The Maine Sportsman - October 2018

Sportsman The Maine

October 2018 • $4.99

Keeping

Perils of Moose-Calling

in the Game

What’s New for 2018

Youngsters Page 21, 54, 62

Page 22

Snowmobiles: Page 31

2 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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Editorial

Concerned About the Next Generation?

Start by Teaching Your Children Well

New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication Readership

Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 553 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Linda Lapointe linda@mainesportsman.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Ed Raws ed@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices.

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In this month’s issue of The Maine Sportsman, both Jim Andrews (Self-propelled Sportsman, “Maine Needs Hunters from a New Generation”) and Dave Miller (Trapping: “Teach Your Children Well – How to Pass On Outdoors Skills and Appreciation”) articulate a consistent theme – the need to transfer the enthusiasm and outdoor abilities of Maine’s current generation of older sportsmen and women, to younger participants.

Whether it’s fewer young folks showing up from the ATV club for trail maintenance on “work day,” or the intrusive noise and lights of electronic devices that threaten to interrupt the traditional hunting camp cribbage games, it’s easy to bemoan the changes that are upon us and to be concerned about the future.

But we see signs of hope. One reason for optimism is the increased participation of women in outdoor activities which, with the exception of Fly Rod Crosby and other notables, were traditionally the province of men. Ladies show up for BOW (“Becoming an Outdoor Woman”) programs; they are out in force at the gun club ranges; and more of them are bringing their trained dogs to NAVDA events. If you’re a kid, it’s much more difficult to avoid becoming involved in outdoor pursuits if both your mom and your dad are heading out each weekend scouting for whitetail deer on their hisand-hers ATVs. Jim Andrews points out that a nonprofit association called Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) is the fastest-growing outdoor organization in the country. In 10 years, the group has grown from fewer than 400 members, to over 20,000, and many of them are young people (70% are under 45).

Their emphasis on the environment, conservation and non-motorized access may rub some old-timers the wrong way, but members of the group – many of whom did not grow up hunting and fishing – want to take some personal responsibility for obtaining their own food, and that’s a good thing.

Dave Miler advocates for the more traditional avenues by which young people can learn outdoor and survival skills, such as the Bryant Pond’s 4-H Camp, and the Boy and Girl Scouts (now collectively known as “Scouts”). And Miller’s group, the Maine Trappers Association, recognizes a “Young Maine Trapper of the Year” annually as a way of encouraging youth involvement.

Dave’s column ends with the most important lesson of all, on the value of mentoring the next generation – whether it’s your kids, your grandkids or other youngsters who might not otherwise be exposed to the outdoor tradition of Maine. Miller writes: “So take a kid trapping, hunting, fishing or just exploring the out-of-doors – you both will learn and benefit from the experience.”

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

Almanac by Will Lund........................................................ 11 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves......................... 35 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia...................... 38 Bird of the Month, by Erika Zambello............................... 15 Capitol Report by George Smith..................................... 17 Central Maine by Steve Vose........................................... 59 Downeast Region by Jim Lemieux................................... 53 Editorial.................................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by William Clunie.......................... 43 Jackman by William Sheldon........................................... 45 Jottings by Jon Lund............................................................ 7 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon............................. 41 Kate’s Wild Kitchen by Kate Krukowski Gooding........... 47 Letters to the Editor.............................................................. 5 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour....................................... 16 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose................................... 51 Midcoast Report by Tom Seymour................................... 55 Moosehead by Tom Seymour.......................................... 48 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.................................. 69 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie................................ 56 Quotable Sportsman by George Smith........................... 18 Rangeley Region by William Clunie................................. 64 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers................................. 71 Saltwater by Barry Gibson................................................. 52 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth......................... 61 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews...................... 66 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard................................. 29 Smilin’ Sportsman: Adults & Kids by Will Lund.................. 71 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie............................

Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery....................... 9 Southern Maine by Val Marquez..................................... 63 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller...................... 50 Trading Post (Classifieds)................................................... 72 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour........................................... 58 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.................. 67 Young Maine Sportsman by Luke Giampetruzzi............ 62

SPECIAL SECTIONS ATVing in Maine by Shane Brown.................................... 19 Bowhunting in Maine by Val Marquez............................ 24 Moose Hunting in Maine by Ed Pineau........................... 22 Shooting Sports by Michael Browning............................. 27 Snowmobiling in Maine by Shane Brown........................ 31 On the Cover: “Two Bull Moose with Reflection” was captured by Maine wildlife photographer, Mark Picard. Picard’s images have been published in over thirty national and international publications, books, and calendars.To view more of Mark’s stunning photography, visit. www.markpicard.com.

Letters

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To The Editor

Hat Time at the Cabin

To the Editor: This letter was inspired by Bill Sheldon’s thoughtful column a few issues back about the stories old camps have to tell.

“If these walls could only talk!” my father used to say when he kicked back with a beer and cigar in front of the woodstove. “This old cabin has seen a lot.”

It’s 70 years old, and we’ve owned it for forty of those years.

We’ve marked the passing of time with hats. Well over a hundred hats, caps, fedoras, toques, sombreros and one beret, all hanging from the rafters.

It began simply enough. I used to work with the paper mills, and every time they brought a paper machine on line was an occasion for a hat.

Eventually I had quite a few of those caps, and on a whim hung a few from the rafters.

Then we hung other caps – ones with more meaning. Old hats and caps passed down.

Our sons and their friends caught on to our game, and they began to contribute. The col-

lection grew.

Maybe the walls can’t talk, but those hats sure can tell stories. A quick glance reveals evidence of jobs, wars, concerts, celebrations, graduations and even marriages.

Grandfather’s 98th birthday hat. Dad’s Navy hat (WW II, LST1017). My Navy hat (Mekong Delta, Vietnam.)

The boys’ lifeguard hats and Boy Scout hats. A Marine hat (Ben was in the Corps).

One with the Red Sox “B” (Jean is a devoted fan). Caps from family trips (The Kennedy Space Center; Mouse Ears from Disney.) One from New Brunswick (Mom was Canadian.)

One from our business (Marston’s Marina.)

A few from colleges. One from USMA (Our nephew graduated from West Point.)

Business hats (W.D. Matthews, IBM, Haines Mfg., Madison Paper, Great Northern, St. Regis). One from Habitat for Humanity. (We helped build a house or two). Three or four hunter orange, and even some sombreros (we hosted a family from Guadalajara).

Total strangers now bring hats to hang ceremoniously from the rafters.

The boys invented “Hat Time.” Usually around 9 or 10 o’clock at night, or sooner depending on the quantity of wine and beer and jagermeister consumed.

People pick their hat. They put on whatever hat suits their mood and how they feel.

Most are for fun, while a few are serious. The wide sombreros are favorites, especially for dancing around the campfire on the beach.

So yes, if those walls could only talk, we’d hear stories to fill a book, but the hats speak to us too. They help us remember loved ones and past adventures and good friends.

Drop by some night. Pick out a hat. Take a few swings around campfire. When you’re done laughing and singing, hang the hat back on the rafter.

African chiefs may have their “talking sticks,” but we have our hats.

Randy Randall - Saco, ME Wild Blueberry Guide and Raconteur (Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

6 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman —————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Letters to the Editor (Continued from page 5)

Didn’t Like George’s “Eat an Eagle” Article To the Editor: I’ve enjoyed reading The Maine Sportsman since I was a little boy. Although not always in agreement with the views expressed, I’ve never written a letter to the editor; however, I feel compelled to do so now. The September issue article by George Smith and your decision to highlight the article (“Save a Heron; Eat an Eagle”) was a disgrace.

Many federal, state and provincial biologists, both here and in Canada, worked long and hard to restore the bald eagle population as a viable component of our natural world.

For Mr. Smith to suggest we now have too many eagles, without a shred of science behind his claims, is a travesty of journalism.

Shame on you for printing the article, much less highlighting such garbage on the cover of your magazine.

I’ll wager I’m not the only one to respond to Mr. Smith’s thoughtless comments. He and you owe the sportsmen and women of the State of Maine an apology.

Dick Dyer USFWS, Retired – Chesterville, ME

Liked George’s Article To the Editor: I enjoyed George Smith’s tongue-in-cheek suggestion on how to deal with the growing numbers of bald eagles in Maine (“Eagle Sandwich?”, September’s Capitol Report), whose species have rebounded from a low of 30 nests in this state to a current count of 674.

It poses an interesting dilemma when the population of one protected species (eagles) grows to the extent that it has the potential to make a negative impact on other protected species (loons and herons).

The issue of patriotism overlays the discussion – the eagle was designated as the national symbol in 1782, and its likeness is on the national seal and has appeared on silver dollars, half-dollars and quarters.

In Alaska (where half the eagles in the United States reside), the big birds have become so numerous in some areas as to be considered a nuisance, especially in fishing ports where a pollock on the deck of a trawler represents a free meal. And last year the New York Times carried the story of a chicken farmer in Georgia who applied for and received a permit to use non-lethal means (such as air horns and propane cannons) to keep eagles at bay – he tried net tarps earlier, but the eagles learned to land, walk under the net and select the free-range chickens of their choice.

Thanks to Mr. Smith for raising the issue

of the possible impact of growing numbers of bald eagles in Maine.

Ryan Leach – Farmingdale, ME —

Thinks We Should Celebrate Eagles, Not Snack On Them The the Editor: An additional 150 Maine bald eagle nests discovered in 2018 is something to celebrate, not something to snack on. George Smith’s light-hearted report bemoaning the increase in Maine’s bald eagle population, as illustrated by the eagle sandwich, was entertaining, but it raised some thoughtful points.

The exalted eagle has been a symbol of pride and power since the ancient Greeks saw it as a messenger from Zeus. I’ve seen it depicted on everything from flags to works of art, but never between slices of bread.

Few birds draw as much attention from wildlife lovers (or casual tourists) as eagles.

The fact that more of them are thriving in Maine is excellent news, and George Smith’s piece makes its point memorably. Let George know that native Mainers want the eagle population to continue to grow — minus the bread and avocado.

Dan Harrington Augusta, ME

¶

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Don’t Give Up on a Trout Fly Because it’s Gormy Have you ever tied a really gormy fly, or been given one, and asked yourself if that thing would ever catch fish?

Well. I have, and the answer is “Maybe.”

The time was the middle of last August; the scene was Little Lyford, Pond Two. The temperature at the bottom of the pond was 70 degrees. As one might expect, it was slow fishing.

My brother Erik and I fished from a canoe and cast our floating lines and wet flies along the shoreline.

We found a spot where a few trout rose to his fly.

I checked the tempera-

I cast out the jumbo-size Devil Bug and BAM! – a hard strike. The big brook trout peeled line from my reel so rapidly it made the click sing. ture at the bottom, and it was 65 degrees. Cooler water flowing in from a tributary, or perhaps a spring. We anchored.

Nearly a Bare Hook Erik was getting a lot of strikes from tiny trout.

The trout were six inches and smaller.

A number of the little trout did not take the fly directly, but went into the air and came down on the fly. A few were doing somersaults. It was like training camp for small

trout. Erik was enjoying watching the small fish.

Erik showed me his fly. It was almost a bare hook. I couldn’t even recognize the pattern.

The Japanese have a style of fishing called “tenkara” which utilizes a long, limber rod with no reel, and in which the object is to catch tiny fish while displaying simplicity and style. This was like tenkara.

I commented that there had to be a way to get a larger fish to bite,

and studied the small fly boxes in my chest pack.

Devil Bug, Size XXL I settled on a Jumbo Devil Bug. This is a large wet fly, tied on a #8, 2x long shank Mustad hook.

It looks more like a bass fly than a trout fly.

I tied several of the super-sized Devil Bugs some years ago to see if they were more productive when trout were hitting our smaller Devil Bugs. I had not received any positive reports from

family members, nor had I had any favorable results myself.

But on Pond Two last August, I had not made many casts with Jumbo, before Bam! I had a hefty strike. The fish started to peel line from my reel so rapidly it made the click sing, and it fought hard. In my experience, a long shank hook gives a trout more leverage and a greater opportunity for a “long distance release,” so I brought the fat brook trout to Erik’s net at the earliest opportunity.

Perhaps taking a twelve-inch native brook (Continued on next page)

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Jottings (Continued from page 7)

trout on a five-weight fly rod may not be a big deal to many of my readers, but it was a welcome change of pace from catching and releasing under-sized trout, and it made my day.

Of course, I had to see if that trout had any big brothers or sisters hanging out in that cool spot in the pond. I worked the Jumbo Devil Bug thoroughly without any results. The small trout hit at the fly, but I couldn’t even get a hookup. It was a one-fish hole.

Go-To Fly The Devil Bug is often my go-to fly in Maine trout waters. It is an easy fly to tie, even for a fly-tying duffer like me. The body is usually red chenille, although sometimes a fluorescent

body works fine on overcast days and evenings.

A small bunch of white bucktail is tied over the body and wrapped behind the hook eye and ahead of the bend of the hook and clipped short.

Bucktail has hollow strands, which make the fly float but are brittle, so the strands often break after a bit of trout-chewing.

Nevertheless, a frazzled Devil Bug often keeps on catching trout until the bucktail is pretty much gone. Don’t be caught with only one in your fly box, or you may be sorry when it falls apart.

What Does it Look Like?

Anglers may wonder what the Devil Bug imitates, and why it is so productive. Probably a

caddis larvae.

Many different varieties of caddis inhabit Maine waters. If you carefully watch the sandy shoreline of a clean Maine stream, you may see a caddis larva move slowly along the bottom. Some look like a tiny log propelled by a tiny oarsman.

Some look like a minute roll of coarse sandpaper.

Some look like a small bundle of dead evergreen needles. That’s what I believe the D. B. imitates.

If you examine the stomach contents if a trout in a small dish or cup of water, you may see the remains of caddis larvae. Bits of bottom debris, and perhaps a tiny oarsman. If you shine a flashlight on it, you may see more action.

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A “Last, Best Hope”? The Downeast Salmon Federation of East Machias Salmo, drawn by the ruby-orange of the advancing dawn, finned slowly toward the surface of the estuary’s shimmering waters. A luminescent full moon had graced much of the night, but the early gloaming’s light was more intense and mesmerizing, bringing promises of good and special things that only an Atlantic salmon on a life-changing mission could sense. For joy, she tensed and accelerated toward the surface, breaking the air-and-water plane, leaping high into a different world before falling back with a splash that stimulated her from tail to head.

Looking around, Salmo saw thousands of her kind, all moving as one into the freshwater incursion into the estuary from yesterday’s freshet. They put the sun at their backs, and moved with a purpose into the East Machias River, the waters of their birth. The fish – Salmo salar, the Atlantic salmon – came with a mission: to move upriver for many miles to spawn, thus ensuring the continuation of their kind.

If only it could be….

The Barriers The noble fish would

A parr is older than a fry and younger than a smolt salmon. The parr stage is a proven time to release these young salmon into a stream or river. The DSF follows the proven salmon raising and releasing principles of Peter Gray, an English fisheries professional.

This young parr will be released into a tributary of the East Machias River. It will remain in the East Machias until ready to move downstream into the ocean as a smolt salmon.

It will return to spawn after 1 - 3 years feeding in the Atlantic.

run gauntlets of natural barriers, and some living obstacles as well, such as seals, otters, eagles, and osprey, but they would not be deterred. Except by the ultimate predator, the chief tormentor of their environment, the great destroyer – that’s us, humans, mankind; one of the only species on the planet that doesn’t know it’s fouling its own nest and destroying its very environment, not just for others like the salmon, but eventually for ourselves as well.

Atlantic salmon, that iconic animal that is called the King of Fishes, is dying out in American waters where it once

The rivers of Downeast Maine once hosted large runs of Atlantic salmon that turned them silver with thousands of fish moving upriver and into tributaries to spawn. The DSF hatchery, pictured here, is trying to restore salmon to several Maine rivers.

made its annual spring spawning runs up tidal rivers by the millions.

Lingering wild populations of salmon exist in only a few North American rivers in Canada and in the US. The scant numbers of those waters remain in big trouble, and it’s not getting any better. Salmo salar, the salmon leaper, is close to extirpation in the USA. Federal and State programs designed to protect wild fish and restock dwindling salmon populations have either been shut down by politics or so diminished, that probably our last, best hope, at least in the State of Maine, lies with

the Downeast Salmon Federation (DSF).

DSF works with its fisheries and environment partners in what could a last-ditch effort to save this species, and – at the same time – other anadromous and catadromous [fish that hatch in saltwater before moving to fresh water where they grow into adults] fishes that move up and down our tidal rivers between freshwater and saltwater, including American shad, river herrings, lampreys and eels.

But this situation will continue so long as we continue to elect politicians at all levels, from village to president,

Heather Andrews and Dwayne Shaw, membership and development coordinator, and executive director, respectively, are part of a dedicated team of professional staff and volunteers tirelessly working to give back to Maine what once were among the finest Atlantic salmon waters in the USA.

who see our waterways as sewers, as avenues that should be or remain dammed, and don’t choose to enforce existing laws governing fish passage systems. They relax or ignore pollution and clean-water ordinances, and don’t maintain fish-friendly water flows below our many dams, those useful or not. As a consequence, our salmon and other fishes eventually face local extinction from American, and Maine, waters.

The destruction of Maine waters that once hosted our nation’s finest salmon rivers might stop someday, because there are some grassroots organizations of concerned citizens that dedicate their time and resources to restore salmon to places where they belong.

The Atlantic Salmon Federation is an international group, and here in Maine we have the Saco Salmon Restoration Alliance (SSRA) in Southern Maine, and the Downeast Salmon Federation in East Machias. (I wrote about the SSRA when it was the Saco River Salmon Club in this column in the August, 2016 issue of The Maine Sportsman.)

Let’s take a brief look (Continued on next page)

Students from the University of Maine, Machias (UMM) conservation program clip adipose fins of salmon parr so the fish can be recognized as DSF salmon when later trapped and released. www.MaineSportsman.com

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Sportsman’s Journal (Continued from page 9)

at the Herculean efforts of the DSF and its use of a relatively new means of stocking Atlantic salmon that gives the young fish a better chance of surviving the negative environment into which they eventually are placed in the fall of the year.

The Peter Gray Parr Project The Peter Gray Parr Project (PGPP) probably is not a silver bullet to cure all our salmon restoration woes, but it is a proven innovation that successfully restored lost Atlantic salmon populations in England’s River Tyne.

Gray was the salmon hatchery manager on the Tyne, and over a 30-year period he increased salmon returns from 724 to over 13,000 adults! Now over 5,500 salmon are caught annually by River Tyne anglers, compared with zero in 1959. And here’s how Gray and his team did it.

Instead of incubating salmon eggs, raising the hatched alevins to fry, and dumping them into rivers in the spring, the PGPP-system takes the process several steps further. This improves the odds that the fish will survive and hopefully grow large and strong enough to swim down to the sea, feed there for several years, and return to the waters of their birth to start the process

all over again.

Fertilized salmon eggs from river stocks are placed in Kielder substrate incubation boxes, the type used at the Tyne hatchery, that closely simulate actually salmon redds (nests) conditions.

Only water from the East Machias River is used at that hatchery for the entire process. This serves to further imprint the river in the make-up of the fish that brings them back to their birth river for the reproduction process.

The first hatched eggs are the alevin stage, and these youngsters feed off their attached egg sacs in the depths of the boxes.

Once the sac is absorbed, the fry stage begins, and the fish swim up from the protected darkness to the surface and move into a feeding tank, which is full of East Machias River water. Here the water is moving simulating the river current, and the fish are conditioned for eventual life in a flowing river.

The parr continue to feed and grow here, made healthy and strong by fish food and the water current that builds muscle. (“Raise young athletes,” the late Peter Gray often said.)

Once fall arrives, and the East Machias and its tributaries reach lower water temperatures, the parr are stocked, and remain in these “nursery

“Salmo finned slowly toward the surface of the estuary’s waters, drawn by the ruby-orange of the advancing dawn. A luminescent full moon had graced much of the night, but the early gloaming’s light was more intense and mesmerizing, bringing promises of good and special things that only an Atlantic salmon could sense.” www.MaineSportsman.com

waters” for one to three years. At this point, they reach the smolt stage of their life-cycle, swim down in the spring and begin their lives in the ocean.

These young adults congregate in schools, and spend one to three years feeding heavily in the rich waters off the West Coast of Greenland.

The DSF stocks about 400,000 parr each year, most in the East Machias, and sampling numbers showed about 2,000 smolt headed downriver in 2017 – seemingly a small number, but encouraging nonetheless.

The PGPP seems to be working.

DSF Focus The mission of the Downeast Salmon Federation is to conserve wild Atlantic salmon, other sea-run fish and their habitats, restore a viable recreational salmon fishery, and protect other important river, scenic, recreational, and ecological resources in Eastern Maine. In short, DSF wants to stop the endangered salmon from becoming regionally extinct in American/Maine waters.

In addition to stocking parr in the East Machias, the DSF concentrates efforts on other Maine waters that once supported significant runs of Atlantic salmon. These waters include the Machias River, Pleasant River, Dennys River, Narragaugas River, Ducktrap River, Sheepscot River, Cove

Brook, Penobscot River, Androscoggin River and the Kennebec River.

DSF also plays an active role in habitat improvement, working with a number of community, state, federal, and international partners to work toward removing or mediating obstacles that block fish passage, improving water quality through pollution control, and educating all of us on the importance of clean, flowing water that supports migrating fishes.

Some of the most important partners include the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the North American Salmon Fund, the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (part of NOAA).

The People There is a lot more the fine staff and volunteers of DSF and allied groups accomplish, and there is more than one hatchery in the system, but the East Machias facility is the flagship.

During my brief visit in the fall of 2017, I received a whirlwind tour of the hatchery and the river, and participated in the adipose fin clipping and early stocking of several hundred parr in a tributary of the East Machias River.

I am so impressed with the people I worked with at the DSF, I want to briefly give them a collective shout-out, and mention them as just the

Rachel Gorich and hatchery manager Zach Sheller carry buckets of parr some distance from the hatchery truck to get the young salmon into streams of the East Machias and other rivers in the area.

kind of dedicated folks we need to bring back this majestic and special fish.

Hearty thanks to Dwayne Shaw, executive director and longtime fisheries biologist, who led the removal of the East Machias River dam and establishment of what now is the Peter Gray Hatchery; Heather Andrews, my host for the visit, who is the membership and development coordinator with over a dozen years in nonprofit work including in land trust activities, and is an avid, budding fly angler; Zach Sheller, the hatchery manager at DSF who brings his marine biology degree to bear on much that he affably does for the DSF; and Zach’s hardworking assistant hatchery manager, Rachel Gorich, formerly a long-time volunteer at DSF while she completed her studies in wildlife and biology at the University of Maine at Machias, and who now is full-time staff.

Writer’s note: The best description of migrating Atlantic salmon is told from a fish’s perspective in the wonderful Salar the Salmon, by Englishman Henry Williamson (1935). This book is the inspiration for the leading paragraphs of this column, though the words are mine. I first read this wonderful work while getting a degree in fisheries biology in the 1960s.

¶

The DSF has been protecting water, wildlife and public access since 1982. A track leads to the upper reaches of one of Downeast’s traditional salmon waters. This access point, through a beautiful fall blueberry barren, is along Route 193 north of Cherryfield and not far from Beddington.

Almanac

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Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

“Snapshots in Time”

Excerpts from the Annals of Maine’s Sporting Past Submitted by Bill Pierce, of the Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc, Maine Having been a hunter for most of my life, I have enjoyed many types of hunts for various game. However, I have never had the opportunity (or inclination) to hunt skunks.

I saw a handsome skunk skin hat once atop the head of a very large tattooed biker, who, given his size and demeanor, probably got nothing but kind comments about his chapeau.

Other than in this instance, I have never seen any observable bounty from a successful

skunk hunt.

If you have the desire to pursue “Monsieur Pepe LePew,” you have more hunter/ gatherer genes than most, and you may take some valuable hints from this story found in an 1899 edition of the Phillips Phonograph.

Some unique methods are revealed, including the use of “Lovage,” which is an erect herbaceous perennial that can be eaten in salads, is evidently useful in skunk hunting, and is actually used by the British

to make a liquor.

Despite the abundance described “as they poured from their holes,” for myself, I’ll stick with the partridge. They may not make great hats, but they have to be tastier than a skunk.

Enjoy (and learn) from this great old article, and remember to take some time to get out and make some outdoor history of your own.

Ways to Hunt Skunks

“Tame Skunks Used to Hunt Wild Ones With” Phillips Phonograph, September 22, 1899 Even for the good price that may be obtained for the skins of the common, odiferous skunk, there are but few people who are willing to risk the reputation of their good clothes by hunting them. The professional skunk hunters are always looking about for some new way of capturing the animals without the attendant discomforts.

Some drive the skunks from their holes by smoke, and others use ferrets. The latter are fearless, and enjoy the sport hugely for a time, but soon change their minds and at last refuse to enter the home of the animals.

Tame skunks are often used, since the wild ones hate with an unnamed hatred the tame ones. Thus, they are driven out and killed. The latter method has been exten-

Summer Deluges Lead to Dirty Water Contributed by Lou Zambello This past Maine summer was hot and humid during July and August, with a chance of thunderstorms almost every day, it seemed.

Some isolated storms were severe, with localized high winds and flooding.

sively used and was used by a certain doctor named Damon, who by the way is no M.D. He was in need of the oil of the skunk, so he Sometimes a line of thunderstorms will pass over the same area again and again, a phenomenon called “training.” This event can cause continual cloudbursts.

Such an event occurred near the Canadian border, north of Kennebago and Parmachenee Lakes in western Maine. A severe heat wave hit Maine the first week of July, and early in that week a train of severe storms in Franklin County dropped over three inches up to perhaps five inches of rain in just several hours.

That area has been logged extensively, reducing the forest soils’ ability to absorb water.

One result: Little Kennebago River overflowed its banks and turned a thick muddy brown – think Mississippi River (see accompanying photo). So much muddy water flowed that Little Kennebago Lake, the western end

caught a young animal and after deodorizing it, kept it as a pet.

One day as he was preparing a lot of lovage leaves for use in his practice, the skunk fell into the mixture, and came out by the doctor’s efforts pretty well scented-up.

That evening, Damon went hunting skunks. As the party approached the skunk village, the animals poured from their holes and became an easy prey to the hunter.

Since this discovery, he has increased his stock of odorless beasts and lets them out to his neighbors on a commission. Before letting them go, he dips them into a dish of the lovage extract, and no skunk hunter fails to secure a good number when he takes one of the medically prepared creatures. of Kennebago Lake, the entire Kennebago River, and the part of Cupsuptic Arm where the river empties, all turned the same chocolate brown.

It remains to be seen if this silting event has any longer term effects on this critical coldwater fishery.

—

“I Think You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Net”

The rainbows continue to grow larger and larger in the upper Kennebec River, and our angler extraordinaire Josh Beane keeps catching them and releasing them from the waters near his home in Bingham.

This lunker weighed six pounds and was 26 inches long. It was caught on a streamer and released, on August 17, 2018.

(Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

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Almanac

The following day it became official – a letterhead communication signed by Commissioner Chandler Woodcock: (Continued from page 11) “Dear Bear Trapper,” the letter read, “the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has adopted an emergency rule that limits some methods used to trap bear which may accidentally capture the federally threatened Canada Lynx in Maine.

The new language in the rule itself (Rule 4.4) is surprisingly brief: Cable traps that are set and/or designed to capture a bear when it reaches into the device to obtain bait and/or lure are prohibited.

Whenever a cable trap (foot snare) is used to trap for bear: i) the trap must be set at or If this trend keeps up, it’s clear the Sportsbelow ground level in such a manner as to man needs to sponsor a GoFundMe campaign catch the animal only by the foot or leg; ii) to purchase Josh a larger net. bait and/or lure may not be placed below — ground level; and iii) bait and/or lure may not be placed within the loop of the cable.

Substance, Timing of Trappers were very upset, since the anEmergency Rule on Bear nouncement came only three days before the opening of the bear trapping season.

Snares Upset Trappers Many trappers had just purchased a new The announcement came first as a Facetype of trap, according to those in the busibook posting from the Department of Inland ness, and some trapping supplies dealers had Fisheries & Wildlife on Wednesday, August also invested substantial amounts of money 29, 2018, 5:26 PM. It was titled, “Emergency in stocking the new trap.

Rule In Effect Limiting Some Bear Trapping Of particular aggravation to the trappers Methods in Maine.” was that they had been meeting personally with DIF&W biologists in the days The Maine Sportsman Digital Edition before the surprise announcement, dealing with such policy matters as beaver season closures and exDiscover tending the fisher season by two The Maine ONLY weeks in Southern Maine. During Sportsman that time, no mention was made of $ on-the-go and a pending bucket trap rule.

PER YEAR

Reaction to the rule was immenever miss diate. The Maine Wildlife Conseranother issue! vation Council issued a relatively

14

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restrained release on the same day, stating they were “disappointed” with the emergency ban.

