we took a moment to grasp what we had accomplished, Dad restarted the motor and headed for the Game Warden’s camp to have him verify the weight and length of the bass.

The result? The smallmouth weighed 5

and line twisting that can really make a difference between success and a so-so day of fishing. I find that Loon Products’ (loonoutdoors.com) “Fly Dip” works fantastic ... but there are many others out there. The key here is to use the product often enough to keep your flies riding high on the surface.

¶

• A doe hide makes a nice drapery across a chair.

• Furs of coyotes, foxes and other furbearers make nice hangers if the animal were killed in winter when their fur is thick.

• Save and display skulls from does, bears, coyotes or other large animals. They take us less space than full mounts, and are a fraction of the cost.

It’s helpful to select your taxidermist ahead of the hunt – that way, you can call him or her with any questions.

Go visit a few shops and look at their work – you might get some new ideas, such as having the taxidermist make you a racoon-fur koozie!

¶

much (spawning season is nigh) on any one stream, I only fish each stream once or twice each September. There are enough streams on my list to make a day out of it, going from one to another. This is adequate to build fond memories. I can think of no better way to spend a September day.

¶

lbs., 1 oz., and was 21 inches long, qualifying me for entry into the “One That Didn’t Get Away” Club.

I still have the certificate made out to me on September 1, 1952. On that day, I “showd-’um” (my brothers) that a girl could catch a big one!

This event was one of many memorable times with my dad. He was on top of everything that mattered about fishing. His approach to fishing was not just a lesson in angling, but an approach to life – if you are going to do something, be ready, and give it your all.

¶

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46 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 47

Boggy Brook Outfitters Boggy Brook Outfitters is a family-owned and operated Maine Guide Service with a main lodge and cabin, located in Ellsworth, Maine. This is a four-season operation, providing year-round adventures and lodging to their guests.

Since 2006, owner Jesse Derr has offered client-tailored hunting and fishing trips, wildlife observation tours, and luxury lakefront accommodations.

Nestled in a quiet cove on pristine Branch Lake, the main lodge offers luxury, log-home accommodations, exceptional sunsets, hunting, fishing, swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing and wildlife observation.

The convenient location presents clients not only with a tranquil lakefront retreat, but also close proximity to explore such must-see attractions as Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, and much more.

Maine Master Guide Derr and his son Christopher take pride in the exceptional services provided by Boggy Brook Outfitters to their guests from Maine and around the world. They provide fully-guided bear hunting, deer hunting, turkey hunting and moose hunting trips, as well as four-season freshwater fishing trips.

Boggy Brook Outfitters offer deer hunting in all three of the available seasons in Maine (Bow, Rifle, and Muzzleloader). They hunt over active food plots and well-traveled deer trails, and offer metal ladder tree stands, shooting houses and ground blinds. The guides work hard planting and maintaining food plots all year. Trail cameras are placed in hunting areas and food plots. Throughout the year, Boggy Brook Outfitters check over their well-established 1,500 gated acres of hunting land.

Jesse and Christopher look forward to serving each client with professionalism and experience, with hunting and fishing adventures and with memories that will last a lifetime. Lifelong friendships are often created during these ad-

ventures. Boggy Brook Outfitters’ goal is not only to meet their clients’ expectations, but to always exceed them.

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¶

Macannamac Camps

Located in the Remote Area of Allagash Lakes Region The highlands of the north Maine woods, the headwaters of the Allagash River, and the quality camps along the lake shores make the perfect combination for a vacation getaway.

For over 35 years, Macannamac Camps has been providing accommodations to outdoorsmen from Maine and beyond. Not only do hunters and fishermen find their way to the heart of the big woods of Maine, but also families come to experience the value and simplicity of outdoor fun.

Seven Cabins Macannamac provides the opportunity to enjoy seven remote cabins on the shores of Haymock, Spider and Cliff Lakes. A main lodge at Haymock Lake provides an additional level of service

and luxury to a vacation plan.

The cabins are separate and remote, which provides the atmosphere of enjoying your own privately-owned camp.

Since each cabin has its own front porch and private dock, all guests are able to relax and capture the refreshing solace that only a remote area can provide.

Lakeside sunrises, sunsets and spectacular night skies only add to the experience.

Fishing, Hunting and Other Attractions Fishing and hunting in the North Maine Woods are definitely primary draws. With seemingly endless numbers of lakes, ponds, streams and rolling landscapes, the region is a giant playground within which to pursue trophy deer, moose, grouse, lake trout, brook trout, whitefish and cusk.

Points of interest such as Churchill Dam, the Logging Museum, and the Locomotives and Tramway are all nearby to explore.

Cabin Features The cabins are traditional, round-log construction or log cabin kits, and are

fully equipped to provide four seasons of comfortable atmosphere. Cabins are set up with fully outfitted kitchens, living space and quality bunk beds.

The cabins on Haymock Lake offer full indoor plumbing.

All are well maintained, offering guests a unique sense of home away from home.

For More Information Call Macannamac Camps any time at (207) 307-2115, or write to P.O. Box 598 Millinocket, ME 04462.

And stop in whenever you are in the neighborhood.

The north woods, the Allagash, and Macannamac – the ultimate backwoods hospitality experience.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

48 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Buckhorn Camps Buckhorn Camps, located on Middle and Lower Jo-Mary Lakes in the North Maine Woods, first welcomed “sports” in 1895. Spread out among the tall white pines on Jo-Mary Island, the camps offer several well-appointed rustic cabins with fully equipped kitchens and private bathrooms. Each cabin is unique in size and character.

Bud Utecht and Katy Wood, lodge owners, purchased the sporting camp in 2020 and are lovingly restoring the historic gem on Jo-Mary Island. There are a handful of sporting camps left in Maine that are accessed by boat, seaplane, or snowmobile; Buckhorn is one of them.

Guests enjoy the experience of driving through the North Maine Woods to our landing, where they embark on a short boat ride to access the camps.

Spring season kicks off in May, after ice out. Guests enjoy trolling for salmon on the big lake (Lower Jo-Mary) and fly fishing for native brook trout on nearby streams and heritage ponds. In late May, the white perch spawn nearby, and fish fries are a tradition with the superb white fish.

In June, the smallmouth bass become active and hungry. This signals the beginning of a summer of trophy bass fish-

ing on both lakes. Have you ever tried fly fishing for bass? The challenge is exhilarating when a bass hooks on.

The camps are located within a few miles of the famed 100 Mile Wilderness, and Nahmakanta Public Lands. This affords plenty of hiking opportunities. Our guests also enjoy kayaking, canoeing, and unplugging in the remote wilderness. Stargazing is second to none under the dark skies of northern Maine.

The main lodge and seasonal lodge, which literally hang over the lake, provide guests plenty of space to gather for meals, a game of darts, crafting a puzzle, or curling up with a book. Large party sizes gather often in the Hangar, our 3-season lodge. In addition to a housekeeping plan, Buckhorn Camps offers meal plan options. Dinner is hearty and served in

the main lodge that boasts a floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace surrounded by memoirs of the North Maine Woods.

Fall is busy at Buckhorn Camps. The salmon come alive with the colder water temperatures, upland birds are plentiful, and moose are on the move. Bud Utecht, Registered Maine Guide, is available for both fishing and hunting experiences.

Buckhorn Camps has two resident bird dogs, our English Pointer and a German PudelPointer.

Come visit in the winter season. The camps are located right off the ITS 109.

Winter is a great time to ride your snowmobile in the Katahdin Region. Jo-Mary Riders offer world class groomed trails.

Ice fish on Lower or Middle Jo-Mary Lakes for landlocked salmon, bass, white perch, pickerel, and an occasional cusk.

The cabins stay toasty with wood burning stoves, and the main lodge is a great spot to warm up after a day on the lake or trails.

For more information on planning your Maine Sporting Camp adventure at Buckhorn Camps call or text (207) 723-1548, email Info@buckhorncamps. com, or visit our website www.buckhorncamps.com to book online.

¶

Bald Mt. Camps – Four Season Resort Bald Mountain Camps (BMC) rests on the scenic shoreline of Mooselookmeguntic Lake.

Enough said. But wait … there’s more!

Owned and operated by a second generation of the Philbrick family, BMC carries on a family tradition of providing gorgeous lodging and outstanding services for all of their guests.

The Philbricks have maintained the rich heritage of the camps, heritage that started in the 1800s when the facility was first established as a sporting camp. Stephen and Tyler Philbrick, along with other local guides, are available to their guests for fall hunts, fishing trips and boat tours on the big lakes.

BMC’s lakeside resort, rich with local history, consists of fourteen completely-furnished log cabins with comfortable accommodations for 2-8 guests. Each cabin offers a private porch, fireplace, private bath, spacious living room, and individual bedrooms. Efficiency cab-

www.MaineSportsman.com

ins come equipped with microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker, while housekeeping cabins have a stove, refrigerator and small kitchen area. All cabins are set up with Rinnai heaters as a primary source of heat, as well as a wood stove and fireplace. Relax on the lakeside porch with rocking chairs to enjoy the spectacular sunset views over Mooselookmeguntic.

BMC’s main lodge boasts a full menu and full bar available for both guests and those stopping by. The camps are open daily for lunch and dinner, offering delicious gourmet meals served in BMC’s cozy dining room, outside on the deck near the waterfront dock or in the pub. Offerings include grilled steak, fish tacos, and Katahdin-style (mountainous) haddock sandwich.

Don’t miss BMC’s perfectly battered deep-fried or broiled seafood or a tasty traditional grilled cheese for the kids.

Enjoy free Wi-Fi, watch TV or just cozy up

to the warmth of the massive stone fireplace.

Other BMC activities to enjoy during your stay include boat rentals, live music, paddle board and kayak tours, hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, snowmobiling, and BBQ parties to accommodate large groups.

Get in on fall wildlife photography, fishing, hunting and good ol’ relaxing. And winter snowmobiling is right around the corner. Make your lodging reservations NOW for Deer Hunting Season and Snowmobiling Season and all Maine has to offer in the winter! Lodging renewals for Summer of 2022 opens the end of October 2021.

BMC is located at 125 Bald Mountain Rd., Oquossoc, ME 04964-0032. To make your reservations: Phone: 207 864-3671, Email: info@ baldmountaincamps.com, or go to www.baldmountaincamps.com.

¶

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 49

“A Winding Path”

by Matt Breton

From the time you first start on a buck’s track, you have decisions to make – like forks in the road. You have to decide how fast to go, or which way to go around a blowdown. It’s as if, with every decision, you are writing a story of the hunt.

It seems like every year, as I get geared up for fall deer tracking season, I have a movie reel playing in my mind. The playback is full of close calls, misses, and bucks I shot.

This is especially true on Monday morning runs after a weekend spent scouting the big woods. Recently, my mind replayed my first trip to hunt big country, the first buck I tracked, and then the first one I brought home.

These events set me on a winding path.

We don’t often think of the twistings and turnings of life that lead us to where we are, but it is probably good to connect to our roots, remember whose shoulders we stand upon, and look around to see who we might help get into this wonderful big wood’s lifestyle.

First Trip Uncle Ron and his buddy Mike were working together for a concrete company, when the boss decided to take them on a hunting trip to northern NH. They were about 10 years older than me, and I followed them around the woods near our hunt-

ing camp, hanging on their every word.

Somehow, a space opened up on that trip, and I got to tag along. At 19 years old, I couldn’t believe the size and scale of the woods there. Mountains everywhere I looked, gravel roads for miles, and you could just pop in anywhere you wanted.

We chased some deer around on bare ground, and stayed in a great camp. One thing I really remember is stopping to cook hot dogs on the tailgate for lunch. What a cool experience it was to feel like we were in the middle of nowhere, deer hunting and enjoying the vastness all around us.

A Miss Fast forward a few years, and I’d been sucked into the deer-tracking life. I’d read the books and was getting better at tromping around the woods. Boy, I could catch up to deer now, but mostly I heard pounding hooves, and if I glimpsed one at all, it was a white tail waving goodbye. I began to wonder if it was ever going to happen.

Finally, I got close.

It was a good buck. It

went up a mountain – a classic move. I saw him in his bed near the end of the day, and missed. Shot right over his back. Twice.

That day of tracking taught me what I needed to know. I could do it. The Big Woods Bucks team has said it thousands of times, but until you experience it, you don’t know – persistence kills bucks. I didn’t kill that one, but I had leapt over a gap from (Big Woods World continued on page 52)

The author’s dad (right) helps the author celebrate the “Thanksgiving Day Buck.”

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50 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Let’s Establish Deer Archery Season Statewide in September Some consider the idea of a statewide archery season for deer in September and ask “Why?” Joe Salty responds, “Why not?” Here are his arguments in support of expanding our current expanded archery season, to encompass the entire state.

One of my favorite hunts of all time took place in late August, on Anticosti Island in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence River, Quebec. The bucks we saw and harvested all had full velvet antlers, and thin, reddish brown coats.

This was very different from any deer hunting I was accus-

tomed to at that point of my life. I’m fortunate to have hunted deer in many different states and in Canada.

For anyone who has hunted in other places, they’ll understand – our way is not the only way to do it.

Since that hunting trip, I’ve hunted deer during early September, in a few different

states. Warmer temperatures, bugs, thicker foliage and summer patterns present a new challenge to hunters. Those who adapt quickly really enjoy hunting deer this time of year.

In many conversations I’ve had over the last few years, the topic of opening Maine’s deer season in

The author argues that a month-long general archery season for deer statewide in September would bring new hunters into the woods, and would bring additional licensing dollars into DIFW’s coffers. Photo: Realtree

September has come up. Currently, only archers hunting expanded archery zones

are allowed to hunt in September.

(Continued on next page)

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 51 (Continued from page 50)

Expanded Archery Occurs in September Maine’s expanded archery season was created to reduce deer numbers in areas gun season wasn’t able to.

Most of these expanded areas are more heavily populated by people, and therefore archery is considered safer than firearms in those areas.

So archery hunting provides a quiet, less visible way to control deer numbers. By reducing deer numbers in these areas, IF&W is able to reduce damage to crops, landscaping and in many cases, our vehicles. Reducing deer numbers, in theory, might also help control tick numbers.

And that, I believe all of us can agree, is a good thing!

The drawback of the expanded archery hunt for me was the increased competition for hunting areas and the increased hunter confrontations that came with it. Although I lost trail cameras and even a tree stand to theft, the final straw was when I was sitting in my stand, and another hunter set up

within sight of me, even though he saw me the whole time.

Watching him fidget, eat his lunch and loudly blow his nose, causing a nearby buck to snort, was enough to make me quit.

Thus far, this “experiment” has worked well in reducing deer numbers in these areas. In fact, IF&W has increased the expanded areas since the inception of the hunt in the late 1990s.

This year, IF&W has increased antlerless-deer permit numbers in many areas so much that many deer hunters will end up

with two bonus tags.

Here’s an opportunity to try something new.

Archery hunting seasons can reduce deer numbers, if given the opportunity.

Expanded Opportunities Could Mean More Hunters As a youngster just starting to deer hunt, I despised cold temperatures. Nothing ruined a hunt for a young Joe Salty faster than cold toes and cold fingers.

September rarely brings the frigid temperatures of November or December. A comfortable hunter is

far more likely to stick with the sport than one who gets cold.

September hunting also has deer still in summer feeding patterns. This makes them more visible, and with visibility, a new hunter is less likely to be bored.

For these reasons alone, IF&W should want to see if September bowhunting statewide would increase hunter numbers or even just bring more deer hunters to the archery world. All of the above would increase revenue, and in theory increase the health of the department.

Arguments Against a September Hunt Many influential people in the Maine deer hunting world have discussed this idea for years. Not all hunters are in favor of the early opening or expanded opportunity; however, with the recent, more broad acceptance of crossbow hunting, I believe many of the arguments against it, are now moot.

“Why should archers get all the expanded opportunity? If bowhunters get extra time, why should fire(Continued on next page)

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52 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Big Game (Continued from page 51)

arms hunters be denied?” These are just a couple of the arguments against starting archery season in September.

