Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Summer 1984 by Maine State Library

Progress in the face of progress

rogress ... since our pioneer days, it has changed the face of our country: Millions of acres of what was once natural land are now the sites of urban and industrial development as well as intensive agriculture. Fortunately, we have had progress of another kind. During the past 50 years tremendous strides have been made in developing strategies that have broug ht back a number of wildlife species from critically low population levels . Throug h the efforts of scientific wildlife management, especially in the restoration and preservation of critical habitat, a wide variety of native wildlife exists today in healthy numbers throughout their historic range. American sportsmen have long played a key role in this success story by focusing attention on the needs of wildlife, promoting sound conservation practices and providing billions of dollars National Shooting Sports Foundation through license fees and special taxes NSSF P.O. Box 1075 Riverside , Conn . 06878 they pay.

~AINE

Governor Joseph E. Brennan Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

FISH AND WILDLIFE VOL. 26, NO. 2

SUMMER 1984

Glenn H. Manuel, Commissioner Norman E. Trask, Deputy Commissioner

Administrative Staff

Features

Kenneth H . Anderson, Director Program Development and Co-ordination David 0 . Locke, Superintendent of Hatcheries John F. Marsh, Chief Warden Robert E. Foye, Director, Fishery Division Peter C . Brazier, Business Manager Robert W. Boettger, Director, Wildlife Division W. Thomas Shoener, Director, Public Information and Education G. Donald Taylor, Director, Land Acquisition and Development ·

Beaver Problems

by Henry Hilton

Diversity: It's Got A Lot Of Promise! by John Forssen and Gary Donovan

Panflshlng

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine interviews F. Philip Rice

Advisory Council Alva S. Appleby, Chairman, Skowhegan Francis D. Dunn, Vice Chairman, Patten Nathan Cohen, Eastport Rodney W. Ross, Brownville Marc Plourde, Eagle Lake Carroll York, West Forks Lawrence Hawkes, Lincoln F. Paul Frinsko, Portland

Voles and Lemmings

by Garrett C. Clough

Protecting Maine's Fragile Flora by Harry R. Tyler, Jr. and Susan C. Gawler

Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine

Anatomy Of A Stream

W. Thomas Shoener, Editor Thomas J. Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor Patricia J. Hogan, Editorial Assistant

by Urban D. Pierce, Jr.

Poster Contest Winners

All photographs in this issue were made by the Public Information and Education Division unless otherwise indicated.

14 19 22

Departments

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send both old and new addresses to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WilDLIFE Magazine, 284 State St., Sta. #41, Augusta, ME. 04333. Please allow six weeks for change to take •· effect. your post office cannot forward copies unless you provide forwarding postage. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE. Magazine, 284 State St., Sta. #41, Augusta, ME 04333. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Accordingly, all department programs and activities must be operated free from discrimination in regard to race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against should write to The Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.

KID-BITS

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE. (ISSN 0360-005X) is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State St., Station 41, Augusta, ME. 04333, under Appropriation 4550. Subscription rate: $7 .00 per year. No stamps, please. Second class postage paid at Augusta, ME. 04330. © Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1984. Permission to reprint text material is granted, provided proper credit is given to the author and to the MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE. Clearance must be obtained from artists, photographers, and non-staff authors to reproduce credited work.

FROM THE FLY TYING BEN CH: The Professor and Grizzly King

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

the

29 31

THE COVER Seven-year-old Eric Ritter of Manchester in his first real "eye·ball to ieyeball" contact with a sunfish. Photo by Tom Chamberlain.

'Bl

Project discussed in article beginning on page 19 is financed in part by monies received under the Federal Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act.

Bea•er Problems t

The Animal

The beaver is an . animal of instinct. Although ~ often credited ~ · with a high intelligence (witness his unusual ability to construct dams and houses and harvest timber), the beaver is really not so smart. Rather he has a highly developed instinct to stop the flow of water. He piles trees, limbs, and other wooden items (even manmade ones!) in the watercourse, then plugs and seals the structure with mud. What happens next is predictable. The water gradually spreads out behind this new obstacle, and if there is insufficient stream bank, many acres of low lying adjacent forest or crop land may be flooded. Beaver are family-oriented they mate for life and breed annually, producing two to six "kits" in their cozy beaver house built of sticks and mud, 2

by Henry Hilton Part IV of a four-part series dealing with animal damage problems, and their solutions. or in a large den hole in a stream bank. Kits stay with their parents for two years, leaving when the next year's litter is a year old. These young beaver often travel extensively before finding a suitable place to call home. Most flooding problems are caused by these "on-the-road" beaver, following their instinct and randomly damming up any flowing water they encounter. Beaver are a valuable resource, aesthetically, economically, and

environmentally. They provide us with scenic reflecting beaver ponds; they induce periodic flooding and draining of land, which encourages changes in soil and vegetation and produces vital habitat for many wildlife species; some 10,000 of their pelts per year add substantially to Maine's economy (the beaver is one of our most valuable fur bearers) . It is apparent that "managing'' this resource at a high population level benefits a tremendous number and range of species. But the negative impacts of this woodland engineer involve considerable amounts of time and money to repair.

The Damage

The author is a wildlife biologist with the department's Planning Division. He is coordinator of Maine's Animal Damage Control Program.

Often, the most · · likely spot for a ti r/1/ beaver to build a dam involves a o ~"M ; culvert under a road. The culvert acts as a con-

~(..::; .;,:. v·

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

striction, while the roadway provides the rest of the dam! Beaver do not build spillways, but rather depend on the water spreading out along the entire length of a dam. Unfortunately, roads - particularly gravel roads - simply wash out as a result. It's not surprising, then, that most of our nuisance beaver complaints concern the flooding of roads . Our heavily forested state contains many gravel hauling roads, camp roads, and other such rights of way. Because of extensive timber havesting activity, much land is being revegetated to early successional stage hardwood growth - aspen (popple) and birch the food and building material beaver like best. Add to this natural setting the thousands of acres of lowland, river valleys, and stream bottoms, and the stage is set for too many beaver!

The Control Ideally, routine management of beaver populations is sufficient to maintain a low incidence of nuisance situations. This consists of a system of regulating beaver trapping opening and closing of townships and/ or waterways - to protect beaver where they are at a low population level, and to allow harvest where numbers are higher. When pelt values are high, the system works. But when pelt values are low, fewer trappers take part in the harvest, and beaver numbers can increase to nuisance proportions. One method of beaver control involves ensuring that chronic nuisance sites remain open to legal trapping; this helps to reduce problems. Beaver control doesn't necessarily require removal of the

animal(s). Some new beaver flowages created by plugged road culverts may actually be valuable wildlife habitat, and provide much pleasure for certain landowners. The problem, then, is not the "loss" of prime farmland or valuable timber, but the inability of the culvert to shed excess water; this may lead to road damage from heavy rains or high runoffs. The solution is simply to provide for adequate water passage. Several means of increasing water flow are available. First, where water passage through highway culverts is critical, fencing can be used to keep beaver from entering these culverts to build their dams. Dams located several feet inside culverts pose much greater removal problems than those built at or near the entrances. The installation of fencing in a semi-circular shape, away from the culvert mouth, will provide the beaver with a good site to rebuild, while still allowing for natural ''run-of-thestream" overflow to pass over the dam first, then out through the culvert. Periodic maintenance of this fence ensures that the culvert remains open for water passage. If water levels are still too high, "syphon pipes" can be placed into the dam. These are long culverts made of boards, plastic pipe, or other available material; they extend through the dam and back several yards into the pond. The beaver's instincts will aid us in this situation; although he will make sure the dam is secure, he usually won't go back into the pond and plug the intake to the pipe (see, he's not so smart!) Another beaver-related problem is simply that they sometimes cut down shade trees, or trees bordering a pond (particularly bothersome to

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

camp owners, who may otherwise enjoy the beaver's presence). The simplest solution is to fence the "target" trees, or wrap them with tar paper. If a colony of beaver has become established in a certain area, and all efforts at control are unsuccessful, moving the colony may be necessary. Modern live traps are quite effective in capturing beaver, whereupon they can be moved to a better location. In rare instances, even relocation is unsuccessful, and lethal control is then called for. This must be done by department personnel, and is discouraged as a matter of policy. Some public attention has been given recently to what may be a public health concern - a minute life form which is present in many open water systems inhabited by beaver, muskrat, and other aquatic species. This flagellated protozoan, Giardia lambia, has been known to cause nausea, diarrhea, and weight loss. Once diagnosed, the illness is quickly cleared by medication - but it is extremely uncomfortable in the meantime. Not more than a dozen cases of this illness are reported in Maine each year. - but even that number is sufficient to cause concern, especially by public water supply authorities. So work is continuing to determine the incidence, the effects, and the options available to treat water supplies . It is evident that beaver problems are such that solutions are extremely time-consuming and expensive. But by directing our energies towards the most effective solution for each individual case, rather than just "getting rid of the beaver,'' we will be managing this resource for everyone's benefit - even the beaver's! â&#x20AC;˘ 3

DIVERSITY: It's Got A Lot Of Promise!

by John Forssen and Gary Donovan

(Editor's Note: In the Spring 1984 issue of MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE, we discussed the history of the public lands in Maine, and some plans for their future use. In this article, we look specifically at wildlife management on these public lots, and what it all can mean to us as potential users.]

ETLANDS, nest boxes, riparian zones, deer wintering areas-these are only part of what's involved in an accelerated wildlife management program on the state's 400,000 acres of public reserved lands, an extensive system of upland forests in the unorganized territory managed by the Bureau of Public Lands, Department of Conservation. This program, when fully implemented, will benefit a broad spectrum of game and non-game species native to Maine -

as well as improve the quality of the forest for longterm timber production. The program is being developed cooperatively between the Bureau of Public Lands and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; one of its key features is the assignment (cost-shared) of a wildlife biologist to the Bureau of Public Lands at the staff level. An agreement signed by the two agencies describes the purpose of the program as ''providing for the balanced consideration and implementation of wildlife habitat programs in the management of the State's 400,000 acres of Public Reserved Lands ... (and to) extend the capability of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to fulfill its responsibilities with respect to managing all of the State's wildlife resources." This is a significant opportunity for both agencies, for it represents the first time-on non-Federal lands, at least-that state wildlife interests have had direct access to decision-making in the management of a large system of commercial forestland. Both parties will be working to demonstrate the wisdom of a well-integrated program of timber John Forssen is chief planner for the Bureau of Public Lands. Gary Donovan is a staff biologist for the Bureau, his position half funded by the Fish and Wildlife Department.