“We know that many trappers were eager to set their traps and have spent hundreds of dollars in bait and hours in the woods to try and ensure a successful year,” MWCC pointed out in a release. “We hope that this change will help in the long run to see the Canada Lynx delisted and will result in all trappers being able to continue their passion.”

The Maine Trappers Association requested and was granted a meeting with DIF&W. “They realize they have created a hornet’s nest with the trappers and guides,” one MTA member told the Sportsman, “and they plan to explain the legal reasons why none of us were informed about what was happening.”

After the meetings, trappers were still not happy, but most of them seemed satisfied with the explanations provided. It helped that top biologists, including the well-respected head of the Wildlife Division, Judith Camuso, personally participated in the meetings.

“They told us that the only driver behind this emergency rule is to eliminate any possibility of catching (killing) a lynx,” reported one trapper. “It’s … to demonstrate to USFWS that the state is being proactive about protecting lynx.”

IF&W reportedly committed to talking with trappers about modifying bucket sets so they may be used in the future.

The cause of the emergency rule was a new type of trap that recently came to the attention of state biologists. The Department enacted the rule to prevent its use, but according to one trapper, “They [DIF&W] had no idea … how widely bucket sets were used.”

—

New Jersey Governor Bans Bear Hunts on N.J. State Land According to a story posted by Matt Arco of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, on August 20, Gov. Phil Murphy halted New Jersey’s annual bear hunt on all stateowned land this year.

This fulfilled a campaign promise, in which the Governor said he would end the hunts that had been put in place under former Governor Chris Christie.

He also called the entire hunt into question: “I am also calling on the Legislature to take action on this critical is(Continued on next page)

www.MaineSportsman.com

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sue,” he said. “My first concern has always been public safety and before we authorize another hunt, we should review all non-lethal options.”

According to NJ.com, the order bans hunting on all state forests, state parks and recreation areas, and state Wildlife Management Areas – about 700,000 acres, leaving about 1 million acres that are either privately owned, or owned by counties, where hunting is still permitted.

The move was cheered by the Sierra Club, but runs counter to recommendations by the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, which predicted the move could cause the population of bear to double within 4 years, which a state report called “unacceptable.”

New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, which favors the hunt, issued a press release expressing “shock and distress,” and pointed out that hunting is “the best tool in the toolbox for wildlife management of any species.”

—

Lunker Largemouth

Eighteen year old Josh Enman of Brewer pulled this 6.42 pound largemouth out of an unnamed Piscataquis County pond. Minutes later, he landed (and likewise released) a 5 ½

pounder.

IF&W has stocked these waters for many years with brook trout, but the trout seem to be scarce in all the areas where they were formerly found. Looking at the girth on this fish, the trout’s whereabouts is no longer a mystery.

—

Dam News Contributed by Lou Zambello On August 1, 2018, Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners (the owner of a number of Maine dams) filed an application with the Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) to rebuild Rapid River’s Middle Dam (the river’s start from Richardson Lake).

Work is already underway by upgrading roads. Actual dam work will start in 2019 and not be completed until 2023 – five years later.

This project is similar to the replacement of the famous Upper Dam (on Mooselookmeguntic Lake) over the last five years. This is not good news for fly fishers. Those who fish Upper Dam know that during the replacement phase, changing water channels, loud noise from construction efforts, and having to evade construction vehicles really diminished the fishing experience. The completed Upper Dam has eliminated prime fishing spots on or near the dam, concentrating anglers at the tail of the pool and reducing angler capacity.

The fear is that we are in for the same situation with Middle Dam. The plans for Middle Dam would change the current dam configuration, including elimination of the three fishing piers. The dam proposal has a spot on the dam labeled “Fishing Platform,” but the actual area for anglers is small and may not allow effective

flycasting.

It is critical that anglers make their desires known to (1) minimize fishing disruption during construction; (2) not uniformly riprap the entire pool; and (3) to construct usable fishing platforms so that the finished dam doesn’t eliminate fishing opportunities at what is arguably one of the best trout and salmon fishing spots in all of Maine.

Interested fly-fishing groups and individuals wrote to LUPC during the month of August requesting a hearing, but the response is not yet known.

Contact Trout Unlimited, the Native Trout Coalition or Rangeley Heritage Trust for the latest information and how best to get involved.

—

The Spur that Didn’t Get Away?

During the fall archery season in 2013, Roger Leveillee of Limerick was sitting in a ground blind waiting for a buck, when he heard movement.

Peeking out, he saw six big tom turkeys.

Leaning back to draw, he fired a broadhead 27 yards and pinned a tom to the ground.

It was his first turkey taken with a bow – a good size one (19 ¾ pounds), but it was the length of the spurs that has Leveillee (and many others” excited about the bird.

Brian Cogill, President of the Maine Trapper’s Association, told Leveillee the spurs were “unbelievable.”

Gary Rohm, in the archery section of Kittery Trading Post, examined the spurs in the store, and according to Leveillee, word quickly got around, and store workers were coming (Continued on next page)

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14 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Almanac

(Continued from page 13)

Tutek caught and released this monster in July. “I don’t even keep a scale in my boat anymore,” he said wistfully. “I wish I had one to weigh this bass – I think it may be my personal best.”

—

Practical Uses for Solar Power Small boats, kayaks especially, are low to the water and are hard to see, even more so as the sun sets and darkness spreads across a lake, pond or saltwater harbor.

Wouldn’t it be nice if kayakers could employ effective lights that charged themselves in the sunlight, and they stayed lit for hours?

The folks at Bright-Strike have invented “Apals” lights, that stick onto the hulls of small boats, either with build-in adhesive pads or with velcro-style fasteners, to provide green-starboard; red-port navigationally-correct thin LED illumination.

These units are waterproof and shockproof, according to the company, and automatically switch on at dark and off at daylight.

Roger Leveillee, his turkey and (in the foreground) the bird’s extraordinary spurs.

Volunteers reconstruct the trapper’s cabin, which was destroyed by a falling tree.

to see them. One worker reportedly said he had researched the Internet, and no spurs of this size were known even nationally.

Readers: Let us know if you have information on record spurs!

In addition to the steadily emitting colored light, they also have an emergency strobe setting. $20 will buy you a light that lasts 8 hours, while $24 will purchase a unit lasting 12 hours.

A good application of current technology, in our opinion!

Last year, the museum’s Trapper’s Cabin and its contents were totally destroyed when a large pine tree fell on it during a storm. The Union River Chapter of the Maine Trappers Association (MTA) annually staffs the cabin for the “Living History Days” and several other events held at the museum. The chapter asked other members of the MTA to help in the reconstruction of the cabin for the museum.

On Saturday August 4th, ten members from different chapters showed up for the task. The logs used to reconstruct the cabin were cut off site on MTA members’ properties and hauled to Leonard’s Mills. The cabin walls and roof were completed, with only the door and window installation remaining at day’s end.

The interior space and furnishings will also require some additional work. The Union River Chapter said they will accomplish that prior to the Living History Day events held in October.

To see what this museum has to offer, use a search engine on your computer and type “Leonard’s Mills, Bradley Maine,” and watch several of the available videos.

—

—

Rebuilding the Maine Forest and Logging Museum Trappers Cabin

Shell Tree

—

Another Lunker Largemouth George Tutek of Allentown New Jersey is a faithful reader of The Maine Sportsman, and an avid fisherman.

Contributed by David Miller “My wife and I do drag our bass boat up to Maine three or four times a year,” he reported recently. “It’s always worth the trip. www.MaineSportsman.com

the foundations of several buildings.

Today, Leonard’s Mills is a museum (established in 1960) represented by an authentically reconstructed logging and milling community of the late 1700s.

Leonard’s Mills is named after Oliver Leonard, one of the earliest landowners in the town of Bradley in the 1700s.

The location of Leonard’s Mills is on the Government Road (Delorme Atlas, Map 23, A-4), which is off the right side of Route 178 in Bradley.

The museum hosts a variety of events, for information on different events and hours of operation, visit the museum’s Facebook page or call 974-6278.

Located on Blackman Stream in Bradley, Maine is Leonard’s Mills, which is the site of an early pioneer settlement. It was identified as such by the remains of a stone dam and

Your editor was deep on the woods last season, south of Greenville. He had followed a stream, pushed through some thick firs and blowdowns and across a bog, arriving at a place he knew no human being had ever set foot before.

Then he came around a hummock and (Continued on next page)

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 15 (Continued from page 14)

Volunteers reconstruct the trapper’s cabin, which was destroyed by a falling tree.

found himself nose-to-nose with the rarest of plants, a flowering “shell tree,” decorated with red 12-gauge blossoms, proving at once that 1) he was not the first human ever to visit that site; 2) the place must be birdy; and 3) a previous upland game hunter had a sense of humor.

—

Bird of the Month – Great Black-backed Gull

by Erika Zambello

Stroll across fishing docks and harbors in

Maine, and Great Black-backed Gulls stand out from the crowd. So large the Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes them as the “kind of the Atlantic waterfront,” this species reaches over 30 inches in length, weighs over 70 ounces, and stretches wingspans cover over from 57 to 63 inches. They have garnered the title of “Biggest Gull on Earth.”

Great Black-backed Gulls can be found in Maine year round, breeding in Canada in the summer months and retreating as far south as Florida in the winter. They feed on a wide range of invertebrates like crabs and sea urchins, but because of their size can also go after fish and other birds.

Think dead animals don’t tempt them?

Think again. They steal food from trash, from other birds and wildlife (including sharks), and they gorge on road kill or other carrion.

Their large appetites cause many Mainers to detest the very sight of their black and white forms. In addition to popular bird species like puffins, the gulls go after the eggs and chicks of a range of birds, from eiders to terns to other gull varieties.

“I think the dislike comes from the voracious appetite and often aggressive behavior of Great Black-backed Gulls,” said Doug Hitchcox, Staff Naturalist at Maine Audubon. “As generalists, gulls will eat all sorts of food, which unfortunately includes the items that people bring to beaches.”

“Herring Gulls are often brash enough, but Great Black-backed Gulls, with their larger size, will be even more aggressive at times,” continued Hitchcox. “They also are predators of birds like Common Eiders and Piping Plovers, which many people are very fond of. There are not many more depressing sights to watch in the bird world than a Great Black-backed Gull gulping down Common Eider chicks within the first minutes of them hitting the water after following their mother down from their nests. A whole clutch

can be lost in minutes.”

Gulls can also become prey themselves, especially from the much larger Bald Eagles.

Unlike many other gull species, the populations of the Great Black-backs are declining, with the North American Breeding Bird Survey estimating a plunge of over 8% each year from 1966 to 2015.

Nearly decimated by 1800s egg and feather hunters, their numbers recovered and then began to decline once more as waste dumps have been cleaned up and the aforementioned eagle population rose.

Where they negatively impact other rare bird species and breeding sites, they must be eradicated or removed to give the seabirds a chance to nest successfully. However, Hitchcox does point out that “[p]eople should know that Great Black-backed Gulls are a protected species. I think many people don’t realize that they shouldn’t harass (or kill) gulls, which are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.”

¶

October 2018 Sunrise/Sunset

October 2018 Tidal Chart

Portland, ME

Portland, ME

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

RISE 6:38 6:39 6:40 6:41 6:42 6:43 6:45 6:46 6:47 6:48 6:49 6:51 6:52 6:53 6:54 6:56

SET 6:22 6:20 6:19 6:17 6:15 6:13 6:11 6:10 6:08 6:06 6:05 6:03 6:01 6:00 5:58 5:56

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

RISE 6:57 6:58 6:59 7:01 7:02 7:03 7:04 7:06 7:07 7:08 7:09 7:11 7:12 7:13 7:15

SET 5:55 5:53 5:51 5:50 5:48 5:47 5:45 5:44 5:42 5:41 5:39 5:38 5:36 5:35 5:34

DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

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

HIGH AM PM 3:56 4:12 4:54 5:12 5:59 6:18 7:07 7:26 8:13 8:33 9:13 9:34 10:09 10:31 10:59 11:23 11:47 12:13 12:33 1:01 1:17 1:49 2:02 2:37 2:47 3:26 3:35 4:18 4:27 5:14 5:23

LOW AM PM 9:57 10:38 10:55 11:41 12:00 12:48 1:08 1:55 2:15 2:56 3:18 3:53 4:15 4:45 5:08 5:33 5:58 6:19 6:47 7:05 7:34 7:50 8:22 8:36 9:10 9:23 10:02 10:14 10:56 11:10 11:53

DATE 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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

HIGH AM PM 6:12 6:22 7:09 7:20 8:03 8:16 8:51 9:06 9:35 9:50 10:14 10:32 10:50 11:11 11:26 11:50 12:02 12:30 12:40 1:12 1:22 1:58 2:08 2:48 2:59 3:43 3:56 4:44 4:59

LOW AM PM 12:09 12:52 1:08 1:47 2:04 2:37 2:55 3:21 3:40 4:01 4:21 4:38 5:00 5:14 5:38 5:50 6:17 6:29 6:59 7:10 7:43 7:56 8:32 8:45 9:26 9:41 10:24 10:43 11:28

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Maine Wildlife: Harbor Seals

by Tom Seymour

At least here in Maine, the most famous harbor seal was Andre the Seal. He bonded with his human family and even lounged about on their couch, watching television with the humans.

The last thing we expected to see while photographing seabirds in winter was a harbor seal. The roughly 5-foot seal surfaced only a yard or two from where my friend and I stood. While considered small by comparison to other seals, harbor seals can attain weights of up to 250 pounds – and this seal was certainly close to that.

Harbor seals frequent inshore areas, especially harbors and river mouths. Anyone spending time around such places has a very good chance of seeing a harbor seal. And for those who have never encountered a seal, the first encounter makes for a memorable experience.

The seal that surprised us during our seabird photo shoot didn’t just appear and then leave, either. Instead, it swam around on its back, like a person doing the backstroke. I pictured it wearing a rubber swim cap and goggles and sipping on an adult beverage.

This convivial seal amused us for some time, and when it looked as if it had finally departed, we noticed a prominent bubble trail heading our way. That trail was made by the seal, which shortly thereafter surfaced and again played around among the small ocean waves. That seal was a real ham.

Harbor seals feed on fish, squid and shellfish. And since it was January when we watched the seal frolicking in the little harbor, we decided that it was there because of fish. But what kind of fish? We were never able to ascertain that.

Another time and another photo shoot for seabirds, we noticed a large object atop a distant boulder. The boulder was part of a rocky uprising not far from shore. Viewing the object through my camera’s zoom lens proved that it was another harbor seal. And though the animal was at least 100 yards distant, it still looked huge. This was surely a good photo opportunity and I seized the moment, www.MaineSportsman.com

thanks to a powerful zoom lens.

Nuisance Seals Not everyone holds warm feelings toward harbor seals. Lobstermen have traditionally considered seals as a low species of vermin because of their habit of robbing lobster traps and destroying expensive fishing gear.

Back in the days of wooden lobster traps, seal damage was even more of a problem.

Seals would push their heads in the traps in order to get at the bait inside. And in doing so they would completely destroy an expensive trap.

Today’s metal traps make it more difficult for seals to do their mischief. Still, it’s easy to see why harbor seals are less-thanbeloved by lobster fishermen.

Recreational anglers seeking mackerel often have their sport disrupted when a harbor seal appears in the middle of a school of fish. When this happens, mackerel quickly disperse, not to return until the seal has left the immediate area. Then the fish return as quickly as they left. Mackerel have short memories.

Harbor seals can present a real danger to those in small watercraft. Seals have suddenly popped out of the water alongside boats, and a few have reportedly tried to board vessels.

On occasion, people will encounter a seal with a mean personality. And by that, I mean that the rare seal may even attempt to bite a person. Harbor seals command a certain amount of respect, especially from people in small or flimsy boats.

Personality Plus Most harbor seals have gentle demeanors, and none more than the famous Andre the Seal from Rockport Harbor. Andre was special in a great many ways, not the least of

Using his zoom lens, the author captured the image of this distant harbor seal on a rock.

Tom Seymour photo

which was his extremely long lifespan. Just before he died at age 25, Andre was considered among the oldest living harbor seals.

Some harbor seals have lived to age 45, but these spent their lives in aquariums, where they were pampered and cared for. Andre was, for the most part (he spent some of his winters in aquariums and in spring was released to return home to Rockport, which he always did) a wild animal.

While Andre was not your typical seal, his story points out how congenial a harbor seal may become. Andre was an amazing animal under any circumstances. He became part-and-parcel with his human family and even lounged about on the couch, watching television with the humans. Andre appeared to enjoy being around people and interacting with them.

But even totally wild seals have disarming charm. In addition to the backstroking seal we met during our winter seabird photoshoot, I have encountered wild seals which, even if they were really not, seemed quite personable. These animals are perfectly aware of nearby humans and it seems to me that they go out of their way to display amusing antics.

Seals are inquisitive, too. If curiosity killed the cat, it’s a wonder we have any seals left, since harbor seals are equally as inquisitive. I’ve had groups of harbor seals surround my boat, bouncing up and down in the water so as to peer inside and check out me and my gear. These seals demonstrated no signs of aggression, and I trusted my gut instinct to allow the seals to approach so closely. These were friendly seals, beyond a doubt.

Seal Habits Harbor seals, like new automobiles, come in a variety of colors. A harbor seal may be solid gray or gray with brown spots – it all depends. Others come in all-gray or all-brown.

Out of a group of seals, no two may show the exact same coloration.

Watching a harbor seal close-up and having it dive, not to surface for more than 10 minutes, may convince the observer that the seal has drowned. But in fact, a harbor seal can remain submerged for up to 20 minutes.

Seals come up on land to have their young, called “pups.” Sometimes these baby seals become disoriented and require human intervention. Old-time coastal residents gave seals little consideration. Things have changed.

Modern Mainers have come to appreciate the wildlife all around us, and this includes harbor seals. And that’s a good thing.

In the end, harbor seals are as much a part of Maine’s marine landscape as boats, lighthouses and even people.

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 17

Moose and Ticks – White as a Ghost I’d been eagerly awaiting a copy of Bill Samuel’s book on moose and ticks, White as a Ghost, so when DIFW wildlife biologist Nate Webb dropped a copy off at my house, I dove right in. DIFW’s wildlife division director Judy Camuso had recommended the book to me.

For years, I’ve been advocating for an aggressive attack on the ticks which are killing so many of Maine’s moose, and Judy thought I needed to know more about this problem. After reading the book, I am encouraged that there might be something we can do, although no one has yet come up with a way to save our moose.

Dr. Samuel is a retired researcher and college professor in Alberta, Canada who has received many awards and has published more than 130 papers while serving on various committees dealing with wildlife and wildlife diseases. And while this book was published in 2004, it is still very informative and pertinent to our moose/tick problem.

The book covers this problem comprehensively, from a history of and the life of winter ticks to behavioral strategies used by moose to evade winter ticks to lots of research about the ticks’ deadly impact on moose.

Dr. Samuel suggests that hunters should kill more moose. “As moose and tick numbers build, moose harvest by hunters is far more appropri-

George’s outside-the-box suggestion to address the moose/ tick problem? Put out feeding stations, and when moose come to eat, spray them and kill the ticks. So far, no one has pursued this idea. ate and humane than invasive harvest by winter ticks. We should be able to moderate some of the damage caused by winter ticks for moose by managing moose at below dieoff levels,” he wrote.

DIFW has considered awarding moose calf permits, since ticks are killing lots of calves. And state biologists believe the problem will not be as bad if the number of moose in Maine decreases.

I was particularly interested to learn that moose may starve because they spend more time grooming (tearing out their hair to deal with itching and ticks) than eating in March and April.

My suggestion is to put out feeding stations, and when moose come to them, we could spray them and kill the ticks. This book didn’t suggest this, nor has it been tried anyplace, and I know Maine’s exceptional moose biologist Lee Kantar is skeptical, but I wish he would try this someplace to see if it would work.

In addition to the excellent and comprehensive information in this book, there are many great photos of moose and ticks. And the book’s title comes from those moose that have rubbed off most of their hair, leav-

ing themselves a ghostly gray.

At the end of the book, Dr. Samuel sums up my concerns: “For certain, if nothing is done, winter ticks will remain the main hunters of moose.”

A Fascinating Look Back A friend recently gave me a July 1991 copy of The Maine Sportsman, featuring a photo of me on the cover with a huge bluefish. Do you remember catching bluefish back in the day?

Reading through the magazine took me all the way back to the year I started working for the

Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. While we have made progress on many issues, a lot of the issues in this 1991 edition have impacted our hunting and fishing experiences.

For example, the very first article by Bob Cram is titled “Poor Forestry Practices Killing Allagash Fisheries.” I have heard DIFW staff express frustration recently that in our efforts to protect our native brook trout and Arctic charr, we’ve done nothing to protect forest habitat that surrounds our heritage waters.

Letters to the editor are particularly enter-

taining, from two letters defending Maine game wardens to a complaint about the requirement for a bear hunting license. A fellow from Massachusetts criticized Maine attitudes as being too provincial, and one letter actually advocated for stocking of northern pike.

TMS editor Harry Vanderweide wrote a very thoughtful column telling readers the publication’s goal was (and remains to this day) to direct readers to the best places to hunt and fish in Maine. Ken Allen touted the Jackman region as a trout fisherman’s paradise, and many columns did, in fact, focus on the state’s best places to hunt and fish.

Ken also wrote an ar(Continued on next page)

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Capitol Report (Continued from page 17)

ticle on the controversy over banning lead shot.

He reported that Harry was already using steel shot and found it to be very effective, while others strongly objected to the proposed ban.

I love the photo of a truckload of turkeys shot in New York by John Costa, Steve Brettell, Jim Westcott and Pat Keliher (our current Marine Resources Commissioner).

Given that this was July, there’s a whole section on bear hunting “designed to help you successfully hunt the trophy of a lifetime.” There was a full-page ad for the sixth annual $60,000 New England Bluefish Open in Bath. Judging by my photo on the cover page, I guess I should’ve entered the tournament!

At that time, I was writing the “Winthrop/ Belgrade Lakes” regional column, which included a photo of a friend with a whole stringer of huge bass he caught in a pond near my house. I also reported on fisheries biologist Denny McNeish’s proposed regulations to preserve our spectacular

bass fishery.

I quoted Denny as saying, “We can act before this bass fishery goes to hell. This is a good proposal which will do the job.” Essentially his proposal would have protected large fish, and lowered the bag limit.

Bill Fling reported that fishing on Moosehead Lake for the second winter in a row was extremely slow. He had spent seven hours trolling the Moose River area and caught only one togue.

I enjoyed the column of Val Marquez (currently our “Southern Maine” writer) on hunting woodchucks, which he said “provides summertime excitement and improves your hunting skills.” Val actually used a bow to kill woodchucks.

Edye Cronk wrote the recipe section in a column called “Edye’s Cookhouse.” I always enjoyed Edie’s columns, as well as working with her when she was president of SAM. In the bow hunting column, Clarence Greenleaf tried to convince us that groundhogs taste

Quotable

Sportsman

by George Smith

We live in Maine and need to learn to cohabitate with wildlife.

Heidi Nelson, Brunswick’s Animal Control Officer, in a Times Record story on rabies. July 14, 2018 — I’ve caught the same fish 13 times. Catch and release does work if you don’t kick the fish.

DIFW Fisheries biologist Scott Davis, in a column on catch and release methods by Deirdre Fleming. Maine Sunday Telegram, July 15, 2018.

— www.MaineSportsman.com

like lamb. Not sure how successful he was in getting us to eat groundhogs!

There was a column lamenting the dramatic decrease in the duck harvest over the previous decade. Even the ads are interesting. Many of the resilient business remain, while others – like my large bluefish – are long gone.

60 Years Ago -Lots of Partridge and Rabbits Killed I also had a chance to read an even older publication – the September, 1956 edition of the Maine Outdoorsman and Conservationist newspaper.

It contained some interesting information, such as estimates of the number of game animals killed in Maine in 1955.

Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife sent a questionnaire to all hunters in order to collect game harvest information. Here’s what they found: • Deer 35,315 • Partridge 185,690 • Rabbit 193,525 • Woodcock 22,660 • Waterfowl 76,180 • Gray Squirrel

27,940 • Fox 27,940 • Raccoon 31,290

• Bear 2,275 • Pheasant 34,145 I loved a story about awarding, for the second year in a row, a live Maine bear to the first Boston Red Sox player to hit a home run during State of Maine Day at Fenway Park. It doesn’t say if the bear was on site to be handed over as the player crossed home plate!

There’s a story about Blaine Grove, who bagged the largest Tautog of the year, an 11-pounder caught off Nubble Light in about 10 feet of water.

He used a double-barbed spearhead.

And here’s another great story: Ever see a fish eat a sea gull? A Neptune member relates that one day while relaxing on the veranda of the local yacht club, he saw a sea gull frantically struggling on the surface, only to be pulled under repeatedly until it disappeared from view.

Then a large fish bobbed to the surface, desperately thrashing to get down under. It had swallowed the sea gull and thus was too buoyant to sink.

Our member states that he went down onto

New Hampshire’s Fish and Game Department says a 71-year-old woman suffered serious head injuries from an encounter with a bear in her home.

Associated Press story, July 18, 2018 — Since it was founded in 1970, Maine Coast Heritage Trust has conserved 150,000 acres and 322 islands along the Maine coast, establishing more than 100 public preserves from Kittery to Lubec. All of these preserves are open to the public to visit for free, offering a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including camping, hiking, boating and hunting.

Aislinn Sarnaki story, Bangor Daily News, July 20, 2018 — On those good food years, a lot of bears will

the float, grabbed the fish and hauled him up by the tail. It proved to be a large monk fish.

When the belly was slit open a few seconds later with a pen knife, out toppled the sea gull, which flapped its wings experimentally a couple of times and then took off.

Amazing!

There was an article about what they thought was the successful restoration of Atlantic salmon to the lower Piscataquis and Pleasant Rivers. And a photo of a nice striped bass caught in the Medomak River just below Waldoboro Village.

And there was a story of the arrest of a guy for poaching three deer.

But he was released and the charges dropped after they found both of his hands in casts from a motor vehicle accident.

Finally, there was a lengthy list of legislative candidates endorsed by the Maine Fish and Game Association. Of 162 Democratic candidates, 93 were “named acceptable by the association, which also approved 107 of 177 Republican office-seekers.”

¶

go right by those baits, or maybe just feed at night. But I expect the bait harvest will be noticeably higher (than last year).

Randy Cross, DIFW bear biologist, John Holyoke story, Bangor Daily News, August 10, 2018 — Shorebirds are disappearing. Rapidly. Some species have declined by up to 90% .... Climate change clearly plays a significant role.

Birding guide and writer Bob Duchesne, Bangor Daily News, August 10, 2018 — For the second straight year, a live bear will be awarded to the first Boston Red Sox player who hits a home run during State of Maine Day August 26, at Fenway Park.

Maine Outdoorsman and Conservationist magazine, September, 1956

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 19

Five Great Destinations and Activities for ATV Riders This Fall

by Shane Brown Welcome to fall in Maine!

For weather, foliage and a wide range of activities, this season can be the best time of year the region has to offer.

In fact, if you ask anyone who lives here, they’ll tell you these are their fa-

More people use their ATVs and SXSs during hunting season than for any other single pursuit all year. The toughness and versatility of the machines can greatly enhance the hunting experience. vorite months of the year.

And what a better way to enjoy the fresh fall air than on an ATV

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Autumn provides many great opportunities to enjoy some of the best scen-

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Here are five destina-

tions and activities that will keep ATV and SXS riders busy having fun this time of year.

1) Greenville!!!

Yep, the great town of Greenville is one of my favorite places each fall.

(Continued on next page)

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20 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

ATVing in Maine (Continued from page 19)

THE HARDEST WORKING 6-PERSON UTILITY SXS EVER. — See Your Local Polaris Dealer for Current Promotions! — HODGDON Tidd’s Sports Shop 154 Calais Road 207-532-6476 tiddssportshop.com

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

*Offer valid through September, 30, 2018. Offers vary by model. Rebate and finance offers valid on select 2015-2019 new and unregistered models. See your authorized dealer for complete details. Down payment may be required.Financing promotions void where prohibited. 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. ©2014 Polaris Industries Inc.

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Any time you can roll into town on a Saturday and the streets are lined with more off-road than onroad vehicles, you know you are in a good spot.

The Greenville region’s trail system is simply outstanding. The area is well-signed and offers chances to head in multiple directions.

In addition, I have never traveled any distance along the Greenville-area trail system without seeing a moose.

With multiple outlooks – including some that offer a view of Mount Katahdin – this region is a must-stop destination.

Keep an eye out on Facebook and other social media for trail updates, as, for example, accessibility to the famous B-52 crash site varies depending on what logging operations are going on at any given time.

So load the family up and head for the Greenville area as part of your memorable fall foliage tour.