Here’s the thing – there’s little stopping

someone from participating in a September archery hunt. The excuses of, “It’s too expensive” or “I don’t have time” are personal. Anyone who has taken the proper

course could do this.

As hunters, we’re supposed to be on the same team. We’re supposed to support fair chase hunting, even if we don’t want to participate in a specific type of hunting.

It’s my hope we can all get on the same page and start asking

— Trophy Gallery —

IF&W to give this idea a chance. For me, the bottom line is this – If expanded archery season has worked to reduce deer numbers in hard-to-hunt areas, it can work elsewhere. If the argument is, we don’t want to reduce deer numbers, then don’t

increase tag numbers.

This doesn’t mean the season can’t start earlier. It’s doubtful we’ll gain time with Sunday hunting, so let’s increase opportunity in other ways.

What do you say IF&W? Are you game?

¶

Big Woods World (Continued from page 49)

the impossible to the possible.

Taking One Home Dad and I had been on the track for 3 ½ hours. This buck was checking doe group after doe group on Thanksgiving Day. We busted a doe off to our left. I followed the buck’s tracks up over a ridge, and sat down to eat a sandwich at a spot where I had a decent view. I looked up, and the buck we were following was coming along his backtrack.

I’ll never know what was in his mind, but I suspect he thought that doe near us might have been the one for him. What I do know is that his rack on my wall reminds me every day that I love tracking bucks in the big woods. I’m thankful for the winding path I’m on, and appreciative of everyone who has helped along the way.

Chris Ferguson of Thomaston earned his Maine Sportsman “Catch and Release” patch after netting and releasing this beautiful 21-inch brook trout.

Chris was fishing on Damariscotta Lake in his canoe on October 17, 2020, casting with a Brown’s Weeping Willow copper spoon.

On July 17, 2021, Damian Thorne caught and released this 41-inch, 30-lb. striper off the Biddeford shore. He was fishing at low tide using live mackerel.

Photo: Matt Laughton www.MaineSportsman.com

Hal’s Thoughts I met Matt and his dad when they booked in for meals and lodging at our sporting camps.

They were new to hunting our area, but by the end of the week, I knew they were hooked on it. They hunted hard every day, asked questions, and kept at it until it paid off.

Everyone experiences twists and turn in their hunting career, as well as in life. I call them forks in the road. When you come to one, you choose a direction, and then you continue on until the next fork.

Tracking bucks is a prime example of forks in the road. From the time you first start on a buck’s track, you have decisions to make. It might be how fast to go, or it might be which way to go around a blowdown. It’s as if, with every decision, you are writing a story of the hunt. Each one of your decision affects the outcome of the hunt, for better or worse. It’s just the nature of the game we play while tracking.

I have hunters ask me all the time what I would have done in a situation they had just described to me. My answer is always, “I don’t know – I wasn’t there.” You see, there is no decision that is right all the time. It is just a matter of doing something and learning from it. It is, in fact, a “Winding Path”!

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 53

September’s Sporting Smorgasbord If you’re a Baby Boomer with fifty seasons or so of Aroostook adventures, you will remember as I do when September was a month barren of outdoor opportunities.

Most sportsmen used the time to sort and store fishing equipment and boats, and pull their hunting gear from storage; perhaps with a trip to the local gun range or skeet field impatiently waiting for the exciting months of October and November to arrive.

Decade by decade, cast-and-blast op-

While scouting, bring along both a rifle and a shotgun.

Two of the author’s friends shot big tom turkeys last fall while scouting for geese, while in early November another acquaintance bagged a buck while road riding for partridge. Two-guns-per-hunter is what they call being prepared in the County. tions improved for this month – • there’s fall bear baiting; • then comes moose season; • a native Canada goose season was established; • fishing seasons were extended into autumn; and, most recently

• a fall wild turkey hunt was created.

This year the partridge, woodcock and duck seasons all open in late September, as well. Personally I love all the added options this month – now, if we could figure a way to add extra days to enjoy all those rod and gun ventures!

Native Honkers By far, my favorite wing-shooting challenge is coaxing wary, sharp-eyed geese into shotgun range over a spread of decoys.

Adding fuel to the fiery thrill is the six bird daily limit for the entire early season, which is three times the action of the two

goose regular season limit. There are a lot of native birds distributed throughout the Crown of Maine, but the advantages of September honker hunting are often unbalanced by several stumbling blocks.

First is the plethora of grain fields feeding birds have to choose from, and many more being harvested daily this month. Add the number of hunters going afield daily, many migrating north up I-95 from southern Maine and other New (Continued on next page)

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54 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Duck season opens early this year in the North Zone, so it’s wise to begin scouting local fields and waterways now. When early autumn rain forms large puddles in local grain and potato fields, the ducks take full advantage. All Photos by Bill Graves

Some of the most beautiful foliage, temperate conditions and fast bass fishing can be enjoyed this month on Aroostook rivers and lakes. Most anglers have already stored their rods for the season.

The County (Continued from page 53)

England states to take advantage of the copious geese and large limits, and selecting set-up sites can be problematic.

Another issue early season gunners must contend with is small flocks – most flights are family groups averaging 6 to 12 geese, and there may be only two or three opportunities per outing.

On the plus side, many of the birds in these family flocks will be juveniles. De-

spite their full body size they are yet uneducated to danger, and very susceptible to realistic calling, lifelike decoys and crafty, hidden hunters. Shooting geese at their roost ponds is a poor idea, one that will cause them to relocate completely after one or two episodes. It’s far better to set up decoys and blinds in nearby feed fields, and coax them to you. Scouting is essential to locating roost waters, currently

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used grain fields and flight times and pathways between the two areas.

Native Geese Local geese won’t require many decoys to commit to a feed field, as few as a dozen full-body models and certainly no more than three dozen mixed shells, silhouettes, wind socks and full bodies should suffice. Use calls and flags sparingly, mostly on far away honkers to catch their attention. Unlike migrating birds, local flocks make minimal noise.

Sitting in a bear stand this month offers a lot more than a chance to put meat in the freezer. In fact, sometimes it offers a hint where to go moose hunting at the end of the month.

Finally, be precise in setting out decoys so they imitate family groups, say 3 to 5 dekes per unit and at least a dozen feet between each clique.

Despite the multitude of honker hunters, there are a few spots that get lighter pressure, fields where novice waterfowlers and non-locals might experience some success. Between Monticello and Littleton on Route 1, Map 59 of Delorme’s Atlas, sectors C-4 & D-4 are a dozen lakes and ponds as well as Meduxnekeag

River. All of these waterways hold ducks and geese galore, and they wing away to nearby farm fields to feed throughout each day. Scout the Framingham, Foster and Foxcroft Roads and their adjoining field roads and two-tracks to pinpoint flocks of feeding honkers. I’d also suggest some attention to the Hodgdon Corners and Linneus Villages regions on DeLorme’s, Map 53, for more promising goose gathering grounds.

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Bruins Afield Despite the fact that bear baiting began at the end of July and hunting gets underway in August, it’s not too late to establish a bait site. It’s not optimal, but a lot of money for gas and bait can be saved by holding off until now. My fear has always been that bruin will have already been attracted to an earlier set location, but they are a fickle creature for food with a wide travel range. A few years ago, I spotted a large black bear in a specific area two days in a row while

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Many fishermen are occupied by potato and grain harvest this month in Aroostook, so Roger Shaw of Mars Hill takes advantage of the reduced pressure to enjoy some autumn trout action.

(Continued from page 54)

scouting for geese. By the next afternoon I’d gotten landowner’s permission, cleared a small swath of brush, wired a 5-gallon bucket to a tree and set up a 2-man portable ground blind. Day #2 produced an empty bait pail and Day #3 ended with a 203-lb. bruin being tagged by a close friend who is a fine archer. As long as there’s a week left to hunt, it’s not too late.

Although it’s a bit rarer and more difficult, a few black bear are still harvested by the old scout, spot, sneak and shoot style of hunting. I spend many September afternoons and evenings in a ladder stand or portable blind watching a bear bait with friends or by myself, but do get out a bit in quest of pastures and fields where game gather. In particular, I search for geese, ducks, deer and

moose, but I do spot a fair number of black bear.

For sportsmen who would like to bag a bruin but don’t wish to invest the time, effort or money running a bait site, or who just don’t have the desire to hunt over bait or use a snare, try spot-andstalk. There are actually two gambits that may be effective; the first is to spot a bruin feeding in a field, and then park the vehicle a ways away and use available woods, brush and hedge rows to sneak within range.

Option two, usually the more effective, is to return the next day, check over the game trails to and from the field as well as the area being visited for food, and then set up in a brush line or erect a pop-up blind. Be far enough away to minimize scent and motion detection, but close enough for a sure shot.

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Sherbey Morris and Gary Daigle of Fort Kent now fully understand the September season is an excellent time for calling moose.

A scoped, flat-shooting rifle is the most dependable choice for both scenarios and an extendable bipod or tripod shooting rest aids the effort.

One excellent region for scouting both big game and waterfowl lies between Limestone and Hamlin. Along Route 1A you’ll find several dozen secondary roads, and hundreds of field roads and two-tracks branching through wood lots and open farm country. Check DeLorme’s Map 64, A-4 for this optimal bear and moose-sighting region.

Be Prepared If you’re scouting this month, bring along both a rifle and a shotgun as well as a selection of ammo, regardless of your primary quarry. Two of my friends shot big tom turkeys last fall while scouting for geese. A happenstance sighting followed by a sneakand-stalk worked for both – an event that wouldn’t have transpired if the shotgun was back at the house.

Another acquaintance bagged a buck while road riding for partridge, and passels of

partridge are potted by moose and deer hunters on the prowl.

A two-gun policy per hunter is what we call being prepared in “the County.”

For you moose hunters, calling is a very effective method to bag a big bull moose this month. If you’re a lucky permit holder for Zone 5, visit T10 R8 and investigate the woods and wetlands around Spectacle Pond – it’s a very promising region during late September. Don’t forget your scattergun, since grouse will be fair game starting the 25th of September, and snowshoe hare, as well as duck and woodcock seasons, open the last

Many of the geese winging around Aroostook County this month are young, uneducated birds They may decoy easier than migrating birds, making this a perfect time to take young hunters afield. Here, Connor Cushman of Mars Hill is really proud of his very first honker.

week here in the north zone.

With all these big game, upland bird and waterfowl options as well as fall fishing, the state’s wildlife biologists have managed to liven up what was formerly a bland month.

Now they need to figure a way to add more days, so we can enjoy the seasons!

¶

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56 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Penobscot River Trails – Something for Everyone Penobscot River Trails, located north of East Millinocket, offers mountain biking, walking and hiking, as well as access to river kayaking and a range of winter sports, all on 16 miles of carriage trails along the East Branch of the Penobscot River.

Recently, while visiting a neighbor, I noticed something that got my brain spinning – a mountain bike, similar to my own 1999 Trek, with a small gasoline motor mounted on the down tube. A tiny gas tank stretched across the top rail.

Now, I’ve biked all my life. Nothing hard-

core, but in stints that ranged from 20-mile road trips with former Maine Sportsman editor Ken Allen, to a five-mile commute to work. Off-road, I keep to minimum maintenance roads and better. No cliff jumping for me.

My bike also serves as a last option when doing river shuttles.

Two wheels serves as an economical action on those days motorized shuttles are not readily available.

Good exercise too!

Attention Deficit Disorder With some of the best fishing of the year arriving just as the leaf tips start changing into their fall colors, hitting the pedals

Three recreational mountain bikers prepare to depart from the Penobscot River Trails visitors center, headed for the center’s 16 miles of carriage trails.

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adds to my tendency to multi-task and squeeze as many op-

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ble.

While multi-tasking allows one to live life to the fullest on any outing, it does have some drawbacks.

Instead of focusing on one task, say fly fishing, one must pay attention to multiple activities all at once. I call it “multi-tasking.”

My wife, a professional educator, calls it ADD (attention deficit disorder).

Overdoing multitasking can result in sub-par results. Think “Jack of all trades, master of none.” I’ve come to peace with that. I’m okay dabbling in a bit of everything, while enjoying life’s many opportunities.

E-Bikes While researching the possibility of adding an internal combustion engine to my old mountain bike, I came across the latest

flavor to hit the biking community – E-bikes.

These electric powered two wheelers are the hot new ticket in the biking world.

Looks like a bike, rolls like a motorcycle – and quiet too! Perhaps that would help an old guy do a river shuttle?

For me, E-bikes, along with a motorized traditional bike, fall into the category of the early 1980s moped.

Great for folks that want to ride a bike but not pedal. The prices of the better E-bikes rise into the thousands.

For $200, I can buy a kit and install a motorized version on my trusty old mountain bike. Cheap money, if it keeps me in the river running game for a few more years.

Rules for E-bikes and motorized bicycles seem a bit hazy. It appears that in Maine, a powered cycle under 49cc does not require registration. However,

some bike paths and trails prohibit their use.

For the time being, I’m sticking with my old self-propelled bike.

Penobscot River Trails While looking for some smooth sailing for my own mountain bike, I came across Penobscot River Trails in Grindstone (www. penobscotriver trails. org). This privately funded trail system has 16 miles of smooth trails available during the summer to the self-propelled crowd.

They are located 11 miles north of East Millinocket.

They use ground up-crusher dust to lay down a rider-friendly surface. This provides bicyclists, especially young children, with a smooth surface on which to sharpen their navigating skills. A few more challenging trails keep experienced riders entertained –

literally something for everyone.

Riders should stop at the tastefully built Visitor Center and register before kicking up dust. This gives the staff a chance to answer questions and help outfit those lacking the correct gear.

It also allows them to keep track of everyone using the facility, for safety reasons.

Anyone arriving without a bike can rent a bike, helmet, knee and shin pads, in exchange for a donation. Staff members at the Visitors Center can help with correct sizing.

For the record, Penobscot River Trails prohibits E-Bikes from traversing the trail.

(Katahdin Country continued on page 59)

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58 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

My Fantasy Summer as a Trout Bum – Part 2 As I drive north from Greenville, I can still smell the wonderful aroma of cooked fish. The restaurant haddock was cooked to perfection. Even though I’m stuffed, the thought of eating more fish sounds appetizing.

My mind moves swiftly to the next brook trout over coals, and find myself pressing the gas pedal a little harder.

I skip right passed Kokadjo, because the Roach River will be too warm to justify dropping a fly there. I take the Telos Road off the Golden Road and head north into the real “God’s Country.” As I cross the bridge, I stop to wonder how someone could ever paddle any craft through the treacherous-looking Penobscot River below. The heavy current seems to shake the huge trees that frame the view of Mount Katahdin, which means “The Greatest Mountain” as named by the Penobscot nation.

Katahdin (Baxter Park) holds a huge number of excellent

After breakfast, I fish until noon and return to eat a shore lunch – sometimes, this includes a fresh brook trout. After a little nap, I make sure to have a cooler full of drinks and a sandwich in case the fishing is huge, in which case I’ll stay and fish until dark.

Life is perfect; after all, this is my fantasy!

Many anglers dream of camping on scenic shorelines throughout northern Maine, fishing the summer away. Photo: William Clunie

brookie ponds that I plan to hit later on this trip.

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and gives me my receipt. It’s funny how most folks treat you in the Northwoods. They aren’t overly friendly in a phony kind of way, but they sure make you feel like an old friend, almost like they’ve known you for too long and they’re on to you. I think it’s all the fresh air and fish dinners ... and maybe the water up here.

The North Maine Woods (NMW), the folks who run this part of the state, only let campers stay at one site for two weeks. I

hit my first location and plan on staying the full two weeks at the first sight of the pond. Right in front of the campsite is a gorgeous lake full of rising brook trout, with a series of rocky hilltops as a backdrop. I can’t get my campsite set up and rod rigged fast enough.

Daily Routine I lose myself in the process of this newfound fishing/camping schedule ... wake up, roll out of the van, slip into my boots and light up the cook stove

to get some hot water going. While that’s heating up, I walk to the water’s edge and splash my face with cool, clear water from the pond. There’s no better way to start the new day.

