Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Spring 1986 by Maine State Library

River Otter

Photo Â© Leonard Lee Rue I

NIAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE VOL. 2.8, NO. 1

SPRING 1986

Governor Joseph E. Brennan

Department or Inland Fisheries and WOdllfe Glenn H. Manuel, OJmmissiOMr Norman B. Trask, Deputy °""1niul0Mr Frederick B. Hurley, Jr., Director Btuwll, o f ~ Management Peter C. Brazier, Director Btuwll, <fAdmlnistrr.rtiw Se~ John F. Marsh, Director Bureau <f Manlen Se~

Advisory Council

Features Warden Humor: Always A Chuckle

by Eric Wight

ATVs: Where Are They Going?

by Gary Anderson

Maine Rivers: The Dead River

Fnncis D. Dunn, Patten Chairman Nathan Cohen, &stport Rodney W. Ross, Bruwnvllk Marc Piourde, F.agk I.au Carroll York, Jllost liJrlrs Lawrence Hawkes, Lincoln F. Paul Frinsko, Portland Asa 0. Holmes, Belfast

Maine Fish and Wildlife Mapzlne W. Thomas Shoener, Editor Thomas J. Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor

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

by Forrest Bonney

Atlantic Salmon: A Progress Report by Edward T. Baum

Managing Some Very Special Resources! by Stephen w Spencer Where Once There Were None by Stewart J. Bristol

Nongame Project Report: Reptiles And Amphibians from an article by John Albright

Big Fish/Biggest Fish!

11 13 16 18

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THE COVERS Front: Wary gobbler. Painting by Gene Whitney, Whitney Studios. See related article beginning on page 16. Back: Spotted turtle. Photo by John Albright. See related article beginning on page 18.

Ga,ne Warden Hu111or

Always a Chuckle by Eric Wight

Editor's Note: Among their other qualities, Maine game wardens as a group have a particularly keen appreciation for humorous incidents. Their work with people and wildlife normally provides a fertile source of comical incidents, but when things do chance to be dull for a while, wardens are reputed to be adept at creating their own diversions, often by pulling pranks on one another. Experiencing these funny situations, and then telling the tales, may serve to relieve the pressures and tensions involved with being a law enforcement officer. The following collection of game warden humor is excerpted, with permission, from the new book, Maine Game Wardens: authored by now-retired Warden Sergeant Eric Wight of Rumford Point. The oversized, hardcover book contains numerous true stories Wight collected from active and retired game wardens - not only humorous incidents, but tales of perilous search and rescue missions, poachers, the early days of game law enforcement, warden pilots and warden wives, and candid advice for those who aspire to become a game warden. Ordering information for Maine Game Wanfens is found at the end of the article.

W.EN

I FIRST went to work as a game warden, several other young fellows went on at the same time; it was September, with hunting season just around the comer. The following February, we attended the annual Warden School, then a two-week affair at Camp Keyes in Augusta, and those of us who were new would often get together and talk over our first fall as wardens. The big score of Warden Dick Hennessey's fall was finding a camp in a clearing way back in the woods somewhere in his Monticello district. He had located it in October, and

suspected it might be a good place to catch someone Sunday hunting when deer season came. Come November, he got up early one Sunday morning and walked back in to the camp. Sure enough, the camp was occupied. He found a place behind a spruce tree at the edge of the clearing, and began his vigil. By noon, no one had left, other than to make the occasional trip to the outhouse. The afternoon wore on, and it grew colder and windy. It started to snow. His feet began to grow cold, and eventually he was shivering all over, but still he stayed. Finally, around three o'clock, a man walked out on the porch and hollered: "Hey, young fella, why don't you come in and get warm? No one is going hunting from this camp today." He did, and all had a good laugh at his expense. That is the beauty of our cat-and-mouse game sometimes the laugh is on us. We do not always win, by any means. Many people think wardens must have eyes like eagles. There is one man you would have an especially hard time convincing otherwise. Warden Duane Lewis once checked a fisherman on Grand Lake Stream. After chatting with him awhile, Duane asked him if he was alone. "Oh, no," he replied. "My buddy is downstream, somewhere around the corner." "What is his name?" asked Duane. "Stanley Wasaloski," said the man. "Where's he from?" quizz.ed Duane. "Sanford;' replied the fisherman. "Thanks a lot;' said Duane. Downstream a ways, Duane found the man wearing chest waders, fishing far out in a pool some distance from shore. The man noticed Duane standing on shore and hollered, "I suppose you want to see my license, don't you?" "Yes," hollered Duane, "but you don't have to come all the way over here. Just hold it up so I can see if' With a somewhat puzzled look, the man fumbled for his wallet inside his waders. He opened it and held up his license. Duane

squinted and shaded his eyes with one hand. "Stanley Wasaloski, Sanford, Maine. Okay, thanks a lot," he hollered, then left. The man looked at his license, shook his head, and put it back in his wallet.