2) Shin Pond Village (Also Known as Mount Chase) Shin Pond Village has always been a great stop for snowmobilers in the (Continued on next page)

HURRY, OFFER ENDS SOON

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 21 ©2015 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Offers valid in U.S.A. only, from February 1, 2015 to April 30, 2015. See an authorized Can-Am dealer for details. The conditions may vary from state to state and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice.� Rebate up to $2,000 on select 2014 models: rebate applicable to new and unused 2014 Can-Am ATVs and Can-Am side-by-side vehicles. Rebate amount depends on the model purchased. Dealer may sell for less. While quantities last. ¥ Rebate up to $800 on select 2015 models: rebate applicable to new and unused 2015 Can-Am ATVs and Can-Am side-by-side vehicles. Rebate amount depends on the model purchased. Dealer may sell for less. While quantities last. � GREAT FINANCING : Low financing rates are available. Subject to credit approval. Approval and any rates and terms provided are based on credit worthiness. Multiple financing offers available. Other qualific ations and restrictions may apply. Financing promotion void where prohibited. BRP is not responsible for any errors, changes or actions related to the financing provided by the financial institutions. BRP reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: always wear a helmet, eye protection, and other protective clothing. Never carry passengers on any ATV 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. For side-by-side vehicles (SxS): Read the BRP side-by-side Operator’s Guide and watch the Safety DVD before driving. For your safety: wear a helmet, eye protection and other protective gear. Fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Operator must be at least 16 years old. Passenger must be at least 12 years old and able to hold handgrips and plant feet while seated against the backrest. ATVs and SxS are for off-road use only; never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. 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. Ride responsibly. 9100637

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winter. All during the coldest season, they do a fantastic job, as hundreds of sleds stop to fuel up every weekend, while some stay overnight in the cabins. However, this area has now become a secret gem in the summer and fall. The owners have stepped up their warm-weather game, such as by offering cabin rentals and a wellstocked general store.

With some great trails and easy loading and unloading, they have a lot to offer the summer and fall off-road community. In addition, they now provide ATV and SXS rentals, as the result of having become a destination Polaris partner.

Renting a machine is a great opportunity for anyone who has been thinking about getting an off-road machine, to try it out and see if it is for them before they make a major investment.

3) Airline Snack Bar The Airline Snack Bar in the town of Beddington is a great location, either as a destination or to use for unloading your ATVs or SXSs off your trailer.

The facility was recently been purchased by a new owner who is doing a great job maintaining

and building upon the features established by the previous owner.

For those arriving with truck and trailer, the location offers a great place to unload, and they have fuel on site. They also have a convenience store for purchasing snacks and drinks for your day of riding.

Scenery and foliage is great this time of year.

Since the trails from the Airline Snack Bar run along a lot of logging roads, the dust is significantly less than when riding on dry, bare trails.

Riders can head in nearly any direction from here, and there are also some shorter loops for those with less time to spend. This allows ATVers to take different routes out and back, encouraging them to plan multiple trips each fall.

4) Hunting Season Sure, it’s more of an activity than a destination, but the fact of the matter is that more people use their machines during hunting season than for any other single pursuit all year.

There are many reasons that hunting season and ATVs/SXSs complement each other so well, since the machines are tough (Continued on page 23)

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©2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. Offers valid in U.S.A. only from September 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018.

The terms and conditions may vary depending on your state and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. See an authorized BRP dealer for details. BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or, in USA, call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. In Canada, call the Canadian Safety Council at (6131 739-1535 ext 227. Read the Operators Guide and watch the Safety DVD before riding. Wear appropriate protective clothing and helmet. For side-by-side vehicles, fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Never engage in stunt driving and avoid excessive speed. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Side-by-side vehicles and ATVs are recommended for drivers aged 16 and older, and passengers aged 12 and older only. For off-road use only. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Always ride responsibly and remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

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*Offer valid at participating U.S. dealers to U.S. residents on new and unused 2010–2015 Arctic Cat ATV models excluding youth, rental, government and special services models. See dealer for details and program dates. 4.9% FINANCING FOR 60 MONTHS valid on 2010-2015 models, Financing provided through Sheffield Financial or FreedomRoad Financial and is subject to credit approval; not all applicants will qualify for credit. Financing promotions void where prohibited. 2-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY valid on 2015 models and includes six-month limited factory warranty and 18-month extended service contract through Cornerstone. REBATES UP TO $1,000 valid on 2010–2014 models and varies by model purchased. Offer subject to change without notice. Excludes tax, freight and dealer setup. Only ride an ATV that is right for your age. Supervise riders younger than 16. Arctic Cat recommends that all riders take a training course and read and understand the owner’s *Double your warranty only available on 2015-2018 Prowler 500, 2015-2017 Alterra, 2017-2018 and Stampede models that qualify for the rebate program. Offer accepted at any authorized Textron Off Road dealership at time of vehicle purchase. Offer cannot be combined before operation. safety training your or October call the ATVTextron Safety Institute 887-2887.

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22 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Always Pack Spare Ribs for Moose Hunt

by Ed Pineau

Island Boy may have been graceful as he climbed up into the high “Maine Moose Ridah” so he could call in a bull moose for my son. However, when he decided to exit the mobile tower, his graceful ways abandoned him.

Moose hunting is not for the faint of heart, or body. I, being a true Mainer who has participated in thirty-odd moose hunts, consider myself somewhat of a self-taught expert.

Rifle, ammunition, binoculars, truck, trailer, winch, chain saw, rope, snatch blocks and spare ribs are just a few pieces of the equipment needed to find, shoot, dress, and transport the big animal from field to freezer.

Another key component for a successful

moose hunt is a close-knit group of fellow hunters.

These folks share the love of spending hours upon hours of staring patiently into the northern Maine forest for a glimpse of a trophy animal.

One such fellow is my best friend “Island Boy,” a/k/a IB. He has been with me longer than my memories of my mother.

IB is the kind of sidekick one cherishes, and I look upon his mastery of the North Maine Woods with subtle envy. He has the eyes of an aging eagle,

the grace of a big buck, and if he were stranded on an uninhabited island, within a week he would be able to provide hot running water; hence his nickname, Island Boy. However, the most important talent exhibited by IB is his ability to “call” in trophy moose using only his voice. This skill is why he is part of all my moose hunts.

“Hang On, Boys!”

In order to call in the moose, Island Boy sits atop the “Maine Moose Ridah,” which sits atop a

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Here, Keith Trask and Nick Pineau are perched high in Moose Ridah, while Mike Pineau (Island Boy, behind water bottle) and Norm Pineau pilot the truck.

pick-up truck.

The Ridah is a moose tower constructed of 2x10 framework, marine plywood, and several “holy crap handles” to be used when the speed of the pick-up truck exceeds 30 MPH along the region’s rutted gravel roads.

The rig was designed and fabricated by IB and myself.

2017 Hunt Last year’s hunt saw me as the pilot, son #2 as copilot and shooter. IB, his son #2, my son #1, and grandson #1 were all perched in the Ridah as we crept along the dirt roads north of Greenville.

IB was projecting his enticing moose calls. His voice was echoing off the forested hillsides.

As we turned a corner, there at 150 yards was a bull moose just entering the road.

IB grunted, the moose stopped, the shooter exit-

ed the truck, loaded his rifle and took aim.

And that is when it got really exciting.

Quick Exit from the Ridah In a sequence of events later related in detail by a reliable eyewitness (my grandson), IB was preparing to exit the Moose Ridah when his grace of a deer momentarily failed him.

His foot caught the edge of the tailgate, hurling him to the ground at a speed only Isaac Newton would appreciate.

Not one to panic, and to avoid landing face-first on the gravel road, IB grabbed at various parts of the Ridah on his journey earthward.

However, after he slammed into the ground, it was noted by those who gathered ’round to stare that he did in fact resemble road kill, although he (Continued on next page)

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 23 (Continued from page 22)

was still breathing.

Meanwhile, the moose move back into the woods to safety.

Can’t Keep a Good Man Down We got IB up onto his feet, brushed him off, and determined that he had only sustained broken ribs, a punctured lung and a bruised ego.

We all, including IB, continued to hunt for the rest of the week. After all, it was “Moose Week”!

We, as his sympathetic and empathetic hunting buddies, did rate his fall as a 9.5 out of a possible 10 (there is always room for improvement).

We paid no attention to IB’s complaining about pain when he walked, breathed, talked, or laughed.

As I pack for this year’s moose hunt, I’ll be sure to bring along spare ribs.

And yes, by week’s end, Island Boy had provided the remote hunting location with hot, running water.

Ed Pineau is a lifelong hunter and fisherman who lives in Vassalboro, Maine with his wife Cate.

This fantastic photo of two young bulls learning to spar, was taken last year by guests at Spencer Pond Camps, at a spot along the shore of Big Spencer Pond. Jody Zeisloft and his wife stay at Spencer Pond Camps several times each year. “These experiences are why we wander through the Maine woods,” he told the Sportsman. Jody Zeisloft photo

¶

ATVing in Maine (Continued from page 21)

and versatile.

Any time riders can combine two things they enjoy, it has to be considered a win/ win. To spend the day riding around during bird season with a shotgun strapped to your machine makes for about as much fun as you can have on a perfect fall day.

ATVs can carry you through the woods and to your distant tree stand, where you can sit for a day of hunting. In addition, if you are fortunate to down a big deer or bear, an ATV will make it a lot easier to get your kill to where it can be picked up by a road

vehicle.

However, as in many outdoor pursuits, follow the laws and use your common sense when bringing a firearm along on your ATV or SXS. One principle that can keep you out of trouble is to consider your machine just as you would your car or truck, so if what you are doing is legal if you were driving your car or truck, it’s likely legal with your off-road vehicle (and vice versa).

5) Family Time I’m a Dad with two daughters, and as with many parents with children, it seems harder and harder to find time to unplug electronic devices and just spend time with my family.

However, getting the kids out to enjoy

some fresh fall air is a great way to share quality experiences.

A SXS capable to carrying a driver and several passengers is a good way to spend time with your family. I recommend not focusing too much on a destination. Instead, pack a lunch and make it a point simply to get out of areas with cell phone service.

This will give you an opportunity to slow life down a little and disconnect from your busier work and social lives for just a little while. I promise you – you will not regret it.

And if you park your machines and do some quiet walking, you will almost certainly see a great deal of wildlife in amongst the autumn leaves of Maine.

¶

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24 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

To Consistently Kill Deer in Maine, You Need to Micro-Manage Your Bowhunting Skills

by Val Marquez When Dorothy’s house touches down in the Land of Oz, she memorably exclaims, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Who knew she was actually referring to the bowhunting for whitetails? But she was absolutely correct – compared

to Midwestern states like Kansas, Ohio and Illinois, Maine is an extremely difficult place to bowhunt deer.

Televised hunting shows and magazines stage “successful” hunts for the entertainment of their audience and readers, and hunters are

flooded with advertisements for gadgets that are “guaranteed” to get them their deer. However, when hunters in Maine actually take to the woods, fields and treestands, it’s easy for them to become disillusioned with our state’s low success rates and the

long hours of scouting and hunting required of serious hunters.

Let’s put things into perspective – recently, I flew over farmlands in the Midwest, and even at a few thousand feet and traveling at 600 miles per hour, I could easily pattern deer as I looked out

the window. What I saw were hundreds of miles of a grid system of green fields planted with corn and alfalfa.

These massive deerproducing fields have small patches of woods and cattail swamps – (Continued on next page)

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����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 25 (Continued from page 24) anything outside the noreither be used to climb, or

probably a ratio of 90% fields to 10% deer cover – and as a result it was easy to pick stand locations from far above.

This landscape creates a classic “bedding to food source” environment for deer. Now factor in that the wind in this flat area of the country can blow in one direction for days, even weeks, and the result is that any skilled Maine bowhunter, when presented with these hunting conditions, would think they had died and gone to bowhunting heaven.

Compare the above geography to what we find here in Maine. The Pine Tree state has 90% forested land, with massive swamps and large tracts of forest. Bowhunters here also need to contend with swirling winds caused by our mountains and by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean.

These erratic wind conditions are problematic, and many Maine hunters underestimate the impact of the ever-shifting air mass.

To be consistently successful bowhunting deer in Maine, you need to micro-manage every detail of your hunting method.

The following are some things I’ve learned bowhunting deer for 50 years in Maine.

Stand Locations While you are scouting, look for points of high ground that extend out into thick, nasty swamps or cattail marshes. Deer like to exit from swamps in the evening and stage there before moving farther inland toward feeding areas. These areas will be laced with deer trails, and great spots to put tree stands.

Look at the big picture when patterning deer. Think about how and why deer use the woods, and their seasonal patterns and food sources. Whenever you enter a deer’s core area, remember that deer live in a quiet, peaceful world, and

mal rhythm of the forest will alarm them. If you disturb that rhythm, your hunt in that location will be over for a few days, if not the season, It’s important that you never walk in the location you expect a deer will walk. Instead, place your stand well back so you never need to spread your scent in the intended kill zone. Don’t walk directly on deer trails – ever – since deer can detect human trail scent for days.

You should place treestands and blinds during rainy, windy days and always at mid-day, to prevent jumping deer during their morning and evening feeding cycles. Wear rubber hip boots – or at least knee-highs – along with gloves, when placing stands and blinds.

Use Google Maps to do most of your scouting.

In the past I spent hours walking around following every wood road, swamp and ridge in a new area that I planned to hunt.

Now, fifteen minutes studying aerial photos gives me the lay of the land without disturbing local deer.

Know Your Bowhunting Gear Details are the gateways to success, starting with your gear. You need to compile a bowhunting arsenal, stage each item and learn to use it properly and effectively.

A list of bowhunting gear begins with a bow, quivers and matched arrows tipped with broadheads.

Next, the treestands – one for long sets like a ladder type, and also a climbing stand, which can

as a fixed treestand when combined with tree steps.

Final equipment owned and used by most serious bowhunters consists of a portable pop-up blind, and a gully suit to use while still-hunting.

The important thing is becoming totally efficient with the bowhunting gear you choose – using it should be as natural as driving your truck.

Practice placing and/or climbing with your treestand, in the dark. Practice shooting from it and maintain it – if the treestand squeaks, for example, cut plastic milk jugs into washers and put them between all nuts and bolts, and lubricate the fastenings with cooking oil (corn oil works best).

If you choose to hunt from a pop up blind, wash it down with a baking soda/water mix, and then keep it outdoors a few days. Practice shooting while seated in your popup blind. If you plan to shoot through the camo netting, then use the proper fixed-blade broadheads, and practice.

Camouflage clothing – especially that old floppy hat – should be kept clean and as scent-free as possible by soaking it in a bucket of warm water and baking soda, and then hanging it to air dry. And don’t overlook the strap on your release aid. Avoid using washers and dryers – they are scent-gathers caked with the aromas of soap, detergents and fabric softeners.

If you invested in carbon clothing, then maintain it properly and use a complete system. Twenty-five percent of human odor is displaced from the

This deer might be a disappointment in the corn- and alfalfa-rich fields of the Midwest, but in Maine it’s a major accomplishment. The author killed it after hunting weeks without seeing a deer – which is not uncommon in Maine. Val Marquez photo

mouth, so carry a small bottle of water and baking soda, for rinsing and gargling while on stand.

You can use a spray bottle of baking soda and water to help control odors on you and your gear during the hunt, as well.

Develop a Ground Game Today, bowhunters have become glued to their tree stands. Bowhunting from a tree stand is an effective method, but there are many variables to contend with.

An improperly set-up treestand is a deer’s best friend. Not all locations are suited for a treestand.

So bowhunters should put a stool, some camo netting and a gully suit in their arsenal.

You need to slip into your ambush site while remaining within the natural rhythm of the forest on the downwind side of a trail you plan to watch.

Then sit motionless in

a ghillie suit, waiting to ambush the deer.

If the wind direction changes, then you simply move to keep your scent from drifting into the kill zone. This method works best when hunting trails or when hunting scrapes.

I like to make a mock scrape on the trail in a location where I can draw my bow without deer seeing my movement. Every deer will stop to check out a scrape, offering a shot opportunity when the deer has its head down sniffing the ground.

Maine deer are free-ranging, wild and wary animals, and are extremely difficult to bowhunt. Killing any deer with a bow and arrow in Maine is a major accomplishment – to do it consistently, you must know your gear, hone your skills, and hunt within the natural rhythm of the forest.

¶

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26 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

2018 Maine Sportsman Opinion Poll Results Once again this year, readers were not shy about expressing their opinions!

We greatly appreciate the hundreds of people who took the time to respond to our survey.

So here are the 2018 results – look them over, and let us know what you think!

Be sure to send your questions and comments to will@mainesportsman.com.

1. Should the required archery hunting education course be combined with the required crossbow hunting education into one course covering both activities?

YES 79% NO 21% 2. Do you believe some landowners abuse the preference given to them in the any-deer permit drawings?

YES 52% NO 48% 3. Should the applications filed by landowners for preference in any-deer permit drawings be open to public inspection? YES 74% NO 26% 4. Have you removed all lead sinkers and lead split shot from your freshwater tackle boxes?

YES62% NO 38% 5. Did you hunt coyotes within the past year?

YES 24%

NO 76%

6. Should a person be allowed to live-trap red squirrels without obtaining a trapping license?

YES 86% NO 14% 7. Virtually all of Maine’s navigable rivers and streams have been channelized, bulldozed, dynamited, straightened, or otherwise altered to facilitate driving of logs, which ended in 1976. Should the state begin a program to restore our rivers to provide better habitat for fish and wildlife?

YES 79% NO 21% 8. Did you hunt with a crossbow this past year?

YES 14%

NO 86%

9. Did you hunt with a muzzleloader this past year? YES 34%

NO 66%

10. It is unlawful to hunt in Maine with an autoloading rifle with a magazine with the capacity of more than five cartridges. Should it be unlawful to possess an autoloading rifle with a magazine having a capacity of more than five cartridges?

YES 42% NO 58% 11. Do you believe deer hunting regulations have become too complicated?

Yes 36% NO 64% 12. Do you believe global warming is a real environmental threat?

YES 60% NO 40% 13. Should DIF&W establish a program to improve spawning habitat for trout and salmon?

YES 91% NO 9% 14. Should ice fishing be allowed on some salmon and trout waters now closed each winter, if anglers use artificial lures? YES 45% NO 55% 15. Should cat owners be prohibited from allowing their cats to run at large, as is now the case with dogs?

YES 48% NO 52% 16. Has the turkey population expanded to the point that the state should end the two-bird seasonal tag limit for the spring season, and allow the taking of one tom turkey each day?

YES 44% NO 56% 17. Is the dumping of household goods and tires causing landowners to post their property?

YES 95% NO 5% 18. Should buyers of auto and truck tires pay a returnable deposit, as we do on beverage bottles, which we would get back when we returned the used tires?

YES 59% NO 41% 19. Should anglers be encouraged to kill any pike they catch?

YES 72% NO 28% 20. Should DIF&W encourage Catch-and-Kill Pike Tournaments?

YES 67% NO 33% 21. Should income from bear bait hunting sites leased by landowners be taxed, with the revenue going to DIF&W? YES 35% NO 65% 22. Should a system be developed to allow an any-deer permit to be used in more than one Wildlife Management District?

YES 56% NO 44% 23. Do you believe DIF&W wardens are spread too thin to deter poachers?

YES 64% NO 36% 24. When wardens spend time on search and rescue activities unrelated to fish or game activities, should the state’s General Fund pay for their time?

YES 85% NO 15% 25. Do you approve of DIF&W’s current practice of stocking brook trout in marginal, put-and-take waters where these fish cannot survive warm summer water?

YES 42% NO 58% www.MaineSportsman.com

26. Did you spend time fly-casting for trout this past year?

YES 37%

NO 63%

27. Do you believe the nickel deposit on cans and bottles should be increased to reduce littering?

YES 35% NO 65% 28. Only 3% of all bears killed each year are harvested by trapping. To remove an emotional issue from future bear hunting debates, should the state end the recreational trapping of bears?

YES 38% NO 62% 29. Should municipalities that regulate bow hunting in the expanded season zones be barred from charging fees for permits?

YES 82% NO 18% 30. Should landlocked salmon be managed to promote larger fish?

YES 77% NO 23% 31. Should DIF&W regulate winter-feeding of deer?

YES 46%

NO 54%

32. Should nonresidents be permitted to hunt deer on opening day of the firearms season?

YES 59% NO 41% 33. Were you checked by a game warden this past year?

YES 28%

No 72%

34. Should an outside agency investigate complaints against Maine game wardens?

YES 66% NO 34% 35. Do you believe that many hunters in Maine tag deer they didn’t shoot?

YES 60% NO 40% 36. Should the owners of land with conservation easements be required to post online maps showing the land and the location of the public’s right of access?

YES 57% NO 43% 37. Do you believe the Maine Legislature does a good job of enacting laws relating to Fish and Wildlife matters?

YES 37% NO 63% 38. Should a system of tagging turkeys by telephone or online replace tagging stations?

YES 63% NO 37% 39. Should the price of a Maine hunting license include the right to hunt all game animals (except moose) without additional fees?

YES 84% NO 16% 40. Should DIF&W game wardens participate in criminal investigations unrelated to fish and game matters?

YES 30% NO 70% 41. Should hunting with crossbows be allowed wherever hunters can use regular bows?

YES 60% NO 40% 42. Should Maine’s law permitting children of any age hunt under supervision, be modified to establish a minimum hunting age?

YES 73% NO 27% 43. Do you believe DIF&W wardens generally do a fair job of enforcing our laws?

YES 93% NO 7% 44. Should mechanized gold mining in Maine rivers and streams be ended?

YES 71% NO 29% 45. Did you hunt or fish outside of the state of Maine this past year?

YES 55% NO 45% 46. Do you support the proposal to expand the instant background check of purchasers of firearms to include sales between private parties?

YES 38% NO 62% 47. Have you (or has anyone you know) seen a cougar in Maine?

YES 30% NO 70% 48. PLEASE write in any question you’d like to have us ask in our reader poll next year: We had several great responses to this question!

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 27

Don’t Pepper Your Hunting Buddy with Birdshot – How to Hunt Safely in Thick Grouse and Woodcock Cover

by Michael Browning Here in Maine the October 1st opening day of grouse and woodcock season will be an exciting one. A lot of people have waited patiently through the first nine months of the year to enter their favorite covers, myself included! Unfortunately, those exciting and memorable hunts can turn into a disaster in a matter of seconds.

As a grouse and woodcock guide, I’m always meeting new hunters. It can be a lot of fun meeting someone who shares the love of the uplands. Of course, you never know how strangers handle their guns in the woods.

With Dogs, it’s Shotgun Muzzle Up Before every hunt, whether I’m guiding or out with friends, I go over gun safety. Some people have never hunted over dogs, and they forget that while keeping your muzzle pointed to the ground is what you’re taught as a kid, it’s not the same with dogs around. Keeping your muzzle pointed down or away from people is the right way to practice gun safety, but when dogs are running around, you want that

Some people think, “Well, it’s only birdshot – it won’t travel that far.” However, #6 shot from a 12 gauge with a full choke can travel 240 yards –that’s 720 feet!

These two hunters can safely walk side-by-side because of the openness of the area.

In this photo, grouse and woodcock are likely to be found on the left, while pheasants will be in the field on the right. Michael Browning photo

muzzle pointed in the air.

Even with the safety on, keep them pointed up.

I can’t emphasize this tip enough.

How Many Hunters in the Cover?

An important rule I enforce is this: I can’t have more than two peo-

ple shooting when I’m guiding.

If you’re in a wideopen field hunting pheasants, sure, you can have 3, 4, 5 or 6 people. All of the shooters are in a line, with no worry of anyone behind or in front of them.

But grouse and woodcock covers are a whole different game! The covers are so thick in places that you can’t see 15 feet in front of you.

If you’re walking a logging road, that’s not a problem – one shoots left, the other shoots right,

and they can decide beforehand who gets the straight-on shot.

But in grouse covers, that’s not usually an option.

Don’t Get Too Far Ahead In some grouse and woodcock covers, there’s a narrow trail, and two hunters can’t walk side by side.

If one hunter suggests he’ll walk parallel to the other at 25 feet away, it’s up to me to decide whether each can spot the other without one getting too far out in front.

Sometimes you can do this, but especially in the early fall when the foliage is still heavy, visibility is slim to none, and it doesn’t take long to get ahead of someone in thick cover and end up right in front of them.

Height Matters It’s also very important to remember that people can get over-excited. As a result, they don’t wait for the bird to reach a safe shooting height.

As humans, we are predators. Our eyes automatically go to movement.

Some people will get (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

28 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Shooting Sports in Maine (Continued from page 27)

too excited and throw their gun up to a blue jay or killdeer swarming in their vision. They can be so focused on bagging a grouse or woodcock that their concentration can be thrown off, and that can be dangerous.

You can be easily peppered with birdshot if you are somewhere in front and your hunting buddy doesn’t wait for a game bird to reach a safe height before shooting.

I tell my clients if my dogs don’t point the bird and it’s bumped, they should feel free to shoot, so long as the bird is at a safe height and in a safe direction.

Knowing What’s Just Through the Trees As far as a shooting direction goes, it’s a good idea to make sure you know the area you’re shooting around. If you don’t, I recommend you review Google Earth ae-

rial photos to familiarize yourself with the region.

Simply put, if you don’t know the area, you never know if there is a house or road on the other side of the cover.

Some people think, “Well, it’s only birdshot – it won’t travel that far.”

However, #6 shot from a 12 gauge with a full choke can travel 240 yards – that’s 720 feet! Granted, obstructions will stop a majority of the shot, but all it takes is one shot to harm a person or break a window.

Another thing to keep in mind is even though you’re shooting the birds in a high elevation, if there’s a house nearby, don’t be surprised if an angry home owner yells to you that the birdshot is coming down on their roof. People get unnerved with shot plinking of their roof – can you blame them?

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The thickness of the brush shown in this photo means it’s an ideal cover for a single hunter. As a guide, I am unable to ensure the safety of two people hunting simultaneously -- it’s too easy for one hunter to drift ahead of the other and into the line of fire. Michael Browning photo

Safety On AND Pointed in a Safe Direction Make sure you always have your safety on. After you shoot at a bird, whether you make contact or miss, put the safety back on.

If I’m hunting with friends and I shoot at a bird, regardless whether I hit it, I always break open my double barrel.

In addition, I tell clients, “After you’ve fired and when you are reload-

ing, turn your body away from people.”

It’s not hard to pivot in another direction while you’re reloading. Why is this important? Because I have witnessed guns going off even though the safeties are switched on. ***** These tips aren’t intended to make you nervous, but rather to ensure you are always alert.

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danger for a bird. There will always be birds to hunt, but you might not have hunting buddies to go into the woods with if you’re careless and pepper them with birdshot.

Michael Browning of Jay is a Registered Maine Guide and Orvis-endorsed wing shooter who manages grouse and woodcock cover in New Sharon.

¶

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����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 29

Converted Military Rifles Still Viable As Hunters Something in the October air stirs the wingshot in me. October belongs to the birds, whether disks of clay or feathered flights in Maine’s forests, fields or marshes.

Sure, the seasons for just about every type of game, from gray squirrels to black bear, is open

by October. Most of the moose hunting time falls into October, and even gun season on deer opens up before the end of the month this year.

However, the crisp, blue-sky mornings of October somehow seem best suited for chasing upland birds or the flocks of south-bound waterfowl.

In the 13 years since Harry Vanderweide tasked me with creating “The Shooter’s Bench,” most – not all, but most – October columns deal with something related to shotguns and bird hunting. I was heading that way once again when a reader reached out and sent this column heading in another direction.

Old military surplus rifles like this British Lee-Enfield in .303 British still convert into decent hunting rifles. James Allard photo

Nate Grove, a middle-school teacher from Durham, New Hampshire, contacted me to ask some questions about a deer rifle passed down from his father. Immediately intrigued by the gentleman and his question, I let the shotgun column slip away – for now.

Despite its long service and numerous successful deer hunts, Groves’ veteran rifle no longer suits the style of hunting its owner wants to do. He prefers a more vigorous hunt of tracking

deer where they lead, and wants a lighter, more agile rifle to carry over and through hill, dale and cedar swamp. Nor does the beefy old rifle suit his young teenage son who’s just coming into hunting.

Veteran Status At its core, the rifle is a World War I vintage M-1917 Enfield in .30’06, that was “sporterized” (transformed) into suitable civilian hunting form more than 50 years ago. Its owner’s question: What is it worth in to-

day’s market?

The blunt answer stands as: Probably not much. In a conversation over coffee, I told this rifle’s owner that millions of so-called “sporterized” military surplus exist, and many were hatchet job conversions, often done by owners themselves.

Unless the conversion was done first-class in a shop like New York’s Griffin & Howe, or the gun belonged to Ernest Hemingway with provenance confirming it was

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used in Africa in 1933 or 1953, then the rifle is likely not worth a great deal. Too many, in all sorts of conditions, exist.

That said, the importance of the military surplus rifles to the development and acceptance of the bolt-action rifle for hunting cannot be overstated.