After breakfast, I fish until noon and return to eat a shore lunch – sometimes, this includes a fresh brook trout. After a little nap, I make sure to have a cooler full of drinks and a sandwich in case the fishing is huge, in which case I stay and fish until dark. I spend many late afternoons eating a sandwich for supper and fishing right until the sun goes down. I slowly pedal my kayak back to the campsite, crawl right into my comfy van, and fall fast asleep on my plush memory-foam mattress. I don’t know how many nights I drift off smiling to myself at the luxurious way I am “roughing it.”

Second Thoughts Quickly Dispelled After spending the whole summer living out of this van, hitting various shoreline campsites in the NMW, I realize at some point I must bring it to a close. Several times while resupplying in Millinocket, I find myself wondering (Continued on next page)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 59 (Continued from page 58)

if I should call it off and head back home early. After a quick phone call back home to make sure all is good, all those foolish thoughts disappear – and then I’m back in the van, heading west on the Golden Road.

I never get around to fishing the ponds in Baxter Park – there

are just so many perfect camping sites north and west of the park that I stay and enjoy the wonderful fishing outside the park boundaries.

Keeping the perishables cool and fresh seems to be the biggest chore – running back into town for more ice and food takes up too much time. Next year I’ll have some kind of

Katahdin Country (Continued from page 57)

And sorry, Rover has to stay home.

Hikers Welcome The Visitor’s Center also has baby strollers for moms and dads looking to do some hiking while breaking in the next generation of trail runners. Introducing families to the outdoor world seems like a high priority with these

solar cooler. I’m pretty sure they have them – just not sure if the price is right at this time.

Taking Nothing for Granted My plan is to do the same thing next summer except bring my wife, Nancy, and dog, Ginger, along. In my wilderness solitude I discover how deeply connected I am to

those two ... I had never doubted that connection, but also never tested it. This summer I truly put it to the test and have never been happier to be at home with them both. Wilderness solitude has a way of bringing out a deep appreciation in a person, helping us to never take things for granted.

And I think that is

folks.

Penobscot River Trails also permits hiking on the same trail. It’s a slow motion form of “Share the Road.” Sometimes just an easy walk with my favorite walking stick is just what the doctor ordered.

Because the Penobscot River Trails runs parallel to the East Branch of the Penobscot River, it only makes sense that they make provision for the kayak crowd.

They have a public access hand-carry boat launch (at Hay Brook – next to

what living our best life is all about. You immerse yourself fully into your passion and put it to the test. In my life, I completely agree with this theory. In my dreams, my wife also fully agrees with my theory of a summer of fishing, kayaking, and camping. In my dreams.

¶

the Visitor Center entrance) for folks who bring their own canoe or kayak.

For those needing equipment, a call (207-746-5807) well in advance can reserve a kayak and a Registered Maine Guide.

The Penobscot River Trails is privately owned and funded by a charitable foundation. They do not charge to use the trails, but do accept donations.

Please respect this wonderful opportunity.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

60 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Wildlife Encounters – Part 1 of 2

I opened the door, intending to welcome Dave in for a cup of coffee. A strong odor permeated the air. I asked, “Did you lose an argument with a skunk?” I brought his coffee outside to him, rather than inviting him into the cabin.

Allagash Rangers on patrol often encounter wildlife. One such incident occurred early in my career as Allagash Supervisor.

Black Bear According to Maine IF&W’s website, in 2020 our state’s black bear population was estimated at 30,000, from which there is an annual harvest of 4,500. In the fall of 2020 on opening day of bear season, according to the Bangor Daily News, two bears, one weighing 516 and another 545, were shot fifteen minutes apart.

While bear are a highly valued game animal today, that was not always the case. Talk with any old-time woodsmen, and they will share tales of the huge dark scavengers breaking into camps, staving up canoes and rummaging through campsites – all in the bruin’s constant search for food. In T9 R13, bears were such a problem for Poulin’s logging camps that a 12 inch-wide by 6-foot-long steel bandsaw blades were bolted along the top and bottom openings of their dining room windows. The sharp teeth of the top blades pointed down, while the teeth of the bottom blade pointed up, to discourage intrusions from furry visitors.

Ranger Cabins Along the Allagash After the Allagash Wilderness Waterway was established, one of the first duties of the Superintendent was to acquire ownership of structures within its boundaries. Along with the buildings, came the bears. One such instance occurred on Umsaskis Lake.

Umsaskis Headquaters. Photos from T. Caverly collection www.MaineSportsman.com

As Ranger/Supervisor, I lived in an expansive ten-bedroom lodge once owned by International Paper Company. The facility had been constructed to entertain industry VIPs. After the camp came under state control, the complex became the Headquarters for the Waterway.

About one-half mile north of the HQ was Camp Drake. A rounded log cabin once used by the Maine Forest Service, it had become the residence of the Umsaskis Lake Allagash Ranger named Dave. Dave’s work schedule required him to work ten days on and three days off. When he returned from days away, Dave would often stop at my residence for coffee and to receive any special instructions for his upcoming tour.

Such was the case early one warm August morning. Dave had called by two-way radio to say he was walking up.

While waiting, I made coffee and when I heard his footsteps, I opened the screen door of my camp. Immediately, I was greeted by a strong whiff of skunk. Yup, the pungent odor was coming from Dave.

That morning, I took his coffee outside and stood at a reasonable distance away while we talked.

“What happened, Dave?” I asked.

“Did you lose an argument with a skunk?”

“Well,” the young ranger replied, “I got in late last night from my time off, not realizing that two skunks had taken up tenancy under my camp. This morning, I jumped out of bed, and when my feet hit the floor with a thump, I startled the new occupants, causing them to spray. The odor seeped up through the cracks in the floor like a creeping fog.”

Understanding that live-trapping skunks is not always a good idea, I inquired, “What are you going to do? You can’t live like that!”

Dave thought for a minute, and with a meditative expression, replied, “I think if I walk around in my stocking feet, and don’t make any loud noises, everything will be okay.”

Then he finished with, “My only other option is to shoot the skunks, and I’d rather not. I know that the animals will eat rodents from time to time, and I’ll put up with almost anything to rid my cabin of mice.”

As the young ranger left for his day’s assignment, I wished him luck.

Camp Drake

Skunks Under the Bungalow The next several weeks were uneventful, until one evening when David, looking out his kitchen window, spied the two skunks searching for grubs on his front lawn. Only now mom and pop were followed by the cutest four toddling babies. That night at dusk, Dave watched as the family checked into their accommodations under the camp.

For a spell, all was quiet. Dave didn’t make any loud noises, and the skunks didn’t spray.

A few weeks later, after a long hot day of patrol, Dave returned to camp at sunset. Walking up the path from his canoe, Dave saw his black and white striped friends scurrying into their housing.

Starved, the ranger thought little about their presence while he rushed about to cook up a late supper of beans and bacon. Sitting at the kitchen table, devouring his evening meal, when Dave heard a loud tearing noise, coming from his roof.

(To be concluded next month.)

¶

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 61

Bandy the Rodeo Clown Makes a Splash Leaf peepers heading north on Route 201 have one lofty goal this month – catch the first glimpse of some of the earliest and best foliage on the East Coast. It’s no surprise that the mountainous Jackman Region gets a fast start on this annual ritual.

Nobody appreciates more than I do, climbing one of the local mountains and gazing down over a

In creating the “Bandy the Rodeo Clown” streamer, I used glow-in-the-dark ribbing, along with a mix of every color bucktail I had, and topped it off with multiple strands of tinsel and glitter. Brilliant! valley splashed with Yukon gold, cranberry red and some balsam green all melded together. It’s easy to see why folks dedicate time and mileage to this wonder of nature.

Car-bound folks can stop at the Attean

Overlook located on Route 201 for a majestic view of the mountains that surround Attean Lake. It’s an easy pull off, and well worth a few minutes and a “scenery” setting cell-phone photo.

Timing for the

peak colors varies from year to year. I’m told rainfall during the summer months has a lot to do with it.

Rather than go on old wives’ tales, the website www.foliagenetwork.com tracks real-time color changes.

While the peak of the color change is certainly worth the price of admission, don’t blow off some powerful views on each side of the mystical apex.

Colors rule the sky this month, and colors can have big impact on the waterways also. It only takes one fallen leaf floating along for me to consider the fall fishing season full on.

(Continued on next page)

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62 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Jackman Region (Continued from page 61)

Fall Fishing Cooler temperatures and migrating bait fish stir the salmon population into action this month. The regular season stays open until September 30. Some waters have special regulations that keep them open until the end of October. Certain sections of the Kennebec River stay open yearround.

Check the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) website for the laws concerning specific waters. Waters that close September 30 need immediate attention now.

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along the East Coast, he simplified the entire process in one sentence.

“Follow the bait,” he advised. He was right. Fish follow their food source. The same holds true for Maine’s blue-ribbon freshwater game fish.

That advice has worked well and gets me excited to tie up some streamers for my fall fishing exploits.

I’m all about slinging streamers this month.

I have two streamer-specific fly rods. My old tried-and-true is a nine foot six-weight.

A newer L.L. Bean 10foot seven weight works great for really sending a fly air mail across a wide river.

River Tactics Bob Mallard taught me the tactic of putting my fly right on the bank while fishing from a drift boat in moving

Many fishermen, the author included, consider September – and, where open, October – to be the prime months for wetting a line. Slinging streamers serves as a perfect strategy, as this fine brown trout can attest. Fall foliage only adds to a day when salmonids hammer streamers with reckless abandon.

water. The significantly reduced current along the bank makes an ideal ambush point for large, lazy salmonids.

This tactic works for wading fishermen who can safely navigate to the center of some moving water. This lets strategic anglers work both banks.

The traditional

quartering cast lets the fly sweep across the river. Once the fly is directly downstream of the angler, it’s time to strip it in. Often the tail end of the drift or that first strip is the money move.

No sense letting the foliage overhead have all the fun. Trying dif(Continued on next page)

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ferent color streamers keeps finicky fish guessing. Traditional streamers like the Grey Ghost, Wardens Worry, Mickey Finn and Black Nosed Dace have proven effective for generations.

Bandy the Rodeo Clown Sometimes, however, getting creative at the fly-tying bench can pay off. This spring I trolled a traditional Black Nose Dace at the end of a two-streamer set up.

I decided to tie up some gaudy streamers to use as an attractor fly ahead of the tried and true Black Nosed Dace. I used glow-inthe-dark ribbing along

The author’s trolling flies include “Bandy the Rodeo Clown” (right) as a lead attractor fly, followed by a more traditional Black Nosed Dace. These two flies, tied on fluorocarbon leader and a small barrel swivel in between, have actually produced a double hook-up. Bandy the Rodeo Clown may get some solo drifts if that keeps up. Bill Sheldon photos

with a mix of every color buck tail I had, and topped it off with multiple strands of tinsel and glitter.

The plan involved having the front running attractor fly grab the salmon’s attention, and then trigger a strike on the more real-

istic tail fly. The attractor fly looked like Bandy the Rodeo Clown.

Before long, the rod bent, and all seemed well … at first. This salmon seemed to pull in all directions at the same time. I worked the fish close to the boat and grabbed the net. As

— Trophy Gallery —

I reached towards the silverside, the unusual fight showed its colors.

Yes, two salmon, one on Bandy the Rodeo Clown and one on a dead nuts traditional Black Nosed Dace. I’d give readers the recipe, but it’s literally a streamer mishmash of

colors … the gaudier the better.

There’s more than one way to enjoy the kaleidoscope of colors that wraps the Jackman Region this month.

¶

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64 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Salmon, Togue Draw Anglers to the Big Lake September marks the last month of open-water fishing on lakes and ponds in the northern region. For me, Moosehead Lake qualifies as a must-do September destination.

More often than not, September days bring bright and sunny conditions, with comfortable temperatures, but frequent high winds. The latter presents a problem. Afternoon winds create big waves, and these waves run close together, not like ocean waves, which are more widely spaced. It’s hard to navigate with back-to-back waves slamming against your boat’s hull.

This means you should expect to get bounced around a lot.

It also means that boats should match the conditions. Small runabouts aren’t suited to the rough water found out in the middle of big lakes this time of year.

Given this, make sure your boat can safely take the pounding it will surely encounter.

The fish make it all worthwhile. Those 4-pound brook trout that have put Moosehead Lake on the map, as well as similarly sized togue and salmon, all turn out in force in September.

Reliable Togue One thing about Moosehead that differs from other lakes is that all three coldwater species – salmon, brook trout and togue – inhabit the same areas in September and even when targeting one particular species, the other two will readily come to the hook. Among these, togue rank as the most reliable and dependable quarry.

While I usually troll for salmon in September, more togue than salmon come to my lures. That’s all right with me, since I love togue. I love

catching them and I love eating them. Fortunately for me, a trip to Moosehead Lake practically guarantees that at the least, I’ll return home with some togue on ice.

Here’s an interesting note about trolling in early September.

According to Moosehead Lake guide Eric Holbrook, fishes’ mouths are soft at this time, and anglers need to apply only light pressure when fighting a fish, or else the hook will pull out of their mouths. During a trip with Eric last September, anecdotal evidence indicated that either most of my fish were only lightly hooked, or else their mouths were in fact unusually tender.

One of the day’s bigger fish came off the hook after only a short time. When it was on the line, I treated it like any other fish, but Eric warned me to lighten the pressure.

His alarm came too late, since the hook popped out for no apparent reason. So here’s a word to the wise – make sure not to put undue pressure on your fish when playing

With the boat getting pitched by rough water, Eric Holbrook holds on while displaying Tom’s togue.

Tom Seymour photo

them. This soft-mouth condition, according to Eric, disappears later in the month.

Bait Versus Lures While frozen smelts remain available, and preserved smelts have chiseled out a solid footing among Maine’s angling fraternity, fishing with bait in September brings difficulties because of the wind. Trolling with smelt, live, frozen or preserved, requires a slow speed. But because of the boat bouncing around with

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the waves, keeping on course requires a faster speed, one not conducive to trolling with smelt.

Lures work just fine, though, so don’t consider it as a lost opportunity if conditions prohibit trolling with smelt. Here’s one trend that began last year on Moosehead Lake and continues through to the present – lures with a green top take more and bigger fish.

Mooselook Wobblers come in a wide variety of color schemes, many of which incorporate green along with the standard copper color.

Old standard varieties also take fish now and the two best, at least in my estimation, are Li’l Jake in brass with red dots, and Wonderbread Mooselooks. The Wonderbread pattern fea(Continued on next page)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 65 (Continued from page 64)

tures pink, yellow and blue dots on a white field. I’ve often remarked that if someone had only these two lures, he or she would be well-equipped to take fish on Moosehead Lake.

West Outlet Even if you don’t have a watercraft, you can still take trout in September in the

Moosehead Region.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) stocks the West Outlet of Kennebec River in Rockwood with fall-yearling (13inch average) brook trout each September.

In 2020, DIF&W released 400 fall yearlings at West Outlet, and these quickly spread out and became acclimated to

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Fish from spring and early summer stockings remain in the river and are available to anglers in September.

Also, salmon, courtesy of a fledgling stocking program, show up in September. Last

spring, an angler reported taking a 20inch salmon from the Dam Pool. All salmon caught must be released alive immediately.

West Outlet has an artificial-lures-only rule in effect from August 16 through March 31. Also, a 2-trout per day rule is in place here year-round. Try ultralight spinning gear with 4-pound

test line, or at least a medium-size outfit with 6-pound test line.

Small spinners and tiny spoons work well here, as do my favorite lures, Trout Magnets.

Find West Outlet on the DeLorme Atlas, Map 41, 1-B. You just never know what you’ll catch there. Fish slow and deep, and you’ll surely enjoy success.

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66 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

In Moose Hunting, Luck is Where You Find It It was only midweek, and I was already worried about not being able to help Brian punch his 2016 bull moose tag for Zone 7. I just didn’t feel like luck was on our side that year.

Brian and his dad didn’t seem worried at all. The two hunters from upstate NY were having a great week.

We were set up in a comfortable camp near the Tim Pond Road.

The Commander was whipping up gourmet meals in the kitchen.

The weather was cool and dry, with a lot of colorful foliage remaining on the mountainsides.