. .

More often than not, though, it is the simplest, most spontaneous incidents that get us laughing the hardest. Many years ago, Warden Basil Closson walked into a back-woods trout pond. He had carried in a small canoe. Upon arriving, he saw a canoe on the pond with three occupants, two of whom were fishing. The third was asleep in the bottom of the canoe. As Basil prepared to paddle out, one of the men hollered to him. "We've been driving all night and would like to have breakfast. Is it permissible to build a fire on shore?" "It's okay by me," Basil answered. "Come on over." At this point, the man asleep in the canoe stood up and stretched; Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

then, apparently in his half-awake stupor, he assumed they had landed and stepped over the side into the pond, which was quite deep at that spot. His companions, in their hilarity, nearly upset the canoe while fishing him out. They finally made shore, and all four men had another great laugh. Don't you wish you could get to see something like that, just once?

We all know how our best-laid plans can sometimes go afoul. Wardens are in no way immune from this phenomenon. Merrymeeting Bay is, by far, Maine's best-known duck-hunting area. Each fall, hunters arrive here in numbers that at times appear to exceed the ducks. The potential here is tremendous for violations ranging from early shooting, taking over the limit, and late shooting. Therefore, teams of wardens traditionally are called in to hopefully keep violations to a minimum. On one occasion, the day's hunt had drawn to a close. Hunters had gathered their toilers and, as near as wardens could tell, there were only two parties left. It got later and later, and still the parties stayed. The wardens watched them, expecting that one or the other group would shoot late. It eventually got too dark to shoot, so everyone left, including the wardens. When the wardens beached their boat at the Bowdoinham camp, all three groups met, and discovered that three groups of wardens had all been watching one another. It sure was nice when we all got walkie-talkies.

MAINE HUMOR is noted for being rather dry, as you know. The closer to the coast you go, the drier it seems to get; it must be the salt air. Several years ago, a law was passed that made it illegal to use an artificial light to illuminate wild birds or game after a certain date in the fall. An old man in Warden Leonard Ritchie's Lubec district had raised a large garden, which he had harvested. Included in the garden was a turnip patch, which he had left, as one does with turnips. Several deer had discovered the tops, which they love, and were coming nightly to feed on them. The garden was in a rel'T!ote area, and the deer were fairly vulnerable to night hunters. Leonard spent many hours that fall watching the turnip patch and apprehended several violators, which pleased the old man immensely, as he liked having the deer around. One day late into the fall, Leonard met the old fellow in the local store. "Say, young fella," he said, "you must be 'bout done with my turnips. Okay if I take 'em up?" In another incident, a local old-timer complained to Leonard that a bear had gotten into his beehives. "Why don't you set a bear trap?" Leonard asked. "I ain't got one," he replied, "but by Gawd, I know where there is one. That's what