Beginning with Spanish-American War surplus Krag-Jorgensen rifles in .30-40 Krag, and spreading through WWI surviving M-1903 Springfields and M-1917 Enfields, sporterized military rifles weaned American shooters away from the lever-action rifles made famous by Winchester, Marlin and Savage. They also made the .30-’06 Springfield cartridge the world-wide standard it remains today.

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30 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Shooter’s Bench (Continued from page 29)

Later, Mauser rifles from Chile, Argentina, Sweden, Germany and Spain joined the flood, as did Lee-Enfields from Britain, and the Mannlicher-Carcano from Italy.

After World War II, Japanese 6.5mm and 7.7nn Arisaka rifles became available. Cheap and easy to convert, all these rifles could be purchased through the mail, and at the time the cost was only $20 - $50.

Morrison Enfield Most Americans er-

roneously think that M-1903 Springfield rifles predominated our WWI military usage. It did not.

There were many, but it was the more numerous M-1917 Enfield that most doughboys carried into battle, including Sergeant Alvin York.

One of these rugged, reliable .30-caliber rifles, owned at that time by engineer and New Gloucester dairy farmer William Grove, with a five-round internal box magazine, made its way to Maine and into the shop of Bill

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Morrison of Bangor and later, Bradford, Maine.

Morrison died two years ago at age 94, having been a professional gunsmith since the age of 15.

In a memorial piece by John Holyoke, the Bangor Daily News called Carl “Bill” Morrison “legendary,” and quoted others calling him a “genius” and “one of a kind.”

Known far and wide for his storytelling prowess as well as his marksmanship and gunsmithing skills, Morrison fitted the Enfield with an oil-finished hardwood stock with a cheek piece for a right-handed shooter. He probably replaced the barrel with one of his own hand-made barrels.

He also fitted a gold bead ramp sight on the muzzle end, but there is no corresponding rear sight on it now. There is, however, a budget brand variable power scope on two piece base mounts.

Like all but a fraction of converted military rifles, this one would have had more value to a col-

lector in its original condition. However, if the Morrison provenance gets firmed up, then this is an important rifle to Maine shooters.

Pricing this example and other military converts remains a challenge. The Blue Book of Gun Values will not help.

Without a brand name to go by, comparison becomes difficult.

Given Morrison’s stellar reputation, someone more expert than I, and from the Bangor area, needs to price this one.

Someone in the know will want an example of Bill Morrison’s genius.

Still Going For much of the 20th century, converting military surplus rifles into sporting arms was a cottage industry. For many of us who came of age sometime between 1920 and 1980, a converted rifle from some country’s military was the first hunting rifle we owned.

In high school, I took a 6.5mm Japanese Arisa-

ka in payment of a $10 debt. In 1971, I paid $20 at Kittery Trading Post for a U.S. Enfield made in caliber .303 for the British. Someone before me started that sporterizing process with a hacksaw to the barrel. I hunted deer with it when I could not afford any other rifle.

Thousands of stories exist about great fall hunts made with old, converted military surplus rifles, and there is no reason to believe that their day has ended. Fewer and fewer appear every year now, but for anyone on a budget needing a tough, accurate hunting rifle, one of these old converts makes a great alternative.

When a particular specimen turns out to be something akin to this Bill Morrison conversion, more of us ought to pay closer attention. After all, we’re talking about a rifle that is now part of the fabric of Maine’s sporting life.

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����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 31

Snowmobiles – What’s New for 2019

by Shane Brown

Photo Credit: Yamaha

What’s up, sledheads? Welcome to the Maine Sportsman’s first snowmobile feature of the season.

The best way to start is with a rundown of what’s new from the top four manufacturers.

2019 brings strong offerings from each company -- Yamaha brings back the SRX; Polaris has a new 850 and a mid-range Evo; Ski-Doo’s turbo 4-stroke approaches 150 hp, and Arctic Cat’s Alpha features on-the-fly adjustable suspension.

While I don’t have space for an exhaustive list, I’ll cover some of the biggest

or most significant changes for the upcoming 2019 riding season. I also men-

tion a few developments that left me a bit curious, so we’ll have to wait and

see how those ideas play out over the course of the winter.

Arctic Cat The Big Cat is offering a great line-up of sleds for 2019. This sea(Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

32 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Snowmobiling in Maine (Continued from page 31)

Photo Credit: Arctic Cat

— Visit Your Local Arctic Cat Dealer for Details Today! — EAST LEBANON Northeast Motorsports 451 Carl Broggi Hwy. 207-457-2225 nemotorsportsofmaine.com GORHAM White Rock Outboard 351 Sebago Lake Road 207-892-9606 whiterockoutboard.com

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

SIDNEY Kramer’s Inc. 2400 West River Road 207-547-3345 kramersinc.com BERLIN, NH Jericho Motorsports LLC 232 Jericho Rd 603-752-7424 jerichomotorsports.com

* Offer valid September 1 – November 18, 2018 at participating U.S. dealers to U.S. residents on new 2016-2019 snowmobile models excluding youth, race, rental, government and special services models. See dealer for details. *FINANCING AS LOW AS 3.99% APR FOR 36 MONTHS is valid on 2016–2018 models and FINANCING AS LOW AS 4.9% APR FOR 36 MONTHS is valid on 2019 models, financed through Sheffield Financial. Financing is subject to credit approval; not all applicants will qualify for credit. Consumers will be charged a $50 consumer document fee. Financing promotions void where prohibited. *REBATES UP TO $4,000 valid on 2016–2018 models are based on model purchased. Warranty is inclusive of the 1 year factory warranty. Offer subject to change without notice. Excludes tax, freight and dealer setup. Always wear a helmet and don’t drink and ride. © 2018 Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc.

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son marks the first big unveiling of new designs since the company was purchased by conglomerate Textron, so many observers – myself included – were watching closely to see what direction they took.

The good news is they stuck to what has been working well for a few years now, and improved on it.

By far, the most innovative sled to come out of the Arctic Cat lineup is the Alpha Cat. This is a born-and-bred off-trail mountain sled that features an industry-first monorail setup they say will carve the hillsides like butter.

Arctic Cat has made some big improvements in the trail lineup, as well, with a refinement to the way the heated grips operate and a new onthe-fly adjustable suspension. Arctic Cat is calling this new suspension iAct. It utilizes the Fox QS3 shock they have featured for a couple of years now, with electronic control right on the dash.

I think Arctic Cat’s 2019 lineup is strong and there is something everyone. The only exception I see is the absence of an updated entry-level utility sled. For a reason I don’t fully understand, they are having Yamaha rebrand the VK540, which is an older-style design. Perhaps this is a one-year stop-gap measure and they will catch up in this sector next season.

Ski-Doo The big brand in the sled world has yet again positioned itself to maintain its number one market share with a strong lineup of 2019 sleds.

The biggest innovation to come out of the Skidoo lineup is the addition of a Turbo 4-Stroke. Consumers have been begging Ski-Doo to get into the big-power four-stroke game, and this year they deliver. Utilizing what is arguably one the best engines ever put in a snowmobile – the 900 Ace motor – and adding a turbo to get them into the 150 horsepower class, should result in this sled being a big hit with consumers.

Ski-Doo is making most of the lineup in the Gen4 chassis with the addition of the Gen4 Wide, to make room to fit the bigger four-stroke into the new chassis.

To increase the performance and economy of their popular 850, the company added a new 600 two-stroke sled. They also separated the Backcountry from the Renegade model lineup, to further promote the true on/ off trail build the Backcountry has to offer.

In sum, each season Ski-Doo seems able make exactly what their customers want.

Polaris Polaris came out swinging with the release of their 2019 model lineup when the company announced a brand-new 850 motor. This engine (Continued on next page)

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 33

2019 Snowmobiles

2018 Snowmobiles

See Your Polaris Dealer for Details Today!

Photo Credit: Ski-doo (Continued from page 32)

has been re-designed from the ground up, and should offer outstanding performance in the 800cc class.

In fact, Polaris claims its tests demonstrate the new sled has the best acceleration in its class, based in part on a high power-to-weight ratio.

To increase demand and maximize exclusivity, Polaris limited the numbers of 2019 sleds that will feature the new powerplant. The new motor was a “spring check only” sled, and unless buyers put some money down last spring to hold a unit, then they missed their chance to get one on the trail this year.

However, if you’ve just got to have one, it’s always worth checking with your local dealer, since occasionally a prospective buyer backs out of their snow-check and a sled becomes available.

By offering this new package in a snow-check only package, Polaris has also protected itself, since if any troubles or issues arise with the new model, the company has effectively limited the number of sleds that will need an update.

Polaris also has a new Evo midsize model

for growing youngsters or for adults who don’t fit on a youth sled but who are not ready to make the jump to the full-size lineup. This is huge gap missed by other manufacturers in the market, and I fully expect Polaris’ competitors to follow suit in the future.

Polaris made a change to the geometry to the front A-Arms on the Mountain lineup, shaving off three pounds in this area alone. That much weight reduction leaves me wondering a bit, since it seems like a lot of weight to lose from the small part alone, but hopefully the sled’s durability will not change as a result of the new, lighter design.

Yamaha The Yamaha lineup is a partnership with Arctic Cat, and because of that fact, the offerings are very similar. Most Arctic Cat 4-stroke models are using Yamaha motors, and most Yamaha sleds are Arctic Cat sleds done up in blue, with the engineering exception being a different clutching arrangement.

However, Yamaha does have an exclusive offering this year, with the return of the SRX. If (Continued on next page)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offers vary by model. Offers valid on select new 2016 – 2019 Polaris snowmobiles. On approved Polaris purchases. Minimum Payments required. Offer may not be combined with certain other offers, is subject to change and may be extended or terminated without further notice. All rebates are paid to the dealer. The Promotional Limited Warranty consists of the standard 12-month factory warranty plus an additional 12, or 24 months of additional promotional limited warranty coverage for a total of 24 or 36 months of warranty coverage. Any additional warranty coverage after the initial 12-month factory warranty is subject to a $50.00 deductible per visit. Offers are valid between 8/3/18 – 10/31/18. Valid at participating Polaris Snowmobile dealers only. Model & year exclusions apply. See your local dealer for details.Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. Program minimum amount financed is $5,000 and 0% – 10% down payment required. Sales tax, registration fees, and dealer fees not included. Minimum Amounts Financed, Interest Charges, and penalties for accounts non-current, may apply. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Valid at participating Polaris dealers only. Offers are valid between 8/3/18 – 10/31/18.

GET OUT THERE AND

CONQUER WINTER

See Your Local Yamaha Snowmobile the Latest Promotions!

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

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

Always wear an approved helmet and eye protection. Observe all state and local laws. Respect the rights of others. Ride within your capabilities. Allow extra time and plenty of distance for maneuvering. Do not perform stunts. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corp, U.S.A. All rights reserved.© 2016 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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34 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Snowmobiling in Maine (Continued from page 34)

UP TO $1,500 REBATE ON SELECT 2018 MODEL

Hurry in to Your Skidoo Dealer Today – Offer Expires October 31, 2018!

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GREENVILLE JUNCTION Moosehead Motor Sports 13 Industrial Park 207-695-2020 mooseheadmotorsports.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FORT KENT Fort Kent Powersports 377 Caribou Road 207-834-3659 fortkentpowersports.com © 2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. This offer is valid in the U.S.A. only at participating Ski-Doo® dealers on new and unused Ski-Doo snowmobiles (excluding racing models and units sold under the Spring Fever promotion) purchased, delivered and registered between September 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018. The terms and conditions may vary depending on your state and these offers are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. See your Ski-Doo dealer for details. *Get up to $1,500 on select 2018 models: Eligible units are select new and unused 2018 Ski-Doo® models. Rebate amount depends on the model purchased. While quantities last.

Promotions are subject to termination or change at any time without notice. Offer may not be assigned, traded, sold or combined with any other offer unless expressly stated herein. Offer void where restricted or otherwise prohibited by law. BRP reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring any obligation. Always consult your snowmobile dealer when selecting a snowmobile for your particular needs and carefully read and pay special attention to your Operator’s Guide, Safety Video, Safety Handbook and to the safety labelling on your snowmobile. Always ride responsibly and safely and wear appropriate clothing, including a helmet. Please observe applicable laws and regulations. Remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

HANDLE THE

TOUGHEST TASKS

www.MaineSportsman.com

Photo Credit: Polaris

you were riding sleds in the early 2000s you know exactly what I’m talking about – when the blueand-white SRX went past you with the roar of the triple motor, you knew what those where capable of.

Well it’s no different now! They are using the same Turbo triple as the Cats, but this sled is lowered to the ground and runs a short 129” track with low lug height to allow for higher top speed.

Like Polaris, Yamaha limited their sled to “spring order” availability, so you won’t see any of the new models on showroom floors this winter.

Maybe it’s a sign of things

to come, or perhaps they have adopted what manufacturers in other businesses call “just in time” production (meaning they only build those units that are bought and paid for), but for me that approach takes some adjusting, since I used to enjoy the early seasons perusing showroom floors to see what was being offered by each manufacturer.

All in all, we see strong product offerings from each company, so now it’s up to you to check them out yourself.

See you on the trails and in the deep snow!

¶

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BELFAST Dutch Chevrolet Jct. Routes 1 & 2 800-339-2468 dutchchevy.com

NEW GLOUCESTER Trafford Supply 531A Penney Road 207-576-4271 Like Us on Facebook

AUBURN Morrison & Sylvester, Inc. 1175 Minot Avenue 207-783-8548 morrisontruck.net

BRUNSWICK Bodwell Chrysler Jeep Dodge 169 Pleasant Street 800-339-2455 bodwellchryslerjeepdodge.com

SPRINGVALE Black Bear Automotive 251 Main Street 207-324-4538 Like Us on Facebook

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WISCASSET Wiscasset Auto Parts 693 Bath Road 207-882-6389 napaonline.com

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 35

Up North, It’s Time for Foliage, Feathers and Fur Bird Season! Albeit a very generic term, it’s an apt description for October in Maine. Big game, small game and varmint hunters all have a favorite quarry, but the bulk of Pine Tree sportsmen are bird hunters. September and November offer some carryover, but the best of the gunning here in the Crown of Maine occurs this month.

And just for the record, it’s always been my opinion that 31 days just doesn’t do justice to all the grouse, woodcock, duck and goose hunting that needs to be attended to!

Ol’ Pat While in many states youngsters pursue squirrels and rabbits on their premier woods outings, I’ll bet most Maine kids put a partridge in the stew pot as rookies. Ol’ Pat remains not just Maine’s primary upland target, but all New England nimrods get a chill and a thrill with every thunderous flush.

Checkpoint beyond Portage Village, then north on Hewes Brook Road, then a left onto Wilderness Road toward Round Pond. The area encompassed between these last two roads abound with dozens of productive partridge trails to drive, walk or follow a bird dog.

The two tracks leading to and around Island Pond, Red River Falls and Lucifee Pond boast grouse aplenty, and this trip is perfect for a halfday outing. Check DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 63, B-3 for an overview of this location.

Over the years, I’ve confirmed that a ruffed grouse shot off a stump, during a woods road drive and spot outing, doesn’t taste one iota different than a thick brush overhead crossing shot the dog flushed.

Make a Loop When I have a full day available, a couple of hunting buddies and I load the truck, pack a lunch, and drive a long loop that begins and ends at 6-mile checkpoint near Ashland.

We travel the Realty Road to Musquacook Crossroads, then continue west and stop at The Thoroughfare, between

Mallards are very prominent throughout Aroostook and a prime target for field and water gunners. Not only do they offer tasty table-fare, but the plumage is great for fly tying.

Add a keen-nosed pointer or setter to the kaleidoscope of leaf cover, and it’s heaven on earth.

Over the years I’ve confirmed that a fluffed up partridge shot off a stump, during a woods road drive and spot out-

ing, doesn’t taste one iota different than a thick brush overhead crossing shot the dog flushed. I enjoy any and all of the legal tactics and techniques that lead to fresh fried partridge breast.

Up north of Ashland

(Continued on next page)

★ The Crown of Maine AMP BU W S E

CK

TH

Aroostook County

and Portage in the North Maine Woods are myriad log hauling roads, skidder trails and two tracks perfect for riding or walking.

One of my old standby regions can be reached through Fish River

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36 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Tom Wolters of Madawaska Lake likes a bit of tradition for his grouse hunts.

This afternoon, he opted to use a double-barrel Parker hammer gun that’s over 100 years old. It certainly does the job with style.

Despite regular flights of woodcock stopping over to feed in Aroostook, hunters are fairly scarce. These challenging timberdoodle can be flushed with stop-and-go pushes in second-growth fields, but a trusty keen-nosed companion improves the odds.

The County (Continued from page 35)

Umsaskis and Long Lake for lunch. Next, we drive Churchill Dam Road to the Pell and Pell Road, and finally pick up the Pinkham Road near Mooseleuk Stream and on back to 6-mile Checkpoint.

Scenery is beautiful, wildlife plentiful, and partridge abundant, and if you made the loop every

day for a week it would be impossible to explore 10% of the side roads and walking trails for birds.

Map 63, E-5 is your start and finish, but you’ll visit Maps 62, 61, 55, 56 & 57 on the circuitous and rewarding trek.

A shorter, half-day loop that also offers promising partridge gunning starts on the Bootfoot

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Driving Southeast on the No. 9 Lake Road towards Howe Brook will bring hunters to the Harvey Siding Road and eventually to Jewells Corner on Route 1 only 6 or 8 miles south of where the outing began. Map 59, grids B-4 & C-4 show the beginning and end points, but in between lie a spiderweb of side roads and old logging trails to explore for great

Bill Graves displays the evening entrée, which was bagged along a remote woods road. He still lugs a old Stevens O/U, 20 Gauge- .22 combo.

grouse gunning.

Timberdoodle Time It never ceases to amaze me how few upland hunters in Aroostook pursue our stopover flocks of migrating woodcock.

While owning a bird dog improves opportunities, a couple of stop-and-go brush gunners can enjoy steady action throughout October as a regular flow of flight birds from nearby Canada come and go.

With Aroostook’s ev-

er-changing agricultural landscape, finding an attractive second-growth cover can be tough, and once located they’re only good for two or three seasons.

Novice woodcock hunters near Central Aroostook would be wise to scout the Easton area near the New Brunswick border. The Curtis and Graham Roads parallel (Continued on next page)

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Wet, rainy autumns are perfect for hunting ducks in wet holes formed in Aroostook agri-fields, Here, Buddy Horr of Dedham sets out decoys on a mud hole that will draw ducks like a magnet.

(Continued from page 36)

River de Chute Stream, and several moist ground mixed brush and fir fields attract hungry timberdoodle poking for worms.

Overhunting is seldom a problem, but flights may be spotty – just two or three flushes one day can turn into over a dozen a couple of days later.

Delorme’s Map 65, sector E-4 will get you in the right vicinity.

Meat and Potatoes There’s fabulous puddle-duck hunting to be enjoyed throughout Aroostook, thanks to blue threads and polka dots of rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, bogs and marshes.

What a handful of friends and I have been doing more frequently during the last couple of seasons is dusk-and-dawn field hunting. We discovered that major flocks of ducks left nearby roost waters to feed every morning and evening, and often visited our goose decoy spreads.

We added a couple-dozen full-bodied duck decoys, and action really picked

Duck hunting waterways and farm fields is top-rate during October, and afield or afloat it’s great to have a dedicated fourlegged companion.

up.

If there’s been recent rain and low spots in the grain and potato fields form small water holes, set up nearby with decoys on land and in the water for sure shooting.

One outing last fall stands out in my memory, as one of my buddies not only got the main course for a duck dinner, but two side dishes as well. We were set up in a cut grain field, and a first-light flock of mallards swept over the decoy spread, leaving several behind

as they departed under siege.

Greg Palm of Presque Isle dropped two greenheads, one a going-away shot that tumbled the bird into an adjacent field. When Greg finally returned from the longish retrieve, he had the duck in one hand and a hat full of fresh broccoli florets in the other. Recently cut, the hand harvesters had left behind several plants along the field edge.

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field on the opposite edge was a potato field and the mechanical harvester had left behind several piles of freshly dug russets. Half a dozen of these went in the game bag as well, and that evening’s duck dinner was set!

Near Fort Fairfield’s Monson Pond are dozens of farm fields that attract daily duck flights. Check Map 65, D-4.

In between Lime-

stone and Caswell, Durepo Lake harbors a hearty population of ducks, and they offer daily feeding flights to neighborhood crop fields as well. See also Map 65, sector A-3.

I can’t guarantee all three courses for an evening meal, but if you shoot straight, the entrée is a sure thing!

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Big Rubs Often Lead to Big Bucks Other than actually seeing a big buck on the hoof, few sights in the field get my heart racing more than a huge rub.

Simply put, big bucks make big rubs.

What is a “big rub”?

Rubs four inches in diameter get my attention.

When the tree exceeds six inches in diameter, I really get excited.

As a boy, I remember hearing an older hunter telling a friend that bucks only rubbed trees when they were shedding their velvet. Sure, I’ve seen velvet bucks rub their antlers on bushes in an effort to rid themselves of an annoying strip of vel-

vet, but today we know there’s much more to buck rubs than we knew in the 1970s.

If Rubs Could Talk It’s quite obvious that rubbed trees don’t audibly talk to us. If you disagree with that statement, please stop reading and make an appointment with a reputable psychiatrist.

However, rubbed trees can communicate a great deal of information to a knowledgeable hunter. This information should be used to forge a plan and harvest the buck that made it.

I already mentioned the issue of tree size.

Rubs like this one the author discovered last fall are almost always made by adult bucks. In this case, the tree is well over 6 inches in diameter (the bottle is 4 inches), and it’s not been rubbed lightly.

Saltalamachia photo

Young bucks usually rub trees less than three inches in diameter. Adult

bucks tend to rub trees in the four to six inch range; however I’ve found rubs on trees upwards of twelve inches in diameter. Rubs of this size are often made by very old bucks, sporting worldclass racks. Think of it, a buck with a narrow 10-14 inch spread would likely struggle to get its rack around even an eight-inch tree. Research has proven that adult bucks show preference for larger diameter trees.

I’ve read research showing Maine bucks show preference for specific tree species, preferring odoriferous species above others. I’ve seen

rubs on myriad species of tree. Where I hunt, poplar, cedar, brown ash and yellow birch get hit the hardest.

The height of the rub on a tree can be a strong indicator of a buck’s age.

Yearling bucks and even two or three year old bucks aren’t fully grown.

In fact, skeletal mass isn’t fully formed until four and a half years of age.

Older bucks are often taller than their younger counterparts, and taller bucks can rub much higher on a tree.

However, not every low rub is made by a (Continued on next page)

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small buck. In fact, years ago I shot a very large five year old ten-point that was rubbing big fir trees, but doing it very low on the tree, approximately five to 12 inches off the ground. It was his signature, and it helped me kill him. We’ll save that story for another day.

Bucks usually make lots of rubs. Rubs are their calling cards.

These big scars serve as both visual and scent markers. The visual is easy for hunters relate to, because we see it. The scent marking, on the other hand, is something most hunters don’t think about, because we can’t smell it. While a bucks antlers shred the bark off of trees, resulting in the telltale visual scar, bucks also deposit scent from forehead glands which send messages to other

bucks in the area.

There’s little doubt bucks recognize other bucks by scent; however, it’s also theorized the scent left behind on rubs advertises the maker’s level of fitness and his age. Strong odors, just like those of an especially strong tarsal gland, are left behind by mature bucks, not so much by yearling bucks.

Multiple large rubs can even work to suppress rutting behavior in younger bucks. Think about it – why bother trying if you know a more dominant breeder frequents the area?

Researchers have determined that dominant bucks rub and scrape more frequently than younger bucks. More big rubs can very well indicate the maker is older and possibly more dominant.

Which Way Did He Go? Very often, bucks will make multiple rubs when heading to a feeding area from a bedding area. If a buck travels the same route day after day, and makes rubs each time, an “easy to follow” rub line will reveal his travel route.

Sometimes rubs are close together and easy for an observant hunter to follow. Other times, rubs are spread out and require significant effort to connect.

Rubs also indicate the direction a buck has been traveling. Bucks most often walk toward the opposite side of a rub. Therefore, following rub lines allows us to backtrack bucks to their bedding areas, where we can set up an ambush for bucks returning after a night of

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feeding or chasing.

Employing this tactic has led to the discovery of some of my hottest annual stands. Rub lines run through some of the finest travel corridors in the area. If they are found in pinch-points or funnels, placing a stand here can pay big dividends.

Pay attention to old rubs, too. Locating rubs made one, two or three years ago, interspersed among fresh large rubs

from the current year, can mean you’ve found the travel route of an older buck that travels the same route year after year. Since it’s rubbing in the same place again this year, it could be an indicator the deer feels secure here and uses the route often.

Because rubs are made from early September through December in Maine, it’s important to remain undetected when

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scouting for rubs and rub lines. There’s no quicker way to make a buck abandon a frequent haunts than to spook the deer from the actual route or bedding area the route leads to. Hunters should take the same precautions when scouting as we do hunting, to reduce the chance of detection.

Want to learn more about rubs and rub lines?

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¶

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Grouse Hunting Hopping with Surprises As we’d done on many other fall mornings, Dick Freeman, my long time bird hunting mentor, and I were rumbling along a backwoods logging road looking for a place to turn our feather-finders loose.

At the time, Freeman had a “mine sweeper” of a German shorthaired pointer named Hunter, and I had a much younger Brittany spaniel. We called Hunter the “Mine Sweeper” because of his ability to sweep a piece of ground and leave no bird behind. My little Brittany, on the other hand, was just learning the ropes.

Determining a perfect cover to let the dogs run usually required both a little bit of discussion and listening to how badly the dogs were whimpering to get out of the truck. The whole team had input into the decision.

Because Freeman and I enjoyed woodcock hunting almost as much as pursuing Maine’s premier game bird, the ruffed grouse, we rarely let a stand of alders pass by without letting the

Discover the

dogs have a sniff.

Most of the time, alders grow along the edges of damp lowlands.

The woodcock’s long, pliable beak sinks into the soft ground and extracts their favorite protein-rich meal, the earthworm.

This particular parcel also had knee-high swale grass sprouting up among the alders.

We eased the truck well off the side of the road and let the anxious hounds start nosing the air.

The Katahdin Region flourishes with prime bird cover and miles of backwoods-byway that allow small game hunt-

ers like Freeman and me a lifetime of hunt-worthy real estate.

While stands of alders always grab my attention, camp-high birch and poplar trees create a canopy, beneath which timberdoodles love to congregate. They feel protected under the bright-colored foliage this time of year.

Prime Covers The real estate north and west of Route 11, as detailed on Map 42 of DeLorme’s Atlas, extending from Brownville Junction to Millinocket, would take a lifetime to fully explore. Many of the waterways, depicted by blue

lines, flow through boggy areas. I’ve had good fortune working my dogs along the edges of such areas.

Logging roads create perfect grouse-hunting conditions. Fresh cuttings accelerate new, tender shoots that partridge pick away at. Also, the gravel road usually has a strip of wild grasses and flowers along both sides, and more often than not a bonus stripe of grass right down the middle between the tire ruts.

Road hunters do well either driving or walk-

ing along these minimum-maintenance roads.

Oftentimes, Freeman and I would spot a bird in the road but the nervous birds would disappear before we could get out of the truck and load up.

We’ve found that most grouse fly less than 100 yards, so our next move involved uncrating the hounds and going for a walk.

Road Hunting Road hunting from vehicles is certainly not new technology. I’ve got (Continued on next page)

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42 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Katahdin Country (Continued from page 41)

an old double barrel that my father left me that has the bluing completely worn off from rubbing on the seat of his old pickup truck. I’d like to know how many miles it took to rub that left barrel back to shiny steel.

For those wondering about hunting in the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, a visit to their website (www.nps.gov) provides some maps. Hunting is allowed, with a valid Maine hunting license of course, east of the East Branch Penobscot River.

I access this area from the towns of Stacyville (Map 51, D-5) or Patten (Map 52, C-1).

Lepus Americanus Now bird hunters, generally speaking, tend to forget about – or ignore – snowshoe hare.

For many years, I fell into this sad group. Then, some eight years ago I started hunting Lepus americanus in the winter months. Some hunts went quite well, while others left us frozen in our tracks.

I had this romantic notion that hunting fully white snowshoe hares on

virgin snow was the only way to fly. The October 1 season opener for small game includes snowshoe hares, but for some reason I saved those hunts for January and February.

Then I got to chatting with Art Corson, rabbit guide and houndsman extraordinaire. Corson told me that I’d have better hunting if I dropped my romantic notion of only hunting late in the season. He also hinted that without snow, we could access some better country.

The first time it dawned on me to consider hunting snowshoe hares early happened all those years ago hunting that alder patch surrounded by swale grass.

All of a sudden the grass, at least a foot taller than my small sized Brittany, was parting ways as my dog ran back to me. As she brushed by my legs I reached down to give her a pet on the head.

To my surprise, it wasn’t the dog running over my toes but a full blown hare hopping along. I actually touched the hare as it cruised by.