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

Wetland Development: This is the site of the proposed wetland impoundment in T7 R8 WELS; the goal is to provide quality waterfowl habitat.

and wildlife management within the context of commercially profitable forest operations. The general thrust of this effort will be to enhance conditions of diversity throughout the forest environment-acknowledging the dual principle that diversity (a variety of stands representing a balanced distribution of age-classes) provides a) richer habitat for wildlife and b) natural barriers against the debilitating effects of insects and disease on commercial timber. The way to achieve these ends is through a close working relationship between the bureau's field foresters and the staff biologist. The Bureau of Public Lands and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife agreed from the beginning that every acre of land cannot be made to serve the needs of every species, and that it is not possible to serve the needs of each species individually. However, by considering broad habitat types and ensuring proper levels of diversity in each, it is anticipated that the life requirements of most species will be met to a reasonable degree. The objective of this approach is generally referred to as ecosystem management, a term which in itself reflects the general goal of diversity for species richness. For the purposes of this program, the Bureau of Public Lands has identified three broad habitat types: wetlands, riparian buffers, and uplands. Each will have its own tailor-made management approach.

WETLANDS It has been estimated that only three percent of Maine's 1. 5 million acres of inland wetlands con-

Duck boxes appear in many wetland areas on the state's public lots.

D O L D WATER LEVEL BEAVER IMPOUNDMENT

l'I

NEW WATER LEVEL

DEER WINTERING AREA

T7 RS SCRAGGLY LAKE

sists of the most productive shallow and deep fresh marsh types. The shallow fresh marsh is flooded with up to six inches of water and is characteristically vegetated with burweed, smartweed, and sedges. Water levels in a deep fresh marsh vary from six inches to three feet; aquatic plant growth is typically wildrice, spatterdock and pondweeds, with cattails in the shallow areas. These wetland types not only provide quality nesting, rearing, and feeding habitats for waterfowl and shore birds 1 but are also critical to many species of furbearers, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. But as important as they may be, quality wetlands have diminished as a result of draining, filling, dredging, sedimentation, and pollution. The Bureau of Public Lands will be conducting efforts both to rehabilitate and maintain these marshlands. First, the management of beaver colonies will be emphasized by promoting the growth of poplar, and other species used for food and/ or lodge or dam construction, close to wetland areas. This will take advantage of the beaver's renowned skill at wetlands engineering with little or no direct project costs. It will also allow for marketing of forest products from these areas, and will improve opportunities for trappers, who are also _dependent upon a quality wetland environment. Second, the bureau has developed plans to build permanent impoundments to stabilize these 5

wetlands in the Dead River and Scraggly Lake management units and on the public lot in Reed Plantation. These are improvements which will maintain seasonal flows of water and enhance the value of these marshlands as wildlife habitat. Once the impoundments are installed and water levels are stabilized, nest boxes (principally for cavitynesting ducks) will be put in place and aquatic vegetation, such as wildrice and pondweeds, will be introduced to provide food and cover. This phase of the project will cover more than 400 acres of marsh habitat.

assuredly require a more carefully considered road system to facilitate the removal of products. One additional benefit of such management in riparian zones-at least on forestlands which are managed for multiple use purpose-is that it creates a visually pleasing shoreline for recreationists viewing the landscape from the water. On public forestlands, this aspect of resource management cannot be ignored, since scenic quality is such an important part of the recreation experience.

RIPARIAN BUFFERS

Upland management refers to act1v1t1es conducted in the interior forest zone, away from most water resources, comprised of broad expanses of standing timber. Although the concentration of wildlife numbers and species diminishes within this larger zone, diversity is no less important; indeed, its importance for purposes of timber production rise dramatically with the prospect of establishing natural barriers against the spread of insects and disease. For these reasons (wildlife and timber), the bureau's foresters are working to break up large, even-aged stands of timber inherited from earlier harvests . To accomplish this, they are attempting to limit clearcuts-a legitimate management tool for both timber and wildlife-to no more than 20 acres and restricting the extent of clearcutting to no more than 10 percent of a district in any 10-year management cycle. In addition to being distributed through time, clearcuts are also distributed over geographical area, ensuring that harvests will not inadvertently be joined to create excessively large openings. The imposition of such discipline in harvesting practices will produce several beneficial effects: a) a more balanced distribution of age classes, which will provide diversity for wildlife and stabilize the production of timber at sustainable levels; b) more extensive forest "edge" at more frequent intervals; (cl maintained forest openings at a size of practical use for wildlife purposes; and d) the sort of silvicultural diversity which will tend to localize the effects of disease and insect infestation. Uneven-aged forest management, including individual tree selection and group selection, will continue to be practiced where appropriate for shade-tolerant timber species such as sugar maple,

The term ''riparian buffer'' describes a narrow margin of forestland adjoining wetlands, streams, or lakes. Studies within such areas have shown that both the density and diversity of wildlife species is greater here than in either the abutting wetland or interior forest zones. This is so because many small species are restricted to such areas where food, water, and cover are immediately available, while most of the larger species will use these areas at least for travel, access to water, or (in the case of deer) shelter. Maine studies of these areas reveal a significant presence of coyote, bobcat, red fox, fisher, beaver, marten, mink, otter, and raccoon. The Land Use Regulation Commission has established protective regulations for the riparian buffer up to a maximum of 250 feet. However, because field studies show a wider range of use by various wildlife species, the Bureau of Public Lands has expanded this zone to a uniform 330 feet. Timber harvesting is restricted exclusively to selection removals, stressing the need for ''vertical stratification" in forest growth. In terms of diversity of habitat, this means that vegetation within the riparian buffer will generally be treated as an all-aged stand of timber, regardless of the composition of species. In this way, maximum cover will be maintained-for purposes of travel, nesting, and defense-while small openings for food production can be maintained at relatively short intervals. Within this mix of age-classes, the maintenance of some over-mature and cull timber is also important, creating habitat for den and cavity nesters and potential denning and nesting sites for species such as the bald eagle, osprey, heron, raccoon, fisher, and marten. The success of riparian management will depend upon an active harvesting program to ensure that timber age and species diversity is not lost, thus preserving timber values. This will involve close coordination of harvesting schedules, combining of interior and riparian harvests-and it will most 6

UPLANDS

Herbaceous Seeding: Logging transportation systems ar~ being seeded to control soil erosion and to provide succulent foods for wildlife; seed mixtures include Ladino clover.

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

Deer Wintering Area Management: Commercial timber harvest prescription for the 657-acre Mitchell Brook deer wintering area in T7 R8 WELS; the objective is to sustain winter shelter by periodically cutting small blocks throughout the area. This will allow softwood seedlings to develop and, in time, provide new shelter for the wintering white-tailed deer.

T7 RS SCRAGGLY LAKE

DEER WINTERING AREA

COMPARTMENT THREE

â&#x20AC;˘

PATCH CLEARCUT

SELECTION CUT

DEER WINTERING AREA #100134

red oak, and yellow birch. This ''management by selection" must be properly applied, however. Indeed, many of the deteriorating stands which the bureau is working to rehabilitate today are the result of improper selection cutting in the past, a practice which amounted to little more than removal ofall the merchantable timber, leaving the culls for another generation to worry about. This was not management-but, rather, a way to hide the lack of management by leaving standing timber of little or no value.

NCLUDED in the upland habitat management program are deliberate efforts to demonstrate the feasibility of managing deer yards to enhance deer habitat while allowing commercial harvests. The bureau has initiated two deer yard manage-

ment projects: one in the Scraggly Lake Management Unit and one on the public lot in Coplin Plantation. The first, in addition to establishing a scheduled program of harvests to maintain the vitality of the yard, will see the use of pesticides (applications of environmentally safe BtJ to preserve the residual stand against further spruce budworm defoliation. The second is designed as a longterm study area, where a variety of silvicultural techniques will be applied and deer responses monitored. This should produce a substantial data base from which more extensive deer yard management programs can be developed. Finally, where there are naturally occurring openings in the forest (remnants of old fields, abandoned fruit orchards, etc . J, projects will be designed-on a limited basis, at least-to retain the openings and manipulate associated "edge" vegetation for the benefit of wildlife. Both agencies are confident that projects of this sort-practiced on a large enough landbase to sustain the conflicts and compromises of competing resource values-will eventually prove that integrated land management can be as profitable and, certainly, more beneficial than a single-minded attachment to timber production, alone. And among the benefits of this program will be a document which will serve two purposes: to serve as a guide for management of the public reserved lands, and to make the state's experience available to forest landowners and managers in the private sector. Diversity: it's got a lot of promise. â&#x20AC;˘ 7

MFW: When we speak of panfish in Maine, what are we including in that category? Rice: Of course, the word panfish is used to mean any fish that will "fit in the pan." In Maine, I am including white perch, yellow perch, brown bullhead, black crappie, pumpkinseed sunfish, and red-breasted sunfish. These fish come from several different families - sunfish and crappie come from the sunfish family, white perch are members of the sea bass family, bullhead belong to the catfish family, and yellow perch are members of the perch family. MFW: What about largemouth and smallmouth bass and bluegills? Rice: Bass are members of the sunfish family, but are really too large to discuss in an article about panfish. Besides, they deserve an article all their own! An interesting fact about bluegills, though.