And we had seen a couple of cow moose on early-morning canoe hunts. These were the first moose that Brian and his dad had ever seen in person.

And they were excited by the big animals.

It seemed like things would fall into place.

But as Wednesday melded into Thursday, the tension in my own mind was mounting.

Basic Requirements Our system for canoe-hunting in backcountry areas relies upon a few basic requirements. The hunting area needs to contain one or more navigable bodies of water that provide access to prime moose habitat.

The habitat should include areas of commercial wood cutting within calling distance of the waterway. www.MaineSportsman.com

And, ideally, the area should be large enough and wild enough for a multi-day self-propelled trip away from other humans.

This third requirement is more about the quality of the hunt than the frequency of moose sightings. Most of our prior hunts had been on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway or similar far-flung areas. I knew it would be a challenge to avoid other hunters in Zone 7. I hesitated when Brian initially asked for my help. I even encouraged him to consider swapping his bull permit for a more remote tag.

But the famous Rangely Region was full of moose, and since it sits in my proverbial back yard, I knew I would have plenty of time for pre-season scouting. Also, I was confident that I could string together a series of canoe day-trips on semi-remote waters in good moose territory. I put together some back-up plans for hikein hunts on gated road systems. But as the hunt date drew nearer, I had some nagging doubts.

Drought And Development Take Their Toll My scouting trips on smallish rivers in Zone 7 were initially very promising.

I found many short stretches of water in the Kennebago, Magalloway and Cupsup-

tic watersheds that fit most of our criteria; see DeLorme’s Maine Atlas, Maps 28 & 29. Moose sign was abundant on these streams. High ground in the surrounding areas provided plenty of feeding habitat.

But by mid-October, these small waterways were suffering severely from the drought that gripped Western Maine in the fall of 2016. Lots of the streams I had scouted earlier were reduced to meager trickles. I remember poling upstream on the Kennebago during one late-September scouting trip and seeing schools of spawning brook trout, apparently trapped in the few remaining deep pools.

Our go-to plan in dry years is to find lake-shore areas with coves, inlets and marshy spots where moose will often hang out deep into October.

Plenty of big lakes in Zone 7 qualified – we looked at Mooselookemeguntic, Richardson, Aziscohos, and Umbagog. But camps were peppered along those same shorelines.

When we drew a 300foot no-shooting zone around each dwelling place located on a map, our legal hunting area began to look like Swiss cheese.

Countdown Begins

By Thursday evening, we were worn out from loading and unloading canoes,

A happy, relieved and lucky client, and his 2016 bull moose.

driving to short river sections, then sometimes portaging to navigable water, and hunting briefly, only to repeat the process.

Friday afternoon found us driving to a jump-off spot for a hike into a remote clear-cut we had seen on satellite photos. On the way to our hike, Brian spotted some black specks at the top of a massive cut-over area that spanned the length of a huge mountain ridge. Binoculars revealed two cows being followed by a big bull as they made their way across the very top of the cutting.

An hour later, after a full-out run up the steep ridge, Brian and I were in position to intercept the three moose as they re-entered the standing timber. Just after we caught our breath, the big bull came down a

twitch trail toward us.

Brian fired twice, and the bull sprinted up hill and over the top of the mountain.

A few drops of blood on a single birch sapling kept us searching for the rest of the day to ensure the bull wasn’t mortally wounded. To all appearances, Brian had merely nicked the moose, and the big animal remained alive and healthy.

Last Chance Brian was hard on himself for the missed opportunity. But he had loved the excitement of spotting the moose from afar and running to put us into position for a shot. So, on Saturday morning we were driving back to the ridge to do some more spotting with binoculars.

With all the driv(Self-Propelled continued on page 70)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 67

Watching Water Levels: The Ups and Downs of Maine’s Lakes and Rivers – Part 1 of 2 Precipitation this year has been all over the map, so to speak.

Following last year’s drought, we have witnessed how rainfall in Maine is getting more variable, with extended dry periods followed by intense localized storms. Some regions of the state have gotten a whole month’s worth of rain in a single storm, while towns nearby got nothing.

As a result of these changes in our climate, we should expect to see larger swings in river flows and lake levels, with resulting impacts on many outdoor activities. For hydropower and other dam operators, the challenge of balancing river flows and lake levels will only get more difficult and require understanding from outdoor users and the public.

Dry, Then Wet Conditions Most of Maine was abnormally dry this spring.

The western mountains and central Maine region reached moderate drought conditions by June. But

by July 4, more than 70% of the state was in moderate drought, and the western mountain region, roughly 20% of the state, was in severe drought.

Major rivers and their tributaries, such as the Saco River, recorded record low levels. The Saco River is susceptible to low water because it has less

storage in headwater lakes than other big rivers in Maine.

Tropical Storm Elsa and more unusually heavy July rains finally brought relief to southern and eastern Maine returning smaller watersheds like the Ossipee and Little Androscoggin Rivers back to normal.

A few watersheds in the south and near the coast, including the Mousam and Sheepscot River, got a bit too much relief, with flows rising much above normal.

The Androscoggin River was also near record lows for much of this year.

The Mighty Andy is fed by large storage lakes in its headwaters – Aziscohos, Upper and Lower Richardson, Mooselookmeguntic, and Rangeley Lakes. But as last year’s drought continued into mid-summer in the western mountains and lakes region, those lakes remained very low.

As of mid-July, Richardson Lake was eight feet below normal, and Aziscohos was more than five feet below normal.

The water in these iconic dam-controlled lakes was once stored for log drives, but is now used for hydropower generation at multiple dams downstream. This summer, releases from the headwater lakes remained near their historical minimum, due

to the drought. The extended period of high precipitation we experienced in July may finally bring the lakes back to normal levels.

Similarly, the Kennebec River also remained low, due to low levels in Flagstaff and Moosehead Lakes.

Meanwhile, both the East and West Branches of the Penobscot remained low through mid-July, despite enormous storage capacity in Chesuncook, Millinocket, Chamberlain, Matagamon and other lakes.

Lake Level Management Out of Maine’s 6,000 or so Great Ponds (over 10 acres), about 900 have dams that control the water level to some degree, from a few inches to several feet. Who decides what level to maintain in the lake and how much water to send downstream?

The answer is: it depends. And it’s complicated.

Most hydropower dams in Maine (69) operate under a license issued by the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission, or FERC. Other hydropower or storage dams are exempt from FERC licensing (25) or are not under FERC’s jurisdiction (18) for a variety of reasons. Six small hydro dams have state licenses only.

To get a FERC or state license, dam owners must demonstrate they will meet

In dry conditions, maintaining higher lake levels means there’s less water being directed downstream. It’s a balance, dictated in part by licensing requirements and in part by the demand for hydropower. Photo: MainePreservation.org

state water quality standards.

During the licensing process, state and federal natural resource agencies generally specify an upper and lower lake or pond elevation for specific time periods, such as the seasons when fish are spawning or waterfowl are nesting.

The licenses also set a minimum flow requirement downstream of the dam, to provide sufficient water to maintain fish and a healthy aquatic ecosystem in the stream. They may also specify timing and levels for “recreational releases” for whitewater boaters.

How well the dam operator can meet these target lake levels and flows depends, of course, on Mother Nature.

Water In, Water Out Simple logic tells us that lake or reservoir levels are controlled by the amount of water flowing in and

the amount flowing out.

“Water in” is determined by rainfall, snowmelt and groundwater flow from higher in the watershed.

Under drought conditions, this can slow to a trickle, or vary by tributary depending on local storm activity.

When inflow decreases too much, maintaining specified minimum flow requirements may cause the lake level to drop.

“Water out” can often be controlled at the dam, if there is one.

This might include: • By-pass flows to maintain minimum flows downstream to protect water quality, aquatic habitat, and riverine uses; • Fish passage flows to provide sufficient flow and velocity for fish to find their way upstream in fishways or side channels; • Power generation flows through turbines (Sporting Environment continued on page 70) www.MaineSportsman.com

68 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Fins, Furs and Feathers Dominate This Month’s Activities Downeast This fall’s wild turkey season runs from September 20 through November 6 for hunters using bow and arrow or shotgun. Hunters stalking turkey this fall in Washington County in Wildlife Management District (WMD) 28 can tag two birds of either sex. In WMDs 11, 19 and 27, hunters may take only one turkey of either sex. In WMD 26, hunters can shoot three wild turkeys of either sex.

Turkey hunting in the fall season requires a different approach compared to spring hunting. I often try to locate a flock of turkeys in hayfields.

After pulling my pickup into a safe loca-

tion and loading my 12-gauge Remington 870 shotgun, I try to quietly get in front of the birds’ line-of-travel. By clucking and purring softly, I can often draw the flock into shooting range.

WMD 26, my home range, offers prime turkey habitat from the coastal waters of Bucksport to Lamoine.

Refer to Delorme’s Atlas, Maps 23 and 24, and a copy of Maine’s Hunting Regulations for a detailed map of this district. Some other top-notch hunting areas to pursue a wild turkey lie within the boundaries of WMD 27 and 28 from Sullivan to Calais.

The estimated turkey population,

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according to DIF&W bird biologist Brad Allen, is approximately 60,000 birds scattered over the state. Due to our unseasonable mild, snow-free winter, biologist Allen believes most birds fared quite well. Spring conditions this year were mild and dry, fostering ideal spring-hatching conditions.

Expanded Archery A second exciting September possibility for sports in the Downeast Region is expanded archery season. Deer populations in my Downeast area have rebounded nicely. Mild weather conditions last winter helped more deer to survive. Most of the deer I’ve encountered on my travels were in Bucksport’s Expanded-Archery Zone, Map 23, E-2 or in Castine’s Expanded-Archery Zone, Map 15, B-2. Carefully study Maine’s hunting regulations for more precise details on towns with expanded archery

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Hancock County Bear Hunting Youth Bear Day is August 28, and hunting with bait starts

August 30 and runs through September 25.

Resident hunters may also take bear during the regular deer-hunting seasons without the use of hounds or bait; non-residents need a $40 “late season permit” to hunt bear during the deer season.

This year’s hunt should be a better-than-average year for bear hunters.

Early-season hunters using bait harvest over 70% of the bear tagged annual(Downeast continued on page 70)

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 69

Dry Conditions Affect Fall Fishing Low water greatly affects trout, salmon and togue.

Fortunately, warmwater fish species are not so finicky as their coldwater counterparts. Drought or not, September is a top month for white perch, pickerel and bass. Also, I am planning a return engagement with a very large northern pike that ran with my crappie lure at Unity Pond earlier this summer.

Despite some late-summer heavy downpours, lake and stream levels remain low. According to The Maine Division of Environmental & Community Health, the Midcoast region was in the midst of a moderate drought as of the end of June, 2021.

If these conditions persist, anglers will find things a bit different this month.

Streams and rivers that ordinarily see fall stockings of trout may be too low for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) to release fish. Low water means low oxygen levels, and stocked fish would have a low survival rate.

Fish slated for release in rivers and streams cannot remain in their rearing stations, either, since the room in runways is needed to raise the next batch of fish. Instead, fish slated for release in flowing water would get diverted to other places where there is more water, including lakes and ponds.

Those planning on some exciting fall fish-

ing may find the fish absent. It all depends upon how the weather patterns develop.

Different Bottoms Whether or not stocking occurs in rivers and streams, the drought will have at least one effect. Low water will change the geographical nature of lakes and ponds. In other words, the same places that held, for instance, 40 feet of water, may now only hold 30 feet. This makes our traditional trolling patterns obsolete. It also dictates that we will have to re-learn the bottom contours of our favorite waters, since things will look much different.

This happened to me a few years ago on Swan Lake, a popular salmon, togue and brook trout water in Waldo County. Traditionally, September proves to be a banner month for togue fishing. Knowing the lake bottom intimately, all I needed to do was to go to a certain part of the lake where depths ranged from 40 – 50 feet and begin trolling at around 40 feet down.

But the same place

that held 40 feet of water the previous year now had only 30 feet.

During daylight hours in summer and even late summer, togue won’t hold in water much less than 40 feet. So my togue “honey hole” had, in effect, disappeared.

It would seem an easy enough task to prowl around and find where the fish had gone, but the opposite was true. Even after locating the correct – or what seemed the correct – depth, there were no fish. So it appeared that something in addition to depth, and its accompanying cool, well-oxygenated conditions, had some bearing on togue presence.

Many years ago, before the present dam was built, Swan Lake was called “Goose Pond.” The lake, or pond was much smaller, and the river, Goose River, covered much of what is now Swan Lake. Perhaps the old river channel had something to do with togue location. It was, and remains, a mystery.

In the end, I finally caught a togue. But

The author’s kitchen sink is filled with white perch from Seven Tree Pond. Tom Seymour photo

it was hard-won, requiring many hours of trolling. I suspect the same conditions that met me on Swan Lake will repeat themselves on other lakes and ponds, if the weather stays drier than normal.

a flow-through pond on the St. George River system, isn’t unique in offering excellent perch fishing. Sennebec Pond and North Pond to the north, and North Pond and South Pond to the south, are all connected and hold the same fish species.

When fishing any of these ponds, remember that pike are always a possibility.

Which brings up an exciting experience I recently had on another Midcoast water, which I’ll relate next.

Warmwater Species Fortunately, warmwater fish species are not so finicky as their coldwater counterparts. Drought or not, September is a top month for white perch, as well as pickerel and bass. Of the three, white perch stand at the top of my list.

My new favorite perch pond, Seven Tree Pond in Union, holds lots of 10- to 12inch perch. This pond,

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Self-Propelled (Continued from page 66)

ing between rivers, Friday’s disappointment, and now too much time on the road, I felt like my mid-week dread had been well-placed. The ride back to the ridge felt like a surrender. The hunt had morphed into something much different than the one I had imagined, and the one I had promised to Brian.

A woman in camo flagged us down as we drove along the road. Her pickup was parked in the ditch, and she

Sporting Environment (Continued from page 67)

for hydroelectric generation; and • Recreational releases for whitewater and boating downstream.

Some water bodies have significant withdrawals for drinking water, irrigation, industry, or other consump-

Downeast

(Continued from page 68)

ly. The Downeast Area has numerous bear-hunting habitats, and accounts for approximately 500 bear tagged annually.

Several local bear-baiters put out their offering in the Dedham area where bruins are ambling their way north after feeding on blueberries. The hardwood ridges near Bald Mountain (Map 23, D-4) and Big Hill (Map 23, D-4) are excellent locations to set out bait.

Graham Lake Bass Hancock and Washington County anglers are showing renewed interest of hooking into a 4-pound bass or a few fattened brook trout this month. Some top-quality fishing action can be found by referring to DeLorme’s Atlas, Maps 24 and 26.

One prime bass producer is Graham Lake in the Mariaville-Ellsworth

Midcoast (Continued from page 69)

appears, and the water acquires an unusual clarity. For years, that was a signal for me to get out pickerel fishing.

Unity Pond holds some big pickerel, and I don’t know anyone who specifically pursues them.

But along with pickerel, Unity Pond now holds another member of the Esox www.MaineSportsman.com

was pointing out into the roadside cutting. We imagined mechanical trouble or that she was looking for help with a downed moose. Either way it wasn’t how we wanted to spend the last morning of the hunt. But in the Maine woods, you stop when someone flags you down.

Lucky Detour After a few words to us, the woman turned and led us toward the top of a knoll in the cutting. There we met her husband, who was also dressed for moose-hunting, but carried no rifle. He

explained that he had called in a bull that was now in the cutting just over the top of the knoll.

Brian retrieved his rifle from the truck, and we followed the good Samaritan. After crawling the last few yards to the crest of the knoll, Brian took aim, fired and ended his 2016 moose hunt.

He was all smiles.

There’s no amount of self-propelled righteousness that I wouldn’t trade for that kind of luck.

¶

tive uses. Under low water conditions, these releases and withdrawals may be restricted under Chapter 587 of Maine regulations for protecting instream flows and lake/pond levels.

“Water out” also includes evaporation, which is a function of air temperature, humidity and wind conditions.

Evaporation can be significant during heat spells and drought conditions.