Hares frequent much of the same cover that wild game birds inhabit.

Now, while bird hunting in the early part of the season, I’m more prepared to put one in the pot. I’ve found, at least to me, they taste the same whether I shoot one with brown fur or a white coat.

In fact, I often run into rabbit hunters running hounds while bird hunting in October. Because I don’t want to mess up their hunt, I now listen for the sound of baying beagles for a few minutes to make sure I’m not blundering into someone’s hunt.

I’ve also found that it pays to spend a few minutes chatting with those same bunny-busters for intel. They’re usually glad to share information on how many birds those sharp-nosed beagles “bump” while working a cover. A good report quickly scratches a new covert location into my memory.

This month signals the start of a new small game season and the perfect time to start rubbing the bluing off a favorite scatter gun.

¶

My son Matt uses a worn-out double barrel inherited from his grandfather to chase grouse throughout Maine.

Katahdin Country logging roads offer bird hunters untold opportunities to access prime covers and draw a bead on a ruffed grouse, the King of Gamebirds.

Bill Sheldon photo

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New Pedal Kayaks Allow Hands-Free Maneuvering Maybe I am just spoiled? After many years of guiding anglers out of my drift boat, I have clearly come to understand one thing about fly fishing from watercraft – on a river, the drift boat cannot be beat.

Years before the drift boat, I tried fishing the Androscoggin River from a canoe for smallmouth bass with a fly rod. I found it to be difficult.

Some of the best eddies get formed by super-fast water, and in order to cast to the calm eddy, an angler has to stop the canoe long enough to make a cast.

Stopping a canoe in fast water just doesn’t work, and this is where the drift boat comes in.

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Canoes, kayaks and most other fishing boats just can’t be stopped in fast water. They also drift in different directions at THE most inopportune moments – like right when you are trying to drift a fly over one particular spot in the river or pond.

Problem and Solution I’ve tried fishing out of canoes and kayaks because I really enjoy the

(OldTownCanoe.com) called the “Predator” with a PDL acronym indicating the pedal option for maneuvering the craft.

After several trips I have one thing to say about it ... IT IS AWESOME. Now understand that I still cannot “stop” this craft in fast water safely with an anchor, but I can certainly maneuver the kayak accurately, keep it aimed in the right direction and slow it down with the pedals rather than trying to cast a fly rod and paddle at the same time.

Pedaling and casting with the Old Town Predator PDL is a breeze – no more one-handed paddling while trying to hang onto my fly rod in the other hand. I’ve nearly lost my paddle on several frustrating occasions, including one episode in which I almost capsized the craft.

Pedaling and casting with the Old Town Predator PDL is a breeze – no more one-handed paddling while trying to hang onto my fly rod with my other hand.

The author pedals harder, attempting to catch his grandson, Jeremy St. Germain, who is in a paddle kayak. William Clunie photo

portability of these two kinds of fishing crafts. As pointed out above, fishing in a river with these boats just doesn’t allow holding in fast water. In fact, it can be extremely dangerous to attempt to drop an anchor, in even slow current.

Even in the flat water of a lake or pond, a canoe

or kayak doesn’t stay positioned in one direction long enough to allow for accurate and effective fly casting. I don’t know how many times I have tried this and wound up twisted backwards trying to see where my fly had landed while the kayak or canoe drifts in the opposite direction.

Gene Bahr

Recently, I have been testing a pedal kayak from Old Town Canoe

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44 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 44)

The new “Top Water PDL Angler” kayak, seen here, is lighter than the “Predator” model, and should allow the author to easily hoist it onto his truck’s cap-top rack.

Photo courtesy of Old Town Canoe

The Ultimate The Predator PDL is a little heavy for easy carrying, so I’m looking at their new, lighter line of PDL kayaks with the label “Top Water.” Top water, my favorite kind of fishing, just might become my favorite kind of kayak if things work out as planned. As soon as they hit the market, I hope to get the new, Old Town “Top Water PDL Angler” kayak.

I should be able to lift the lighter kayak a little easier, right up onto a rack on top of the cap over the bed of the truck.

The Predator model lifted easily into the bed of the truck, but getting it up on top of a rack on the truck might be too difficult for me.

I also like the fact that I can get a nice workout in with the kayak and fish at the same time. I pedal up the river or out on a quiet lake and fish to my heart’s content, and all the while I’m enjoying a hands-free drift on the www.MaineSportsman.com

water.

Safe Travels The first time I had the Predator PDL on the water I pedaled up the larger section of the Androscoggin River in Turner, enjoying the sunshine and not really struggling with the pedaling at all.

I couldn’t believe how little effort it takes with the pedals to really get the kayak speeding along.

I was busy fishing and didn’t pay attention to the approaching storm, coming from the south. I had assumed the current and a little pedaling would take me right back to the launch if the weather turned bad. The wind started blowing hard and pushed against me when I tried paddling with the current downstream to the launch.

As I noticed huge waves, wind in my face, and threatening whitecaps, I started getting concerned and switched to pedaling when the paddling became increas-

ingly difficult. I directed the kayak right into the whitecaps and plowed my way quickly back to safety. I would have had a great deal of difficulty paddling through that storm – the PDL pedaling system works so well that I am sold on the safety of the technology alone.

The new PDL Top Water kayak also has a very wide posture that leads to a steady position on the surface. I believe the newer kayak is even wider than the older “Predator,” and I could easily stand up and cast in the “Predator” kayak, even without a leaning bar.

The new Top Water model will be outfitted with a few special items, like the leaning bar, to tweak it just right for this freshwater fly fishing angler. I’ll keep readers informed when the new craft comes along – hopefully this fall.

¶

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 45

“Three Cast Matt” Takes a Day Off from Bird Hunting What do a dog crate and a drift boat have in common? Well, around the Sheldon home they’re both products of my woodshop and serve similar tasks. The dog crate houses my two Brittany Spaniels, while the “East Coast Drifter” serves as a floating crate for anglers.

Every year for as far back as I can remember I’ve loaded the dog crate in the back of my vehicle toward the end of September so that come the October 1 opening of the small game season

❖

I’m in the field swinging the crate doors wide open on another bird season.

Getting a fresh start early opening day allows me and my featherfinders a chance to shake off some rust and deal with the King of Game Birds before the pressure of another bird season puts them in flight. But, as I reviewed the extended weather forecast before departing last season, my enthusiasm waned.

With warm weather predicted for much of the first week, I cringed. Not only do I absolutely hate

warm weather during the hunting season, but it definitely takes its toll on the dogs. There’s a point where it’s just time to kennel up and head for a patch of shade and a cool beverage.

Looking for some cheap insurance against the impending weather, I hitched the “East Coast Drifter” to the back of my Jeep and headed to bird camp with my son Matt.

“Three Cast Matt” Now Matt’s an avid bird hunter, but couldn’t give two hoots about

fishing. As a kid he earned the nickname “Three Cast Matt.” Like all good fathers, I would leave my fly rod home and take the boys spin-fishing.

Matt would aggressively make at least two, but not more than three, casts in any given water before declaring the place “fishless” and demanding to go home.

Then, one day it happened. On the second cast off a dock on a pond known for largemouth bass, his rod hooked the bottom. He gave it to me to get it un-snagged.

The bottom started pulling back, and Matt had hooked a monster. I quickly gave him his rod back and coached the epic battle until we ripped a five-pound bass from this previously “fishless” water.

Now came the tricky part. I, along with my Uncle Lionel, made a case for returning Matt’s prize fish to the water “so it would grow bigger for the next time he caught it.”

Matt was having none of this release talk.

(Continued on next page)

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Jackman Region (Continued from page 45)

His prize fish was coming home. What happened next was probably one of my top five parenting blunders. I stuck with the release speech and finally

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hooked up to the Jeep. I reaffirmed it was “just in case the weather turns too hot for bird hunting.”

Knowing my addiction to fishing I’m fairly sure he didn’t believe me.

Birthday Plans Sure enough, on Wednesday, Oct. 4 of last year, the forecast called for temperatures skyrocketing into the eighties. I decided not to run the dogs in that kind of heat. I cranked the drift boat trailer down until it rested on the ball of my receiver. Matt was oiling his shotgun.

“Matt, it’s too hot to hunt today, how about going fishing with the old man on his birthday?” I asked. Heck, how could he say “No”? Old age and treachery beats youth and inexperience every time.

Without too much of a fuss he agreed, and our tail lights were soon backing down the ramp at the Evergreen Campground in Solon.

North Anson, here we come.

Almost immediately rising brook trout dimpled the water. I worked the sticks and put the East Coast Drifter as close to the action as possible without putting the fish down. Old “Three Cast Matt” did his best to cast a fly on their noses, but to no avail. However, with fish showing, he couldn’t declare the river “fishless.”

We stopped on a small island just below Gray Island for lunch and some wade-fishing. I got a hit in one of the runs. I put ol’ “Three Cast” in a productive seam while I attended to lunch.

Lunch had to wait as a nice brown fell for a bead head pheasant tail and placed a healthy bend in Matt’s borrowed rod. I grabbed the net and waited as Matt slowly gained on the hard charging salmonid.

Before long, we were snapping a few photos.

“Three Cast Matt” prepares to release a Kennebec River brown trout back into the current.

Check the DIF&W rule book to see which waters remain open this month.

Bill Sheldon photo

Watching “Three Cast” wrestle that fish in was a great birthday present. Now came the tricky part. I’d estimate 15 years had passed since he grudgingly released that largemouth.

With little discussion, he simply slipped the tired brown back into (Continued on next page)

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����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 47

Hunters Breakfast Pizza Pie It was such a hot summer, don’t you just love this cooling-off time and getting excited for hunting? Starting to layer more, such a wonderful, secure feeling. OK, I won’t get all mushy on you.

Many of you know I don’t hunt anymore (unless I get a moose permit). Six back

operations keep me in the kitchen bringing you all these wonderful recipes. Therefore, I really owe huge thank-you to those of you who continually donate game meat so I may create new recipes.

Many thanks go to Dan Beckwith who contributed Maple Venison Sausage for this

month’s Hunters Breakfast Pizza Pie, along with his own maple syrup, and more goodies.

And thanks Erik Warren, who sent me some wonderful spices to try!!

If you would like to donate game meat, and are interested in a specific recipe, send me a line and let’s get you set up.

Add bacon and sausage to pan, cook on medium until cooked through.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes for 10 minutes, drain and set aside. When slightly cool, add cinnamon and maple syrup and toss.

Place dough in middle of stoneware and spread out to edges of pizza stone using floured fingers (flour your fingers). You can also toss and turn dough in the air if you are comfortable doing that. Spread pizza sauce

within ½ inch of edges.

Top with sausage, then bacon, caramelized onions, and sweet potato mix.

Place in oven, on bottom shelf, and bake for 20-25 minutes(15-18 minutes for convection ovens).

Top with cheddar cheese and broil until melted, about 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Finding Birds I am optimistic for upland season this year. Based on my unscientific observations, it looks to me like a solid year for the grouse population.

During the summer, while hiking along logging roads exploring remote ponds in the Jackman Region, I ran across multiple broods of grouse. Given the heavy logging presence, hunters have plenty of untamed roads to select from.

One clutch of grouse exploded like a popcorn machine, with baby chicks trying

their hand at that thunderous flush found deep in their DNA. All eight chicks took a turn at making their first flight from danger.

Another hen came onto the road, dragging her leg in an effort to distract and lead me away from her feathered family.

While I stumbled across these birds west of Route 201 between West Forks and the hamlet of Jackman, I’m sure the real estate east of the tarred highway also has its fair share of birds. Good luck to area hunters this season!

What I love about this pie – it is delicious cold! Yes. So make it ahead and bring it hunting. It is hearty, and the maple comes through more if it’s not heated.

Thanks again Dan Beckwith for sharing your Maple Venison Sausage with me. If your butcher can make a great Maple Sausage, try it! Or you could just ask LaFlamme in Arundel to make some up for you. Or up north is Dunlater, in Milo.

Ingredients: • 1 package Portland Pie Pizza White Dough • 2 tablespoons butter • 2 red onions, thinly sliced • ½ pound bacon, diced • 4 links Venison Maple Sausage, casings removed and crumbled • 1 cup pizza sauce (or tomato sauce with splash of liquid smoke) • 2 red potatoes, diced • 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 2 tablespoons (Dan’s) Maine maple syrup • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar Let dough sit on counter out of bag and at room temperature until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set rack on bottom shelf. Oil pizza stoneware.

In cast iron pan, sauté butter and onions; cook slowly. When translucent, add maple syrup to caramelize. Remove and set aside.

Jackman Region (Continued from page 46)

the mighty Kennebec and resumed casting.

Maybe the parenting wasn’t as bad as I thought.

With warm weather seemingly sticking around longer into the fall season I’m going to hedge my bet by bringing along my shotgun and my fly rod during the small game season.

¶

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

48 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Grouse and Woodcock Top October Moosehead Agenda Flights of woodcock and plentiful grouse make the Moosehead region a cameo in time, bringing to mind the glory days of upland hunting in the 1960s and 1970s.

This stands in direct opposition to conditions in southern, central and coastal Maine, where development and posting have put prime bird covers out of bounds. And coupled with that, many of the covers that remain open to hunting have matured into forests, the bird-attracting pioneer plants such as alder and poplar having given way to canopied trees.

But the Moosehead region, while mostly lacking in classic-style covers, teems with game. Industrial woodlands offer reverting clearcuts – prime

hunting method difficult, Bob volunteered to push through the jungle and try to get the bird to fly out and across the road, where I waited.

The plan worked perfectly. The bird flew across the road going faster than it seemed possible. To make matters worse, it twisted and turned, bat-like, as it flew.

Now, a left-to-right shot is the most difficult of all for me. Nevertheless, my second shot hit the bird, but instead of landing in the road, it fell on the equally as dense brush on the right side of the road.

We both managed to work our way into this area, and Bob got a shot at the winged grouse just before it escaped into a bramble thicket. This was teamwork at its best, and an example of the kind of rewarding hunting available in the area.

It is my opinion that the Moosehead region represents the last, best hope for upland game hunting in Maine.

Nowhere else can upland hunters enjoy this much prime bird-hunting land. woodcock habitat – as well as a good mix of softwood and hardwoods, the kind that support healthy grouse populations.

Nowhere else can upland hunters enjoy this much prime bird hunting land. It is my opinion that the Moosehead region represents the last, best hope for upland game hunting in Maine.

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north. And that is exactly where hunting buddy Bob Lawrence of Lawrence’s Lakeside Camps in Rockwood and I head each October.

Up north for us means a long trip, and it begins when we cross the bridge over Moose River in the gray light of dawn. Eventually we arrive at the North Woods gate, where we stop, register and tell the gatekeeper how long we intend to stay. This allows authorities to keep track of us should we encounter difficulties and need assistance.

Our style of hunting, perfect for older hunters (not that Bob is old, but I’m heading that way), involves watching for grouse along the countless miles of dirt roads.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that ours is strictly a road-hunting, ground-sluicing method, since the grouse often don’t stay put for long.

That necessitates that the shooter walk slowly toward the bird, always

ready for it to fly, which it often does.

Guides working for Bob take clients out on traditional-style hunts, complete with pointing dogs. But for Bob and me, the more laid-back and relaxing hunting method suits us fine.

Team Effort Sometimes a grouse flushes well out of range, but the good part is that it may not go far at all.

When that happens, it’s time for us to get out and head into the woods, slowly walking toward where we think the bird may have landed and always within seeing distance of each other. Every once in a while, this strategy pays off, with a grouse flushing within shotgun range of one or the other of us.

Variations on this theme occur. For example, last year a bird flew into a thick area on the left side of the road. Since the dense undergrowth made our side-by-side

Gear Considerations Some years ago I brought my grandpa’s L.C. Smith, side-by-side, 16-gauge shotgun on our grouse-hunting trip.

Bob viewed this firearm with jaundiced eyes, not (Continued on next page)

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����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 49 (Continued from page 48)

because he didn’t care for classic shotguns, but because it was 16 gauge. I told him that this gun was bored full and modified and that I had dropped grouse and even pheasants at considerable distances. That wasn’t enough to warrant my buddy’s approval.

So I explained that I also had a 12-gauge sideby-side, a classic from the 1920s. But this gun has modified and improved

cylinder barrels and it seemed to me that in this case, the Smith was the better choice. Bob said that despite the more open bore on the 12-gauge gun, it was still the better option because 12-gauge has more knockdown power. And he was right.

So now I stick to the old 12 and even though it has a more open bore, it accounts for lots of birds.

Here’s another thing to consider when hunting in the style described

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here. When walking up to a grouse, take into account that distances here are deceiving. Long, straight roads with not a lot of varying geography for contrast make it easy to underestimate distances. So even if you think the bird is in range, it may not be. Wait until the last possible moment, and your score will increase dramatically. Besides that, it’s only fair to the game not to shoot it (Continued on page 51)

Guide Eric Holbrook guided this party on a successful Moosehead-region woodcock hunt.

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50 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Teach Your Children Well – How to Pass on Outdoors Skills and Appreciation As a young boy in the 1950s, I spent a great deal of time out of doors. Much of that time was along the Mill Brook in Cumberland Center, which was through the woods beyond our back property line off the Blanchard Road (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, D-4).

The stream had small native trout in it, as did a small spring brook that fed into it. In the late fall and winter, I also trapped there. I caught my first beaver and otter in that small brook.

Several of us local kids developed our duck-hunting skills on a beaver pond in the upper reaches of the brook. We hunted woodcock, partridge, rabbits and deer in the surrounding woods.

No one was worried back then when they saw a kid with a gun. When we got older and could drive, the school parking lot had dozens of guns in the cars and trucks, especially during deer season.

I also spent some time in the woods and on the

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waters of the area around Holeb (Map 39, B-2 & B-3). My dad was a guide at Birch Island Lodge on Holeb Pond. Back before “The Moose River Loop” became a well-known and popular canoe trip, it was a beautiful and peaceful place. It was easy for a young person to go fishing, hunting or panning the streams looking for that lost gold and never hear a sound other than an occasional floatplane or the Canadian Pacific Railway train off in the distance.

Back then, Cumberland Center was a small farming town, while today it is referred to as “The City of Cumberland.” The opening of the big woods to modern logging practices in Holeb and elsewhere in Maine has forever changed the landscape and its wildlife.

Some things change dramatically during one’s lifetime, but the memories do not.

Different World Today, youngsters are

growing up in a different world. Most do not have daily meaningful chores, nor are they responsible for the care of farm animals. The majority today live in an urban environment and cannot or do not have the liberties and freedoms that kids had just a few generations ago.

As stated above, it raised no eyebrows back then to see kids peddling their bikes, riding a horse or walking down a road with a firearm. A kid could work about any job that an employer thought he could do, be it running machinery on a farm, working in a garage or store or even for a manufacturer.

Today, kids must have reached a certain age by law to do just about anything. Most parents do not allow them to be outside running around by themselves or even with friends because of assumed dangers in our changed world.

Youngsters are Missing Out on Life Lessons I feel it is sad that youngsters are growing up like this. Most have no way to develop good work ethics or to learn meaningful responsibilities relating to life outdoors.

It is up to us of the older generation to mentor them and teach them much of what they need to know to become responsible and ethical in life and as sportsmen.

Here in Maine there are organizations such as Bryant Pond 4-H Camp where youths can learn many outdoor activities and skills. Boy and Girl Scouts is another great place to acquire knowledge.

Bryant Pond and Scouts both help and encourage the young to develop responsibilities and leadership skills. In the past, many of the things taught in these organizations were learned from family members and neighbors.

However, the urbanization of the largest portion of our population in just a few generations has resulted in fewer outdoors skills and less knowledge of the outdoors being passed down to the younger generations. These skills and knowledge include: • Safe gun handling • Understanding wildlife • Fishing techniques, including reading different waters • Ability to survive outdoor elements • Safe boat handling • Developing skills to hunt both large and

small game • How foods were preserved in the past, and • A knowledge of edible and medical plants.

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All sportsmen need to take both young family members and other youngsters under their wing to learn about the great out-of-doors, since many parents do not have the knowledge themselves to pass down.

Other parents don’t want their kids to become involved with some subjects because of political reasons, while still others, unfortunately, either don’t know or don’t care what their kids are doing.

In some areas of the state, schools invite professional trappers to visit and teach students about furbearers and important role trappers play today in wildlife management.

Throughout my life, the outdoors has been a special place for me.

I’ve made many lifelong friendships with those who share my perspective.

When I’ve needed solace, I’ve always found it in “The Silent Places.” For example, one of my greatest pleasures in life is to be in the woods during – or just after -a snowstorm, when the (Continued on next page)

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 51 (Continued from page 50)

trees are all draped in white. It is so quiet and beautiful – one can find great inner peace there.

Learning from Life and Death We need to engage today’s youth to help them develop into responsible, ethical and caring members of our modern world.

When a young man or woman takes the life of their first furbearer, deer, partridge or other living animal, they learn several things from that experience.

In the simplest of terms, they learn that taking a life is not easy, and that a death needs to have some meaning or value.

We have been blessed with traditions, and for some of us, those traditions are also our heritage. These lessons of life need to be passed on.

So take a kid trapping, hunting, fishing or just exploring the out-of-doors – you both will learn and benefit from the experience.

¶

Moosehead Report (Continued from page 49)

at over-long distances.

Sometimes during our day-long grouse hunt we’ll pass prime woodcock cover.

Grouse being our primary goal, we seldom take time to peruse these places, but suffice it to say some of the reverting woodland here bears at least a partial resemblance to the classic covers of old.

Woodcock fans have practically unlimited opportunities

MTA President Brian Cogill is shown here honoring the “Junior Trapper of The Year” award, Ethan Smarrella, at the 2016 Maine Trappers Rendezvous.

MTA member Carl Guay with a class of young students.

here in the Moosehead region, and in addition to flight birds dropping in from the north, the area hosts a hearty population of native birds, those born in local covers.

So between native birds early in the month and flight birds later, the woodcock scene in Maine’s Moosehead region couldn’t get much better.

For many, the Moosehead region stands as a dream trip. Visit here this October and see for yourself.

¶

Bob Lawrence holds his and the author’s day’s limit of grouse.

~ MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ ~ Harbor Seal

by Steve Vose

The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) of the Atlantic Ocean inhabits coastal beaches, ledges and islands from Maine south to Massachusetts. Occasionally, harbor seals can be found in Connecticut, Long Island, New Jersey and even as far south as North Carolina.

Individual harbor seals possess widely varied coloring, including brown, silvery-white, tan or gray bodies dotted with a unique pattern of dark spots. The underparts are generally lighter in color.

This highly-evolved color pattern helps camouflage the harbor seal and allows it to be extremely adept at avoiding predators.

The harbor seal’s flippers are short yet extremely powerful. The head is rounded and the muzzle nostrils appear distinctive-

ly V-shaped. Adult harbor seals can attain a length of 6 feet and a weight of 250 pounds.

Most of this weight is comprised of blubber, a fatty substance that allows the seal to stay warm in the frigid waters of the Atlantic.

Questions 1. What is the typical range of the harbor seal?

2. What is the color of a harbor seal?

3. What is a distinctive feature of the harbor seal?

4. How big can an adult harbor seal grow?

5.

6.

7.

8.

In Maine, birthing of pups occurs on shore, from April through June. Female harbor seals bear a single pup, after a ninemonth gestation, which they care for alone.

Pups (immature harbor seals) are born well-developed, capable of swimming and diving within hours of birth. Young pups begin life feeding on their mother’s milk but grow rapidly, and within four weeks wean and begin eating a diet comprised of squid, carbs, clams and fish.

Harbor seals have even been seen killing and eating several different kinds of ducks.

If able to successfully avoid predators like sharks and killer whales, harbor seals have been known to reach the age of 36 years, or even longer for those that live protected lives in aquariums.

When in Maine does birthing of pups occur?

What do harbor seals eat?

What predators eat harbor seals?

How long do harbor seals live?

Answers

on Page 54

www.MaineSportsman.com

52 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

October’s Salty Fishing Action Bright fall foliage, shotguns, dogs and game birds come to mind when many of us think October, but saltwater fishing remains quite good through much of the month – so don’t rack those rods just yet!

Striped bass can certainly be caught in the 10th month, but you may have to adjust your tactics accordingly. Colder water temperatures will encourage bass in the bays and along the shorelines to start migrating south, but at the same time these lower temps will keep stripers residing in the warmer river systems from leaving until the last minute.

The Kennebec, in particular, normally retains temperatures in the 60s until at least mid-month, and striper action can be very good. These late-season bass try to pack on as much extra poundage as they can before their long trip south, and will clobber live and cut baits as

Late-season bass try to pack on as much extra poundage as they can before their long trip south, and they will clobber live and cut baits as well as artificials.

The first week or two in October is a fine time to target schoolie striped bass in Maine’s river systems. The fish will often hold until late in the month, and feed heavily, before migrating back down south. Barry Gibson photo

well as artificials.

Seaworms or chunks of mackerel or herring

drifted over underwater ledges in 10 to 30 feet of water always seem to

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produce well, as do leador resin-head plastic-tail jigs.

Stripers love to chow down on eels in the fall because eels are loaded with oil and protein. Artificial eels (there are lots on the market) tend to work well at this time of

year.

I like to vertically jig or cast-and-retrieve a lead-head dressed with a 6” or 8” plastic eel body, and I’ve had good success doing so. Live eels, if available, can be dynamite.

The 2018 summer season was productive for stripers here along the Maine coast, so I predict some good fall action as well.

Mackerel Aplenty Mackerel have been plentiful in many areas again this season, so I think we’ll have some good fall fishing for them.

The big “club” macks in the 16” range often start schooling up over ledges and humps in 50 to 100 feet of water in mid-September.

These larger fish have likely moved in from waters farther offshore, and will hammer four- to eight ounce diamond jigs and heavy spoons worked over the humps. Many times you can locate a school on your fishfinder, which shows up as a “cloud” over the ledge or hump. Send a jig down on a spin rod and hang on.

(Continued on page 54)

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 53

Bird Hunting Downeast: “The Way Life Should Be” The receding morning clouds gave way to a glittering sun shining its first light on the frost-covered leaves, highlighting their autumn colors – flaming red and brilliant orange. Thus began one of my most memorable bird-hunting experiences.

Soon after leaving the dirt road, I loaded three shells into my Remington 1100 20 ga. and walked toward the alder cover. I had hunted this small, alder-brook habitat successfully for several years.

After bushwhacking my way toward the small brook, I heard a slight flutter to my right and the distinctive sound of a woodcock taking flight. I shouldered my 20-gauge shotgun and squeezed the trigger. The whistling rocket fell to earth.

After searching for several minutes, I spotted the camouflaged-colored bird about five feet away in a bunch of leaves.

After several failed

After missing a few woodcock, I spotted one just after crossing a small stream. It whistled its way toward the treetops and slanted off to my right. “One shot,” I thought, “I only need one good shot!” I followed the bird with my shotgun, found an opening and squeezed the trigger. shots at other singing woodcock, I finally connected with a fleeing bird as it crested the tree line.

“One more bird and I will have my limit,” I thought to myself. Not that getting a limit is that important to me; however, because I had missed several easy shots earlier, I wanted just one more chance to prove my shooting ability.

I was in luck; apparently a flight of migrating birds had also found this area a good place to stop on their journey south. I spotted the bird just after crossing a small stream.

It whistled its way toward the treetops and slanted off to my right.

One shot I thought, I only need one good shot!

I followed the bird with my shotgun on my shoulder, found an open-

ing and squeezed the trigger. The bird fell into the cut hay field.

With my shooting confidence restored, I headed back to my pickup with the makings of a delicious meal, and memories of a lifetime.

More Woodcock Havens Several other productive bird covers exist in Prospect. These timberdoodle haunts are located in the vicinity of the Old County Road (Map 23, E-1). This state-owned parcel, known as the Stockton Springs Flowage, creates ideal habitat for waterfowl, as well as excellent terrain for hunters to experience some fast-flying woodcock action.

Thick alder growth between the Meadow’s

Road and the northern end of this flowage may require a fresh box of shotgun shells when trying to bring down a few elusive woodcock. The thickets here are more easily hunted with the assistance of a trained bird dog.

A third haven for

woodcock exists in Washington County on the outskirts of Machais.

Timberdoodle hunters thrashing through alder covers, especially along Route 1, find productive areas. This Downeast location (Map 26, C-3) is one of the first stops for these migrating birds, who will settle in with other native woodcock.

Other nearby birdy covers in this region are located all along the Machais River, especially near the Stud Mill (Continued on next page)

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54 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Downeast Region (Continued from page 53)

Road. There are many alder-stream covers that contain woodcock, as well as some excellent partridge haunts along some of the long-abandoned woods roads.

Partridge Galore According to Brad Allen, who is a Department of Inland Fisheries Wildlife biologist, upland birds in our region appear to be healthy and holding their own. Allen indicated that the outlook for partridge is normal for this hunting season, while the population of woodcock – which are more sensitive to unusual weather patterns – may be lower than normal.