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

I'll do." A day or two later, Leonard saw him and asked how he had made out with the bear trap. "Not very well," he answered. "I set it that night. When I went up in the mornin', there was a rabbit in it. Sitting right on the pan he was. Gawd, warn't he caught some solid." Retired Chief Warden Alanson "Mickey" Noble once had a friend who had a fox farm years ago. One day a car stopped, and two ladies walked over to the pen to admire the foxes. The man who owned the farm walked over. "Oh, what beautiful animals," one lady remarked. ''Ayuh, they ain't too bad;' said the man. "Tell me something;' she said, "How often do you pelt those foxes?" Definitely amused, but not wanting to embarrass her in front of her friend, he replied, "Oh, 'bout once a year, as a rule. Makes 'em goddamned nervous, too." Usually several times in a warden's career, someone will not recognize him when he is out of uniform - and sometimes even when he is wearing it. The results can be hilarious. Several wardens and myself were attending a trappers' field day in Bethel one time. There were at least 200 people milling about. Several wardens, a rather devious Baxter State Park ranger named Tom Chase, Monty Washburn, and myself were standing in a group. As we talked, I saw a man I knew coming my way. I could not place him or put a name on him, but recognized him as someone I had known for some reason somewhere. He stuck out his hand, and we all shook it. "I'm glad to see you fellows turn out;' he said. "I think it's great. I don't seem to know any of you fellows, but I do know a couple of game wardens." "Really," I asked, "who are they?" "Well," he said, "I know Rod Sirois." "Yes," I said, "I know Rod." "I know Eric Wight," he said. "You know Eric? Hell, I know him, too," I replied. "Do you?" he asked. "Oh sure," I said. I shot a glance at Monty, who was now looking up in the sky. My friend Chase then offered, "I heard he's a.mean sonovabitch." "Oh, well, he's not too bad," says the man. "He pinched me once years ago for over the limit of smelts. It was my own fault, though. He's okay." At this point I crossed my arms to cover my name tag, and shot another glance at Washburn, hoping for some help. No help from him. He was back-to, now, with his shoulders moving up and down in silent laughter and wiping his eyes with his handkerchief. As quick as he had come, the man said, "See you later, boys, gotta go." "Bye, it's been fun talking with you," I answered.

THINGS OF THIS NATURE happen off and on, but in terms of humor would be called soft-core, I suspect. The rough stuff seems to happen between the wardens themselves. One obviously cannot play very rough on the general public, so the fun is made amongst ourselves. Fall and the long nights can sometimes be brightened up and made more tolerable with a little fun . A game warden who is prone to going to sleep can usually expect something unusual to happen to him before long. If he is lucky, it might be something mild, like having the batteries in his flashlight replaced by sand. I know of one warden who had this done to him and discovered the apparent case of dead batteries when he got home. He proceeded to dump them on the bed so as to replace them with fresh ones, but reportedly his wife did not appreciate the charge of sand dumped on her bed, especially since she was already in it. The story goes that this same warden was asleep in the back of another warden's car one night when they pulled in to drop him off at home. The warden driving the car lurched to a sudden stop. Flinging the doors open, the two wardens in front hollered, "There they 3

are. Get 'em!" Instantly up but not fully awake, the back-seat warden rushed over and yanked the door open on his own car. Nice guys. Âˇ Several wardens were once staying in the old Naples warden camp during the smelt run. Per usual, you stumbled into camp wet and cold in the early hours of the morning, wanting only to get in your sleeping bag, get warm, and go to sleep. As frequently happens in any group of men, no matter who they are, one does not fit. On this occasion, it was a warden who, in Warden Raymond Curtis's words, had to "fart around for half an hour; washing his face, brushing his teeth, shaving, and putting his pajamas on before turning out the light and being still." Several steps were taken to assure this man how much he was appreciated. These measures included putting a baby porcupine in his sleeping bag, oleomargarine in the crotch of his pajamas, and fox scent in his after-shave lotion. One by one he discovered these, and without a word packed his wanigan to leave. He left in such a huff that when his car fetched up on the 30-foot hawser rope tied to his bumper, I guess he damn near broke his neck. It goes without saying that he never came down to work the smelt run again. Warden camps have always been a great spot for this type of fun. Another story involved several wardens spending the night in the Albany camp years ago. One warden wore false teeth. Upon retiring, he placed his teeth in a glass of water. After he had gone to sleep, another warden, who had been an undertaker's assistant prior to becoming a warden, replaced them with another set he had been saving for just such an occasion. The following morning, when the warden arose, he grabbed his teeth, popped them in his mouth, and stepped outside to relieve himself. As he stood there doing so, he gnashed on the teeth. He took them out several times, examined them, and put them back in - to no avail. "Well, dammit, they always did fit," he cursed. The camp erupted in laughter. "Here, try these," someone hollered. Knowing he'd been had, he stormed back inside. No sir, the Warden Service is no place for someone who cannot take a joke.