When water levels are low, dam op-

erators may have to adjust daily outflows and curtail some of their scheduled “recreational releases” for boaters on weekends to conserve water. These temporary changes are done in consultation with state and federal agencies.

Region (Map 24, C-1). According to Graham Lake resident Ron Parent, Graham offers excellent largemouth bass fishing for September anglers.

Ron mentioned that he often catches largemouths in the 3- to 5-pound category.

This 7,865 acres body of water has a maximum depth of 47 feet. Bass anglers often use live bait, bass plugs or bass lures to entice smallmouths in the 2- to 3-pound category. Fishing near the small islands produces most of the action this month.

Access to Graham Lake can be gained by choosing any one of the three boat-launching facilities. The most-popular access is reached by going north approximately four miles from Ellsworth on Route 180. The boat launch is on the right at the southern end of Graham Lake. Another boat landing can be found at Fletchers Landing, approximately four miles from Ellsworth Falls on Route 179.

Washington County Trout One Washington County water worth fishing in September is Six Mile Lake in Marshfield (Map 26, B-2). This small lake is located adjacent to Route 192, several miles north of Machias.

The town of Marshfield maintains a public boat launching site suitable for small boats.

The pond provides a reasonably good brook trout fishery based on annual spring and fall stockings. Last spring, 300 11-inch brookies were stocked in this water. In the fall of 2020, 1,950 9-inch brookies and 60 16-inch brookies were stocked here. Hopefully, the 2021 October brook-trout stocking will be similar to the 2020 numbers.

General fishing laws apply, there’s no ice fishing, the use of live bait is prohibited, and there’s no size or bag limit on bass. The daily bag limit on brook trout is five fish in September.

clan. Northern pike now live in Unity Pond, and some of them have attained huge proportions. One of these gave me a real thrill during a recent crappie-fishing trip.

While I was making a few token casts from the dock at the boat landing, something grabbed my crappie jig that made it clear from the onset that it was no crappie. Thinking it was a bass, I didn’t get too excited. But when the

fish took line and kept going, my heart began to beat a little faster. It was a huge pike.

Finally the fish broke water, and at the same time my line went limp. I decided then and there to return this month, when pickerel and pike bite like mad. I’ll report on it, if my plan comes together.

Next Month: We look at how lake water levels and stream flows are determined for non-hydropower dams.

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 71

Cameras, Crossbows and Augusta’s Shooting Range Year after year, game cameras continue to make technological advances that make them increasingly effective in capturing game movements and providing this information directly to hunters.

A wide variety of game cameras have been introduced to the market that send photos directly to the user’s cell phone or personal computer. This means hunters are instantly alerted any time a game species triggers the camera.

A coyote-hunting friend has one of these cameras set on his bait site, and as soon as a coyote hits the bait, his phone sends him an audible alert.

Roused from his sleep in his heated hunting shack, he simply opens the window, fires, and goes back to sleep.

Last season, he shot 12 in this fashion.

Another hunting friend had an 8-point buck enter his small field while he was eating dinner. His phone provided an audible alert, and within a few minutes he was hauling the deer back to his garage with his ATV. In short, these cameras are so effective, it’s not surprising that some states are making them illegal during hunting season.

The Link-Micro-LTE Fascinated by the new remote cameras, I purchased the

Link-Micro-LTE from Spypoint ($99), and so far have been very pleased with its performance. Online reviews suggest that the camera has difficulty with photo transmission and that battery life is poor; however, I have not encountered any of these issues. I’m guessing that a majority of these complaints can be tied to proper camera placement and not using long life lithium batteries.

By moving the camera just 50 yards from its original location, I was able to increase the signal strength from 50% to 90%, because my original position was in a low spot where the topography interfered with transmission. Also, for locations where changing camera position for increases in reception might not be possible, several companies sell game camera antenna boosters, such as the Bingfu 4G LTE Outdoor Antenna ($15.99).

Spypoint Photo Transmission Plans Another reason I really like this camera is that Spypoint offers a free plan (100 photos per month), a “basic” plan (250 photos/$5 per month), a “standard” plan (1,000 photos/$10 per month) and an unlimited plan ($15/month).

I have been using the free plan, which I find to be more than adequate if I set the picture delay at 30 minutes. This means when the camera trig-

gers a photo capture, it will not take another photo for 30 minutes.

This is an extremely helpful feature that not only gives me access to the no-cost plan, but also preserves battery life.

Budget Crossbows for Deer Hunting A few months ago, a reader responded to one of my columns, in which I reviewed some of the higher-end crossbows on the market. Because of these crossbows’ capabilities, the sticker prices were in excess of $1,000.

The reader explained that these high end bows were not necessary to hunt deer, and that he and his family and friends for years had consistently and effectively killed deer with crossbows in a much lower price range.

I was somewhat skeptical but also optimistically curious about what some of these economical crossbows had for capabilities.

As luck would have it, my eldest son recently expressed an interest in crossbow hunting, and given the unknowns of his exact level of commitment, fall sports schedules and all of the other life distractions that can potentially draw a young man away from hunting, I decided to give one of these “budget” crossbows a try.

After reviewing several different models, we finally settled on

The author’s eldest son tries out the Centerpoint Tyro in preparation for deer season. Steve Vose photo

the CenterPoint Tyro 4X Recurve Crossbow Package with 4x32mm Scope, which retails for about $200.

First Impressions It’s nice, simple, powerful and safe, and it’s a lot of crossbow for the money. At 30 yards, it consistently puts shots in the vitals of a deer-sized target with lethal force.

The Tyro also comes with many of the same features that are seen on much more expensive crossbows like an adjustable stock, compression molded fiberglass limbs, auto-safety cocking mechanism and dry fire preventer. Also because it’s a “package,” it comes standard with

a decently good 4x32 mm scope, four 16-inch aluminum arrows, quiver, rope cocker and rail lube – all the components necessary to take it out target shooting immediately.

Summer Haven Range in Augusta For those archers looking to sight in their crossbows, the Summer Haven Range in Augusta has six permanent shooting stations ranging from 15 to 25 yards, and some movable targets with ranges out to 30 yards. Archers are also welcomed to bring their own bag or block target if they choose to do so.

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www.MaineSportsman.com

72 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Winning the Kenduskeag To do well in the annual Kenduskeag race, paddlers need conditioning, stamina and mental toughness – all that, and the ability to navigate a 17-foot long, 16.2-inch wide, 30-pound lightweight kayak through the whitewater.

Middle son Ben won the Kenduskeag Race this year. When I saw him, I asked what it takes to win that race. “Don’t flip over,” he said.

That’s why the serious racers portage Six-Mile Falls. They know if they upset, their chances of placing in the top five are shot.

No Couch Potatoes Ben said it’s a long race. Top paddlers average 75 - 80 strokes a minute for two and a half hours, minimum, and to do that they have to be in good physical shape. No couch potato is going to win the Kenduskeag.

Any athlete in such a demanding sport has to be at the top of his form in order to win, and the competition is tough. Trevor MacLean from Nova Scotia has won the race 15 times. He is a world champion marathon kayak racer.

Ben came in second behind Trevor four years in a row. He joked he was the first American across the finish line.

Just like running, swimming and biking at a high level, the paddler’s health and conditioning must be top notch. Ben and www.MaineSportsman.com

other members of the Maine Canoe & Kayak Racing Organization (MaCKRO) train all year round, or try to. The Maine winter makes it difficult for racers to stay in shape.

Ben works on his upper body strength and his core. He spends hours perfecting his balance. You have to be dedicated to making that canoe or kayak go as fast as you can.

Ben hydrates well before the race, and carbo-loads for two days before the race.

He tries to get two good nights’ sleep before race day.

Lightweight Kayaks Another key element at this level of competition is the equipment. The Kenduskeag is 10 miles of flat water, and 6 miles of Class II and III rapids, and finding a boat for both types of water is a challenge.

This year, Ben paddled a Manta kayak from South Africa that meets ICF (International Canoe Federation) racing specifications. These are elite kayaks, much narrower than the rec boats we enjoy paddling around the pond.

Weight is the enemy when it comes to ac-

celerating and going fast. Most racing boats weigh well under 30 pounds.

The same laws of physics apply to canoes and kayaks as to ocean liners. Hull speed is 1.34 times the square root of the ship’s waterline length. Long narrow boats are fast boats.

Canoes and kayaks race in classes based on length to help create fair competition among paddlers. Ben’s Manta is 17 feet long and 16.2 inches wide.

Trevor MacClean paddles a very tippy ICF sprint boat.

The Old Town Camper is a great canoe for family use, but no match for a long, lean, We-No-Nah “Jensen V1.”

Racing paddles are quite different from the standard Shaw and Tenny and Grey Owl paddles, or even the popular bent shaft paddles. These “wing” paddles are made from Kevlar, and are scientifically designed to pull as well as push through the water.

Of course, dedication to a sport and the desire to win and be competitive translates to an investment in the best hi-tec equipment. Preparation is

Ben Randall, one of the author’s sons, is a study in concentration as he powers his narrow, lightweight racing canoe through the initial flatwater sections of Kenduskeag Stream. Randall went on to win the race. A total of 423 competitors in 220 canoes and kayaks entered this year’s race.

vitally important too.

Not just being in good shape but practicing whenever there’s a chance to get out on the water.

Training in February is tough, because of all the clothes a paddler must wear for safety.

Prep work also means scouting the river from the shore or by boat. The ardent racers know every rock, every back eddy and every channel in the 16-mile course.

Mental Toughness Finally, you have to have a competitive spirit. As with any physically demanding sport, there’s a certain degree of mental toughness required to overcome the fear of plunging into a standing wave, or hitting the wall when your body runs out of energy.

Ben has this toughness. So do Gus and Jerry Madore, the canoe racers who placed second this year. So does Trevor MacLean, who has dominated the race for so many

years.

I don’t have it. I have paddled the Kenduskeag a number of times. Actually, I like to tell people I’ve swum the Kenduskeag a few times.

I got to know Sonny Colburn and Lew Gilman who dreamed the race up in 1967, and Earl Baldwin, who designed and built racing kayaks years before they became popular. For me, the race was always more of a social event, as it is I think for most paddlers – a time to welcome spring and see a long Maine winter in the rearview mirror and feel once again the pleasure of being afloat and swinging a paddle.

No, I was never out to win the race. I let the young guys like Ben and Trevor and Hank Thorburn and Jeff Sands and Ray Wirth do that, but I’ve met some great folks, had a lot of laughs, and always enjoyed all 16 grueling miles.

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 73

1978: “Atlantic Salmon Summer” These days, when I stand on the Franklin Street bridge in Bangor and look down into the Kenduskeag Stream, strong memories flood back to me.

It was here, 43 years ago, on July 12th, 1978 at 1:20 p.m., that I had an unforgettable experience. I can’t believe was that long ago – it seems like just yesterday.

It actually started three days earlier, on Sunday July 9th – my daughter’s birthday. It had been very hot and dry for quite a long spell, and huge Atlantic salmon from the Penobscot River, seeking cooler water, started coming up into the Kenduskeag Stream.

For a number of reasons, this situation quickly turned into a kerfuffle of major proportions.

Word Spread Like Wildfire The lower stretch of the Kenduskeag, through the city, is tidal water, and when the tide ebbed, the salmon did not go out. Therefore, they ended up trapped in many shallow pools.

At that time, there were no special fishing regulations that applied, and since it was tidal water, no fishing license was even required. The result was that anybody could fish there, with the only stipulation being that fish had to be caught with a hook and line “in the ordi-

Dressed in plain clothes to blend in with the crowd, the author began fishing in the Kenduskeag. Just then he saw two men – one with a wooden club and the other with a large rock – approach a shallow pool full of salmon.

When the tide ebbed in the Kenduskeag, Atlantic salmon were stranded in shallow pools, their fins protruding above the surface. Photo: Ann Constantino

nary manner.” You might say everything had aligned to create a perfect fishing storm.

Word spread like wildfire, and great throngs of people began to arrive in downtown Bangor. Some came just to witness the spectacular salmon swimming around in shallow pools with their dorsal fins sticking out of the water, but most of the folks were trying to capture one of these huge fish, by any means possible.

On the first day I arrived there, I was amazed at what I was witnessing. It was like something out of a movie, with dozens of people walking up the streets and heading for the stream, carrying all sorts of fishing equipment. They had spinning rods, bait casting rods, fly rods, nets and every fishing device imaginable.

One guy even had a

pitchfork, but we intercepted him before he could do any damage.

Gathering the Troops When I got to the stream, I met up with Warden John Bennett from Marine Patrol, and Terry Glatt, the regular warden for the area. It was clear that we would need some more help, so we proceeded to contact some other wardens, with the result that many of them ended up working there for most of the coming week. Law enforcement personnel included Norman Gilbert, John Ford, Doug Minor, Chuck Allen, Bill Allen and Marine patrol wardens Richard Lehay and John Bennett.

After the first day, we realized we would be more effective if we swapped our uniforms for plain clothes, worked separately,

and communicated with our new portable radios – innovative devices we had received the previous fall. Additionally, some of us began to mingle with the fishermen, in order to blend in with the crowd.

By Any Means Possible Those who were fishing by conventional means found limited success, since the salmon seemed to have no interest in biting anything. This resulted in people deploying various types of large daredevil spoons and gang hooks, in an attempt to snare or “jig” a salmon. This method proved somewhat successful, and we made quite a number of apprehensions for this activity.

Our concentrated hours for working changed during the week, due to the changing times for the

low tide. We also had to address activity on a couple of smaller streams that fed into the Penobscot River, as the salmon were congregating there as well.

A Club and a Rock On the 12th of July, I was posing as a fisherman, and after meeting Warden Bennett for lunch at the Post Office Pharmacy, I made my way over behind the Murray Motor Mart parking lot and began to fish downstream towards Franklin Street.

Within a few minutes, two men appeared just to the upstream side of Franklin Street. One man had a wooden club, and the other a large rock.

They began an assault on a shallow pool. The guy with the club would try to strike a salmon with it, while the other guy was trying to hit one with the rock.

Hot, Wet Pursuit After several attempts, the guy with the club reached down and grabbed a salmon, at which point I yelled at them and identified myself. They began to run downstream under the Franklin St. bridge.

I threw down my fishing pole, and took to pursuit. As I chased them downstream, the water started to get (True Tales continued on page 76) www.MaineSportsman.com

74 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

Crossbows Should Not Be Legal During Archery Season The author opposes continuing the current “temporary” law allowing crossbows to be used during the regular archery season on deer and during the fall turkey season. Here, he provides his concerns and his reasoning.

Crossbow manufacturers have gotten their foot in the door here in Maine. Maine has a temporary crossbow season that allows the use of crossbows during the regular archery season on deer, and during the fall wild turkey season.

The trial period is limited to the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons. Afterwards, the results will be evaluated to determine whether to make the changes permanent.

In short, crossbows may become legal to use during the archery season in Maine.

IF&W took quick steps to ensure that crossbow users learned how to hunt safely, by requiring a crossbow permit and also a crossbow education program before hunting (the online version cost $30).

The limited-period crossbow season excludes their use during expanded archery season zones, and during muzzleloader season.

In heavily populated expanded zones, problems with landowners could become an issue with added hunters knocking on doors – there’s been a delicate balance between landwww.MaineSportsman.com

owners and bowhunters in these zones.

Increased Use of Crossbows C.S. Winard, a biologist, has studied crossbow trends over the past decade. He notes there are two changes that commonly occur when states legalize crossbows, and that those changes occur within 3 to 7 years: 1. The crossbow harvest matches or exceeds the vertical bow harvest (“vertical bows” are defined to include compounds, recurves and longbows); and 2. Overall crossbow use versus vertical bow use levels off at between 50/50 and 60/40, with crossbow use slightly exceeding that of vertical bows.

Winand notes that within 7 years after states legalize crossbows during archery seasons, roughly 51% of bowhunters choose crossbows over vertical bows.

The Archery Trade Association (ATA) reports that crossbow hunters are now killing more deer then vertical bowhunters.