The Downeast Area has thousands of acres of farmland, hardwood ridges, abandoned ap-

ple orchards and wild berry growth to support healthy partridge populations. Several areas that provide fast grouse gunning can be found by referring to Delorme’s Maps 23 and 35.

An excellent location to flush a few partridge lies along the Silver Lake powerline (Map 23, E-2).

This area contains clearcuts, old apple orchards and a few wing-beating grouse.

The right side of the powerline, next to Silver Lake, has ideal ruffedgrouse habitat; however, the hardwood ridges on the left side can also produce fast gunning.

One particular spot that usually holds several broods of partridge is the peninsula. Here,

Saltwater Fishing (Continued from page 52)

Light-Tackle Pollock Small “harbor pollock” running a pound or two provide lots of fun for ultralight enthusiasts in early October. Work tidal creeks and outflows, jetties, piers and docks with small pieces of cut bait for best results, although mackerel jigs, shiny spoons and sabiki rigs will also produce.

If you have a three- or four-weight fly rod with a sinking or sink-tip line, you can tie on a small streamer dressed with some shiny Mylar or Flashabou and cast it into the tidal outflows. A two-pound pollock will fight like a two-pound brookie!

Shark Weeks Blue sharks can tolerate cool water temps, so are generally available through mid-month. If you get a nice flat “bluebird” day, head offshore with a bucket of chum and some fresh or frozen mackerel or pogies.

Blues tend to come to the surface on sunny days when ocean temps drop into the

Wildlife Quiz Answers — Harbor Seals —

(Quiz on Page 51) 1. The harbor seal of the Atlantic Ocean inhabits the coast beaches, ledges and islands from Maine south to Massachusetts.

2. Individual harbor seals possess widely www.MaineSportsman.com

an abandoned apple orchard, stone walls and an old hay field create ideal habitat for fall-feeding grouse.

Walking-up a partridge is often the most successful way to hunt this bird cover.

Alternating positions with another shooter is an excellent way to move birds in this dense growth.

One hunter should stand in the powerline, while the other thrashes through the brush. Bird stalkers often flush enough birds into clear shooting range to make for an exciting hunt.

Another Downeast area containing healthy partridge populations can be found by driving along the Studmill Road, especially between Fifth Machais Lake and the Machais River (Map 35, D-2, D-3). Many of these

former paper company roads sustain healthy pockets of grouse along the road, especially if there is a small stream crossing the road. Some of these old twitch roads off from the main road also provide excellent cover to flush a few wily grouse.

These are only a few of a dozen partridge-filled areas in the Downeast Region where upland-bird hunters can fire off a lot of shells while trying to connect with Ol’ Thunder. Early morning and late afternoon hunts around any of these rural roads can produce plenty of feathers, and at times enough meat for a good meal.

More Feather Opportunities This fall, turkey hunting might take a little time away from my partridge and wood-

50s, so run a couple baits just 10 or 20 feet down.

That being said, if surface temps have dropped significantly over the course of a day or two, some sharks may hold deep.

Therefore it makes sense to set one bait down 100 feet or so. You may not see many sharks cruising on the surface, but they’re lurking below.

And, don’t be surprised if you latch on to a mako or porbeagle, as both species can tolerate seawater temps in the 50s.

Autumn on the Bottom Haddock, pollock, cusk and redfish are all available during the fall, and several Maine party and charter boats offer October trips, particularly on weekends.

Weather, however, is the big factor here, but if you can get out you can have a fun day and put some fillets in the freezer for the winter months ahead. Best advice is to go with the pros in the big boats rather than your own outboard, as wind and waves can kick up in a hurry this time of year.

Neoprene gloves, insulated boots and a

varied coloring, including brown, silvery white, tan, or gray bodies dotted with a unique pattern of dark spots.

3. A distinctive feature of the harbor seal is that its muzzle nostrils appear distinctively V-shaped.

4. An adult harbor seal can attain a length of 6 feet and a weight of 300 pounds.

cock-hunting. Fall-turkey season begins in October 1 and ends November 7, 2018 for shotgun totters.

In Wildlife Management District 28, two wild turkeys of either sex may be harvested. There is a one-turkey bag limit for each fall-turkey permit holder in WMD districts 26 and 27.

Fall turkey hunting adds one more outstanding activity to my fall- hunting schedule.

Recently, I observed 28 turkeys in a Bucksport hayfield. There appeared to be four adult hens, six hatchlings from a first nesting and another dozen younger birds from a second nesting.

For outdoor sports, the motto “The Way Life Should Be” highlights the great opportunities hunters have afield Downeast this month.

¶

knit hat can help make your offshore outing more enjoyable if the weather is marginal.

The more warm clothes you bring, the less chance you’ll need them!

How Do You Like Circle Hooks?

I continue to get mixed reports on the use of circle hooks for striped bass in Maine.

As most readers know, in-line circle hooks have been mandated (when using natural bait) in state waters for several years now.

The theory behind in-line (non-offset) circle hooks is that the hook will catch in the fish’s jaw hinge where it can easily be removed, rather than in the throat or gut.

However, a number of anglers are finding that bass can indeed be hooked deep with circle hooks, and when they do these hooks are much more difficult to remove than a j-hook.

I’d be interested in reader comments as to how circle hooks are working, and I’ll do a column on the subject in the near future.

Email me at barrygibson6@aol.com and let me know what you think.

¶

5. In Maine, birthing of pups occurs from April through June.

6. Harbor seals eat a diet comprised of squid, carbs, clams and fish.

7. Predators that eat harbor seals include sharks and Killer Whales.

8. Harbor seals have been known to reach an age of 36 years, or even longer for those that live protected lives in aquariums.

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 55

Small Game Hunting Best in Years Something happened last summer that really piqued my interest.

Snowshoe hares, or “rabbits” as most of us call them, began showing up in increasing numbers.

Up until now, hares had been scarce. That had much to do with incessant pressure from coyotes. Once northeastern coyotes became firmly established in Midcoast Maine, rabbit numbers precipitously decreased.

Even worse, the effect of predation from coyotes, when added to the impact of all the other predators that target rabbits – including foxes and even owls – was sufficient to keep rabbits from re-populating their former habitats.

At one time, this would have sounded unbelievable. After all, rabbits are known for reproducing like, well, rabbits. So anything that could keep rabbit numbers down had to amount to something formidable and not easy to deal with.

So what happened?

Well, it’s hard to say, but I’m convinced that the people who hunt coyotes with dogs have had a significant impact upon coyote numbers. Anecdotal evidence suggests the same. Whereas only three or four years ago coyotes were widely abundant in the Midcoast region, keeping people awake at night with their hysterical howling and wailing, it has become something of an event when a family of coyotes passes through a neighborhood.

Nothing in nature is ever static, and change will no doubt come again.

But for now, small-game

Looking for unposted land for small game and birds? Try your local land trust. Here in Midcoast Maine, Coastal Mountain Land Trust stands out as having acquired and conserved a considerable amount of property and for allowing traditional activities such as fishing and hunting.

Hare numbers are on the rise in the Midcoast region.

hunting for snowshoe hares should be the best we have seen in many years. And even folks without a rabbit hound can get in on the action.

In my younger days when rabbits abounded in Midcoast Maine, I shot countless bunnies by simply jumping them from their hiding places and shooting them on the run.

Great sport and great eating await small-game hunters this fall.

Bushytails, Too Gray squirrels, a mostly-neglected smallgame animal, have also made a great comeback in Midcoast Maine. Over the last several years, bushytails have become widespread.

And what surprises me is where we now find squirrels. Everyone knows that gray squirrels love acorns. And typically, oak groves al-

ways present the best opportunity to take a few squirrels. But now, I find squirrels in the most unlikely places, including the mixed-growth forest, so typical of the Midcoast area.

Of course, squirrels still go for acorns. It’s easy to learn if squirrels have taken up residence in your favorite oak grove, because they leave telltale trimmings in their wake.

Somewhere back in time, squirrels discovered that it’s easier to harvest acorns on the ground then when they’re up in a tree. So the squirrels hop around treetops, biting acorn-laden oak twigs and allowing them to fall to the ground. Later, the squirrels descend from their lofty lairs and pick off the acorns with ease.

While it is possible to walk about and find gray squirrels to shoot,

hunting from a ground stand remains the best way to score. The stand needn’t be fancy, either.

Just make sure to wear drab clothing (squirrels, unlike deer, are alarmed by bright colors) and keep your silhouette out of sight by sitting with your back to a tree. If your stand sits in a woods where squirrels are active, it shouldn’t take long for a squirrel to come hopping by.

Also, those who enjoy calling wild turkeys might want to try calling squirrels. I use an Olt’s squirrel call, the kind with a rubber bulb at one end that you tap in order to produce squirrel chirps. Just give a couple blasts on the call and then put it down. Any squirrels within hearing range will have heard the first sounds from the call and will anxiously investigate. More calling tends

to wise the critters up fast, so keep it to a minimum and enjoy this new/ old opportunity to hunt for what ranks as one of America’s more popular small-game animals.

Great Grouse Upland hunters should find plenty of grouse this fall. Grouse broods weathered the cold, wet spring – a fact that surprised me greatly. But that’s a good surprise, the kind we all eagerly anticipate.

Finding birds shouldn’t pose a problem, but finding un-posted land to hunt on doesn’t happen so easily. The classic covers of my youth have grown over, and those remaining are not found on posted land.

Posting has reached epic proportions in the Midcoast and barring landowner permission, finding a place to exercise that old side-by-side presents a challenge.

However, new hunting grounds – or rather, old hunting grounds that are now protected from the scourge of posting – abound. These come in the form of land trusts, of which the Midcoast region has numerous.

These places purchase land with the intent of preserving and protecting from development.

However, they also afford residents the chance to pursue traditional outdoor sports. Without the help of these organizations, things would look grim for hunters.

But when we add land trust parcels to stateowned lands, the picture becomes quite rosy. Of the various land trusts (Continued on page 57) www.MaineSportsman.com

56 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Truck Caps for Overnight Off-Road Vehicle Adventures The past few months have been truly amazing. I had one fellow call me up saying he had a truck similar to mine and wondered if I wanted the camper shell/topper that he had installed years ago. To make a long story shorter, the topper size was slightly different than my truck, but it surely amazes me that this kind fellow made the offer.

A few weeks after this phone call, a friend of mine showed up at an event with a topper that would have fit my truck and offered it to me. As we were discussing it,

www.MaineSportsman.com

The author describes a few of the accessories to consider when purchasing a truck topper, to keep you warm, dry and comfortable when staying overnight way back in the willy-wacks. another friend pulled up with his Tacoma, and needed it more than I did, so we quickly installed it on his vehicle...it looked better than it would have on mine.

At this same time a company that I had been working with decided not to install one of their toppers on my truck, so I now have begun the search for another company to work with on this project.

Sometimes I have

found that a negative gets changed into a positive ... let me explain. After getting turned down by one company, I have now been forced to search elsewhere for this topper. In this search, I have discovered a few other companies that do much more than produce truck toppers/camper shells.

The expanded searching has opened my eyes up to many other possibilities, creating a lit-

tle spark in me that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. The increased searching has renewed and revitalized the creative side of me, helping me see this camper shell idea from a different perspective.

Rack Options Several of the companies I have been looking at also offer other alternatives to the typical covering for a truck bed.

Companies like A.R.E.

(4are.com), LEER (leer. com), Ranch (ranchfiberglass.com) or Century Caps (centurycaps.com) produce excellent toppers, camper shells and caps, and also offer some interesting accessories.

As I searched their websites, I found some very intriguing items that might be useful for allowing me to sleep in my mobile camping vehicle (my 2010 Toyota Tacoma) – especially when it comes to a canoe/kayak rack.

Presently, I haul a Predator PDL kayak from Old Town (oldtown(Continued on next page)

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 57 (Continued from page 56)

canoe.com) in the bed of the truck, so I need some kind of cover for the bed that also includes a canoe rack. Thule (thule.com) makes a great canoe/ kayak rack for traditional watercraft. This PDL kayak is fairly heavy.

Getting it out of the bed of the truck and up onto a rack on the topper would allow me room to sleep under the cover of a nice topper.

Lifting this PDL kayak up onto a rack on the top of the shell would take quite a bit more leverage than I have, so Thule, once again, comes to the rescue with a hydraulically-operated lift that really assists in lifting the heavy kayak up on the top of the truck bed cover.

If I decide to keep this heavier kayak, I might outfit the topper with the Thule hydraulic-lift rack.

If not, I’ll just go with one of the many toppers that are already outfitted with a canoe/kayak rack.

Accessories The typical off-road traveler can soup up his or her sleeping space in the truck bed with a car-

The author’s old 1994 Toyota Tacoma had a cap for camping comfort that he used on many overnight hunting and fishing trips. This year, he plans a moose-hunting trip using his newer 2010 truck. Clunie photo

go slide, bed rugs, LED light systems, vaults, roof brackets, tailgate seals, pet screens or rod holders. This short list of accessories seems long, but believe me when I tell you that there are many other accessories available – too numerous to list here.

So let me go through a few of the accessories to consider when purchasing a truck topper that I feel I need for staying overnight, way back in the willy-wacks.

Very first on the list would be screened windows for ventilation.

Too many truck campers wake up completely soaked after a night of

dew and condensation permeates their sleeping quarters. I like to vent the covered truck bed to avoid that problem, and a good set of windows with sturdy screens takes care of that problem just fine.

An insulated floor also helps when the temperatures get down below thirty degrees. If a camper doesn’t have closedcell foam underneath the floor of the truck bed, it sucks the heat right out of you ... even if you have the most insulated sleeping bag the industry produces. A cheap and easy way to avoid this kind of chill is to purchase a few of those blue, closed-cell

foam pads from the bigbox stores.

I’m going to cut a piece of 3/8ths-inch plywood to fit the floor of the truck bed, and glue closed-cell foam padding down with a layer of indoor/outdoor carpet on it. When I’m camping, I’ll have a soft and insulated surface to kneel on while arranging things in the sleeping area. I can remove the carpeted plywood panel during the times I want to haul a snowmobile or ATV in the back.

Tail End The last thing I’d make sure to do would be to purchase a sealing kit for the tailgate from

one of the companies listed above to keep out any dust or rain. Nothing ruins a camping trip quicker than getting everything wet or dusty.

Anyone who has driven on the logging roads in Northern Maine knows how bad the dust can be. It gets to such a fine state that the dust feels just like some kind of talc powder, and it sifts its way into everything in the back of a truck if it doesn’t get sealed with one of these super sealing kits especially made for the tailgate on a truck.

Lastly, a good set of aluminum C-clamps helps to secure the cap to the rail of the bed. Be sure to include some kind of seal along the rails, too, to keep the moisture and dust out.

I’ve got a moose hunt planned this month, and will be giving the new truck and cap a good workout. I’ll report back here with a completely-detailed account of how the truck performs, and any further modifications I might need to make.

¶

Midcoast

(Continued from page 55)

in Midcoast Maine, Coastal Mountain Land Trust stands out as having acquired and conserved a considerable amount of property and for allowing traditional activities such as fishing and hunting.

Perch Time Fishing remains a popular activity in October in the Midcoast region. Panfish – white perch, especially – are on the prowl now, and anglers who hit the water early in the morning have every chance to encounter white perch feeding on the surface. Then, as the sun climbs higher, schools of perch head for deeper water, although not as deep as where they held during the hot days of summer.

One of my favorite white perch haunts, Quantabacook Pond in Searsmont, holds lots of white perch, and October stands as a great month to pursue them. In years past I would hit the pond with a bucket of golden shiners and that worked well, as always.

But in later years, panfish jigs, crappie jigs

The author took this gray squirrel with his superimposed .410 shotgun after calling it in.

especially, have supplanted baitfish for my perch-fishing trips.

Besides that, comfortable temperatures and blazing autumn color make October a

perfect time for that last perching trip of the year. Good luck during October, and my best wishes.

¶

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58 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

October Fishing Requires Spring-Fishing Techniques Deep-trolling tackle can go back in the closet for another year as cool water and spring-like conditions dominate October fishing.

Now, with water temperatures akin to those of May, it’s time to return to tackle and techniques used in spring. That goes double for boaters. The need to reach down and deep has vanished, and topwater methods come to the forefront once again.

This means that leadcore outfits and downriggers can take a back seat to fly rods and sinking lines. Also, spinning rods and wobbling lures begin to take fish. With water temperatures on the decline, trout and salmon race to gain as much weight as possible before freeze-up. This puts anglers in a perfect situation, with lots of hungry fish to pursue.

In years past, my favorite rig for fall fishing was a 9-foot fly rod, sinking line and a Flash King wobbler. This worked like magic, but sadly, Flash Kings are no longer available. The good news, though, is that other companies such as Breck’s, manufacturer of Mooselook Wobblers, as well as Carlson Spoons, from Northeast Troller, a Maine-based company,

Try fishing a colorful fly behind your dodger. My favorite, Warden’s Worry, with its red, orange and yellow colors, makes a perfect choice for October fishing. Other good options include Wood Special, Pink Lady, Barnes Special, Red Gray Ghost and Edson Tiger Light.

The author’s favorite fall offerings include (L to R): Flash King, Mooselook Wobbler, Carlson Spoon, Warden’s Worry, Pink Lady, Wood Special, and Edson Tiger Light. Tom Seymour photo

now offer equally as effective wobbling lures.

Colorful Works Why this is so I can’t say, but colorful lures work wonders in fall.

Any connection between red, purple and yellow autumn leaves seems purely coincidental, however tempting it may be to draw a connection between fishing lures and fall color.

Orange-and-gold tops my list of effective color

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patterns for October. This isn’t to say that other colors or color combinations won’t take fish, because they will. But when first setting out on the water, try orange-and-gold.

Then if after sufficient time has passed to conclude that this color combo isn’t what fish want, try other colors.

Lures as well as small streamer flies and bucktails make attractive offerings when fished a foot or so behind a dodger. And instead of the all-silver dodgers that we rely upon in summer, multi-colored dodgers can get trout and salmon worked up into a lather. I can conceive of no rhyme or reason why this works, but it has become a proven technique.

Even if using a solid-color dodger, try fishing a colorful fly behind it. My favorite, Warden’s Worry, with its red, orange and yellow colors, makes a perfect choice for October fishing. Other good choices include Wood Special, Pink Lady, Barnes Special, Red Gray Ghost and Edson Tiger Light.

River Fishing While general law has rivers, streams and brooks closed from October 1 through March 31, a growing number of rivers and large streams designated as rivers (but really rivers in name only) remain open yearround. The second page of the 2018 Fishing Laws booklet doesn’t mention this, but that stands as

just another example of how confusing our fishing regulations really are.

However, look at specific waters in the main body of the law book and you will see that many rivers allow fall fishing.

These are all stocked waters, though, but in my mind, a trout is a trout is a trout. They all fight equally well. Taste, though, often leaves something to be desired.

Today’s hatchery-raised fish, notably larger ones, lack flavor. This wasn’t always so, but it is now and it has everything to do with the type of food used in rearing stations.

But poor-tasting fish do much to encourage catchand-release fishing.

All that aside, I like nothing better than to hit smaller, year-round rivers with ultralight spinning gear in October.

Cold water spurs fish on to fight like mad, and 12to 14-inch stocked trout on a buggy-whip rod coupled with 3-pound-test line keep me coming back for more every time.

River Lures My all-time favorite ultralight trout lures, Trout Magnets, continue to perform their magic in October. If I were compelled to decide upon only one trout lure to use for the rest of my life, Trout Magnets would be that lure. But others work, too.

Small spoons such as Mooselook Midgets and other tiny wobbling spoons take fish. I like to use the “flutter down” method, because it drives trout absolutely wild.

To do this, cast the lure (Continued on page 60)

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 59

Expanded Archery Season in Central Maine This hunting season, the state’s expanded archery zones for whitetail deer are open from September 8 through December 8.

The intent of the expanded zones is to encourage hunting in areas that are not open to firearms hunting due to municipal firearms discharge ordinances.

This provides deer hunting opportunities in locations where deer populations can withstand additional hunting pressure, in a manner that minimizes the visual or noise-related impact on suburban residents who live nearby or adjacent to the zones.

A number of these designated expanded archery zones exist throughout the state of Maine, but the primary focus of this column is a zone in Central Maine that I refer to as the “Waterville zone.”

The Waterville Zone The Waterville zone includes the towns of Waterville, Benton, Fairfield, Oakland, Sidney and Winslow. Like most of the towns and cities within the expanded archery zones, these areas are comprised of intensive residential development, interspersed with small woodlots.

As such, a majority of the land in the expanded archery hunting area is privately-owned, and hunters are strongly encouraged (and often required) to obtain landowner permission.

For example, the City of Waterville even has in place a very strict Public Safety Ordnance, which states:

While hunting expanded archery zones last season, my hunting partner and I saw 46 deer. It was an immensely enjoyable experience watching the deer and studying their habits, especially considering that in a good year, I might see only three or four deer outside the expanded zones. (a) No person may be on the property of another (including city property) while in the possession of a bow and arrow unless the person is in the presence of the owner, or has the current written permission of the owner, which permission must be carried on the person. (b) For city property, permission must be obtained from the director of public works or his designee, who will issue permits limited in time and location according to the needs of public safety.

ing on “Departments,” then “Public Works” and “Expand Archery.”

Maps depicting the three hunt-able city properties (Closed Landfill, Airport Business Park and Old Gravel Pit) are available by contacting John Lombardi, Waterville Public Works at 6804744, or jlombardi@wa-

Lottery Determines Permits for City-Owned Land Permits for hunting Waterville city property are distributed by a lottery held every year on the first business day after the 4th of July. Lottery applications are available by going to www.waterville-me.gov/, and click-

terville-me.gov.

Bowhunters are additionally encouraged to contact the Waterville police department for information on municipal ordinances affecting the possession and use of a bow and arrow in Waterville.

Surrounding Towns Hunters who have problems securing permission from private landowners in the Waterville expanded archery zone or who aren’t selected in the Waterville lot(Continued on next page)

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Central Maine (Continued from page 59)

tery, should explore the areas around Oakland, Benton, Fairfield, Sidney and Winslow.

In calls to the town offices and local police stations in each of these municipalities, I was told that access to unposted land is possible (although securing landowner permission is always the best policy), and registering at the local police station not necessary.

One particularly interesting section of expanded archery land exists in Oakland and is owned by FirstPark.

The property, which can be accessed via Technology Avenue, is expansive and crisscrossed by power lines and ATV trails.

While none of the land is posted “No Trespassing,” a conversation with a FirstPark employee revealed that any individual wishing to hunt in this area must file a landowner/land user agreement form. Anyone interested in hunting the property can obtain the form by calling 207-8599716 or emailing exdirector@firstpark.com.

Any individuals planning to hunt this property should be on their best behavior, as the approach used by hunters will certainly determine whether or not this area can continue to be accessed for

hunting in the future.

How Many Deer?

While hunting expanded archery zones last season, my hunting partner and I saw 46 deer. While not all were within range of an ethical shot, it was still an immensely enjoyable experience watching the deer and studying their habits. Considering in a good year, I might see 3-4 deer outside of the expanded zones, last season was certainly a treat.

We did not, however, see all these deer by chance – pre-season scouting was essential to the success we enjoyed in 2017.

To scout effectively, checking maps and identifying key areas offering shelter, water and food simplify finding hidden sweet spots. Exploring promising locations with eyes rather than feet is a huge time-saver. The trick to maximizing time is to use the correct tool for the intended task.

DeLorme’s Maine Atlas and Gazetteer is an excellent resource for roughly estimating of general hunting areas, but it does not provide the detail needed for effective visual scouting.

Area-specific topographical maps and Internet mapping resources such as Google Maps provide high levels of clarity, allowing sportsmen to easi-

Trout Fishing (Continued from page 58)

quartering upstream, but don’t begin reeling. Instead, allow the spoon to flutter down as it drifts along. Trout often strike the lure well before it reaches bottom.

Most of the rivers I fish in October fall under general law regulations, and as such, bait fishing is allowed. But since most fish will get released, it seems a shame to take a chance on deep-hooking a trout, which explains why worms and shiners have no part in my fall fishing adventures.

However, I like to carry a jar of preserved salmon eggs. Trout that refuse to bite a lure www.MaineSportsman.com

The author’s expanded archery zone buck from the 2017 season.

ly scan potential hunting areas.

Boots on the Ground However, even in this era of high-resolution satellite imagery, no method is more effective for thorough scouting than putting boots to the ground. Maine’s subtle terrain features and the obvious physical signs of deer can only be effectively used to your advantage through intimate firsthand knowledge and per-

sonal observation.

Pay close attention to the minute details, and bring a notebook to write down GPS coordinates, prevalent wind direction, food sources, game trails, deer sign and location of sheltered bedding areas.

Use this information to devise a game plan as to where to set up stands, or areas to still-hunt.

Hunters who are in a hurry will want to consider using ground blinds

may respond to a salmon egg fished on an egg hook, a special short-shanked hook with a big “bite.” These are best fished on the lightest line possible and with no added weight.

Other Jigs While Trout Magnets fall under the category of trout jigs, they aren’t the only effective jigs for trout fishing in the fall. Most tackle stores carry tiny, no-name jigs that work wonders on trout. These usually come in tube-type containers and are offered in a variety of bright colors.

Once, when a big brown trout I knew lived beneath a dam refused to bite on anything in my box, one of these little bitty jigs

rather than deer stands in the expanded archery zones. Blinds offer portability and don’t require the additional set-up time and maintenance involved with deer ladders. A blind also has the ability to protect against inclement weather, adding to your comfort and making it possible to hunt longer and with less movement.

¶

did the trick. Other times, while jigging for white perch, brown trout have taken my panfish jig – always a welcome surprise.

Also, Jig-A-Fly, a revolutionary combination of fly and jighead, pioneered by legendary fly-tier Ty Coates, sometimes takes trout when all others fail. If you find these in your local tackle or even variety store, grab them, because Ty cannot presently be reached and he no longer distributes these killer lures. However, any fly tier can easily produce a similar product using a standard jighead, painted with a durable, glossy paint, coupled with a standard fly pattern such as Muddler Minnow.

¶

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 61

Fall Starts with Fishing and Hunting Opportunities Galore October 1 marks the start of the fall hunting season, but with so many things to do, it’s mind-boggling. And let’s not forget you can still fish this month, too! Waters cool and salmon come back on the bite, ducks are plentiful and in season, upland bird hunting opens, archery deer season is in full swing and you can even bag two turkeys! What more could an outdoorsperson want?

The only answer I can come up with is – more days in the month!

Fishing Every year I fish later and later into the fall.

Maybe I have come to appreciate the quiet that comes over our lakes when summer ends. Perhaps I just love to fish. In any case, anglers in the know are finding that fall fishing for salmon and trout can’t be beat.

Cool waters draw fish closer to the surface and closer to shore, so spring trolling techniques work well. Lead core is still a good bet for fish hanging in the thermocline, but sinking fly lines come back into vogue. In Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas, Map 5, B-1), cool nights and mild days cause salmon fishing to ramp up.

Trolling in 30 feet of water will usually put you into salmon country, with the occasional lake trout as a bonus. Some anglers will use downriggers to get their lures and bait exactly where the fish are hanging – a solid strategy.

I typically run one rod for lead core line, and a second rod with fly line. I prefer lures over flies this

time of year, as they seem to draw attention with flash and action.

Bait is not allowed beginning October 1.

This season, Carlson’s Northeast Troller lures in the pink crushed-ice pattern really slayed them for this angler and others. Copper-colored lures also fared well all summer long and toward the fall. I typically run fluorescent orange Mooselook wobblers with good results, too.

On Sebago Lake, you can still keep togue through December following the regular slot limits. Salmon must immediately be released back into the water. Sebago anglers should also note that direct tributaries to the lake and the mouth of the Songo River, a popular spring angling spot, are closed to angling.

Check the regulations for specific details.

To the north, Thompson Lake Map 11, E-2 and Lake Auburn Map 11, E-4 also experience the fall run on salmon and togue fishing. Anglers using similar techniques and strategies as noted for Sebago Lake will do well. Just remember

that unlike Sebago Lake, togue hooked in Thompson Lake and Lake Auburn must be released immediately in the fall.

Upland Season Upland season for me typically means trips to the western mountains to chase grouse, but some exciting shooting action can be had during the fall pheasant season. Thanks to stocking efforts by the State in cooperation with landowners and local sporting clubs, the pheasant stocking program provides some great wingshooting, dog work opportunities and even some walk-up hunting for non-dog owners.

Check the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife website for release dates and locations.

Generally, pheasants are stocked in locations in Brunswick, Windham and Gorham on weekends, and Monday hunting is always best, albeit somewhat crowded.

Pheasant hunters age 16 and older will need a pheasant permit ($19) when hunting in York or Cumberland Counties.

Grouse hunting is hit or miss in this region,

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Woodcock, both resident birds and flight birds, make their debut this month, and it’s not hard to tell if the birds are in. Just check the forest floor for the white splotches and you will know you are in woodcock territory.