HuMOR - like beauty, I suppose - is in the eye of the beholder: it is always funnier if it happens to someone else. However, on this job at least, it is essential to be able to laugh at yourself from time to time. And, sooner or later, it will be your turn. Some stories take on an almost legendary status. One of those that comes to mind involved some wardens who were watching a camp full of Canadians one night whom they suspected were night hunting in the choppings near by. One of the wardens present spoke French, so it was suggested that he get close to the camp to listen; it would be helpful to know if the conversation inside the camp included any mention of night hunting. He crept alongside the camp. Through a window he could observe and listen quite well. At some point, a man suddenly slid his chair back from the table and started for the door. Not wishing to be discovered, the warden quickly knelt down and crawled under the camp. In doing so, he made a noise as he crawled over some old boards. The fellows in the camp heard this, and he heard them decide it must be a porcupine. Someone quickly grabbed the teakettle from the stove and began pouring hot water through the cracks in the floor above where they thought the varmint was to drive him away. It worked, so they say. 4

Occasionally, you never get to be in on the actual culmination of some prank or incident, and can only chuckle and wonder at the final outcome. Once, my fellow warden Elmer Knowlton and I were attempting to take a shortcut over a rough road that eventually led to the good road we wanted. After bouncing over rocks and ruts for about two miles, we had come within 200 yards from the good road. At this point, we came to a pup tent pitched squarely in the middle of the road. There was no room to go around. No one seemed to be there, but camping gear was left in and around the tent. Elmer and I both had the same idea. After pulling all the poles and removing the bags and mattresses, we moved the pots

and pans aside, laid the tent down flat, and drove over it. Then we carefully put the tent poles back, put everything back inside, replaced the pots and pans, and continued on. Everything was exactly as they had left it, with the exception of two dusty tire tracks across the tent. "Bet they won't sleep so good tonight," Elmer chuckled.

NE MIGHT ORDINARILY assume that within the halls of our judicial system, there is not much room for humor. This, however, is far from true. Some real gems occur in these places. Wardens and attorneys meet in court along with the judge day in and day out, attempting to resolve someone's predicament according to the guidelines of our judicial system. In many cases, the matter is settled by plea-bargaining between the attorneys and never reaches the courtroom. No matter how sincere are our attempts at maintaining the impression of the seriousness of the matter at hand, sooner or later something amusing is bound to happen. On one occasion, a warden was on the stand giving testimony in a night hunting case. He had testified that the vehicle in question had stopped and a light had been shown into a field. "How long would you say the light was visible?" asked the defense attorney. "About a minute," the warden replied. "Couldn't it have been half a minute?" asked the attorney. "No, it was a minute," replied the warden. "How do you know it was a minute?" queried the attorney. "I just do," said the warden. "This is amazing," said the attorney. "With the court's permission, I'd like to have the warden demonstrate his amazing ability to estimate time so precisely." The judge nodded. "When I say go;' said the attorney, "I'd like you to tell me when you think a minute has passed. Go!" said the attorney as he looked at his watch. "Now;' said the warden. The attorney shook his head. "You're right," he exclaimed. "One minute exactly." There were no more Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

questions along that line, and the case continued. Eventually the subjects were convicted of night hunting. After the trial, the attorney approached the warden in the hall. "Well, you got me on that one," he remarked. "I'm curious, though; how the hell do you do that? Do you count to yourself, or what?" With a grin, the warden led him down the hall to the courtroom door. "See that?" he said as he pointed to a large clock with a sweep second hand hung on the back wall of the room.

• •

Even judges are not completely above courtroom humor. One evening just prior to dark many years ago, I had retrieved a pheasant from the trunk of a fellow's car and summonsed him to Calais Court for possession of the pheasant in closed season. A day or two previously, we had released a number of pheasants in this area. Unfortunately, this particular man, who spent his days working in a large truck garden near by, had yielded to the temptation and shot one. The judge asked him why he had done this. He explained that during that morning, as he worked, he had from time to time noticed this object down at the end of one of the rows. "What was this object you speak of?" asked the judge. "Well, to be perfectly honest, I didn't know what it was, Your Honor," he replied. "What did you think it might be?" said the judge. "I thought it might be a porcupine;' he answered. "Really?" said the judge. "Yep," he replied. "Tell me, have you had trouble with porcupines eating your garden?" quizzed the judge. "Nope, not yet;' he said. "So you shot it," said the judge. "Yup, that's right, I did," he answered. "Well, after you shot it, did you know what it was then?" asked the judge. "Nope, I thought I'd take it home and ask somebody," he replied. "Look;' said the judge, "have you ever worn glasses?" "Nope," came the reply. "Well, listen," said the judge, "I strongly recommend that you make an appointment as soon as possible with a competent optometrist, because I sincerely believe you must need glasses. The court finds you guilty, and that will be 50 dollars." Sometimes it is very difficult to keep a straight face until you get outside.