Maine and Alaska are the only two of the United States which have no bluegills, a species which is nationally one of the best-loved panfish! Evidently, they have just never been introduced to Maine and Alaska waters. MFW: Where would a panfishing hopeful find these fish? Rice: Basically, the waters of central and southern Maine contain all these species except the black crappie, which has been found in abundance in only a few Âˇ Maine drainages: the Sebago Lake drainage, the Sebasticook River drainage (and, as a result, the lower Kennebec River), and the Little Ossipee River drainage. The pumpkinseed sunfish is known to inhabit, in large numbers, nearly 700

F. Philip Rice grew up in Oklahoma, where he learned to ftsh at an early age. He has been a full-time freelance writer since 1972, and has written numerous books and articles on a variety of outdoor subjects. His new book, called Pan/falalng. has just been released, published jointly by Outdoor Life and Stackpole Publications.

Maine lakes, while the red-breasted (also known as yellow-breasted) sunfish is present in quantity in some 200 lakes. The white perch, probably Maine's most popular panfish, is found statewide. An excellent guide to which waters contain panfish is the series of lake survey maps published by the Fish and Wildlife Department. They are available at a cost of $.50 each, and list the acreage, depths, water temperature, and species present for more than 1,500 lakes and ponds. (Editor's note: write to the address on the contents page for an index of these survey maps.J MFW: Once you find the lake, how do you find the fish? Rice: Generally, these panfish can be found in the late spring and early summer near the weedy shores of their lake. As the weather warms, however, they seek deeper water - but shore action can be

furious, especially during the spawning season. Also try rocky areas, and, for bullheads, muddy bottom areas. In the case of perch, you must fish in the deeper water if you want fish with much size to them; while younger perch stay around the aquatic vegetation, the bigger ones spend their time in deeper, cooler water. MFW: What type of fishing gear is best to use for panfishing in Maine? Rice: One of the beautiful things about fishing for these fish is that 11 anything goes. 11 If you are a fly fisherman, excellent action can be had on a fly rod, providing that you go early in the season, while the fish are still nearer the surface. Nearly any lure, spinner, or natural bait - on nearly any spinning or spincasting rod- will take these fish. But here's what I use: White perch - try plugs and spoons; if no action, switch to worms or other live bait; fish deep. Yellow perch - still fish deep with minnows or crawfish tails, spincast with sinking spoons, fly fish with streamers. Sunfish- try worms, nymphs, or larvae, fly fish with nymph flies, spinMaine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

cast with poppers, Crappie - use minnows one to two inches long, try mayfly, dragonfly, and stonefly nymphs, or spincast with plugs, spinners, or spoons. Bullhead - try angleworms (several at a time} and fish DEEP (bullhead are bottom feeders}. MFW: What restrictions are there on panfishing in Maine? Rice: That's one of the nicest things about panfishing - you need a license, and you need to observe the general law open to seasons, and THAT'S IT! There are no size limits, bag limits, possession limits, or special regulations on any of these species. Catch a thousand and keep 'em all if you want! MFW: Are these fish any good to eat? Rice: They're delicious! Some people complain about the oiliness, especially of yellow perch, but the truth is that they don't taste oily at all IF YOU SKIN THEM. I always skin panfish before cooking, and I'll bet I could mix several different species up in a pan and cook them, and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference!

AINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine interviews

F. Philip Rice

''The Man Who Wrote The Book''

Red-breasted (or yellow-breasted) sunfish-a real beauty and a scrappy fighter!

Fish from shore, fish from a dock or from a boat; use spinners, flies, or bait on fly rods, spin tackle, or a cane pole! It all works for panfish!

MFW: You mentioned skinning - just exactly how do you clean these fish and prepare them for the pan? Rice: You can either fillet them or skin them whole. Cleaning and skinning the whole fish is obviously better with the smaller fish, while filleting is preferred with larger specimens. I always bleed my fish before cleaning (cut just behind the gills and deep enough to sever the main artery) because it gives the fish a cleaner flavor. Filleting actually removes the greater part of the edible meat, and provides you with boneless fish to use for chowders and the like, but it is difficult with small fish. (Editor's note: filleting, and skinning the fish whole, are both described and pictured on page 11.} MFW: Do you have any favorite method of cooking panfishl Rice: There are several different methods; I'm not sure I have a favorite way. Of course, they are called panfish because they fit nicely into a fry pan - I'm sure that frying is many fisherman's favorite way to fix any fish. Here's how I do it: before frying fillets or skinned fish, roll the meat in canned milk or in beaten whole egg, then in breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs, or com meal. A thin batter like this will prevent the fish from drying out, yet will not hide the flavor. If you like a lot of batter, simply repeat the egg/ cornmeal procedure several times. To fry directly in the pan, use plenty of butter (my favorite) or bacon fat. Margarine bums too easily. Cook the fish long enough on one side (light golden brown) so that you only have to turn it once - it tends to fall apart if you tum it more often. To French fry fish, use hot - about 3 75 Â° - fresh fat, and cook to a golden brown. Don't overcook the fish - the most common mistake - or it will become dry and tasteless.

Panfish are also excellent baked, as you would any other fish, or broiled, although it's a good idea to leave the skin on when broiling to prevent drying out. And panfish fillets make excellent fish chowder - use your favorite fish chowder recipe and see if you don't agree! MFW: In summary, why are you a strong advocate of panfishingl Rice: Well, first of all, it's fun! There are lots and lots of panfish around, the gear you need is inexpensive and readily available, and these species are relatively easy to catch, clean, and prepare. They are also a scrappy bunch, and will give you a good fight, especially on lightweight gear. Also, they are excellent eating, and the fact that there are no bag or length limits allows you to fish for freezer or table. If frozen properly, these fish will keep very well - and, if you didn't freeze enough summer panfish, they can readily be taken through the ice as well. I can really think of no negative aspects to panfishing. It's an excellent way to introduce a youngster to the sport of fishing; the populations, not only of panfish but of any species with which they are competing, benefit from the reductions in Since nearly all "panfish" carry some sort of painful spinearmor, take care when unhooking your catch. Here, one pair of hands folds the sunnie's spines back while a second pair disgorges the hook.

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

population - the competing fish have more food for themselves, and the remaining panfish can grow larger through reduced competition from their brothers; some of these species, notably the sunfish, are among the most attractive fish you

SKIN 'EM ...

will ever catch; and you don't have to travel far from home to catch them. That's why I not only go panfishing - I also write about it . It's something every angler should try.

... OR FILLET 'EM! 1

1 head; cut down to, but not through, the backbone.

Make the initial cut the same as you would for skinning. Then make cuts on each side of the backbone down to, but not through, the rib cage (caution: keep the knife as close as possible, and parallel , to the dorsal fin, and do not cut through the ribs!). Work these cuts carefully back to the rear end of the dorsal fin.

Place the knife blade between the skin and the flesh and make a cut on each side of the dorsal fin, working from the initial cut toward the tail.

Insert the knife blade into the cut already made, push the blade until the point appears through fish's belly near the vent (anus), then pull the blade back along rib cage to tail as shown. Again, do not cut through ribs. Repeat on other side.

Work the skin away from the flesh by holding the fish in one hand and using the other hand to grip the skin with pliers. Work the skin down carefully on both sides to about as far as the pectoral fins (the large fins on the sides).

Using your hand and the knife blade, work the flesh away from the ribs on both sides of the fish as shown. The fillet will become thinner as you near the belly.

Deepen the first cut, cutting completely through the backbone.

When the fillet has tapered down to nothing (see illustration), cut through the skin and remove the fillet. Repeat on other side.

Grasp the body of the fish in one hand and the head and skin in the other. Pull the skin down and away from the body flesh as shown. Remove the backbone and dorsal fin (with pliers) and ...

Separate the skin from the flesh of the fillet 'by grasping the skin with pliers and working the flesh away from you with the knife blade while pulling skin towards you. Repeat with other fillet, rinse them off, and ...

Make a cut just behind the

There's your fish-neatly skinned and ready for the pan! Some anglers remove the tail, but it really isn't necessary.

Presto! Boneless fish, perfect for chowders, pan frying, baking, or any other cooking method!

HAT IS THAT FURRY

little animal the cat drops at your doorstep? What beast is that which scurries so quickly out of sight under the leafy litter as you walk through Maine's fields, forests, and bogs? . Take a closer look next time you get the chance. You may be seeing a vole or lemming, one of a group of mammals which includes both the most common and the most rare species in the state. These are the microtine rodents; six, perhaps seven, species live in Maine. They are among our most important and certainly most interesting small mammals. As a group, the micro tine rodents are the most plentiful mammals of the north temperate and arctic regions of the world. The part played by these humble creatures in the economy of the entire wildlife of forest and field, bog and marsh

If the small mammal you examine has short, rounded ears, a short tail, medium-sized eyes, a compact body form, and a stubby neck, it is a member of this group. The other types of small mammals living here in Maine can be separated from microtines on the basis of differences in these characteristics of shape and appendages. Some small rodents, for example, have large ears, prominent eyes, and long tails. These

1@{-6acked vofe include deer mice, white-footed mice, jumping mice, and wild house mice. An animal with no external ears and barely visible eyes is a shrew or mole; they are insectivores, not rodents at all. The food habits of the micro-

Voles ancl Lemmi119s: is far greater than their apparent obscurity would indicate. The word microtine means ' 'possessor of small ears. '' Technically, it applies to a subfamily of rodents, the gnawing order of mammals. One or more species of this microtine group lives in every type of upland, wetland, and tundra habitat, from Guatemala to the snowcovered tundra of north Alaska, from the deserts of the Near East to the edge of the Arctic Ocean in Siberia. In many places, they are the basic and chief consumers of plants; in turn, their vast numbers supply the major food for many predatory birds, mammals, and snakes. 12

tines are clearly distinct from other mammals. Voles and lemmings eat grass, moss, leaves, some barks, and fungi. The various other mice mentioned consume mainly seeds, nuts, berries, and grains, while shrews and moles prey upon insects, worms, and snails. Each group of small mammals which differ in food habits have the appropriate style of chewing teeth to fit their diet. A look inside their mouth with a magnifying glass would allow you to easily distinguish one from another. The microtine molars (grinding teeth) have flat surfaces for breaking up the tough grass and stems they eat. The seed- and nut-eating mice have

molars with rounded cusps, while the insectivores have sharp, pointed teeth both in the front and sides of their jaws for dealing with their meat diet of worms, insects, and snails. Voles and lemmings may be very abundant one year, attaining plague proportions, then exceedingly scarce another year. In some places, the fluctuations in population numbers may occur The author is a freelance ecological consultant and college zoology teacher. He did his doctoral work on vole populations, and has traveled extensively for rodent research. He resides in Acton, Maine.