Several years ago the state of Maryland reported that the crossbow success rate was

32%, while compound archers’ success rate was 24%. Missouri reports 31% vertical and 35% crossbows, and Wisconsin lists 23% vertical and 35% crossbow success rates.

Clearly, over time many bowhunters will choose crossbows.

Effect on Deer Populations Researchers in Missouri found that many crossbow hunters are also gun hunters, so the impact of crossbows has only been a shift in when these hunters kill their deer – they simply kill deer earlier in the season. The facts are tracked by license sales, so if Maine is a one-deer state, then in theory there should be very little impact on deer populations.

If crossbows were allowed during the expanded archery season, they would have an effect on deer populations because of multiple tags available, but during the general archery season there would not be much impact because of the one-deer limit.

Crossbow hunters are generally gun hunters looking to extend available hunting opportunities, so “oneand-done” deer regu-

The author believes crossbows detract from bowhunting’s traditions as a classic, challenging pursuit. He expresses concerns about how crossbow use during the fall bowhunting season, which is allowed for two more years under a temporary Maine law, will affect “vertical bow” hunting in southern Maine. Photo:Val Marquez

lations combined with doe permits will continue to be the primary factors controlling deer population here in Maine.

Money Rules So where does this crossbow in the archery season movement come from? It’s likely the biggest push comes from crossbow manufacturers. Millions of dollars are to be gained when crossbows are legalized in a state. It’s also easy to get states’ support for allowing use of crossbows during archery season, because of added revenues from license sales and permits.

Even the IRS jumped on the crossbow bandwagon by classifying crossbows

as archery hunting gear so they could charge crossbow manufacturers the 11% excise tax on their products. Crossbows were once considered sporting gear, because they were illegal in all states. Today, many states consider crossbows as hunting equipment, which of course they are when the laws permit their use.

Law Needs to Change Except as set forth during the current limited time season, crossbows are illegal in archery season.

Maine hunting regulations clearly state that it is unlawful to use a set bow. Crossbows are (Southern Maine continued on page 76)

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 75

Cooler Waters Make Sebago Fishing Heat Up This Month As we trolled into Frye’s Gut on Sebago Lake, the rod doubled over, and the reel began to scream. I snatched it from the rod holder, set the hook, and handed the rod to my customer. I knew it was a decent salmon.

At the crack of dawn on an early morning last September, I was guiding a client who was in the area for work. He had decided that fishing fabled Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, C-1) was a good use of his down time.

Pete Belanger is from Pennsylvania, and he wanted to try his luck at Sebago salmon and lake trout.

We started out trolling through Frye’s Gut – always a good place for both salmon and lake trout. After a hot July and August, the water was cooling off, and I was optimistic we might get into some salmon.

We started into the Gut. I had two fly rods on each side of the boat, and two downriggers on bottom. Each was baited with frozen smelts left over from my spring fishing.

The starboard fly reel started screaming, and I was sure we had a nice salmon. I handed the rod to Pete, and the battle ensued. I could tell he had a feisty fish on by the way the rod was pumping. Imagine my surprise when a threepound smallmouth bass came into the net.

Not the salmon we

were looking for, but a fun battle nonetheless.

Another Fish On We got farther into the Gut, and that’s when it happened – the same rod doubled over, and the reel began to scream.

I snatched it from the rod holder and set the hook. I knew it was a decent salmon.

Pete played it

like a pro, despite the trademark salmon tail dance that throws more hooks than Mike Tyson. The salmon came to the net begrudgingly, and I was lucky to scoop it up just as the hook dislodged. Pete proudly held up his lunker salmon, complete with a slightly hooked jaw, before we released it.

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This was September salmon fishing at its best!

Fall Fishing is Fun The past few years have found me spending more time on the water late in the season, and September fishing action is what keeps me fishing later and later. In fact, this year I plan to keep the boat in the water all of October. The late summer and fall fishing is just so much fun!

Trolling the last Saturday of September last year, I took out two clients from the fa-

bled Migis Lodge. This couple had never been to Maine, much less Sebago Lake, but they wanted to experience all the lake has to offer, including a morning fishing trip.

We trolled around the Dingley Islands to start, and soon the woman had a bite. A smallmouth. Although I was disappointed, my neophyte angler was happy with her fish.

After all, she wanted a fishing charter, and she got a fish!

Next up was a (Continued on next page)

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Sebago to Auburn (Continued from page 75)

feisty laker that they wanted to keep for lunch. The world-class chefs at the lodge will cook the catch of any of their customers. I deliver the whole fish right to the kitchen, and they work their magic. No salmon on this trip, but this is the month to target Sebago salmon and lake trout (and, oh yes, the occasional bass!).

Tactics Late season trolling calls for a variety of methods. Although I still catch lakers on bottom using a downrigger, they come up to the cooler waters and are caught in varying depths.

I prefer to troll bait, and I use live shiners when I can get them, or frozen shiners and smelt, which I

usually have on hand.

Sebago fish like their bait trolled slowly, so I generally try to run 1to 1.2 MPH. Lure trolling is another story. Sebago salmon and lakers seem to take lures that are trolled between 2 and 3-MPH. For lakers, I find that copper or nickel/copper lures work very well. Salmon like anything fluorescent orange and lately, fluorescent pink. Go figure.

Rods, Downriggers Fly rods rigged with trolling fly line and tipped with a 30-foot leader of fluorocarbon come back into vogue this month.

There is nothing like a spirited salmon or lake trout on a fly rod, so I run them as soon

True Tales (Continued from page 73)

deeper, and the walls on the sides of the stream made it impossible for them to get out. As a result, I was able to capture them in a relatively short distance.

There were a number of spectators up on the bridge sidewalk taking in the whole episode, and they let out a cheer when I apprehended them, which I must say made me feel like a real hero.

Arrival at the Jail I arrested both men, and since the jail was just up to the right of Franklin

Southern Maine (Continued from page 74)

cocked and ready to fire a bolt. Crossbows are essentially a rifle stock with a bow on top, equipped with a safety and trigger, and (for most) a rifle scope.

Many archers intensely dislike use of crossbows during archery seasons – not because they aren’t safe, effective weapons but because they provide an unfair advantage over vertical bows.

Bowhunters hunting with archery gear www.MaineSportsman.com

as the fish come closer to the surface. A 9-foot rod fished out the side of the boat keeps the line away from the downriggers on all but the windiest days.

Many anglers without downriggers still run lead core line to get their offerings down deep. I run a lead core line on a planer board off each side of the boat when I’m not running a fly line.

This past summer, four colors of line seemed to be the magic depth for salmon and an occasional laker. I will also tie on a large flatfish and drag it along the bottom in sandy shoals in about 60-feet of water, and this combo usually catches the larger lake trout. You are going to lose lures, so bring spares.

The most produc-

Pennsylvania angler Pete Belanger shows off a nice hook-jawed salmon taken while fishing with the author on Sebago Lake last September.

Photo: Tom Roth

tive way to fish this set-up is to let a ton of lead core out so it “bellies” on the bottom and the flatfish digs into the sand with its deep lip. This seems to drive the lakers crazy and when you feel a fish hit, there’s no mis-

taking it for bottom.

Fall is coming, but there’s no reason to rush putting the boat away yet; some of the best fishing of the year awaits you.

¶

Street, on Hammond Street, I walked them, with me carrying the salmon, up and into the jail.

Of course, this caused some excitement at the jail with everyone suggesting that they could take the salmon off my hands.

These two guys had quite a day as, come to find out, they had been caught in the morning by Warden Glatt trying the same thing. Then, after getting out on bail as a result of this incident, they came back later in the afternoon with fishing poles, went upstream near the Federal Building, and illegally snagged a salmon. There, they got caught a third time by Warden Gilbert.

By the next summer new fishing rules were in place and that kind of bedlam has never since recurred on the Kenduskeag.

All in all, that week we made around forty apprehensions, and is a week we all remember well. When reminiscing with each other, all we have ever had to say is “Remember the salmon summer?” and now, as I look down into the stream from Franklin Street, I think about my warden comrades, half of them gone, and wonder, “How could I ever describe such a crazy set of events?”

(recurve, longbows and compounds) must draw the bow back to shoot a deer – this is the true challenge of bowhunting, and it’s the reason why archers have a special season. Bowhunting with a vertical bow is difficult, and those challenges give the advantage to deer.

Opponents to crossbows believe a crossbow is more like a rifle, due to the fact that a hunter simply needs to aim with a scope and pull a trigger. That’s

the real issue with crossbows in the archery season. It’s not due to deer harvest numbers or how many people use crossbows or all the money crossbows generate, which is great – those sales keep folks employed, and fish and game departments funded. The real issue is the challenge of drawing a vertical bow on a spooky deer at close range, or just aiming through the scope of the crossbow and pulling the trigger.

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������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 77

Operation ReBoot Outdoors – Veterans Helping Veterans Heal The veteran was casting to rising trout and salmon, when he suddenly stopped. I went to check on him, but he was fine. “I just realized,” he explained, “this is the first time since I got back from the desert that I completely forgot all about my troubles.”

The huge brook trout broke the surface of the water several inches from my fly, rocketed skyward, rolled 180 degrees, and came crashing down on my grasshopper imitation. I got to see the whole episode clearly and still can picture it today, four years later.

The beefy trout surprised me and pulled harder than I thought. When I got it into the net, it was bigger than it had appeared when I spotted it pouncing on my fly.

This particular pond usually holds a consistent number of brook trout that run from 6 to 14 inches, with a 15-inch fish showing up once or twice a season. Some folks have mentioned catching 18-inchers in this pond, but I wondered about the truth of these “fishing stories.” Even though I had a doubt about the 18-inchers, in my mind I still had a vision of huge brookies under the surface of this spring-fed mountain pond.

I didn’t get to see the next fish that hit my fly, but it really rocked my world. As I prepared to bring the fish to the net in usual fashion, the thing dove

down deep and hauled line through my finger so fast it burned. At this point I thought that this was one of the big 18-inchers of my dreams ... when it did the same thing two more times, I was sure I had the biggest brookie in the pond on my line.

Once the fish finally came to the surface, I noticed it was foulhooked right in the dorsal fin, causing the 14-inch trout to feel like a real monster 18inch brook trout. The fish had the full side of its body to use as a tool for pulling strength, and made it feel like I really had a whopper on. I laughed out loud when I noticed it ... and gave a sigh of relief. This fish really had me going.

Passing it On The immense joy I receive from fly fishing gives me a certain psychological boost of energy. I feel revitalized after a day on the water and seem to be better able to handle the everyday stress that comes with life.

For several years I was a board member of Back in the Maine Stream (BITMS), a non-profit organization made up of veterans who help other

veterans learn and experience fly fishing. This organization folded last year, and I am now attempting to start a similar fly fishing program with another veteran’s non-profit group called Operation ReBoot Outdoor (ORO)(operationrebootoutdoors. com).

ORO helps veterans, active duty military, and law enforcement officers (LEOs) heal from emotional and physical trauma, through fly fishing programs. For many of these individuals, fly fishing has become a form of therapy that really works to help them through their troubles, allowing them to once again become active and vital members in their communities.

I took a fellow fishing on the Rapid River a while ago, and the story clearly demonstrates the relief these traumatized military members and LEOs struggle with. The story touched my heart in such a way that I often get choked up when I repeat it.

This veteran, David, learned how to fly fish the day I met him.

I was asked to take him to the water be-

Dan and Nicole Waite, founders of Operation ReBoot Outdoors, at one of their ice fishing events on Ellis Pond.

low Middle Dam and help him try and catch a fish. I placed him close to a bunch of rising trout, and watched him catch a brook trout and then a nice salmon. I told him he was doing it perfectly and to keep at it, then I backed off a little and

let him go to work.

He caught a few more fish and then I noticed he had stopped fishing and seemed to be just staring at the moving water. I approached him and said, “David, there are fish still rising over (Continued on next page)

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Rangeley Region (Continued from page 77)

there. Why did you stop fishing?”

He turned to me a said, “I just realized ... this is the first time since I got back from the desert that I completely forgot all about my troubles.”

Fly fishing doesn’t completely heal everyone ... for some, it simply gives them temporary relief from the burden of their individual traumas.

The rest of the healing comes from the camaraderie they feel when they join up with their brothers- and sistersin-arms – a healing connection that goes beyond all understanding.

ORO Operation Reboot

Fly fishing with veterans’ organizations can lead to some HUGE fish, like this gorgeous, 22-inch brown trout.

Outdoors has a group of board members, but I like the fact that it seems like each member is on the board and helping in their own way. Veterans helping veterans – board members volunteer and take no paycheck.

Every penny donated goes directly into the hunting and fishing programs that ORO

puts together.

The fly fishing program that we are starting will blend in perfectly with the other programs ORO has already successfully created. This past June, ORO held its first Fly Fishing Seminar to kickstart the program. I was totally impressed with the amount of support we

New member Scott MacArthur with a nice smallmouth bass caught on a fly rod.

received from other ORO members in helping the new anglers get a proper start on their fly fishing instruction.

I’ll organize another session, and at the same time I’ll start fishing with some of

these new anglers to get them on some fish as soon as possible. I’m confident that many of the old BITMS members will sign up with ORO, and we’ll be off to the races soon.

¶

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Trap Bedding and Pan Tension In addition to helping you target larger animals, tightening pan tension also reduces the chances the trap will fire accidently while you are bedding it, which can result in a face full of dirt.

In this article we will address trap bedding and pan tension.

These factors are more important in canine trapping than in trapping any of the other furbearers, and if you’re pursuing canines, your success depends on getting these two issues correct.

Many new trappers trying to target coyotes find their traps fired but still in the trap bed, or else they are fired and pulled out of the trap bed.

These events are the result of improper trap bedding or improper pan tension.

and solid, ensuring that it will not move in place. The only thing that should be able to move is the pan.

The trap should also have material placed under the pan such as polyester fluff, or a screen or cover should be placed over the pan area inside of the jaw spread. This prevents covering material from getting under the pan and blocking its operation, which could result in the failure of the trap pan to drop and fire when direct pressure is applied to the trap’s pan.

Proper Bedding The trap must be solid in its bed. If an animal steps on any part of the trap other than the pan, the trap should not move.

You can test the bedding of your trap by pressing down on various parts of the trap. If it moves, it is not bedded properly.

Pretty good is not good enough.

If the bed is dug so the trap fits snug within the bed and on any bedding material placed under the trap, a slight pounding of the surrounding soil around the trap with your hammer or mallet will tighten up the trap so that it is good

Pan Tension Then there is the second part of the equation – pan tension.

The procedures of how to adjust pan tension were addressed in my August column. But a detailed explanation is warranted here to resolve the most likely cause of traps being fired but not holding the targeted animal.

For a long time, trappers thought that a trap should fire as soon as the pan was touched (a “hair trigger,” so to speak).

Early traps also did not have provisions to tighten the tension on the pan.

By contrast, on most modern traps,

pan tension can be adjusted by tightening or loosening a bolt and nut assembly used to hold the pan shank to the pan post. Components are also available through some trapping supply houses to modify many of the older types of traps to allow the tensioning of the pan.

If the pan tension is too light, various problems may result.

For example, the trap may fire from natural environmental conditions, such as a rainstorm weighing down the layer of dirt over the trap to where it is enough to fire the trap. Another is the freezing of damp dirt on top of the pan expanding, which can

The location of the pan tension screw is shown in this illustration from the “best practices” trapping manual published by the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA).

apply enough pressure to fire the trap.

Or a small animal can cause the trap to fire – an animal as small as a mouse.

Too Light a Setting Results in Problems If you are targeting the larger furbearers such as coyotes, bobcat or raccoons and the trap does not have adequate tension applied to the pan, all manner of unwanted critters

can fire the trap such as birds, squirrels and other unwanted species.

If you find the trap fired and lying outside of the bed, it likely means the trap was set so light it fired with only a small portion of the animal’s foot touching the pan.

If the animal’s foot is not centered in the (Trapping continued on page 81)

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80 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

September – a Month for Final Bird Dog Preparations This year, September will be a mix of bird dog training and fishing ... next month begins bird season and the end of fall fishing for most places across the state. Some waters remain open to fishing, but I’ll be chasing grouse and woodcock with my trusty sidekick, Ginger the Hungarian Pointer (Vizsla).