Waterfowl Hunting I had surmised that waterfowl hunters are a dying breed. I rarely see other hunters where I go, and it’s been that way for many years.

At least that’s what I

thought until I attended the Androscoggin River Valley Chapter of Ducks Unlimited banquet this past spring. It was nice rubbing shoulders with old friends while at the same time supporting waterfowl conservation.

It was also refreshing to see many young hunters in attendance. I guess there is hope for the sport yet!

Local duck hunters have plenty of spots to go with so much water around here. From the bays of the bigger lakes, to small ponds and marshes, and of course the mighty Androscoggin River, we have water!

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Mallard Duck Limit to Decrease Next Year Mallard duck daily limits on the east coast are going to drop from four ducks to two in the 2019/2020 waterfowl seasons – as a result of population decline.

Among hunters, the mallard is the most popular duck in the United States. Since 1998, the East Coast population has gone down by about 20 percent, while hunter harvest has decreased by 40 percent. Based on this data, mallard limits cannot support a fourbird limit with a 60-day season.

This season’s daily bag limit will remain at four birds, but that changes next season.

The other option available to biologists would be to shorten the season, but the majority of hunters would rather have more days to hunt rather than keeping the current greater bag limit.

Although mid-continental mallards are close to record highs in recent years, less than 15 percent are harvested in the Atlantic flyway,

Diminished mallard populations along the East Coast have led biologists to reduce the bag limit next season from four ducks to two.

and that proportion gets even smaller as you move north toward Maine.

Why the Decrease in Numbers?

There are many theories why there is a population decrease among mallards. In many other, similar cases, nesting habitat is the issue. However, there seems to be a mysterious factor that’s causing the breeding success rate of ducks to decline, but no one is able to pinpoint the reason.

Some biologists believe it’s a result of a decrease of winter feeding sites that’s resulting in a lower survival or fit-

Sebago to Auburn (Continued from page 61)

south of this region have the fabled Scarborough Marsh Map 3, B-3 in which to work their trade. The marsh covers 3,100 acres with plenty of secluded potholes to hunt.

Scarborough Marsh hunters can expect to see teal, especially in the first week of the season. Mallards and black ducks abound on the marsh throughout the season.

To the north of the region, waterfowlers hunt the Androscoggin River (Map 11, D-4), and some of its slow-moving spots can become loaded with ducks and geese rather quickly.

Deer Season Archers have had the expanded zone season to hunt since September 8, but the www.MaineSportsman.com

ness. Others blame a decrease in habitat quality, or the hybridization of wild ducks with farm ducks that are meant to eat grain and corn, and the resulting cross-bred ducks are not naturally attuned to forage for wild food like seeds, plants and invertebrates.

However, none of these theories have been proven.

Some people also wonder why the black duck limit will be the same as mallards, because even at low numbers the mallards still seem to outnumber black ducks.

Well, many hunters

are surprised to hear that, in fact, black ducks outnumber mallards in the Northeast. The reason people think there are more mallards is because of where they breed.

Black ducks breed in eastern Canada, while mallards historically breed in the northern United States, so in the early season you are apt to see more mallards than black ducks.

Mallard Limits Won’t Affect Other Waterfowl Rules The restrictions on the mallard limit will not affect the waterfowl season and bag limits on oth-

regular archery season kicks off on September 29 and runs through October 26. While expanded archers are limited to built-up zones, this month the archery crowd can feel free to roam the countryside. If they don’t get a crack at a deer, the scouting of habitat and deer patterns is a big help before firearms season starts for residents on October 27.

The woods and waters have plenty to offer during “harvest season” in this region.

I’ve never done so, but you could actually hunt and fish at the same time this month!

From late-season salmon and lakers to all manners of fowl, turkeys and deer, October presents a smorgasbord of sporting opportunities.

¶

er species. If the USFWS and the Atlantic flyway council had chosen to use the eastern mallard population status as the basis to make rules for other types of ducks, the results would likely be closed or restrictive seasons as soon as 2019/2020, but that would not be good outcome because there are lots of other important ducks species with hunt-able populations.

The mallard was actually an introduced species to the Atlantic flyway, so it wouldn’t be right to use them to determine overall population status.

It’s too early for biologists to decide if there should be a hen restriction or not – that will be determined sometime this fall based on hunting data, harvest surveys and banding.

How long will this two-mallard limit last?

We don’t know yet; there is no seen timeline. Hopefully the decreased hunting pressure will result in a return to more liberal bag limits in the future.

¶

Rene Lavoie of Lewiston and his faithful hunting companion Turner show off the bounty of a successful pheasant hunt. Photo by Tom Roth

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 63

Hunt Everything from Pheasant to Moose This Month I skipped school on opening day of fishing and hunting seasons every year in my youth. My mother would go to work in the Sanford mills, and after she left for work I slipped into my red-andblack wool coat (before hunter orange laws), and took to the woods behind our home in Shapleigh.

As an adult, I took leave from work on opening days as well.

Opening day of hunting season is practically a national holiday for Maine sportsmen! This month there’s so many “opening days” it would be impossible to observe them all. We can hunt everything from pheasant to moose right in southern Maine.

Opening Day #1 -Pheasant Local rod and gun clubs and IFW biologists release pheasant at different sites this month.

Two thousand pheasant are released each year over the course of three different dates and at 24 difference locations. This annual stocking routine keeps birds spread out and available throughout the season.

Release sites are located on public land and on private property where landowners provide access to pheasant hunters. Popular pheasant hunting locations are on or near the Kennebunk Wildlife Management Area (WMA) or the Vern Walker WMA in Shapleigh and West Newfield.

Maine’s pheasant season dates are from October 1 to December 31.

Opening day of hunting season is practically a national holiday for Maine sportsmen, and this month there are so many “opening days” it would be nearly impossible to observe them all.

This beautiful scene depicts one of Val’s favorite hunting locations in the expanded archery zone. The area is open to firearms hunting during the regular firearms season, as well. Photo by Val Marquez

Opening Day #2 -Turkeys IFW biologists say that turkey populations are decreasing due to harsh winters and increased hunting opportunities over the last few years. In areas that I turkey hunt, which is central and northern York County, I rarely see birds in areas where just a few years ago I counted flocks upwards to 20 birds.

Biologists suggest that in the fall turkeys aren’t in fields and that they will be back in the woods near oak stands. I know this to be true – the few birds I’ve seen have been in the deep woods.

Recently I’ve seen birds, mostly hens, in Newfield and in northern sections of Shapleigh – these are good areas to hunt.

Bag limits are two turkeys of either sex, and the fall turkey season in WMDs 15 and 20 runs from October 1 to November 7.

Opening Day #3 – Regular Archery The statewide archery season runs from September 29 to October 26, and our expanded archery season started on September 8 and ends on December 8.

Archers hunting in expanded archery zones kill many deer in a small geographic area that includes WMD 24 and 29, as well as ten other locations primarily near residential areas.

In 2016, archers hunting in the expanded archery zones killed 1,267 deer, while archers hunt-

ing during the October general archery season killed 469 deer throughout the rest of Maine.

Many factors cause these unbalanced numbers, but the main reason is that archers who purchase expanded archery licenses can kill more than one deer if they buy extra doe tags.

Another contributing factor is that the expanded archery season runs for three months, from September 8 to December 8. This results in some of the best bowhunting in New England.

Opening Day #4 – Firearms for Deer There’s a common misconception that the expanded archery season is in areas limited to bowhunting only, when

in fact large sections of WMD 24 and 29 (where most of the expanded archery zones are located) allow rifles, shotguns or muzzleloader hunting.

To locate great hunting areas with high populations of deer, contact town offices, ask for a copy of their firearms discharge ordinances and find out areas that are open to hunting with a firearm. You will find that there are many areas – some quite expansive – available.

Next, get landowner permission in the areas you would like to hunt. You should check land that is posted, as well – many landowners will give permission.

Ask landowners where to park, where and when to hunt on their property and give them a written note with the description and plate number of your truck. Along with the note, give a gift card from a local coffee shop.

From there, go to the local police station and give them this information, too. Police who see a truck parked in a posted area will check things out on the spot. So place a note on your truck informing them you are hunting with landowner permission.

Another great option, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, issues 500 permits a year allowing hunters to hunt on the refuge. If you choose this option, stop by their office, which is located in Wells on Route 9, and purchase a $10 permit. You will also receive detail maps and information along with all (Continued on page 65) www.MaineSportsman.com

64 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Bird Dogs and Brookies for Front-Burner Status I don’t have a bird dog anymore and really miss hunting through the colorful, autumn woods behind a four-legged hunting pet of my own.

My bird-hunting bud-

dy, fish-carving artist Gene Bahr, has a lovely German Short-haired Pointer named Tilley that he kindly lets me follow now and then.

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heart of a dog has taken Gene and me through some beautiful and secret places around the state, but this year I’m going to try and direct of our hunting up to the Rangeley Region. I’ve always loved bird hunting in this region and certainly do enjoy hunting grouse and woodcock with Gene and Tilley.

Hunting in the foothills of the mountains that surround the Rangeley Region when the autumn foliage burns bright with colorful and earthy tones can hardly be topped. Walking behind a trained bird dog, with a fine-handling shotgun in hand, is my kind of heav-

en-on-earth.

That said, realize that a grouse and woodcock hunter can easily see birds and hunt them as a road hunter throughout the region. I prefer to hunt them on foot, but still shoot a few, stepping out of the truck to load and shoot while traveling between hunting locations.

Lincoln Pond Road The Lincoln Pond Road runs north of Rangeley and Oquossoc, from Route 16 in Wilson’s Mills (DeLorme’s Atlas, Map 28, E-1) all the way to Route 27 in Eustis (Map 29, B-2). The name of the old logging road changes

to Tim Pond Road where it crosses over the bridge at the Kennebago River (Map 28, C-3).

Bird hunters who follow this gravel route can park and walk in on any number of the gated roads seen on the map.

Park well off the road to give other hunters and logging trucks a wide berth.

Some other bird-hunting possibilities would include following small brooks and streams that cross the main road. I like to walk in on one side of the stream until lunch, take a lunch break, and then walk out on the other side of the waterway (Continued on next page)

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back to the truck. Grouse and woodcock often follow waterways, enjoying the extra hydration available in the stream or brook and also the vegetation surrounding the water paths.

Grouse and woodcock thrive in new-growth habitat associated with past logging activity.

These upland birds enjoy the growth that replaces woods that have grown back in for four to eight years. Keep your eyes peeled for chunks of land with a new growth of poplar trees around six to ten feet tall.

Deer Scouting October also reigns as prime time to be in the woods scouting for recent deer activity, and the Rangeley Region offers many miles of big buck country. Finding places remote enough to escape the eyes of other hunters takes extra effort and time, and hunters with plenty of foresight start the search now.

Hunters who carry a shotgun while search for new deer-hunting locations add to their deep woods pleasure – knocking a bird down during a scouting trip turns the chore into a thrilling adventure. The culinary delight of a finely-cooked grouse meal also takes the ragged edge off aching hiking muscles as a result of the miles of scouting.

Township E (Map 18, B-5 and Map 19, A-1),

Author, William Clunie, behind a solid point from Tilley the bird-hunting machine. Photo courtesy of Gene Bahr

a good place to begin a deer-scouting expedition, is heavily-laced with old logging roads and skidder trails. The main logging road that runs through this area starts at Smalls Falls near Route 4 (Map 19, A-1) and continues west to where it connects with Route 17 (Map 18, B-5). Keep a map handy – the main section of this circuitous logging route and its adjoining trails between the paved roads leads travelers on a winding path that often ends up on gated dead-ends or old log yards.

Past logging operations in the eastern portion of this township have created a patchwork of old- and new-growth woods. More recent cutting operations can be seen as hunters approach mile 3 or 4 at the eastern

Southern Maine (Continued from page 63)

laws and regulations regarding hunting on refuge lands.

Firearms season for deer runs from October 29 to November 24, and residents-only day is October 27.

Deer hunters should start scouting and researching coastal hot spots now, to take advantage of the higher success rates available along southern Maine coastal areas.

Don’t expect a classic Maine wilderness hunting experience while hunting in these

border of the township, after leaving the pavement near Smalls Falls on Route 4.

Hunters who keep their eyes peeled around these logging trails often catch a glimpse of a big woods deer before the elusive game animal jumps back into the thick forest that surrounds the gravel road. Many of these logging roads remain behind locked gates, so a hunter on foot can walk for miles without seeing a vehicle. Sure beats driving around in a truck all day – especially if a hunter carries a shotgun and gets in some fast-action bird hunting while scouting for deer sign.

October Trout Fishing in October can create some special, lasting memories – the

Mr. Timberdoodle fell to a load of number sixes delivered by the author’s L.C. Smith double-barreled shotgun. William Clunie photo

thrilling experience of hooking into a brightly-colored brook trout in the fall can hardly be forgotten. The screaming colors of a pre-spawn brookie compete with autumn’s burst of fiery foliage, create a visual feast for lucky October anglers.

In the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) official open water law and rule book, Maine Open Water & Ice Fishing, the list for ponds and streams open to October fishing is extensive.

This year again, I’ll hit as many of these ponds and streams in October as possible. I’ll have my trusty ol’ L.C. Smith 20-gauge shotgun along with the fly rod of my choice, ready for whatever seems to be working at the time.

deer rich areas. I killed a deer one year with a bow while perched in a treestand on a cool afternoon in Kittery. I could peek though the trees and see the Kittery Trading Post sign across the bay, and hear the noise from I-95 as tourists headed north. I also could easily hear the shipyard whistle blowing.

This minuscule strip of woods along the water was posted as bowhunting only; however, 100 yards north and across the road was a large area of public land that’s open to firearms hunting during the firearms season.

Less Deer More Fun My home in Shapleigh is located in the

October fishing in Maine is a catch-and-release-only game – something I do routinely throughout the fishing season anyway. I have no desire to eat every fish I hook, and truly enjoy releasing huge fish back into the water to be caught by other anglers.

Grouse in the frying pan is another story – I love the rich flavor and look forward to a wild game bird meal or two every fall.

For me, this is the way it has been ever since I can remember (except for a five-year stint with the U.S. Navy in the 1980s). I really don’t deserve to be so richly blessed ... and I give thanks each day that I am out there.

¶

center of York County. I hunted the southern coastal area extensively when I worked at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, in Kittery.

I’ve since retired and now hunt more remote sections, in towns like Parsonsfield, Porter and Newfield. In my mind this is some of the best hunting in the state. I like to hunt deep in more remote forests; my goal is hunting areas where I can’t hear cars or other human activity.

October seems to explode with hunting opportunities – so many opening days, so little time, as the saying goes.

¶

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66 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

Maine Needs Hunters from a New Generation If you are of a certain age, the obituary page in your local newspaper inevitably begins to capture your attention with greater frequency.

It provides a brief – and final – glimpse into the life-stories of friends, neighbors and even complete strangers.

In Maine, a large percentage of these obituaries mention outdoor pursuits as a favorite pastime of the deceased.

For example, a recent entry read: “He was a great hunter and trapper. And nothing could compare with his time spent at the family hunting camp.”

We can be certain that references to outdoor pursuits don’t appear pursuits appear as often in public memorials in more urban states.

And there is a sense that they occur less frequently than they once did even here in Maine.

It’s easy to see this as the passing of a unique generation. As a group, Maine hunters are statistically much older than they once were. And as Father Time chips away at our oldest ranks, there is a fear that very few younger reinforcements are on the horizon.

Passing of a Unique Generation The outdoors was such a huge part of this generation’s identity, that it not only shows up in their obituaries; it was also how they defined themselves during their lifetime.

Now, these folks www.MaineSportsman.com

On average, Maine hunters are older than they once were, and there is a fear that very few young reinforcements are on the horizon. It’s easy to despair, but the author says he sees signs of hope – a growing number of folks are concerned about where their food comes from, and the membership ranks of an organization called Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) are swelling. didn’t go around defining themselves a lot.

Or even thinking about their “identities.” But in day-to-day practice, they largely lived different lives than most of us do – and their obituaries point this out.

First, they spent a large percentage of their waking hours outdoors.

They worked as farmers, wood-cutters, fishermen, construction workers, road builders, and mill workers. What little idle time was available to them was not spent inside staring at an electronic screen.

This generation also lived closer to their hunting grounds than we do today. Their homes were spread out over vast stretches of rural territory that are now becoming depopulated. They graduated from high schools that no longer exist. They were born, usually at home, in places that are no longer named on modern-day maps. And they often lived their entire lives and died, military service excepted, within a few miles of those tiny places.

Finally, the time they spent outdoors was, by necessity, in more direct contact with the natural world. They were garden-

ers; they cut and burned wood to heat their homes; and they raised and slaughtered farm animals for their families.

And when outdoors, they were less likely to be separated from that world by a machine – especially in their younger years. They paddled instead of power-boating. They snowshoed or skied instead of snowmobiling. They hiked instead of riding an ATV. Not Returning to That Lifestyle This clock cannot be turned back. There is nothing on the horizon to suggest that Maine or any other place is going to return to those days.

The world is constantly becoming more urbanized, more mechanized and more computerized – not less so. The amount of contact we have with the natural world, the sources of our food and even the solitude of our own quiet thoughts, is decreasing every day.

It’s easy to despair.

But it’s just as easy to be nostalgic about a lifestyle that looks romantic from a generation or so away.

The truth is that our fathers and grandfathers eagerly accepted and sought out machines and

technology that made their lives easier. There was no philosophy involved in their decision to obtain a chainsaw, a boat motor or a party-line telephone. Anything that reduced the amount of hard physical labor and uncertainty of that lifestyle was welcome.

A New Crop of Hunters So, what will the next generation of hunters look like? Will they all be digitally-distracted urban dwellers? Will hunting be mentioned in the obituaries of our children or grandchildren?

In the last few years, there have been signs of hope.

One example is the food movement. Concern about the sources of the food on our table has become widespread.

It’s partly a reaction to factory farm practices, partly a concern about pesticides, anti-biotics and animal cruelty. More and more urban-dwellers want to know their farmer, even if they don’t care to do their own farming.

Most of these folks prefer to still eat meat.

And it occurs to them that hunting for that meat restores a connection to the natural cycle of life.

Right now, in New York City, hunting guides are offering drive-up, curbside pick-up in Manhattan, weapons training and same-day hunts for whitetail deer.

Paleo magazine is a glossy life-style spread, focusing on raw, unprocessed whole food diets. It routinely carries hunting articles that depict game animals and hunting as an ethical, organic source of table food.

Meanwhile, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) is the fastest-growing outdoor organization in the country.

In 10 years, the non-profit group has grown from fewer than 400 members, to over 20,000.

BHA primarily advocates the conservation of wildlands and access to those lands for sportsmen. The New England chapter members held their first Rendezvous here in Maine at Swan’s Island in August.

By advocating habitat, fair chase and non-motorized access, BHA is drawing huge numbers of young people – 70% are 45 or younger. Many of them did not grow up hunting and fishing – but they say they are environmentally-inclined and want to take some personal responsibility for obtaining their own food.

Grandpa would be proud.

¶

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 67

Time for Fishing, Upland Hunting and Scouting for Whitetail October is one of my favorite months of the year. I can fish secluded ponds for brook trout, lit up in their blazing fall colors, and also wander the brightly-colored mountains hunting for grouse and woodcock while searching for new deer territories.

This month, fishing, hunting and scouting allow me to fully enjoy all that Maine and New England offer. I often wake up and decide to fish in the morning, but I take my L.C. Smith twenty-gauge, double barreled shotgun along.

After a quick breakfast, I’ll head out to a fishing destination, making sure to take the “long way around” through places where grouse and woodcock like to hang out. If I see a bird, I get out and do a few circles in the woods to check for other birds.

If I don’t see any birds, I just drive directly to my fishing location and enjoy a morning of hooking into landlocked salmon or brook trout.

After lunch, I hop in the truck and work my way to the afternoon fishing location. This wandering around takes me through some of the best upland bird hunting territories ... and let me tell you, I often forget about fishing for the rest of the day and concentrate on bird hunting until dark.

Hunters and anglers from around the globe come to visit this glorious region, and here we sit ... smack-dab in the middle of a sportsman’s paradise.

Pond Hopping A quick glance at

When I am headed for a pond to do some October fishing, I bring along a shotgun and take the “long way around,” making certain to travel through productive bird territory.

This healthy fall brook trout was caught from, and released back into, a remote pond in the Western Maine Mountains. William Clunie photo

Maps 18 and 19 in the DeLorme Atlas reveals several ponds, lakes, rivers and brooks that can still be fished in October and November.

However, it will take more than a quick glance at the rulebook to figure out which ones can still be fished – there simply isn’t any way to hurry through those complex regulations. So please read carefully, identify the exact fishing location, and apply the corresponding rules and regulations.

Most all the fall fishing ponds are “fly-fishing-only” (FFO) with an S-7 designation – meaning the angler must return the trout or salmon to the water. I hardly ever keep a fish unless it comes from a heavily-stocked water, so this catch-and-release rule on these ponds works for me ... I just enjoy hooking into a brook trout or salmon, getting a quick look or

photo of the handsome fish, and then releasing the specimen back into the water.

I enjoy fishing remote ponds in this region so much that I’ve got a set of wheels that straps to my canoe or kayak for those carry-in launches that are a ways from the road.

In the past, I’d just throw the canoe up on my shoulders and away I’d go...not anymore. The wheeled device really helps carry a small canoe filled with gear to the launch area if there’s more than a quarter-mile of hiking.

Most of these small ponds also have a “no-motor” regulation, which is just fine with me. I don’t mind paddling at all, and have also just discovered how wonderful these new PDL (pedal) kayaks perform. Look for my Freshwater Fly Fishing column in this issue to see my take on these (new-to-me) pedal kayaks.

Pond Techniques I’ve caught brook trout at various times during the day on these ponds, but if I wanted to hit the pond at the best time possible I believe I’d be heading in around two or three in the afternoon and fishing until dark.

By late afternoon, the water should be warm enough to get a hatch going, and I find that the wind often dies down in the late afternoon. Just make sure to carry two good flashlights – a smaller light for helping you tie flies on in the fading light, and a more powerful light to guide you out of the dark forest.

I have hundreds of flies stuffed in my vest and usually only need a couple variations for catching brook trout on ponds in October. My favorite fly, a simple foam-bodied grasshopper, floats even when it’s been chewed on by a hun-

gry brookie.

I also like a size 12 or 14 Royal Coachman, tied with a white parachute. I order them from Percies (perciesflies.com) by the bucketful and find that the trout can’t get enough of them. If my eyes were still in good shape and my fingers still nimble, I’d be tying that fly all winter long.

I also make sure to order plenty of a silicone powder called “Frog Fanny,” a wonderful fly dressing that helps a fly stay on top of the water even after it gets wet or chewed on.

Fiberglass Fly Rod Fenwick (fenwickfishing.com) just sent me a beautiful three-weight, six and a half-foot fiberglass fly rod that casts like a dream. I can’t wait to get it out on one of the little brookie ponds around here.

A lot of fly rodders have been going back to fiberglass because they like the slow and smooth action most fiberglass rods provide. Delicately presenting a dry fly with this rod should be a snap.

I certainly like graphite rods, but this fiberglass rod has me thinking. I believe it’s tougher than graphite...maybe it would be a good rod for starting a new angler out.

New anglers, adults as well as kids, usually treat a delicate rod pretty rough. I’m thinking the fiberglass rod might be the way to go with the newbies. I’ll give this one a whirl and let everyone know how it goes.

¶ www.MaineSportsman.com

68 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

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����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 69

NH Offers “Autumn-atic” Trout and Grouse Orange-pink flesh of a wild brook trout simmers over a crackling fire. Red and yellow leaves splatter the forest floor like a Jackson Pollock painting.

A cow moose bellows in the distance; your bird dog perks his head in its direction. You follow his gaze past the shotgun leaned against the birch tree, past the grouse hanging in the notch of the maple. Your eyes trace the aroma-filled wood smoke as it meanders its way through the thick evening dusk, much as the brook you’re camping beside weaves along the rolling forested mountainside.

This could be you.

New Hampshire provides a unique opportunity in the first two weeks of October—and not just for the archery deer season or the bear season.

From October 1st to the 15th, there is an overlap of 1) grouse season; and 2) rivers and streams trout fishing (with some exceptions for specific waterbodies). Given the beautiful weather and scenery this time of year, this is really the outdoorsman’s perfect storm – in a good way.

Northern New Hampshire offers some small but phenomenally-productive rivers, brooks and streams for brook trout in remote locations—without much competition from other anglers. Fall is the time of year that many “serious” fishermen find themselves driving hours to get to the famous fly-fishing rivers (Magalloway, Dead, Kennebago, and every river within 75 miles of Moosehead or Katahdin).

Want birds, brookies and beautiful country? Try Coos County’s Phillip’s Brook, Corser Brook, Nash Stream and Mill Brook.

A backwoods fly fisherman eagerly awaits the aggressive strike of native brook trout in this gorgeous remote pool hidden two miles back on a grown-in, abandoned hiking trail. Emerson photo

In many of these places one has to stand in line and wait to enter an eddy or pool that has seen a few million casts from a few dozen different anglers in the past two days.

I can’t find this to be much fun—even if the fish are bigger. I enjoy the experience, the adventure, the exploration and the sense of accomplishment when you’ve had success in a place you’ve found and figured out all by yourself.

For those like me who want to see the lesser-known woods, bends and pools, and are content with catching feisty six-to-twelve-inch orange-bellied squaretails and shooting (and missing) a few grouse along the way, Coos County has all you could ever hope for.

There are dozens of areas of woods and water that fit the description above, the most notable being Phillip’s Brook,

Corser Brook, Nash Stream and Mill Brook.

Phillip’ Brook Phillip’s Brook traces its way out of Phillip’s Pond (a wonderful remote fly-fishing pond, with cartop access along the side of a rough logging road) south to the Upper Ammonoosuc River along Route 110 in West Milan, NH. There are numerous roadside or near-roadside locations one can wet a fly or drown a worm off the logging road accessed by the Paris Road.

For the most part, the brook is shallow and rocky, but with a good fall rain and some exploring, one can find some deeper bends and undercut banks that hold gorgeous trout.

At the south end of the brook, at the Dewey Hill Road bridge, is located Crystal Falls. Though the falls are not high in stature, the volume of water gushing over them at

times is quite impressive, creating a deep, fast pool before the brook charges into a treacherous, short gorge. Below the gorge, the water calms itself into a wide, slow, rocky landing.

Corser, Bear and Roaring Brooks The Corser Brook Road from Route 26 near Dixville, and the Greenough Pond Road from Route 16 north of Errol, connect several valleys and drainages. There are several larger brooks and streams worth exploring in October: Corser Brook, Bear Brook, and Roaring Brook. There is also a plethora of lesser streams that may hold small, wild brook trout.

The Swift Diamond and Dead Diamond Rivers, which run through the sacred (gated) Dartmouth College Grant, are alluring temptations for those who are willing to walk/bike several miles to some jackpot pools and

holes. Beware, though, that there are some special rules regarding these waterbodies, including a season end-date of September 30.

The largely cut-over Phillips Brook and Corser Brook valleys provide outstanding cover and habitat for grouse. Many people choose to just ride the myriad of logging roads until they’ve spotted and shot their limit birds for the day. This writer finds more adventure and fulfillment is had in at least walking some of the more grownup tote roads; there certainly isn’t a shortage of them in either valley.

Nash Stream Nash Stream State Forest, stretching from Columbia in the north to Stark in the South, offers a giant swath of big woods and mountains. The trout that are stocked here in the late spring tend to run their way out to the Ammonoosuc River fairly quickly, but there are still a few hanging around in the larger Nash Stream, as well as its most northern tributaries (Columbia Brook and Pike Brook).

These tributaries are quite small, and one would need to have had some good rain to find much in the way of pools in them. The larger, better-fishing tributaries south of Nash Bog (Pond Brook and Long Mountain Brook) have special restrictions and are closed after Labor Day. Nash Stream itself is beautiful, and it offers some good fishing spots.

This is a wild and rugged area, without many (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

70 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

New Hampshire (Continued from page 69)

access roads. There are certainly grouse to be had, but one will likely be putting in more effort and exploration to chase them.

Mill Brook Mill Brook, located in the White Mountains National Forest, south of Route 110 in Stark, is teeming with tiny brook trout. The fishing stays good all the way up the mountain drainage to near the end of the road.

Mill Brook is not seen from most places on the road, and fishing it may require a short walk down some moderately-steep wooded hills.

The area has been logged some in the past decade, and therefore provides a good variation of habitat for grouse, and a few tote roads for walking. Explorations can be made

Though the native brook trout encountered in these remote streams aren’t large, they are still fun and rewarding to catch. The regional biologist estimated the fish pictured to be about three years old. Emerson photo

upstream into the vast wilderness of the WMNF, just remember to bring your compass.

The best part of being in the National Forest is that if you are in for a real adventure, you can camp

Welcome to

Northern New Hampshire

anywhere, as long as you are a quarter-mile from the established road.