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

by Garrett C. Clough

f uny Scurriers with fair regularity every three to four years, leading ecologists to call this natural phenomenon a cycle. At the peak of a cycle, vole populations have reached 500 to 1,000 or more per acre. Although much research has been done to determine the underlying cause of these microtine population cycles, the answers are not yet clear; certainly they will never prove to be simple. Predators, climate and weather, food shortages, diseases, and adverse impact of the social stress of high density on reproduction and health-all may have some relation to these cycles of numbers. Whatever

combination of these factors does determine the changes in animal numbers, however, the repercussions are reflected strongly by all the predatory animals, and by alternative prey species such as partridge and other birds, rabbits, and hares. Many hawks, owls, furbearers (like the red and the arctic fox, coyote, weasel, ermine, skunk, bobcat, and mink), and even bears sometimes eat the voles and lemmings in great numbers. When the microtine populations drop, the predators are soon forced to migrate to survive. There are two very common species of vole in Maine-the

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

red-backed vole and the meadow vole. A third species, the yellow-nosed or rock vole, is rare. And a fourth species, the pine vole, may live in southern and western Maine but has not yet been collected or seen there. There are two species of bog lemmings in Maine. The southern and the northern bog lemmings are both related to the true lemmings of the north polar regions, but are different in some respects. The muskrat is also a member of the microtine group (based on the overall similarity of its skeleton and tooth structure). But the muskrat has evolved such special features for its semi-aquatic life style that it stands off from its smaller relatives and deserves to be discussed separately another time.

he meadow _vo!e, or field mouse, as It IS more commonly called, ordinarily lives in grassy fields and open land. It is one of the more widespread mammals of North America, ranging from central Alaska to Labrador, and from Wyoming to southern Georgia. Because it is so common, it has been the subject of years of study by ecologists and mammalogists, perhaps more than any other wild mammal . The meadow vole has tremendous powers of reproduction. Young females can be sexually mature at one month of age and can then produce a litter of four to eight young every 21 days. (continued on page 26)

The Critical Areas Program

Protecting Maine's Fr Flora by Harry R. Tyler, Jr. and Susan C. Gawler

HERE IS A LOT MORE out in Maine's woods and along Maine's streams than trout, deer, moose, beaver, pine, and spruce; Maine has a diverse and interesting native flora. Most people are familiar with pink lady's slippers, starflowers, trillium, and marsh marigolds, but not many have heard of the auricled twayblade, blinks, cut-leave anemone, Mistassini primrose, Garber's sedge, or moonwort. These obscure and little-known plants are among the 300 native Maine plant species that are considered rare. What makes a plant rare? Many plants are rare in Maine simply because they are at the edge of their natural range. Maine is large and topographically diverse enough to support both southern species at their northern range limit and northern species at their southern limit. Go to York County, for instance, and you might find sassafras, mountain laurel, or flowering dogwood, all three of which are common further south. Downeast in Washington County, the cool maritime climate supports arctic species such as the beautiful Hooker's iris or the tiny marsh felwort . Rare does not necessarily mean endangered; most of these plants are common elsewhere in North America. About two-thirds of Maine's rare plants are at the edge of their range. Others, however, are not only rare here, but occur in only a few other places; some of these are considered threatened or endangered. Examples include the Furbish's lousewort, which grows nowhere in the world other than along part of the

The tablelands on Mt. Katahdin (above). This mountain and several other Maine mountaintops play host to more than 30 rare plants, including Diapensia lapponica (right).

St. John River; the inconspicuous auricled twayblade, a northern orchid; marsh valerian, found only in a few cool limy cedar bogs in Maine and Canada; and small whorled pogonia, scattered from the Appalachians up to Maine. Along with the plants that are naturally rare, a number are rare because of habitat destruction or overpicking. The showy lady's-slipper (Cypripedium reginae, 5, p. 17) once occurred in at least 35 Maine towns, but now can be found more frequently in cultivated gardens than in its native cedar swamps. By identifying the areas where these rare plants grow, the Critical Areas Program hopes to prevent further decline of Maine's native rarities. Maine's natural diversity and beauty are prized assets, and rare plant species contribute much to these assets. Identifying, locating, and coordinating the conservation of these plants is one of the tasks of the Maine Critical Areas Program (CAP), part of the State Planning Office. After a decade of intensive rare plant inventory effort by CAP, Maine has a solid beginning towards understanding the incidence and status of rare plants in Maine. Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

The identification and documentation of rare plant species, old-growth forests, and plant communities has been one of the major undertakings and accomplishments of the program. Volunteers, interns, consultants, and staff have all worked towards amassing extensive documentation of our rare flora. In 1974, the Legislature directed the State Planning Office to conduct statewide inventories to identify significant natural areas worthy of conservation. These natural areas include the subject of special scenery, geologic formations, the habitats of rare plants and animals, or outstanding natural communities. The CAP has conducted extensive scientific studies to identify and document these critical areas, which are officially listed on the Register of Critical Areas. In Maine, about 300 rare plant speciesrepresenting about 20 percent of the 1,500 native vascular plants-are considered rare. Rare plant listing is a dynamic process. As our knowledge of plant distribution changes, additional species may be deleted from or added to the list. In 10 years, for example, we have revised our rare plant list four times. Working closely with the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, the New England Botanical Club, and scientists and naturalists throughout New England, the program has developed criteria for defining species which are rare in Maine. As an approximate guide, a species is considered rare if it occurs in 10 or fewer towns. Other considerations include relative abundance at each site, whether the species is increasing or decreasing, and known threats. Species may be added to or deleted from the list as we learn more about them. To determine priorities for conservation, our rare plants are categorized into national, New England, and state significance levels. About 20 percent, including the linear leaf sundew (Drosera linearis), are of national significance because they are found in only a few places in the United States. Approximately 38 percent are of New England significance; the cut-leaved anemone (Anemome multifida, 2, p. 16), for instance, is fairly common in the Rocky Mountains, but found in New England only in the St. John River Valley and one place in Vermont. Plants of State significance, such as barren

Hank Tyler, director of the Critical Areas Program, is a marine biologist with a wide range of interests in wildlife, geology, and botany. Sue Gawler, now a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin, was a botanist for the Critical Areas Program. The authors greatly appreciate the review comments of Barbara Vickery, L. M. Eastman, Sally Rooney, and Dick Dyer.

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

strawberry (6, p. 17}, are common elsewhere in New England and comprise about 42 percent of our rare plant species. Sometimes rare plant species occur together in particular plant communities. Such communities can be found on Mt. Katahdin, in peatlands such as Crystal Bog, and along the banks of the St. John and Aroostook rivers. For instance, more than 30 species of rare plants can be found living together on Mt. Katahdin, another 30 species along the St. John River, and another 18 species in Crystal Bog. We rely on the records of other naturalists for much of our rare plant information. Kate Furbish of Brunswick collected and painted plants throughout Maine from the 1880s to the 1930s. Dr. M.L. Fernald, who grew up in Orono and later taught at Harvard University, gathered extensive data on the state's flora from 1890 to 1920. More recently, Dr. Fay Hyland and Dr. Charles Richards at the University of Maine, and others, such as Dr. George Rossbach and Dr. A.E. Brower, have made extensive collections of both common and rare plants across Maine. In the 1970s, L.M. Eastman and Dr. Christopher Campbell spent three years combing the woods and fields of western Maine before writing The Flora of Oxford County. Without the work of these and many other people, we would know far less about our plants. The Critical Areas Program has been able to capitalize on the past work of plant collectors. L.M. Eastman, a botanist from Old Orchard Beach, reviewed plant collections in 18 herbaria and libraries for site information on rare species for the Program. Using old research, reports, and personal recollections of botanists, we started to compile information on species and sites. The key to finding many of our rare plant areas has been to relocate historic rare plant sites. For example, the state's only known location of Canadian buffalo berry {Shepherdia canadensis), originally discovered in 1892 by M.L. Fernald, was relocated in 1938 by Fay Hyland of Orono. Chris Campbell, one of Hyland's students, showed this location to CAP, and it is now a registered Critical Area. Canada buffalo berry is one of many rare plants which is fairly common in the western United States and Canada, but very rare in the East. Occasionally, the labels on old collections give very specific directions to the locality. More often, however, the site description and location is frustratingly vague. Tracking down such historic stations can be exciting work, but requires a thorough knowledge of the plant's habitat requirements and a good measure of detective skills. Other rare plant localities have been discovered by chance by sharp-eyed amateurs. Many of the 15

currently known stations for the rare orchid Calypso (Calypso bulbosa, back cover), for instance, have been reported to us by trout fishermen who have spied the tiny delicate flowers in dark cedar woods as they hunt for new fishing spots in early spring. A few plant species new to Maine have been found through CAP efforts . In 1976, populations of marsh elder (Iva frutescens) were found on Westport Island and Georgetown Island. In 1979, English sundew (Drosera anglica, 1, p. 16) was discovered in Crystal Bog in southern Aroostook County. In 1980, while conducting a preliminary plant inventory in T.15 R.9, a public lot, Arctic sandwort (Minuartia rubella), was discovered. There may be a few other rarities still to discover.