The last couple of years I have been training Ginger, teaching her the finer points of bird hunting. She took to most of the instruction very easily, except for a couple of issues ... she goes crazy when a bird flushes,

the field on his property. I can’t wait to see the progress in Ginger come October.

The author gives his Vizsla, Ginger, a little “free time” before and after each session. Ginger likes to chase squirrels and chipmunks for a bit, and then she’s ready to get to work. A little running around improves her focus. and she won’t bring a downed bird back to me.

I can take a bumper, with a grouse wing attached, and have her fetch for me in the yard or on the water all day long. As soon as we get out into the woods and I shoot a bird, she runs around frantically until she finds where it dropped, holds it down with her front paws, and begins pulling feathers out of

the bird. She doesn’t damage the meat, but for some reason she won’t retrieve the bird back to me.

I took Ginger to Michael Browning, an expert hunting dog trainer endorsed by Orvis. Browning owns and operates a very successful guide service, Grouse Haven Wingshooting (grousehavenwingshooting. com), in Jay. Browning, an avid bird dog

man, showed me a few training tips to help Ginger get started, and she took to them in great fashion.

I called Browning earlier this year and will be working with him to get Ginger tuned up for hunting next month. I was highly impressed with Browning’s great training tips and really enjoyed the way he worked with Ginger on birds he planted in

At Home Training Besides plenty of conditioning like long runs, swimming, and hiking, a bird dog needs to keep up on commands used in the hunting woods throughout the year.

Wherever I am with Ginger I make sure to make her heel properly on and off leash. I use an e-collar, but hardly ever have to actually back up my commands with the device. Ginger has learned to listen to my (Continued on next page)

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voice, and almost always obeys.

When she heels (walks on my left with her head approximately at my knee), I often will just stop and give her the “whoa” command. From there I will make her stay in that standing “whoa” position while I walk around her picking up sticks and throwing them, sprinting about, anything to distract her. She does great and holds her position until I return to her side, pet her and praise her, and then give her the “okay” command – so she can continue heeling with me.

Browning told me to do this all year long, as a means of keeping Ginger’s head in the game. He also recommended having something out in the lawn to have Ginger heel on, like a plastic barrel she could leap up on or even a simple piece of carpet attached to plywood ... just something different than the lawn grass.

I have a huge stump and several other items that Ginger can jump up on throughout the back yard. When she’s heeling, I have her – as Browning suggested – jump up on the item

Ginger gets plenty of exercise in the form of play in the water. William Clunie photo

and then I give the “whoa” command. She locks up and holds the “whoa” until I return, praise, and release her.

I also give Ginger a complete “fetch” training scenario daily, sometime a few times a day. The sessions don’t last more than five or ten minutes.

I use a tennis ball or bumper with a wing attached and make sure she drops the item when she brings it back to my side. I always praise her a bit and then return to the training.

I make sure to give

Trapping (Continued from page 79)

trap, it’s easy for the animal to pull its leg free.

Even if the foot is centered over the trap and the animal is slowly putting its foot down (so only light pressure is applied), the trap could fire with the animal’s foot still mostly raised off the ground, again resulting in the trap not getting a good hold on the foot.

To target the larger furbearers, therefore, a trapper must set the trap

Ginger a little “free time” before and after each session. She likes to chase squirrels and chipmunks for a bit, then we get to work.

It’s good to let her burn a little pent-up energy before starting ... she has a lot of energy, and a little running around improves her focus.

Maturing Bird Dog Ginger will be three this month, and I’ve already shot a good number of birds over her. The finishing touches to her bird dog training with Browning will take her to the next level. This fall will

bring Ginger to the beginning of maturity in the grouse woods ... all of her training will pay off in the following years.

It’s a beautiful thing to watch as Ginger reaches her prime, but hunters have to be careful at this point.

I’m not going to go into this stage with such high hopes that a low performance on her part will lead me to consider my dog as a disappointment. Each day in the woods will start as a new beginning in this adventure between me, my dog, and the birds.

pan with adequate tension. Your mind tells you that it may be too much tension, because what if? A million questions cross your mind when trapping canines, such as whether it’s set too much to take a fox, or whether it’s too light for coyotes to ensure a good foot hold.

For foxes, one to two pounds of pan tension is sufficient, while two to four pounds is adequate for coyotes. Tension is measured with the trap field ready and set. In another word dyed,

Ginger will attain perfection in her own time, with a little encouragement and lots of training. I start and stop each training session on a positive note, letting her succeed at an easy task. I’ll do the same in the hunting woods this fall ... it helps her gain confidence and makes our trips to the woods an enjoyable pleasure rather a rough schedule of training tasks.

Keep it light and fun, with a healthy continuity that a dog can understand.

¶

waxed, and set. Pan tension also reduces the chance of the trap firing while you are bedding it, preventing a face full of dirt.

The bottom line is – if your trap fires on an animal and you don’t take it, it greatly reduces the possibility that you will take it the next time it comes around. Good bedding, along with proper pan tension, are the two best ways to avoid finding empty fired traps.

¶

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82 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

My Aunt Knew Sebago and its Seasons September, she told me, is the best month of summer.

Days are warm, fish are biting, and the hooligans have migrated back to their home range in the suburbs.

One of my aunts always told me that September is the best month of the summer on the lake. She’d sit me down in her sunporch overlooking Big Bay of Sebago, and we would talk and talk.

Because I was only a little kid, running down the hill from my camp to hers was a pretty big treat. And I loved to hear her stories.

When she retired from elementary school teaching, the same year as my other aunt, they vowed to spend the whole summer at their neighboring camps. They left their homes in late May, loaded to live out the summer on the water, and didn’t return until October. Their newfound freedom from working led them to a renewed appreciation for camp and the lake. As I recall from her stories, this is Sebago through the summer: May and June May: The water is very cold, and anglers have good luck ice-out trolling for salmon. Most days make you grateful for the woodstove in the camp, and it’s too cold to enjoy the beach. The lake is usually choppy, but there isn’t any boat traffic, www.MaineSportsman.com

and sometimes you will go days without seeing another soul.

June: The air warms up, but the water stays pretty cold all month.

Good salmon fishing continues, and the togue start to become active. Some nights, the woodstove is still needed to fend off the chilly air.

Some days are bitter cold, and hunkering down next to the fireplace with a book is the best way to spend the day. Other days, the sun heats everything up, and tanning out on the beach is the way to go.

Toward the end of the month, the water hits the temperature where swimming isn’t out of the question.

June brings a slight increase in pleasure boaters, “fair-weather fishermen,” and the dreaded “hooligans.”

July and August July: This is the first month of the “real summer” activities. By the 4th, the so-called “hooligans” are in full swing. The salmon bite slows down as they move deeper into the thermocline. Pleasure boaters and daredevils fill the lake all day, but early mornings and evenings are still possible for fishing.

The water warms

up a lot this month, and swimming becomes comfortable.

The weather is in a battle between cold and rainy, and hot and muggy. Definitely the busiest month on the lake.

August: The dog days of summer. Hot, humid, and sunny. Summer thunderstorms whip over the lake and provide mind-blowing light shows, while immense booms of thunder echo over the water.

Salmon stick to the thermocline, which tends to move deeper, and the togue stick to the bottom in deep, cold water. Warmwater fishing is active, and trolling for perch and bass is a great way to pass the time.

Boat traffic subsides slightly, but heavy pressure remains. Although fishing may not be prime, the sun and warm water make beach days popular.

September The best month of summer. The nights cool down to pleasant sleeping weather, the days stay warm, and the lake quiets down after a long summer of excitement. The retirees have the whole lake all to themselves.

Salmon and togue fishing is aplenty, the sun

The author holds a nice Sebago salmon. With September’s cooler weather, salmon and togue fishing sees a resurgence.

usually cooperates for some nice beach days, and the hooligans migrate back to their home range in the suburbs. The woodstove makes some guest appearances on chilly evenings, but the sun does the trick during the day. Overall, September is a full summer month complete with heat and sun, but with the solitude that comes in the fall months.

End of Summer October: A cold month to be living in uninsulated camps. The woodstove becomes a lifeline, and the heat is replaced by fall foliage, smooth, quiet water, and overall solitude. Easily the most

photogenic month of the year, but perhaps a bit too cold in the nights to stay at camp comfortably.

There is always talk at camp to fix this and finish that. One of the pipe dreams that is frequently discussed is to winterize the building. Although ambitious, camp projects are always more involved than at first they seem. Although the camp may undergo change, the land it sits on and the pristine water it borders will remain. No matter what month or year it is, I’m sure camp will always be just that – camp.

¶

������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2021 • 83

Those “Dam” Fish!

Recently I’ve noticed quite a few politically charged articles popping up regarding current and proposed river impoundments.

The ones I have seen have ranged geographically from the historic mountain rivers of the northwestern USA, to the relatively untouched and undeveloped eastern seaboard of Labrador, Canada.

Typically, they follow the general mantra of “natural flowing river good; big hydro company bad.” There are several sub-arguments made regarding fish habitat and the like, leading to some odd bedfellowships between Greenpeace-types and more conservative-leaning sporting groups.

Without diving too deep into the water – which in this case would be over my head – I’d just like to highlight some of the great local fishing opportunities that exist around the impoundments in New Hampshire.

Brad Pitt Not in Evidence Anywhere The rivers of northern New Hampshire aren’t like the rivers in the mountain west or other trout-famous parts of the world.

Simply, they are rather unexciting and uneventful. Most of the fish that are caught in them are in roadside locales, freshly stocked from a hatchery truck, and reeled in attached

Areas around dams along the Androscoggin and Connecticut Rivers provide excellent trout fishing opportunities. In fact, the author says, fish seem invigorated by the currents below the dams that are created by scheduled daily water releases. Know the timing of such releases, and be cautious of quickly rising waters and fast currents.

The author caught this trophy 26” brown trout on hard tackle during one of the scheduled water releases from an impoundment on the Connecticut River. E. Emerson photos

to a worm and bobber.

Not exactly a scene from “A River Runs Through It.” There are, however, some locations that provide opportunities at lots of fish, and some locations that provide opportunities at some trophy-quality fish.

Given the unspectacular nature of the course of these rivers, these opportunities happen to be at the base of those darn dams. Being one of the paper mill capitals of the world last century, northern NH has no shortage of dams.

Brook trout abound in many of the pools below the dams in northern NH.

Connecticut River Impoundments Pittsburg is a sportsman’s paradise for many reasons, one of which is the tremendous fly-fishing along the Connecticut River. The river flows south from 3rd Lake to 2nd Lake, to 1st Lake, to Lake Francis, to then becoming the river bordering VT. These upper reaches between the lakes, though, are all within NH, and are all worth the travel to get to them.

Starting from the north, there is a small dam and flowage between 3rd Lake and 2nd Lake, near Deer Mountain Campground. The

mighty Connecticut River is only a narrow brook here, but it holds lots some small trout, as does the flowage on the upstream side of the dam.

Monster Brown Trout Areas below the dams on 2nd and 1st Lakes hold good fish, as do the many pools downstream to them.

There are short trails off Rt. 3, Magalloway Road, and River Road that access these stretches of water. The trout species varies among brook trout, rainbows, and browns, depending on the location. Below Murphy Dam on the west end

of Lake Francis is the crown jewel, though.

This is where the monster brown trout come from.

I am not revealing any secrets here. Any given weekend and many weekdays these waters are spackled with fishermen. If you are considering hitting the big pools on a holiday weekend, you better be prepared to stand in line, or at least share the water.

Decent browns and other trout can be found below the other Connecticut River dams heading southward, toward Long Island Sound. The best places in the northern half of NH seem to be in the tailraces of the dam in Stewartstown, the old Lyman Falls dam in Columbia, Moore Dam in Littleton, and Comerford Dam in Monroe.

Androscoggin Impoundments Errol Dam, in Errol, is a fairly large dam on the Androscoggin River outflow of Lake Umbagog. There is a very large landing pool below that supports good fly fishing for trout. Farther downstream, below the bridge, there is another huge pool that offers good worm and tackle fishing, as well.

Downriver, south of “Thirteen Mile Woods,” is Pontook Dam. This tailrace is relatively shallow and (New Hampshire continued on page 85) www.MaineSportsman.com

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— Guest Column — The Duel – Part 1 of 2

by Alan Haley Fifty years ago, there was a certain intoxicating wildness about North Maine. I think it was in the air.

Being in a place where you could walk into the woods and never be seen again, changed what you did and how you behaved.

Take, for example, the duel.

Busy Season In 1978, we shot 16 deer out of a tent camp at Roll Dam on the West Branch of the Penobscot River.

We were scheduled to guide 38 hunters that year, 14 of them coming during the second week, so Wayne decided to hire Mike to help us out.

Mike was a summer river guide who had grown up in the tamed hills and farm fields of central Pennsylvania. He had only recently graduated high school. Despite his lack of real-world experience, he was a quick learner, did his job under all circumstances, and brought the customers safely back at the end of the day.

When the new guy embarrasses the experienced guide, there’s hell to pay – and there’s no telling how or where the skirmish will end.

Wayne Gets Embarrassed The duel started Monday morning on Dipper Mountain.

Mike had been wandering around the south side and saw Wayne walking back to the truck. He wanted to walk out with him, and started towards him.

While Mike was struggling up the ridge, Wayne caught sight of him and thought it would be fun to scare the bumpkin when he walked by. He stepped behind a gnarly old beech and waited.

When Mike next looked for Wayne, he noticed that Wayne had disappeared. Startled, he brought up his gun to scope out the ridge line.

At the same moment, Wayne risked a peek around the tree, and found himself staring down the wrong end of a rifle barrel. He assumed

New Hampshire (Continued from page 83)

offers good wading opportunities. A variety of river trout species, as well as smallmouth bass, pickerel, and even a few pike and salmon, can be caught here. I’ve never heard of any giant trout being caught here, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. Typically, fisherman catch large quantities of fish here.

Mike had mistaken him for a deer and was getting ready to shoot.

Wayne quickly made himself as small as possible, while screaming at the top of his lungs.

Anger Abject terror quickly turned to rage, and Wayne launched a tirade on Mike for the young man’s poor sense of safety. The poetic justice of his plan’s reversal was lost on Wayne. The real issue was pride. Mike had only been in the woods a couple of days, didn’t know anything about deer hunting, and yet he had completely humiliated Wayne.

The worst part was yet to come, for there is no mercy around the supper table of a deer camp. Every mistake and missed opportunity by some poor soul is re-told, pantomimed and amplified with each telling. This story, with attendant imi-

tations of Wayne ducking and screaming, would go for years.

The Battle Escalates Wayne was as much a prisoner of his pride as anyone else, particularly when it came to deer hunting.

He was going to show Mike what real woodscraft was.

The year before, a sport had given us a couple hundred rounds of vintage military .308 blanks to use when signaling hunters. We always carried a dozen rounds with us. Wayne decided he was going to use them.

Tuesday afternoon, Mike was standing on the shore of Seboomook lake, watching a raft of Canada geese, when Wayne snuck up behind him and fired off a blank into the air.

The geese took off flying, while Mike hit the ground.

Although it took several hours for his

Tactics In many of these locations, the fish seem to be invigorated by the currents created by scheduled daily water releases. If you can find out what time that happens, that is the time to be in the area—but be cautious of rising waters and fast currents! In fact, I wouldn’t even suggest trying to wade below the bigger dams. The water below Moore is especially terrifying.

I’ve mentioned fly fishing a lot, just

ears to stop ringing, Mike did allow he might have deserved what he got.

No Mercy at Dinner It was a raucous cook tent that night, with jokesters periodically ringing anything resembling a bell, breaking wind and asking Mike if he heard anything, or turning to someone at the supper table and loudly asking, “Can you pass me the butter?”

Wayne, however, did not think the scales had yet been fully balanced. Instead, he began plotting his next step.

Next month – the conclusion of The Duel. ***** Alan Haley got his Maine guide’s license in 1976, and for the next 11 years he worked out of remote tent camps between Seboomook and Caucmagomic Lakes, guiding deer, bear and moose hunters for Wayne Hockmeyer, owner of Northern Outdoors.