In short, the scene described in the outset of this column could be your reality here.

¶

A north-country angler sneaks up on a little pool on the downstream side of a big rock. In these small streams, without much casting room, his compact two-weight fly rod comes in handy. Here, he’s just dangling his line over the pool and letting his fly drift with the current for a few feet. Emerson photo

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����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 71

Smilin’

Sportsman The elderly Mother Superior was gravely sick in bed.

The nuns tried to give her some warm milk to drink, but she refused.

One of the nuns took the glass back to the kitchen. Remembering a bottle of Irish whiskey they’d received as a gift the previous Christmas, the nun found the bottle, opened it and poured a generous amount into the warm milk.

Back at Mother Superior’s bed, she held the glass to the Mother’s lips. Mother drank a little, then a little more, and before they knew it she had drunk the whole glass down to the last drop.

There was a long silence. “Mother,” one of the nuns asked with humility, “please give us some final wisdom before you go to heaven.”

The nuns leaned close to hear the advice.

In a near-whisper, the Mother said, “Don’t … sell … that … cow.”

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

••••••••••••••••••• Sign on the church bulletin board: “The low-esteem support group will be meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the rear door.”

••••••••••••••••••• Another sign on the church bulletin board: “The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

••••••••••••••••••• During the Mainer’s annual physical examination, the doctor asked him about his exercise regimen. “For example,” queried the doctor, “what did you do yesterday afternoon?”

“I took a 5-hour walk, and covered about 7 miles,” replied the patient. “I encountered some pretty rough terrain, waded in a pond, pushed through thick bushes, and got sand in my shoes, eyes and hair.”

“Wow,” said the doctor, “you must be some sportsman!”

“Not really,” replied the patient. “Just a lousy golfer.”

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

Question: What do you get if you cross a pit bull with a collie?

Answer: A dog that will chew your leg off, and then run to town to summon help.

••••••••••••••••••• Two 11-year olds, Johnny and Suzie, went on their first hay ride together on a chilly October evening.

When they returned, Johnny’s best friend pulled him aside to find out whether anything had happened.

“Well, we started out there in the hay wagon in the darkness,” said Johnny, “and then I got my courage up, reached out, and took her hand in mine! We held hands for 15 minutes!”

“Oooohhh!” gasped his friend in admira-

tion. “And tell me, Johnny, how did it feel?”

“W-w-w-ell,” stammered Johnny nervously, “I don’t really know. You see, I forgot to take my mittens off!”

••••••••••••••••••• A large outhouse mysteriously appeared in the middle the intersection of Route 6 and Mountain Road in Greenville last night.

The Piscataquis County sheriff is looking into it.

••••••••••••••••••• Did you hear about the large boat that ran aground carrying a cargo of red paint and black paint?

The whole crew was marooned.

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72 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

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RADISSON 12’ POINTED CANOE Purchased new in 2010; never used. Foam side sponsons, Web seats, Paddle/Oars, Trolling motor mount. Many extras included. Asking $750. 207-725-5236 ———————————

CAMPS FOR RENT REAL HUNTING CAMP Sleeps 5, on 200 acres of private hunting land in Levant, ME. $500/week.

Call 207-884-7656 WMD 17 Comfortable, clean, secluded CABIN for rent, with all amenities. Sleeps

North Maine Woods Camp For Sale Camp in the North Maine Woods on little Indian pond.

Camp is only 5 years old and has solar power and a septic system installed. Camp is on leased land. $150,000.

Call for more information.

(207) 568-3940.

4-5. Available May-Dec $450/wk. Call:207-2774565 PARKMAN, ME BUCKS CROSSING WMD 17 Rental Cabins. Turkey, deer, moose, upland game.

All amenities included. Great ratesnightly, weekly, monthly. $75/night for two people.

207-277-3183 ———————————

CAMPS FOR SALE HUNTING CAMP North Maine Woods T13R10 Great Moose hunting Zone 2, also bird, bear, deer. Furnished, sleeps 6, shower, propane fixtures, finished in Cedar, P&C lease, $47K, 207-944-0873 CAMP WITH 40+ ACRES IN T4R16 Established bear site includes one ATV. Fully furnished with septic. $155,000. 207-620-2975 or 207-620-4920

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LIVE IN NORTHERN MAINE AND MAKE MONEY Restaurant, Linneus, ME. Grammy’s Country Inn. $1.2 million average food-only gross sales last 6 years. Opportunity for sales growth with addition of alcohol. Featured in Down East, Bangor Metro, Yankee Magazines. Named Top 10 Restaurants in Maine.

Over 35 awards. 65+ year restaurant tradition, 28 years under same ownership. This is a step-in opportunity! Price reduced $999,000. 207-532-4500. firstchoicerealestate.com ———————————

REAL ESTATE HUNTING, FISHING, SNOWMOBILING AND RECREATIONAL COMPOUND With 3 log cabins on a remote Northern Maine Lake. Salmon, trout,

VALLEE REAL ESTATE

89 Water Street • Hallowell, ME 04347

(207) 622-2220

Well constructed home on two acres with 200 feet of water frontage. Close to Bigelow Preserve and Flagstaff Lake. Snowmobile and ATV access. MLS #1340947, $199,000

valleerealestate.com

380 Wilton Road Farmington, ME

(207) 778-4444

—✦— Own your own beautiful nine-acre pond surrounded by 47 forested acres. MLS #1304707, $119,000

EUSTIS

GREENVILLE WATERFRONT

GREENVILLE

Once in a lifetime opportunity!

This 4 bedroom log lodge sits in the middle of the Maine Woods on 560 acres and 42 acre Upper Shaw Pond. Douglas fir floors, log siding, skylights, stone fireplaces and soapstone stoves, oak kitchen. This property sits on the water’s edge. Also includes oversized 1 car garage for your tractor, a large barn, a generator building, and 2 log guest houses that need total rehab. 100% privacy and originally owned by the Lindberghs. $699,000

An absolutely spectacular location on Moosehead Lake! This impeccable 3 bedroom cottage sits at water’s edge, has sweeping views and a sandy beach. Cathedral kitchen/dining/living with V-match walls and ceilings, huge waterside windows, beautiful screen house and so much more!

Priced way below assessed value for immediate sale! $180,000

Year-around contemporary chalet home with all wood floors, cathedral ceilings, V-match walls & ceilings, birch kitchen with granite counters, full bath, 2 bedrooms. 2nd floor has a cathedral bedroom and a catwalk to a den. Detached oversized 1 car garage with overhead storage. Includes a common lot with others that has a beach, docks and boat launch. Moosehead Lake views. $195,000

palmerrealtymaine.com Rare Find! 13 acres with 1000’ of water frontage on highly desirable Hancock Pond in Bucksport, ME! Bring your development plans or enjoy the privacy of this large waterfront lot. No long camp road or costly infrastructure costs here and there are very few camps on the pond. Located a short ride from the village of Bucksport.

Mark Eastman, Broker (207) 469-1046 mark@oceansedgerealty.com

oceansedgerealty.com www.MaineSportsman.com

moose ,deer, bear and birds all within sight of the camps. Best of all.. no nearby neighbors.. it’s like owning your own lake! Generator, gas lights, plumbing, furnished and ready to move in. $158,000 207-745-0191.

———————————

WANTED WANTED DEER /MOOSE ANTLERS BUYING any size deer & moose shed antlers/ racks or antlered skulls.

All grades bought by the pound. 802-875-3206 WANTED VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE Looking for pre-1980, vintage motorcycle scrambler, enduro, or off-road motorcycle. Have cash will travel. Call 207 522 6940 SEEKING SKILLED UPHOLSTERER At Covers It All Upholstery in Oakland, ME, to make, repair & replace Tops, Covers & Interiors on Vehicles & Boats. Applicants must be highly motivated, focused on excellence in all aspects of the work, capable of working as part of a team and the ability to complete work independently. Minimum of 2 years’ experience is required.

Pay is based on experience. Call: 207-465-7847 or go to: coversitallupholstery.com

¶

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 73

Kersey Real Estate ABBOT - CAMP ON THE PISCATAQUIS RIVER! Listen to the rushing water as you relax on your private deck and enjoy 102 feet of river frontage with plenty of privacy. Bring your ideas to put your finishing touches on the interior of the camp. This is a perfect place to bring your guests to “get away” for a weekend. Fish the river or bring your boat and enjoy easy access to Whetstone and Piper ponds.

Camp is conveniently located close to ATV and Snowmobile trails. Camp has gas lights, carry-in water system, a composting toilet and a privy. The interior is also wired so a generator hook-up or solar panel could be installed. Come take a look! MLS #1348054 - $72,500 SOLON - This is the sportsman retreat you have been looking for! Great camp with one bedroom and loft sleeping area finished in pine. Sit by the woodstove after a day in the woods or a day on the trails.

There is a kitchen with propane refrigerator and stove for camp meals and a screened in porch to sit and relax. The Longley Road is the snowmobile trail in the winter so you can hop right on from your front door. This surveyed 84 acres is wooded with a bog in the rear of the property and hunting blind that has been producing successful deer hunts for years. Make an appointment to see this property before it is gone. MLS #1350453 - $98,500 CORNVILLE - Gambrel style camp on 2.089 acres perfect for a little get-away spot. Camp was built in 1998, has hemlock and pine siding, offers a septic system, a full bathroom that needs to be hooked up, drilled well and solar power and a 5000 KW generator for well pump. Two sources of heat: gas monitor and wood stove. Loft bedroom on upper level. Many recent updates. This is a great little spot.

MLS #1349821 - $63,000 ABBOT - Looking for a year-round camp in the heart of Maine hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation? Look no further. This camp has nearby access to ATV and snowmobile trails plus enjoy close proximity to Kingsbury Stream and Kingsbury Pond. This camp sits on two private acres on a town maintained road. Large outbuilding on property with electricity. Camp is wired through the outbuilding. Interior of camp is unfinished, but many walls are already framed up. Great opportunity to bring your own personal touch and turn this place into your dream getaway in the north woods. MLS #1344312 - $59,000 MOSCOW - SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE! This property is truly a rare find. Turn key camp with 200 feet of water frontage on Austin Stream. Step off your deck and cast to brook trout, rainbow trout, and landlocked salmon. Or bring your snowmobiles and ATV’s and enjoy trail access right from the property. This spacious camp has a kitchen, living room, dining area, one bedroom, bathroom and a sleeping loft. Camp has running water from a spring and a water heater for hot showers. Great location off the grid, yet only minutes from downtown Bingham. If you are looking for a weekend retreat DO NOT WAIT! MLS #1352243 - $59,000 ANSON - 44.12 acres located on the Kennebec River with 1560 feet of frontage, in the perfect location for recreation. You are a short drive to white water rafting, golf course, Sugarloaf Ski Resort, ATVing, and Snowmobiling. This is a great area for hunting and fishing as well. The property can be subdivided to suit by the seller so the opportunities are endless. There is power at the street, a private well on the property and an existing gravel road through the rolling land to the corn field that lines the river. The field is currently leased by a local farmer. You can build your dream home looking out over the river or have private hunting grounds. MLS #1366245 - $139,000 SOLON - Approximately 25.58 acres of land with about 1,125 feet frontage on U.S. Route 201 and about 1,100 feet frontage on the West Road. Currently in tree growth for tax purposes.

(Hb 363) MLS #979173 - $34,900 LEXINGTON TWP - Approximately 106 acres of land with about 3,000 feet frontage on Route 16.

Nice mountain views! Property is in tree growth for tax purposes. (Hb336) MLS #1015503 - $99,900

10/18

visit www.kerseyre.com to view our complete listing

“No Blarney Spoken Here”

207-585-2411 207-585-2412

506 West Side Road • Weld, ME 04285 •Mike Kersey, Broker TRA

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Rumford - Look no further than this fifty acres in an incredible private country setting with stunning views of local mountains all the way to New Hampshire and Mt WashingNEW 14’ X 36’ CAMP with 6’ screened porch. Locat- ton. This lot is set up with a driveway, power and is ready ed on 4.18 acres with direct access to ATV and snow- for the next step. If you’re looking for that once in a lifetime mobile trails from your property, plus you’re in the building site here it is...! And it’s only 8 miles from Sunday heart of Maine’s recreational area! $28,900 River & The Bethel Village. $125,000. MLS # 1369414

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Well maintained cabin off the grid surrounded by stonewalls and old growth trees. If you have been looking for a camp well here it is. $49,900. MLS #1307502

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New Vineyard - 25.9 acres with 953’ of road frontAndover North Surplus 4.7 Acres. This lot located in age, mostly wooded with a nice cleared field. The lot on the Sawyer Notch Rd in one of western Maines has plenty of large pine and hardwood plus is very best recreational areas very remote but easily flat with some stonewalls and access to ITS trail and accessible with nice views and power is available at ATV trails. Owner has a small camp/shed on propthe road. This lot also some a small sand and gravel Webb River Waterfront Lots. 1.6 to 5.9 acres. erty so it’s ready for the next step. MLS #1360567. pit on it....#1432663...priced at $24,900. $49,500 $39,000-$59,900

Peru - 59.3 Surveyed acres walking distance to Worthley Pond.This lot offers 231’ of paved town maintained rod frontage plus your own water frontage on Worthley and Thomas Brooks come see why this is great spot for your own private resort and get away. $69,900. MLS #1363508 Carthage - Exceptional building lot with southerly exposure and incredible sunset views..This lot is located in ATV and snowmobile friendly community and it’s only 2 miles from Mt Blue State Park & The Webb Beach camping which has a beautiful sandy public beach,boat launch and shower rooms...come enjoy the hiking,biking and all the recreation opportunity’s the Western mountains have to offer. $39,500.

MLS #1358742 Bethel King Lot - This land boasts exceptional development potential or enjoy the vast land with your friends and family, excellent road infrastrucure and beautiful views of local ski areas. 1356 acres offered at $1,250,000. MLS #1335965 Weld - Looking for a remote spot for your cabin or camper? Here it is! 8 acres with easy access, nice view right in the heart of the Western Mnts, a few miles to Mt. Blue State Park & Webb Lake. $18,500. MLS #1282348 Woodstock - An absolute dream come true! 97 Acres near Sunday River. This property has nice brook meandering through the lower portion of the property and a series of old roads and trails will lead up to spectacular views from Mollyockett Mountain in Woodstock. Come enjoy all the seasons and activates Maine has to offer! $69,900.

MLS #1326728 North Rumford - Very private 17 acres with great brook frontage and a common area on Meadow Pond located deep in the Western Mountains. $32,000. MLS #1269352

Near Bethel in Albany Township - This 40 Acre lot has several hidden building site well off the paved road with beautiful Southeasterly views. Some areas would make great spot for passive solar cabin. The Crooked River meanders on through the lot for great wildlife watching. Only 7 miles from downtown Bethel. $45,000. MLS #1325975 Carthage - Excellent building lots w/ easy access to ATV and snowmobile trails. All lots surveyed and have driveways into building site. Ready for your new cabin in the woods? Then come check em’ out. $26,500. MLS #1205057 Phillips 40 Acres - Set up your camper next to the fire pit while you pick your building site. This 40 acre lot offers privacy, views and a wonderful babbling brook an acre or so of nice field with some small planted trees. $54,900. MLS #1309063 Rumford - 347 Acres with unique road systems that will lead to pinnacles and peaks with views of the Mountain Valley and Swift River Valley and beyond. This parcel also has frontage on Goff Brook along with frontage on a no name Brook. The recreation opportunities are endless with great hunting, ATVing, snowmobiling, hiking, skiing and all the other great activities available in the Western Mountains of Maine. $225,500. MLS #1369627 Roxbury - If you have been waiting for the right time and the right lot then here is the one spectacular views of mountains and valley. Large 26 acre lot on a private association road. 10 acre common area for all lot owners. All lots have protective covenants to insure investment and privacy. $69,500. MLS #1205455

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74 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ��������������������������������������������������� 515 Main Street • Presque Isle, ME Chuck Johnston • (207)764-4600 cbjohnston72@hotmail.com MLS #1357479

MLS #1357480

Own (not lease) your waterfront lots in the North Maine Woods. Enjoy the 4+ acres (750 frontage) with two very well maintained traditional log camps on Spider Lake near the Allagash River. Sleep 12-14. Enjoy some of the best fishing and hunting in Maine. Buy them as a package for $395,000 or check them out on mainelistings.com.

MLS#1357479 & MLS#1357480

Be Sure to LIKE The Maine Sportsman on Facebook!

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REDESIGNED WEBSITE? Fresh, New Look Easy to Use Mobile-Friendly

www.MaineSportsman.com Noyes Real Estate Agency 2388 Main Street • Rangeley, ME 207-864-9000 • info@noyesrealty.com www.noyesrealty.com

FISHERMEN – TAKE NOTE!

#307 - Cottage at the Upper Dam, fly fish and catch landlock salmon and brook trout!

Access, Mooselookmeguntic, Richadson Lake or Upper Dam. Union Water Power Lease $1525.00/yr. $145,000

#424 - Waterfront home with 4 bedrooms, on the west shore, overlooking Rangeley Lake, with two car garage. In winter, sled from your door!. $280,000

#303 - Cabin and 41 acres, off-grid with all amenities. Quad, sled and water access, drilled well. $112,000 #590 - Great camp with easy access to hunting, fishing, Rangeley Village, 4-wheeler trails and sled trails. $87,000 #900 - Aziscohos Lake 200+ ft. of waterfront, sandy beach, rocky peninsula, small cabin, driveway, 1.2 acres on Raspberry Lane. $160,000 #603 - Beaver Mountain Lake lot with 292 feet on the lake and 2.28 acres.

Includes a boat house, driveway, and open views to the lake. $179,900

LOOKING FOR ACREAGE, CALL US OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE – 10 TO 2000 ACRES AVAILABLE!

THINK INVESTMENT PROPERTY 600 ACRES Pittsfield - 600 acres dedicated to wildlife management. Abundance of native game. Frontage on Johnson Brook, with trout. HARVESTABLE TIMBER, road system & 2 small ponds. $275,000

Calais - Scenic acreage lot on 627± acre 56’ deep Nash’s lake stocked w/ Salmon. Over 1,000’ of unique shore front w/ its own point of land extending into the lake with numerous coves & peninsulas. $75,000

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

Bancroft Twp - Acreage on Mattawawkeag River. Camp just 200± feet from river w/exceptional frontage. Mature trees, easy access & special protection designated for Salmon & deer habitat. $135,000

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

Extensive wildlife. $205,000.

SOLD!

PENDING!

ROCKWOOD 88 Jackman Road MLS #1341664 WATERFRONT of Moose River, 3 bedrooms, 1 Bath, 1,148 sq. ft., FURNISHED.

ABBOT 10 Loon Lane MLS #1350333 WATERFRONT on Piper Pond, 3 bedrooms, 1 Bath 1,120 sq. ft., FURNISHED.

TOMHEGAN 1642 Northern Road MLS #1359277 Private camp in the north woods with AMENITIES. 1 bedroom plus loft, 1 bath, 14 acres. BONUS 1 bedroom heated bunkhouse with kitchen.

GREENVILLE JUNCTION 20 Depot Street MLS #1348793 WATERFRONT to Wiggin Stream. Direct access to Moosehead Lake. Low taxes and on the ITS Trails. 4 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1,328 sq. ft.

JACKMAN 348 Main Street MLS #1344247 OUTDOORSMAN’S PARADISE near fishing, hiking, ITS trails, 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, garage, 870 sq ft., FURNISHED.

DOVER FOXCROFT 837 Greeleys Landing Road MLS #1356162 1 mile from Sebec Lake public access, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, .636 sq. ft., FURNISHED.

DOVER FOXCROFT 410 Essex Street MLS #1347035 - $15,000 KITCHEN RE-MODEL CREDIT 4 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, 2,964 sq. ft.

GREENVILLE 10 Wells Street MLS #1360466 In-town camp in Greenville. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 888 sq. ft., garage for toys.

ABBOT 26 Beech Ridge Drive MLS #1364822 WATERFRONT on Piper Pond 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1700 sq. ft., garage for toys.

665 ACRES Pittsfield - Custom built 4k sf cedar log home on 665 acres. Outdoor lovers paradise. Hunt, ATV, snowmobile from back door. Land dedicated to wildlife mgt.

Harvestable timber. $499,000

Freeman Twp - Views to the north & east, good public road frontage with easy access and power at road. Highest elevation is around 720’ along Huff Rd. Nice brook. Just surveyed. $64,000 Passadumkeag - 433± acres of room to roam. Hunt, snowmobile, ATV on this contiguous parcel. Good internal road system. Last major harvest 20+ years ago. Light harvests conducted more recently. PRICE REDUCED! $179,000 Dover/Foxcroft - Affordable lot w/ small stream, good access, internal road system & 1,570’ Parsons Landing Road frontage. Recently harvested. Great area for recreating. Lot can be split. $70,000 Guilford - 192± acres w/ views from Oak Hill (920’ in elevation) & in the shadows of 1,326’ Guilford Mt. overlooking First Davis Pond. Wildlife galore with evidence of moose & deer. Cut in 2011. $129,000

www.MaineSportsman.com

Stephanie Boone

458 Main Street, Bangor, ME

REALTOR® / Associate Broker Realty of Maine Office (207) 942-6310 Cell (207) 227-9858

����������������������������������������������������The Maine Sportsman • October 2018 • 75

(207) 693-5200

18 Olde Village West Naples, ME 04055 info@mainerealestatechoice.com www.mainerealestatechoice.com — Formerly Anne Plummer and Associates —

184+/- ACRES

689 NORTH ROAD, BETHEL - VIEWS! Commanding valley and mountain views from this 184+/- acre parcel overlooking Bethel village, Androscoggin River, and surrounding mountains. Parcel has a gradual slope to an elevation of approx. 1,571’ with a preliminary road up to the summit and a number of semi-level areas that are pre-cleared. Abundant wildlife habitat. Minutes to Sunday River ski resort, Bethel Village, Gould Academy and golf courses. MLS# 1352567 - $299,900. Mary Sohl (207) 749-0775

LOTS 3 & 4 KITRIDGE ROAD, SUMNER - Own a piece of Maine!

This 176-acre parcel located in the heart of western Maine has beautiful mountain views with seasonal views overlooking Pleasant Pond. Includes hunting camp that has great potential with a bit of work. A 4-season paradise for outdoor recreation and off the grid enthusiasts. ATV, snowmobile trails, hunting, hiking to name a few.

Road is accessible with 4-wheel drive. Camp vacant for years; sold “as is”. MLS #1359837 - $145,900. Mary Sohl (207) 749-0775

176 ACRES

STOW - This breathtaking +/-120 acre lot with views of Baldface Mountain, Evans Notch, Pleasant Mountain and Kezar Lake, depending on where you pick your location. Endless possibilities.

MLS #1333179 - $199,500. Sarah Noble (207) 831-9499

120 ACRES

LARGE WATERFRONT LOT LAKEVILLE, ME

Burnham, ME – 99 Acres Large wooded parcel in rural Burnham. Great hunting land, or building lot. Wood has been cut recently. $55,000

11.5 acres of old growth trees with 618 ft. of beautiful lake frontage on Lower Sysladobsis Lake. Nine mile long cold water lake with good fishing. This is part of the West Grand Lake chain of lakes and you can access several other lakes. ATV and snowsled trail runs through the lot with hundreds of miles of trails nearby. Good hunting area. Frontage can be split into 200 ft. minimum lots - keep it all or split and sell two lots; a good investment. Very few camps on this end of the lake. $130,000.

For more information on this property, please contact Harrison Wolfington at Harrison@LaflinWolfingtonRealty.com • (207)592-8844 282 Water Street Hallowell, ME

(207) 629-9211

LaflinWolfingtonRealty.com

Call Larry (207) 290-1710

GROW YOUR BUSINESS with an ad in — The Maine Sportsman!

We offer our advertising partners:

Caryn Dreyfuss, Broker • (207) 233-8275 caryndreyfuss@morton-furbish.com www.realestateinrangeley.com

Competetive Rates • Graphic Design • Full-Color Ads • Several Discounts Available Guaranteed Ad Placement (when available; additional fees may apply) Target Audience of Sportsmen and Women • Stellar Customer Service

— Contact our Advertising Director to learn more today! (207)357-2702 nancy@mainesportsman.com

DALLAS PLT - Lake View one of the original Saddleback Lake Camps log cabins is ready to enjoy seasonally or convert to year-round. The vintage cottage brimming with Rangeley charm boasts unobstructed Saddleback Mt/ Lake views and is just steps from central sandy beach and shared/owned 1800’ frontage on no-motors, fly-fishing only trout stocked lake. Very well run association with 32 acres, walking trails, tennis courts. Listen to the loons, gaze at the stars - NEW PRICE REDUCTION - PRICED TO SELL, don’t miss it! $110,000 RANGELEY - WHY BUY ONE COTTAGE, WHEN YOU CAN HAVE 2 FOR THE SAME PRICE!! Super investment opportunity on Rangeley Lake - “Fish-A-DoHaven” 1st time on the market in 30+ years. Located on scenic Hunter Cove, both 2BR camps are fully year-round, well maintained, move-in ready - furniture included.

Protected frontage with dock and small boat launch.

Sweeping lake/Mt views. Snowmobile trail access from your door, minutes to Oquossoc and Rangeley, plus good 4-season rental potential. Don’t miss it! $259,000

Pukakon TWP - Once in a lifetime opportunity to own your own island on Junior Lake! Large trees offer some shade with incredible 360 views. Bring your carpenter skills and a picnic. This one’s a keeper! $49,000

Mattawamkeag - Private cottage sits on Back Settlement Pond. Nice covered porch overlooking the water. Enjoy all the outdoors has to offer. Gas lights and some wiring done for generator use. Has shower house, shed and privy. Not many like this one! $89,000

Topsfield - Mobile home is in remarkably good condition. Very near the shoreline of E. Musquash Lake, can almost fish from the living room. Well, septic and no neighbors breathing down your neck.

Nice home or be a great getaway location. $95,000

Danforth - Cabin will sleep big crew and entertain bigger crew on the huge deck.

Insulated garage with furnace for storing or working on the toys 365 days a year.

Fishing out the front and hunting out the back, built for outdoor people. $78,500

Mt. Chase - This little open floor plan camp is as cute as they come. Plenty of space for relaxing, sleeping or the game of cards. Knotty pine, electric toilet, small kitchen in the heart of black bear country. Worth a look. $39,900

Lincoln - This cute little cabin has loads of potential. The setting is private and very pretty. Easy to run electric to it for year round use. Well wooded, quiet but near Lincoln’s lakes and recreational trails. $18,900

DALLAS PLT - SPARKLING LOG SIDED CHALET is ready for your immediate enjoyment! Tucked away off the beaten path, this 3BR home offers cozy sun filled living spaces, knotty pine interior through out, wrap around deck, plus spacious rear deck perfect for entertaining and relaxing. If you are looking for a PRIVATE and QUIET spot to hang your hat, then this is the place for you! Fully year-round, low plantation taxes, striking distance to Saddleback Mt. Beautiful location - don’t miss it! $174,900

Bucksport, Maine ITS trail through property, big buck territory, abuts hundreds of acres of undeveloped and conservation land.

Burlington - Traditional Maine log hunting camp with full foundation, dug well and huge stone fireplace in the Great Room.

This camp is from the “good old days” of Maine hunting traditions, like walking into the 1930’s-40’s. Call Today! $49,500 Winn - Camp is located in a quiet area, has a modern kitchen and living area.

Comes with Bunk House that is just like another camp. Direct ATV access and nice loop driveway for convenient.

Located on a year-round road. A MUST SEE!! $36,000 Topsfield - 40-acre lot on a year-round road this camp is ready to use and in great condition. Full bath, nice living area, one bedroom and sleeping area on second floor. Nice fishing and recreation opportunities from this property. $69,900

George MacLeod, Broker Cell: 207-944-8771 mainemacleod@gmail.com

Chester - Perfectly located rolling river lot in low tax Chester, with driveway in all the way to the building site. Privately nestled behind Nelson Island and only a few minutes from Lincoln’s amenities. $22,500

R E A L

E S T A T E

5 LAKE STREET, P.O. BOX 66, LINCOLN 207-794-2460 www.cwalakestreet.com E-mail: cwa@cwalakestreet.com

1-800-675-2460 Call any of our brokers to work for you!

“Tate” Aylward ................ 794-2460 Peter Phinney.................. 794-5466 Kirk Ritchie...................... 290-1554

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

www.MaineSportsman.com

76 • October 2018 • The Maine Sportsman ���������������������������������������������������

GET READY FOR HUNTING SEASON Stop by our Hunting & Fishing Store in Freeport, open 24/7

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Looking for a new or used long gun? Come in and check out our extensive selection firsthand, available from over two dozen manufacturers. We can also special order firearms, ammunition, optics and more. Contact our firearms experts at usedguns@llbean.com or call 207.552.7728.

Find store directions and see our calendar of free clinics & upcoming events at

LLBEAN.COM/FREEPORT

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