NCE LOCATED, conservation of rare plant areas requires much work. Field data are collected on population numbers, associated plants, and area boundaries. From these data and background information on biology, ecology, and range distribution of the rare plant species, a detailed write-up is prepared for each area. The program has completed 42 botanical planning reports. Briefer botanical fact sheets have been prepared on 113 rare plant species. These reports are available from the State Planning Office. (see box on page 17). Perhaps the most important step, however, is contacting the landowners to inform them about the rare plants on their property. The Critical Areas Program is non-regulatory, and protects rare plant areas only through public awareness and cooperation. Landowners are notified early in the registration process and asked to comment. Informed landowners are in a better position to manage their land responsibly. Most owners of rare plant areas are unaware that they own such a significant area, but respond positively when this is brought to their attention. Qualified rare plant localities are officially recognized by the State of Maine and registered as Critical Areas. The 11 members of the Critical Areas Advisory Board, appointed by the Governor, review the material on the species and area, consider the landowner's comments, and recommend to the director of the State Planning Office which areas should be placed on the register. To date, just over 526 areas are on the register, of which 163 are for botanical features. Maine is unusual in that. most of our rare plant areas can be voluntarily protected. Fortunately, many areas are also protected by their remoteness and inaccessibility. They may grow in isolated and difficult terrain such as moun16

taintops, cliffs, islands, and river banks. During the past decade, very few recognized rare plant areas have been knowingly destroyed. A number of areas are owned by corporations. International Paper Company, for instance, owns and manages a large number of rare plant areas, most of which are associated with limestone outcrops in the state. Most of these areas are on cliffs and are devoid of trees, and thus present no conflicts with timber management operations. State government owns and manages a significant number of rare plant areas. When acquiring park land, such as prime mountain areas with unusual geological features, the state often acquires many outstanding rare plant areas . Baxter State Park, for example, harbors more than 40 species of rare plants. A number of these species, primarily arctic alpine plants, are found in Maine only in the park, where more than 1,500 acres of alpine tundra communities are protected. The alpine plant communities are some of the rarest and most spectacular plant communities in eastern North America, featuring mosaics of miniature flowering shrubs and multicolored lichens. Some of the state's most outstanding oldgrowth red spruce stands are also found in scattered areas within Baxter State Park. Some of the most exciting CAP work has involved inventorying lands managed by the Bureau of Public Lands (see article beginning on page 4) . Some of the recently consolidated public lots contain spectacular mountain and lake areas that support a number of rare plant habitats. In cooperation with the bureau, the CAP has conducted natural resource inventories of five large public lots: the Mahoosuc Mountains, the Bigelow Preserve, the Great Heath, the Telos, and the Squa Pan public lots. The Mahoosuc Mountain Preserve contains extensive alpine vegetation, very unusual alpine bogs with arctic bake-appleberry (Rubus chamaemorus, 4, p. 17), old-growth forests, and the highest elevation pond in the State-Speck Pond. The Bigelow Preserve contains extensive alpine vegetation along the lengthy Bigelow Mountain ridge line. The Great Heath is Maine's largest peatland, and home to the state's largest population of the unusual orchid Arethusa bulbosa. Over 5,000 Arethusa plants were estimated there in June of 1982. The Great Heath, a series of raised peatlands that have fused together (known as a raised coalesced peatlandJ, is being managed as a scientific research area for the next 10 years by the Bureau of Public Lands. One of the public lots in Allagash contains one of the largest single known populations of the en17

dangered Furbish's lousewort (Pedicularis furbishiae,2, p. 16). This section of the Saint John River supports at least 12 other rare plant species. Significant tree stands are found in several other public lots. There is a magnificent old-growth white pine stand at the north end of Gero Island in Chesunscook Lake. An extensive stand of jack pine (Pinus banksiana), an unusual tree in Maine, is found in the public lots in Bradstreet and Holeb in Somerset County. The Bureau of Parks and Recreation manages a spectacular array of parklands and natural areas that support a wide variety of critical areas including significant plant communities. Good examples of coastal sand dune vegetation are found at Ferry Beach, Popham Beach, and Reid state parks. Old-growth white oak (Quercus alba) grows at Sebago Lake, and Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) occurs,at Ferry Beach State Park; both are southern

The Great Heath (left) is Maine's largest peatland. This raised coalesced peatland supports the largest population of Arethusa bulbosa (right) in Maine.

trees and are very uncommon in Maine. At Camden Hills State Park, an unusual old-growth red oak (Quercus rubra) grows in the woods on the south slope of Mt. Megunticook. Carrying Place Cove, a raised coastal peatland of national significance, is found at West Quoddy Head State Park. A nature trail and a set of interpretive panels is being developed for this outstanding area of pitcher plants, sundews, dwarf shrubs, and bakeapple berry. In Merrymeeting Bay, a nationally rare aquatic plant, Long's bittercress (Cardaminie longii, 3, p. 17), grows on the muddy intertidal shores of the Cathance River on land owned by the Bureau. This rare plant occurs in only a few isolated areas: along the Cathance River in Maine; on Long Island in New York; on Chesapeake Bay; and on the Gulf Coast. Several other rare aquatic plants, such as 18

This tiny arctic fern, the moonwort, is known to exist in only two localities in Maine, both coastal. The fern is only about one inch high!

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the tiny Parker's pipewort (Ericaulon parkeri), also grow along the Cathance. Overall, Maine owns and effectively manages a large number of very significant rare plant areas. In Baxter State Park and all other state parks, neither common nor rare plants may be picked. Maine citizens may be proud of the rare plant heritage which the public owns and protects. Maine's rare native plants are now more wellknown and, we hope, more well-protected than they were a decade ago. The rare plant work that remains, however, will be more difficult since we now must track down more obscure areas and plants. We are relying more and more on information from the many amateur naturalists of the state. In addition, while comprehensive inventories of coastal sand dunes, coastal raised peatlands, and old-growth forests have been undertaken, other kinds of plant communities have received little attention.

ANY REASONS CAN BE GIVEN for pro-

tecting rare plants, not only in Maine but throughout the United States and the world. Protection of these rarities may be supported for aesthetic, practical, or ethical reasons, and is ultimately a personal decision. Ecologically, all of these species are important in maintaining the diversity which we are just beginning to understand and appreciate. Maine's location, her relative lack of development, and her diverse geography are well-known assets-they make her truly unique in the eastern United States. Rare native plants and plant communities are not as highly visible as the forests, lakes, mountains, and coastline, but they contribute much to the diversity of the state's natural heritage. Conservation of Maine's wonderful outdoor resources must include protection of its rare native flora and vegetation, along with protection of its fish and wildlife habitats. â&#x20AC;˘ Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

Anato111y of a Strea111 by Urban D. Pierce, Jr. Photos by Al Knight

AINE IS BLESSED with many fine

natural resources - not the least of which is her 32,000-plus miles of streams. More than 25,600 of these stream miles are capable of supporting coldwater gamefish, while warmwater species inhabit some 6,000 stream miles. These figures may prompt the question, "Why hasn't Maine been more active in stream fishery management?'' A look at the last 30 years may give us an answer. In the early 1950s, Maine's vast water resources were popularly considered to be "limitless" they were receiving very light recreational use, and there just didn't seem to be any way to overuse them. Biologists were few, and research practically non-existent. Following World War II, however, population increases, and a basic shift in the quality of life (primarily more leisure time) put rapidly increasing pressures on these resources. The increased mobility of the American public allowed them access to more ' 'wilderness,'' allowing fer increased fishing and other recreational uses; at the same time, industrial demands on these waterways increased, and dams and other developments appeared.

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

For example, total fishing license sales during the 1950s, on an annual basis, were running about 180,000. That figure has jumped to nearly 300,000 annually during the 1980s! In the 1950s, the newly-created Fishery Division of the Maine Fish and Game Department had as its first and obvious task the compilation of a complete inventory of Maine's lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. This project - involving nearly a million acres of lakes and ponds and the 32,000 miles of streams - represented a 10-year commitment for the division's entire staff. And once this inventory work was complete, management efforts were begun on Maine's lake systems, due to the increased pressure and thus the increased urgency on these waters - our streams and rivers had to wait. We quickly discovered that management of our lakes and ponds was a great deal more complex than simply stocking a few fish here and there . But our years of effort have proven worthwhile,

The author is a fishery biologist with the department's Fishery Division, stationed in southern Maine.

although the results are just now being realized. Most notable are our efforts involving Moosehead, Sebago, Rangeley, and East and West Grand lakes, the Belgrade lakes, and the Fish River lakes. These waters are providing excellent fishing today, despite the tremendous increases in angler use. Today, the Fishery Division is actively managing more than 700,000 acres of trout and salmon water and nearly 200,000 acres of bass and perch water. With the management of our lakes and ponds well-established and ongoing, we have turned some attention to similar efforts on Maine's rivers and streams. In conducting studies on several moving water systems, most recently on the Little Ossipee River in York County, much information has been gathered. It hasn't taken us long to realize, however, that stream management is not at all similar to lake management. In fact, practically nothing we've learned in our work with the lakes can be applied to our stream studies.

waters to the lower reaches. Our approach to study of habitat is extremely time-consuming, involving actual measurements of stream width, length, and depth, notations of amount of riffle area, pool area, water velocities, amount of gravel area for spawning, and frequency of boulders and other cover areas available to support young and resident fish.