¶

because that is what comes to my mind when I think of trout river fishing. But there exists great opportunity for hard tackle or even worm fishing in many of these locations. Read the lawbook carefully, though, because there are stretches of water, especially in the Pittsburg area, that have specific rules, such as fly-fishing only, barbless hooks, catch and release, early season closures, and other limitations. Know before you go!

¶

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86 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

All-Terrain Averse An extensive explanation of why the author isn’t going for a ride on an ATV The editor called and told me he wanted me to try out an ATV. So, I went down to the nearest bank branch and used one of those gizmos to take out some cash.

Worked fine.

Grabbed the money and bought some beer.

But when I reported my results to the aforementioned editor, he was less than pleased.

“You’re a dope,” he explained. “That’s an ATM, an automated teller machine. I want you to take a ride on an ATV, an all-terrain vehicle.”

I can take a hint.

But taking a ride is another matter. Nevertheless, I went over to my neighbor’s house, where I tried to take some money out of his ATV. Not only didn’t that work, but he called the cops.

Let me be honest about this assignment.

I want to take a ride on an ATV somewhat less than I want a colonoscopy. At least colonoscopies are conducted indoors. No ditches.

No biting insects. No tree branches.

There’s also a much-reduced chance of death or serious injury. Really. I looked it up on the internet, so it must be true.

During colonoscopies, hardly anybody dies, and only a fraction of 1% are injured. ATV usage results in thousands of injuries each year in the United www.MaineSportsman.com

smoke pot, drink alcohol and defy authority.

They sound like my kind of people. If only I didn’t have to go outside to meet them.

NOT the author.

States. Many of those who are injured are riders on the backs of ATVs. A lot of them are probably columnists who’ve been told by editors they have to take a ride.

It gets worse. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, you’re less likely to injure yourself engaging in the following activities than if you go for a jaunt through the woods on an ATV: mountain biking, riding a personal watercraft, sledding, snowboarding, water skiing, hiking, fishing, swimming, boating and challenging a mixed martial arts champion to arm wrestle.

What’s the message here? It’s obvious that it’s to stay inside as much as you can, and if you have to venture out, do so only for

invasive medical procedures. Or beer.

Open Mind Nevertheless, I was trying to keep an open mind about this ATV thing. So, I called up one of the founders of the local off-road vehicle club and asked him what the attraction was.

He was alarmingly honest.

“I’d much rather be hiking,” said John McCatherin of Carrabassett Valley. “I appreciate people’s desire to be out there, but I don’t consider myself a huge fan of it.”

I’m in full agreement there. Except for the hiking part.

McCatherin said he uses his ATV to hunt and to work on the club’s trails and bridges, which, for some reason, he finds enjoyable. He also takes pleasure in “get-

ting out where you can see nature,” although he admits, “It’s not exactly like a quiet walk in the woods.”

In my world, the only thing worse than a quiet walk in the woods is a noisy ride through them.

Family Sport, or Cowboys?

So, what’s your typical ATV enthusiast like?

“More and more riders I see are older people and families,” McCatherin said. “It’s a pretty darn good family sport. You see a lot of people just puttering around.”

I find most of my day is already taken up with puttering around. Inside.

McCatherin admitted there are also some “cowboys” out there.

They tear up trails, rip across private land without permission,

Opportunity Knocks After talking with McCatherin, I came away convinced that riding an ATV might be a fun way to spend the weekend – in much the same sense that watching “Frozen” with the grandchildren for the 43rd time is also a fun way to spend 9,000 hours.

At least on an ATV, I wouldn’t be tempted to tear my eyeballs out.

Given the evidence, it seemed unlikely I would ever willingly experience the thrill of whipping through the woods in pursuit of nothing in particular for no discernable reason.

Then the phone rang. An acquaintance, upon learning I was writing a column about ATVs, was offering to give me a ride. No steep trails, he promised. No nasty turns. No big bumps.

I was mildly tempted to take him up on his kind offer.

But I had a colonoscopy scheduled that day.

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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Smilin’ Sportsman A tourist biking through rural Washington County stopped alongside the road when she saw what looked like a flock of four-legged chickens racing around the farmyard, and a farmer in overalls throwing feed down for them.

“Are those really four-legged chickens?” asked the astonished cyclist.

“Yep,” replied the farmer. “Our family was always fighting over the drumsticks, so I worked real hard and finally bred some four-legged chickens.”

“That’s amazing,” exclaimed the cyclist. “Do they taste as good as a regular chickens?”

“I can’t rightly say,” replied the farmer. “I haven’t been able to catch one yet!”

— My grandfather had a favorite saying: “When one door closes, another one opens.”

He was a wonderful person, but a terrible cabinetmaker.

— Wife: “What are you doing sitting down watching TV? You said you’d be busy all day doing stuff around the house!”

Husband: “I’ll have you know I’m just taking a break after completing my first project.”

Wife: “Oh, what was that?”

Husband: “I installed a rear end in a recliner.”

— A wise guy from New York was captured by pirates.

“First, we will kill you,” explained the captain of the pirates, “and then we will make a little sail from your skin.”

The New Yorker grabbed a cutlass from the nearest pirate and began stabbing himself repeatedly.

“What are you doing?” cried the captain.

“The joke is on you!” yelled the gleeful New Yorker. “So much for your little sail!”

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88 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

— TRADING POST — • Subscribers may place one free 20-word line classified ad per month (2-month limit) • Items for sale must include a price • Real estate ads must include an address or location

• The regular rates are $15 for up to 20 words and 50¢ for each additional word • Check, money order, MasterCard or VISA (Credit or Debit) are accepted

• You may submit your ads by: Phone: 207-357-2702 E-mail: classifieds@mainesportsman.com Mail: 183 State Street, Suite 101

Augusta ME 04330

SUBMIT AD AND PAYMENT BY THE 30TH OF EACH MONTH AND YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE. BOATS FOR SALE GRAND LAKE CANOE WITH TRAILER Classic 19 1/2 ft square stern canoe great for fly-casting or streamer troller. Handcrafted by Pierce Pond fishing guide in 1983.

Blue. Canvas cover.

Fiberglassed exterior. Fly-tying platform near stern. Rangeley boat seats. In Brunswick. Seldom used trailer. $7,200. Many Extras. Call or text 207-751-2940.

2 1/2 HP SUZUKI 4-CYCLE OUTBOARD MOTOR In good condition. $295 Call: 207-622-4843 or 207-724-3502.

GRAND LAKE CANOE (SPRAGUE) 1998 Master Guide owned, that has passed away. Honda 9.9, trailer, seats, cover. Mint condition. $7000 or best offer.

Can be seen at Indian Rock Camps, Grand Lake Stream. indianrockcamp@gmail.com

1972 TREMBLAY CHIPPEWA CANOE 20’, Made in Ontario Canada. Good cond. very stable. Guide retiring. $1,200 OBO Call 207-532-6639, Houlton.

— CAMPS FOR SALE JUST IN TIME FOR HUNTING SEASON Camp for sale directly on Aroostook River T9R7 -Wild Trout and Salmon Fishing! $39,900. 207-227-2305.

—

Attention Sportsmen & Outdoor Enthusiasts:

Imagine Yourself Here!

Moose, deer and wildlife abound at this genuine north woods style camp, nestled on 1.72 acres. Easily accessible year round on town maintained road.

The camp is off-grid with 12 volt, has generator and a holding tank for septic.

Heat is wood and propane. $105,000. Call today!

Joan Marden

The Genuine.

The Original.

Serving the Bangor Area Since 1948

Residential & Commercial Garage Doors & Openers Sales, Service & Repairs

Real Estate Sales Agent, RE/MAX at Home

56 Liberty Drive Hermon, ME

141 Water Street, Skowhegan, ME www.athomemaine.com

www.overheaddoorofbangor.com

Cell 207-717-3178 joan.marden@remax.net

Each office is independently owned and operated

(207) 848-2866

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

supplies.com or call 207-229-8468.

DEVELOPER’S DREAM: 6.6 ACRES 370ft. road frontage on Whittier Rd. in Farmington, Maine, just off Routes 2 & 4. Electricity on site, 4 water hookups and 4 sewer hookups, Tax Incentives possible. 207474-0778

2014 RAPIDO LOCO JR FIREWOOD PROCESSOR WITH TRAILER 24’ elevator. Good condition. 567 hours. $40,000.

Pictures available upon request. 413-854-3516.

— DOGS GUN DOG TRAINING At Spruce Meadow Kennel in Rangeley, Maine.

Experienced with pointing and flushing upland bird hunting dogs. Contact Jeff Hawksley 207864-3610 or 207-6708010 www.facebook. com/rangeleydogboardingandgundogtraining.

QUAIL HOLLOW KENNELS: BRITTANYS Simply the best personal shooting dogs and family pets. Puppies and started dogs.

Woodcock training November through March. Forty years of excellence. Call after sunset 856-935-3459.

—

#315 – Richardsontown TWP – Camp, walking distance of Upper Dam Pool. Leased land $1,525 per year. MLS#1477070 – $164,500

FOR SALE FULL LINE OF FISHING MATERIALS & FLIES Tools, Kits, Lessons, more. Mr. Ed’s Flies & Supplies, 11 Honeysuckle Ln., Brunswick, ME. mredsfliesand-

www.MaineSportsman.com

TAXIDERMY One Bull Moose shoulder mount and four Whitetail Buck shoulder mounts. Great for sporting camps or bar. $3,000 Firm. Call 207944-9027.

— LAND FOR SALE GUILFORD Just below Moosehead Lake. 18 buildable acres on town road with power. Excellent hunting, fishing & snowmobiling. Sebec Lake nearby. $2000/ acre CALL: 413-2292969.

— REAL ESTATE SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY FARMHOUSE WITH 120 ACRES Early 1900s, 8 room, 1 1/2 bath, farm house with 120 acres, mostly wooded, excellent hunting, has snowmobile and ATV trails, Also 1200ft airstrip.

For sale by owner. $450,000.00 Call 207578-1482.

— (Continued on next page)

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WANTED DEAR HUNTERS & GUIDES: SEEKING BEAR TALLOW

DONATIONS Call or text Kate at 207-502-3915 or email bearhandnecessities@ gmail.com.

DEER/MOOSE ANTLERS

Buying any size deer and moose shed antlers/racks or antlered skulls.

All grades bought by the pound.

802-875-3206.

— Canoe For Sale —

18’ fiberglass square stern canoe with wood ribs and gunnels, 5 hp/4-stroke Honda outboard motor (mid-1990s with very few hours), Shoreline trailer. $5,500. Located in Holden, ME. Call or text 207-307-9233, jean.bridges@gmail.com

¶

Grand Lake Stream!

16 acres. 5 minute walk to the stream. 4,900 square feet of living.

So many possibilities – don’t miss this one!

Dan Fahey Associate Broker Keller Williams Realty 50 Sewall Street, Portland, ME

Farmington – 63 acre or 67 acre lots sold separately or combine as they abut each other. Located at the end of town maintained road. Private location.

Recently harvested. $95,000 per lot.

Wilton – 55+/- acres. Waterviews and access to Varnum Pond.

Mature timber on lower half.

Potential Sugarbush with 4,000 to 5,000 taps. Seasonal access. $99,000

Rumford/Peru – 321 acres. View from Lovejoy Hill/Burgess Hill, South Peak are simply amazing.

Recently harvested. Snowmobile trail (17N) passes through lot.

Good access. $295,000

Roxbury – 89 acres. Rugged, incredible mountain views, steep terrain and good road frontage on Route 120. Recently harvested.

Elevations reach approx. 1,680’. $79,900

Nicatous Lake – Butterfield Island. A private self-sufficient 8 acre island with historic cabins from the 1920s and 30s and a newer main cabin. Move right in, fully furnished. Boat house with dock on mainland. $615,000

Hancock County - Over 800 acres with 5,400 sq. ft log cabin completely surrounding Fox Pond.

Miles of maintained trails. Adjacent to 20,000 acres of conservation lands. www.foxpondestate.com. $4,300,000

Caratunk – 1,064 acres. Views of the Kennebec River – Wyman Lake, Moxie Mountain -east & Bigelow Mountains -west.

Interior gravel roads and groomed snowmobile trail. $625,000

(207) 632-6265 dansellsmaine@gmail.com

Beauty runs deep.

So does our land sales experience.

John Colannino Broker & Forester

Pembroke – 25+/acres.

Coastal Maine property with over 2,000’ of tidal shore front along Hardscrabble River. Year round access. Amazing views. $150,000.

AFM Real Estate 40 Champion Lane | Milford, Maine | 04461 O: 207.817.9079 | C: 207.266.7355 John.Colannino@afmforest.com For more information on available properties please visit:

www.AmericanForestManagement.com www.MaineSportsman.com

90 • September 2021 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————

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Caryn Dreyfuss, Broker • (207) 233-8275 caryndreyfuss@morton-furbish.com www.realestateinrangeley.com

PARKERTOWN TWP – Fishing/hunting camp on owned land with 100’ sandy frontage on the widest part of Aziscohos Lake. Off grid, fully insulated, 2 bedroom camp with knotty pine throughout, gas appliances/lights, Empire wall heaters, wired for generator, DishTV setup. 10x12 storage shed, 12x12 deck, sealed pit privy (pumpable), gravity-fed shower. Sold furnished. Peaceful lakeside setting, level lawn to the beach, unobstructed views, private boat launch. MLS #1454838 – $178,500 SANDY RIVER PLT – BEAVER MT. LAKE WATER ACCESS! 2.34 acre wooded land parcel offers potential views of scenic Beaver Mt Lake! Several possible building sites to choose from. Located directly across the road from deeded lake access with small boat launch. Town maintained yearround road, plus low plantation taxes. Nice spot close to Rangeley amenities, Saddleback ski area.

Don’t miss out on this one - inquire today! MLS #1475451 – $90,000 SANDY RIVER PLT – Potential lake and mountain views from this 1 acre building lot in desirable subdivision with protective covenants, well maintained roads and underground power. Lightly wooded offering privacy and has easy ATV/snowmobile access from your door. Deeded access to the HOLA association waterfront on Rangeley Lake offering small boat launch, marina, swimming area with dock. Just 3 miles from Rangeley Village and 7 miles from Saddleback. MLS #1487376 – $69,500

1-800-624-2797 • (207) 884-7000

www.northeasternlog.com

Carroll PLT – Cute little cabin with substantial makeover right on Main Road. Walls and ceiling are insulated, new windows, knotty pine interior, 100 Amp electrical.

New metal roof, new privy and gray water bed for sink. Possible Owner Financing. $49,000

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

Lakeville – Spacious inside with a covered porch and large back deck. Two sheds. Solar and generated power. Two driveway entrances for your convenience on Birch Hill Road. Extremely low taxes and access to dozens of lakes. $129,000

Lee – A traditional northern Maine hunting camp. Located along an ATV and Snowmobile trail. Private location and hidden from view on Ames Road. This is a wonderful hunting location and is priced fairly. $29,900

Lakeville – 52 acre lot with rustic cabin sits at the top of the hill offering breathtaking 180 degree views of area lakes and hills.

ATVing and snowmobiling are at your door step on Vista View. Set it up for solar and live here year round. $99,000

Grand Falls –This cabin was landed on this lot two years ago and ready to finish off and use.

This 41 acre lot sits high on a hill with great views on Lord Brook Road. ATV and snowsled from this location. Take a look. $79,000

Lincoln – New lot on Long Pond.

This lot has power being run on Trails End. This lot has a nice driveway and gravel pad. Very nice frontage and easy access.

This is a must see. $89,900 Mattamiscontis TWP – Stunning riverfront lot with electricity nearby and on year round road on the Penobscot River. Possible owner financing to qualified buyers. Only 5 minutes from I-95 or downtown Lincoln. Quiet and rural yet easily access. $39,900 Springfield – Looking to purchase a small piece of northern Maine?

This 2+/- acre parcel would be perfect. Priced to move. Ready for your camper or getaway cabin right on Route 6. $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

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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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