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Not only is our own experience of little use to use in these new studies, but we are discovering that even the efforts of other states having intensive stream management programs are of little help to us, simply because of the vastly different nature of our waters. The rivers and streams in most other areas of the country are "hard water" streams highly productive. Our waters, on the other hand, are very "soft" and unproductive, with severe limitations on the number of pounds of fish life they will support. For example, most streams in the Midwest are capable of supporting more than 100 pounds of trout per acre, while Maine's waters support an average of only 20 pounds per acre. It's not the same ball game, as you can see. We have found, in the course of our stream management studies so far, that there are four basic keys - factors which must be explored - in a successful management program: habitat (which species the particular water will support); population size (how many the stream will support); pressure (angler use); and regulation (special restrictions necessary) . Let's examine these areas one by one. Habitat. Obviously one of the most important elements, this is expressed in terms of the physical nature of the stream and the quality of water within it. These characteristics vary not only from stream to stream, but within a stream from head-

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In addition, measurements of such factors as water temperature, oxygen levels, pH, alkalinity, and conductivity are ·very important to proper evaluation of a stream. Examination of all these bits of information enables us to determine the ''habitat units'' available in each stream. Since different species have vastly different requirements, study of the habitat units leads to the best approach in terms of overall stream management. If we were to do a habitat unit study of a particular stream, we might determine that the water represented 1,000 habitat units for brook trout, 500 units for brown trout, and 200 units for salmon. Without the study, done in this fashion, the water would have been determined to be suitable for any of these species; this more extensive study shows us that the optimum program in this stream would be for brook trout. If we take this one step further, we might discover that the brook trout habitat is located near the headwaters, while the lower secMaine Fish and Wildlife-Summer

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This apparatus is used to measure stream velocity, one of the standard battery of measurements taken in the stream inventory process.

tions of the stream contain the brown trout habitat. This might even result in a combination program for both species. Population size. This is a natural offshoot of the first factor, and simply involves careful determination of the number of fish to be stocked in a given stream, or stream section. Too many would exceed the capacity of the water resource to adequately support them, resulting in poor growth and high mortalities of stocked fish. Too few fish will simply not realize the full potential of the area - not as serious a problem, but still less than ideal management. Pressure. This is something about which we need much more information. At first glance, the fact that some Midwest streams see as much as 300 hours per acre in angler use (annually) makes our high observation to date (60 hours per acre on the Little Ossipee River) look real good. Given the fact that our soft waters are far less productive, however, one can see that it would take far less fishing pressure to over-exploit our fisheries. The amount of angler use must be accurately calculated, and, if necessary, restricted. Regulation. Proper fishing regulations on any body of water are dictated by the needs of the fish species present, and range from no restriction beyond the general law to "no kill" or "catch and release" rules. Some states have found that these latter, extremely restrictive, regulations are the Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

only way to maintain high quality fisheries (allowing the angler to have a higher number of fishing experiences, and allowing the same fish to be caught again and again). Most waters governed by this type of regulation are restricted to fishing with flies or artificial lures only, to reduce hooking mortality. The effects of such stringent regulations have yet to be tested in Maine, but we hope to do that as part of our next phase of study on the Little Ossipee River. Such restrictions, however, require intensive enforcement to be really effective; this alone could deter widespread of catch-and-release regulations in Maine. Stream management, done right, takes a lot of work and a lot of study to be successful. In this article, we have discussed only a few major factors influencing such successful management of our waterways. Due to the Fish and Wildlife Department's current financial condition, it may not be possible to progress very far beyond our current "passive" stream management - at least in the near future. But this does not diminish the potential that exists, and may someday be realized, for good, active stream management programs which help provide quality fishing opportunities for Maine's anglers. Maine is resource-rich, but financially poor - unable to take full advantage of the golden opportunities of this type which exist in our streams. â&#x20AC;˘ 21

Nongame Poster Winner Our

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Please lle~ Us / GRAND PRIZE #1 (Grades 3-4)

Ginger Hickey Etna-Dixmont School

GRAND PRIZE #1 (Grades 5-6)

Scott Hapworth St. John's School, Winslow

Reproduced on these pages are the eight top prizewinners in the recent statewide nongame and endangered wildlife poster contest. A total of 520 entries were submitted from 52 schools across the state, and the judging was very difficult! Posters were judged for their originality, creativity, and relevance to the theme. The panel of five judges included an art educator, a state wildlife biologist, and a dean, a science teacher, and en environmental educator from the University of Maine at Orono. The contest was sponsored by the Maine and UMO student Chapters of the Wildlife society, and by the Maine Aububon society.

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GRAND PRIZE #2 (Grades 3-4)

Todd Malley Rumford Elementary School 22

GRAND PRIZE #2 (Grades 5-6) Lenora Felker Yarmouth Intermediate School Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

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GRAND PRIZE #1 (Grades 9-1 O> Andy McKellar Katahdin High School, Sherman Mills

GRAND PRIZE #1 (Grades 7-8) Dawn Pye and Dina Moore Phippsburg Elementary School

1 9 8 4 GRAND PRIZE #2 (Grades 7-8) Danielle Rolde Berwick Academy Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

GRAND PRIZE #2 (Grades 9-1 O> Daniel Oakes Fort Fairfield High School

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One of the most interesting and complicated forms of light emitted by insects and other low forms of animal life is known as cold light or biolumicescence. Light is produced by comparatively few insects. The light or luminescence given off by a firefly is produced by a chemical reaction in the cells of its abdomen. The light shines through the firefly's skin because it is transparent. The fireflies or lightning bugs are the most familiar light producers. There are more than 1500 species in the world. One of the more common fireflies in the eastern United States is hardly more than one-quarter inch in length and dusky brown in color. Most of these belong to the family of insects known as lampyrids. Fireflies are not flies as their name implies, but are actually beetles. During the daylight hours, these beetles hide quietly in the vegetation; but during the hours of dusk and early night, they become very active. It is at this time that they light their tiny lanterns. If you watch closely, you will notice that their flashes are always upward. This is because the fireflies always rise as they begin flashing. Also, if you search in the grass and other low vegetation, you will be able to find other smaller flashes. These are the females. The flashes emitted by the males are more brilliant than those of the Letters should be sent to: Patricia Hogan, KID-BITS Editor Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine 284 State Street, Sta. #41 Augusta, ME 04333 24

females. The females send out signals in code to attract a mate. Different kinds of fireflies have different codes which they use to communicate with fireflies of the same species. Different species flash different rhythms to help find each other for mating. The flashing of fireflies is also a part of their courting behavior. This brings up the deadly trick played by females of one species on males of another type of firefly. The males are lured to a firefly of another species by her flashing, only to be devoured by her. The eggs of fireflies are laid on damp ground. Once hatched, the larvae hide among dead leaves. Light producing organs appear in about two weeks, and become functional about one week later. These beetles will not reach maturity for about two years. But once they have matured, their life span is generally only a few weeks. Larvae and wingless females are known as glowworms. Some larvae are luminous even before hatching from their eggs. Their luminescence does not seem to have any protective value, although some predators seem to find fireflies distasteful. Frogs often eat large numbers, and sometimes even glow themselves from the light that emanates from a stomachful of fireflies. The light-generating organs of fireflies are located in the rear portion of the abdomen. The raising of the wing covers during flight helps to display the light to the best advantage. It is interesting that, because of the abdomen's transparency, there is no trace of any lines as the light shines through the abdomen. Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

Fireflies illuminate the darkness of a summer's evening with their rhythmic flashings. It is nature's own fireworks display!

Here's a crossword puzzle about fireflies. The answers are all in the story somewhere. See if you can figure it out! ACROSS 1. Fireflies are _ _ _ __ 3. The firefly's light shows through its _ _ _ _ _ skin. 4. The firefly is a member of the _ _ _ _ _ family. 5. Fireflies lay their on damp ground. 9. The light that the firefly gives off is called _ _ _ __ 11. The firefly blinks, or , its light to send signals to other fireflies. 13. The light of a firefly is in its

DOWN 2. A eaction causes the firefly's light. 4. Another common name for fireflies is 6. Unlike other luminous insects, a firefly is to blink its light on and off. 7. Fireflies are not flies, but are

This is what a beetle or lightning bug looks like. Its looks are deceiving because it doesn't look like it could fly - but it can! In fact, a beetle has two pair of wings. These wings are special. The shell that you see is really a pair of hard forewings. They are rounded, like half-domes. The straight line down the middle of the beetle's back is where they come together. In preparation for flight, it will raise these forewings. Underneath them lies a pair of paperthin wings, all folded up. These are the wings that the beetle actually uses to fly. Its flight is not swift like the dragonfly, but more like a truck "flying" in low gear. When the insect resumes crawling, the folded wings are tucked tightly to its abdomen, and down over them comes the ''armor.'' Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

8. A firefly upward as it flashes. 10. A reaction in the firefly's _ _ __ causes the light. 12. Fireflies blink their lights in different _ _ _ _ _ to communicate with their own species. 2

Answers on page 32 25

VoCes

(continued from page 13)

They seldom live more than a year, but during that time a female may have 6 to 10 litters . In prime habitat like a grassy orchard, there may be a few hundred voles per acre. You can see them dashing through their little runways amongst the grass, and hear them squeaking

as they aggressively compete for space and mates. The emotional stress of this overcrowding weakens them; eventually a dieoff ensues. Following the population crash, only a few individuals per acre may remain over the next two years. The meadow vole is the only rodent found on most of our small islands off the coast of Maine. They have the greatest powers of dispersal, and the best ability to colonize a new area, of any of our small mammals. I have found plentiful signs of meadow voles on all the open grassy and shrub-covered islands of Casco Bay, but they are also present on most of the spruceand fir-clad islands further east. 26

In such places, they often expand their local range into forests in the absence of their normal competitors, the woodland rodents. These voles are good swimmers, and may even find their way to some islands under their own power. Winter ice floes

may explain their spread to other islands near shore . In the winter, they make runways in the open space between the grass and the bottom of the snow cover, and live in warm nests made of fine grass constructed in this subnivean space. When outside temperatures are well below zero degrees Fahrenheit, temperatures in these nests may be quite tolerable, even above freezing. Meadow voles tend to be less active in the winter, a definite advantage for conserving their bodily energy and reducing their daily food requirements. But they never hibernate, as do woodchucks, chipmunks, and jumping mice.

he red-backed vole is probably the most numerous mammal in Maine. It lives in all types of forest; coniferous, deciduous, and mixed growth. Since Maine is 90 percent forest land, there is a lot of acreage available to these red-backed voles. This species does not reach the high densities that the more prolific meadow vole does, however, and does not experience such great pressures to wander and explore new possibilities for home sites. Along the coast, it is found only on the larger islands close to the mainland. Although it is usually smaller and seems to have a more gentle nature than the ''rough-and-tough'' meadow

forest floor, tunneling into the leaf litter and upper layers of humus. They are better able to climb than the other microtines, but do so only occasionally. Like other voles and lemmings, they are active all winter long under the protective and insulating layer of snow. This species can be recognized by its reddish color. It is our only small mammal that has a

'Burrow Cross-sectio rich, rusty-red back. They are most active at night. When they are abundant, they are an important food item for all of the forest predatory birds and mammals.

he yellow-nosed or rock vole is generally considered

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

to be a northern mammal which requires a cold climate. In Maine, it had previously been recorded from only four localities, all on or close to high mountaintops, including the alpine tundra of Mount Katahdin. A few years ago, the expansion of the Sugarloaf Mountain ski area brought this rare species into some prominence because vole lovers feared that one of the few populations in our state would be wiped out. This summer, to my great astonishment, I found rock voles living in the lower forest of Baxter State Park-in mature hardwood forests and in areas of spruce and fir killed by the spruce budworm. Besides, they are living side by side with meadow voles, which at one time were thought to be mutually exclusive competitors. This find raises many questions about

vole ecology and the interrelations of the various species. The yellow-nosed vole looks very much like the meadow vole, except for its distinctly colored nose. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind when I picked one up from my line of mouse traps. It could be that the yellow nose serves as a distinguishing mark for these two closely related, sometimes overlapping, species, to tell one another apart. he pine vole has been collected in a few places west of our border, in New

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

Hampshire. It has its northern limit there, with its center of abundance from Maryland south to Georgia. It can be told apart from the other voles by its shorter tail-less than an inch long-and by its color. It has shorter, smoother fur than either the meadow vole or redbacked vole, and is a uniform brownish color rather than the darker gray of the former or reddish of the latter species. Pine voles, despite the name, like hardwood forests and grassland habitats. They dig into the ground more than other microtines, actually spending some of their time underground. In New York State, they have become real pests in orchards, eating so much of the bark from the roots of fruit trees that the trees cannot survive. It is just a matter of time, I am quite sure, before one of these pine voles is found in York or Cumberland County. The species is probably moving slowly northward, as are some other mammals and birds (the opossum, the cottontail rabbit, and the vulture, for example). The person who first recognizes a pine vole in Maine is due for a genuine thrill, avid congratulations, and secret envy from all the small mammal enthusiasts of the state!

'Bo9 femmi119 he southern bog lemming is a scarce animal; wherever it has been found, it exists in very small numbers. Cold sphagnum bogs are favorite places of these obscure rodents. They may also live in various types of forests, meadows, and marshes. Even the ardent small mammal collector may never come across a bog lemming in New England after a lifetime of looking at mice and voles; chances are slim that you will ever see one. Bog lemmings look much like meadow voles, except for a short tail (under an inch long, compared to the two-inch tail of the meadow vole). If there is any doubt, look very closely at the two top incisor teeth, preferably with a magnifying glass. In the bog lemmings, those two front gnawing teeth of the upper jaw have a shallow but distinct groove running down the entire length. In the voles, these teeth are smooth on the surface. Bog lemmings make runways through the moss and grass. Little piles of grass stems (two to three inches long) in these runways will tell you that bog lemmings have recently been there.

he northern bog lemming can be distinguished from the southern species only by some features of the bone and tooth structure; this requires close examination of the skull. There is no question that the two are different species, however. In all of New England, the northern bog lemming has been captured only on the top of Mount Katahdin in Maine and on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, in the alpine tundra

portions of these high peaks. The Maine record dates back to 1902, when a hard-working, adventurous scientist collected two specimens of this northern species on August 28 and 30, after five weeks of mammal collecting on the mountain. They may live on other mountain peaks along with the yellow-nosed vole, or they may have disappeared from the state by now. This northern species is probably a leftover from the time, about 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, when the last glaciers were retreating from Maine. There is so much more to be learned about these voles and lemmings. It is easy to go beyond the collecting stage, to spare the lives of these creatures while studying and observing them in their daily lives. Voles readily enter small live traps, and can be marked and recaptured over and over again. From such studies, we have found that female meadow voles retain private territories while they rear their young, but often move into communal nests after breeding is over. Males overlap

during their breeding travels, and exhibit much aggression in their search for females. The juveniles are the segment of the population which have the strong urge to disperse from home, and travel in search of greener pastures. The big questions of social biology of mammals-what evolutionary forces created particular forms of male-female interrelations? how is social behavior related to predation? how does parental behavior shape the habits of the young? how does social organization shape the unique ecological niche of each species?-can all be answered by better understanding of groups of animals such as the micro tine rodents. Each of the microtine species is unique in many details of life other than the color of its fur and length of its tail. This realization and recognition of the variety of life is transformed in the mind of the beholder into appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the natural world. Scientists feel this as intensely as everyone else. â&#x20AC;˘ Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

/ '

r;om the Fly Tying

THE PROFESSOR Bench AND THE GRIZZLY KING

WET FLIES #3 & #4

by Peter G. Walker ABOUT THE FLIES In this age of specialized materials and even more specialized flies, many anglers consider the wet fly nearly obsolete. While it has lost much of its former popularity, it is most certainly not obsolete. In the hands of a knowledgeable fly caster, the wet fly is perhaps the deadliest of all types. Increasingly fewer fly tiers ever bother to learn to tie wet flies. Often, these flies are quickly passed over during the learning process. Trendy fly tiers obsessed with current fads and space-age materials frequently dismiss the old-time wets as 11 simple.'' But in truth, the quill-winged wets are among the most difficult to tie properly. I have selected a pair of the more basic, traditional wet fly patterns for this issue. The Professor and the Grizzly King, both ancient English patterns

that perform well on Maine trout, are identical in structure but different in color composition (see patterns J. These pleasing-to-the-eye classics have accounted for many a Maine brook trout during the past century, and will still produce well if handled correctly. THE PATTERNS HOOK: heavy wire standard wet fly, sizes #6-#12 THREAD: black TAIL: bright red hackle fibers RIBBING: The Professor, narrow flat gold tinsel; The Grizzly King, narrow flat silver tinsel BODY: The Professor, yellow floss; The Grizzly King, bright green floss HACKLE: The Professor, natural brown; The Grizzly King, silver badger WING: mallard flank

Secure first the ribbing, then the body material, to the shank. If you attach these materials along the entire body portion of the shank, you will be able to shape a level or tapered body without obstacle. Bring the tying thread forward to the head.

3 Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

After starting the tying thread on the base of the shank with a few overlapping wraps, lash a few hackle fibers on to make the tail. A tiny drop of thin lacquer on the wrappings after each step will make the fly far more durable.

Form the body with careful wraps of floss. The fine-stranded composition of floss allows you to form a taper if desired. Secure the remaining floss with thread and trim off excess.

Select a hackle with soft fibers one and one-half to two times the distance between hook shank and point. Prepare the hackle by trimming of the fuzzy base and separating fibers by rubbing them the wrong way with thumb and forefinger. Attach the base of the stem to the hook shank with thread as shown.

With thumb and forefinger, pull the fibers downward and backward and hold them in this position while fixing them with thread.

Complete the head with carefully positioned wraps of thread, and add at least one finishing coat of lacquer. Shown are a finished Professor at upper left and a Grizzly King at lower right. Hard to see the difference in black and white!

Over the body, make careful, evenly spaced wraps of tinsel to form the ribbing . Secure this material and trim off excess.

Attach hackle pliers to the tip of the hackle and wind it only once or twice around the shank. The individual fibers should spaly outward in an even arc. Secure the remaining hackle with thread and trim off excess.

7 Bunch together the fibers of a mallard flank feather. Position this so that it curves downward above the shank with the tips extending about halfway out the tail; secure with several firm wraps of thread. Carefully trim off the remaining feather and add a small amount of lacquer to the wraps.

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS '84 DEER SEASON SET Maine's 1984 deer hunting season will be four weeks long, with uniform opening and closing dates statewide, and with antlered-deeronly restrictions in effect in southern areas through much or all of the firearms season. The season will run from October 29 to November 24, with October 27 included for Maine residents only. The special archery season will be October 1-26. Only deer with a minimum antler length of three inches may be taken during the firearms season, including resident-only day, in eastern and western districts of the Southern Zone. The same restriction applies to the remainder of the Southern Zone for the first three weeks of the season, with deer of either sex becoming legal quarry there on November 19. All zone and district lines remain the same as last year. The NorthernSouthern zone line is the Canadian Pacific Railroad.

The Eastern District of the Southern zone consists of coastal portions of Hancock and Washington counties and a small section of southern Penobscot. The Western District includes all of Oxford, Cumberland, and York counties; most of Franklin; western half of Androscoggin; southwestern portion of Somerset; and a small portion of Sagadahoc County. The changes in this year's deer season regulations-an additional week of hunting in the Southern Zone, uniform dates statewide, and more area restricted to ''bucksonly' '-are an attempt not only to increase the deer population in certain areas but also to minimize hunter movement from one area of the state to another for a longer season or either-sex hunting. Wildlife biologists do not feel that the lengthened season in the Southern Zone will be detrimental to the herd re-building effort, as any increase in the kill would be limited to adult bucks.

FISH STOCKING MAKES NEWS The stocking of fish into Maine's waterways is so commonplace it rarely attracts even local news coverage. Two stockings this spring, though, captured the attention of national media. Once classified among the 10worst-polluted streams in the United States, the Androscoggin River made news of a different sort in June when the Fish and Wildlife Department stocked it in the Lewiston-Auburn area with 12,000 brown trout. The experimental stocking was a newsworthy milestone in the river's remarkable clean-up-an environmental success reported nationwide with stories and photos by the news services. Also in June, a crew from CBS television news spent several days covering an unusual stocking carried out on the St. Croix and East Machias rivers by the Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission. Using a CBS helicopter, they followed the action as helicopters from the Georgia-Pacific Corporation and the Maine Department of Conservation carried salmon parr to remote areas of the rivers in fire-fighting water buckets. The videotaped sequences are to be part of a feature story on efforts to restore runs of Atlantic salmon in Maine rivers.

PERSONNEL NOTES

The department's wild turkey program has received a donation of a capture net and a set of rockets from the Maine Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. The chapter, located in South Windham, has been cooperating with the department for the past several years towards the reestablishment of turkeys in Maine. Wildlife Biologist Phil Bozenhard, shown with the donated device which is used to capture birds from wild flocks, reports that trapping efforts this year were hampered by the mild winter. Captured in York County, 11 birds were released in Sedgwick and four birds on Long Island in Blue Hill Bay. Future relocations will concentrate on unoccupied habitat in the southern and central coastal areas of the state.

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

Retired chief game warden William "Jack" Shaw of Strong, died in May following a long illness. He was 69. Shaw retired in 1974 after a 34-year career with the department's Warden Service. He had worked up through the ranks, from district game warden to the top post in the Warden Service, which he held for four years. He is survived by his widow, Flora, three sons and two daughters. Other Fish and Wildlife Department personnel news since the last issue include a retirement and a promotion in the Hatchery Division, and a retirement and the resignation of

the assistant chief in the Wildlife Division. Retiring as manager of the Enfield fish hatchery following a 32-year career in the hatchery system was Norman E. Philbrick; he had worked at several hatcheries and had been manager at Enfield since 1970. Promoted to succeed Philbrick was Paul A. Paradis, a 10-year employee at Enfield. In the Wildlife Division, Henry S. Carson, a 32-year career wildlife biologist, retired; he had most recently been the regional biologist in Region C, Machias headquarters. Lee E. Perry, assistant chief of the Wildlife Division for 11 of his 14 years with department, resigned in May to take an administrative position with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Among Hutchinson's first tasks will be to assess Maine's nongame wildlife, and formulate a list of species considered rare, threatened or endangered in Maine . Each species of special concern will have a detailed management plan developed. Maine nongame wildlife includes over 400 species of birds, 35 species of mammals, 1 7 species of reptiles and 18 species of amphibians which are natural to the state.

NONGAME WILDLIFE UPDATE

Incomplete figures available at press time from the Bureau of Taxation show that taxpayers voluntarily contributed more than $110,000 to Maine's new nongame wildlife fund . Legislation enacted last year allows Maine income taxpayers to donate a portion of their refunds to the nongame program, which will focus its attention on the species of wildlife that are not pursued for sport or profit-the so-called "poor cousins" of the wildlife world, so named because they have never shared the funding priorities that game species have had through revenues from sportsmen's license sales. Named in June to be the nongame program's first project leader was Alan E. Hutchinson, a wildlife biologist with the department since 1973. Hutchinson holds a master's degree in wildlife science from the University of Maine at Orono. Until taking his new position, he had been the department's marine study leader, responsible for the development and implementation of a program for managing marine wildlife on the Maine coast and coastal islands.

1984 LICENSE FEES RESIDENT Hunting (16 and older) $ 11.00 Fishing (16 and older) 11.00 Combination Hunting and Fishing (16 and older) 20.00 Supersport 30.00 Junior Hunting (10 to 15 years inclusive) 3.00 Combination Fishing and Archery Hunting (16 and older) 20.00 Serviceman (resident) Combination Hunting 7.00 and Fishing 11.00 Archery Hunting (16 and older) 25.00 Trapping (16 and older) Junior Trapping (10 to 15 years inclusive) 5.00 Guide (18 and older) 36.00

NONRESIDENT CITIZEN Big Game Hunting (10 and older) Season Fishing (16 and older) Junior Season Fishing (12 to 15 incl.) 15-day Fishing 7-day Fishing 3-day Fishing Combination Hunting and Fishing (16 and older) Small Game Hunting (16 and older) Junior Small Game Hunting (10 to 15 years inclusive) Archery Hunting (16 and older) Guide (18 and older) Trapping (any age)

73.00 38.00 5.00 26.00 22.00 11.00 99.00 43.00 23.00 43.00 138.00 300.00

NONRESIDENT ALIEN Big Game Hunting (10 and older) Season Fishing Combination Hunting and Fishing (10 and older) Small Game Hunting (10 and older Archery Hunting (16 and older) Guide (18 and older)

113.00 58.00 152.00 58.00 58.00 163.00

ANSWER TO THE KID-BITS PUZZLE

BLACK DUCKS FEATURED ON MAINE'S FIRST DUCK STAMP Symbolic of Maine's leading role in the effort to halt the species' longterm population decline, a pair of black ducks are featured on the state's first migratory waterfowl stamp . The $2.50 stamp will be required of all duck and goose hunters age 16 and older this fall. The stamp requirement was part of a department funding bill enacted earlier this year by the Maine legislature. Maine thus becomes the 30th state with a stamp requirement for waterfowl hunters, who must also purchase a $7.50 federal duck stamp. The SO-year-old federal program has provided funds for the purchase of 3. 5 million acres of wetland waterfowl habitat. Maine's program will generate revenue not only from the sale of stamps to hunters and stamp collectors but also through sales of limited edition prints of the stamp art, numbered and individually signed by the artist . David A. Maass, one of the nation's leading waterfowl artists, created the black duck design for Maine's first duck stamp. Among Maass's many accomplishments are the winning designs in the 1974 and 1982 federal duck stamp competitions, and selection as the Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year Award in 1974. Maass was selected to design Maine's first waterfowl stamp by the

Maine Fish and Wildlife-Summer 1984

epartment's contracted publisher, ild Wings, Inc., which will co- blish and jointly manage the proction and national marketing of e limited edition print program .ith L.L. Bean, Inc. The stamps will be available for urchase early in September from aine hunting license agents, or through the department's Augusta office . The fall issue of Maine Fish and ildlife will feature a color illustra.on of the stamp art and information on purchase of the art prints.

HUNTER TRAINING QUIRED AFTER NEXT YEAR Anyone planning to hunt for the t time in Maine after January 1, 6, must first complete a hunter ty training course . fish and Wildlife Commissioner enn Manuel says that ''while this dline may seem a long time off, it not too early for those intered-particularly young people who · be joining the ranks of hunters year-to begin making plans to e the course." afety Officer Gary Anderson says and for gun safety training is , and courses are being booked rapidly. He advises anyone inested in taking a course to get in ch with local school systems or _ rtsmen's groups, which may be , ering one. Or they may contact his ·ce in the department's Augusta eadquarters. Persons who have held any adult ' unting license in any year since 97 6 are exempt from the requirement . Juveniles may continue to purchase a junior hunting license until they have to buy their first adult hunting license; if this is after January 1, 1986, they will be required ro show proof of having successfully assed a hunter safety course . Anderson says Maine, as a member of the North American Association of Hunter Safety Coordinators, will ecognize all programs and adult ·censes from other member states, Canadian provinces, and nations. Thirty-two states and seven Cana.an provinces now require hunter education.

1984 MAINE WARDEN SERVICE ACADEMY Seventeen weeks of intensive - and at times, exhaustive - warden training ended in April for nine Maine game wardens, three Penobscot Indian Nation wardens, one Passamaquoddy Indian Nation warden and one marine patrol officer from the Department of Marine Resources. In total, they had received 825 hours of instruction in over 100 courses with over 70 instructors. The first 14 weeks of warden training were held at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Waterville. This location was selected because of its law enforcement atmosphere and excellent training facilities . While there, the wardens received classroom instruction in subjects important to a conservation law enforcement officer - search and seizure, constitutional law, rules of evidence, public speaking, courtroom procedure, first aid, firearms, fish and wildlife laws and accident investigation, to name but a few. Instructors were specialists from various state and federal agencies, as well as other subject matter experts. From the Criminal Justice Academy, the warden school class moved to the University of Maine at Orono for one week. During this week the wardens learned to identify various species of plants, trees, fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. This training was "hands-on," where the wardens could both see and handle the specimens they were studying. They also were introduced to the principles and techniques of fish and wildlife management. Instruction was provided by staff experts from the Fish and Wildlife Department and the University of Maine. The final two weeks of warden training took place on Swan Island, a state wildlife management area in the Kennebec River near Richmond. Because of its limited access, and the roads, fields, ponds, woods and wildlife it offers, Swan Island is an excellent training site, where the wardens can apply what they learn in the classroom phase of their education. On the island they were placed in situations which would prepare them for similar situations in the field, including enforcement of hunting and fishing laws and accident investigation. With assistance from the Maine Trappers Association, the wardens also learned trapping methods - both legal and illegal. And they took to Kennebec River to get checked out on proper boat handling and safety equipment. Because one of the duties of a Maine game warden is to look for people who become lost in the woods of Maine, the field portion of the warden training included search and rescue techniques, both day and night. With the cooperation of the U.S. Navy and a helicopter crew from the Brunswick Naval Air Station , the wardens also learned the proper techniques for working around helicopters and evacuation of injured persons by helicopter. The nature of a game warden's work requires top physical conditioning. To that end, the Maine Warden Service Academy incorporated a physical fitness program throughout the entire 17 weeks. Regular calisthenics, stretching exercises and running - on one occasion for 10 miles - were part of the warden 's regimen. Graduation from the Warden Service Academy came on April 26, 1984, and featured outdoor writer Gene Letourneau as the guest speaker. Graduates from the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department were: Brian Cain, Philip Dugas, Gary Dumond, Timothy Liscomb, Timothy Peabody, Albert St. Saviour, Roland Tilton, John Whalen and Neal Wykes. The Penobscot Indian Nation graduates were: Frank Loring, Kirk Loring and Blaine Fields. From the Passamaquoddy Indian Nation, the warden graduating was Edward Bassett. The graduating marine patrol officer, from the Department of Marine Resources, was Seth Higgins . - Sgt. Langdon F. Chandler Warden Service Training Coordinator

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

284 State St.

Small whorled pogonia (left), one of the rarest orchids in eastern North America, and Calypso bulbosa (right), a two-inch high orchid which blooms in northern cedar forests in May. Photos by Greg Cranna.

Sta. #41

Augusta, Maine 04333