. .

This courtroom incident got a lot of chuckles from everyone except the attorneys. One winter day, I had been patrolling in a plane with Warden Pilot Dick Varney. Upon our return landing, we taxied over to my vehicle. As we drew near, I observed some sort of a lump under the cover of my snowmobile. "Don't leave yet," I advised him. "Lord knows what it is." I loosened the cover and reached underneath, and grabbed whatever it was and yanked it out. Well, I would have guessed it was quite a lot of things before I would have arrived at an artificial leg, complete with harness. It was a beauty, flesh-colored and all. Dick shook his head and took off, leaving me to admire my new acquisition. At this point, the joke was on me; I even had someone in mind as the perpetrator. But, if you do not wear one, there is not

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

much you can do with something like this; I doubt if it would even sell at a yard sale. There had to be some use for it, however. The following Monday morning, I took it to court. Arriving early I took it into the room where the officers and attorneys congregated each morning prior to court. Several officers showed up, and we all chuckled over my good fortune. After a while, a lawyer arrived and, following some chitchat, got his eye on the prosthesis, which was stood upright in the corner. "What in hell is that doing here?" he exclaimed. "Well, I'll tell you:' I said. "I've been coming to court for many years, and time and time again I've seen you lawyers in here with some client who didn't have a leg to stand one. So, here's one for anyone who might need one." Decency will not allow me to repeat his comment. You do not get many chances like that.

• • • To conclude this chapter, I would like to relate an incident that I think may best illustrate just whan can happen to provide a little humor on what might have been an ordinary night in the lives of two game wardens. Warden Lloyd Davis, who had the Medway area years ago, was on foot with another warden one night. With their sleeping bags under their arms, they were on their way to watch some back fields that they had reason to suspect were being night-hunted from time to time. After crossing several fields, they came to one they knew a bull was pastured in. In the dark, they stopped at the fence to listen and look for the bull. To not cross this field meant added distance. Convinced that the bull was in another part of the pasture, they went over the fence and started across. "We got about halfway across," Lloyd recalls, "when we heard him coming. We ran like hell for the only tree in the field, which was a large skunk spruce, dropped our sleeping bags, and went up as high as we could. The bull snorted and pawed the ground, and we wished the tree was higher. He then discovered the sleeping bags on the ground. Mine was an old, ratty thing that had come out of a warden camp somewhere; the other fellow had a brand-new one he had hardly even used. Well, the bull pawed that new bag all to shreds, and never even looked at mine. Finally, the bull wandered off. Each time we thought he might be gone, we tried to get down. Then he'd hear the limbs cracking, and come charging back. That cussed bull kept us up there till dam near daylight. That was a long, cold night, let me tell you!"

MAINE GAME WARDENS This article was excerpted &om the book Maine Game Wardens. Author-autographed, first edition copies of Maine Game Wardens are available only through members of the Maine Warden Service. Mail order requests should be sent to Warden Jim Davis, 328 Shaker Road, Gray, Maine 04039. The price is $19.95 (Maine residents add 5 percent sales tax.) Add $2 for shipping and handling of one copy, $1 for each additional copy. Checks should be made payable to the Maine Warden Service Relief Association. Proceeds &om the sale of the book benefit the Association, which is a non-profit benevolent organization of active and retired Maine game wardens. Copies of the book not autographed by the author may be purchased locally in bookstores. 5

s: Where Are They Going? by Gary Anderson

D URING THE SECOND HALF of 1984, there were 92 accidents (none fatal) involving allterrain vehicles (ATVs) in Maine. In 1985, there were 222 ATV accidents - six of them fatals! And we've added 16 more accidents, one of them a fatal , so far in 1986. That's a total of 330 accidents, including 7 fatalities , from slightly more than 21 ,000 registered machines (21 ,279 as of 4/15/ 86) . What can be done? The basis for action has already been established - by the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) . This California-based national organization has sponsored safety programs for ATV operators for some time now; their program covers trail riding, laws, ethics, environmental awareness, navigation ("reading" the terrain) , operating to avoid problems, and , of course, basic safety. SVIA will certify about 3,000 in structors in 1986. Some of these will hopefully be Maine people, joining the ranks of those already certified here ; this group will form the nucleus of a statewide ATV safety team ,

The author is the department's recreational safety coordinator.

working with our existing network of 10 regional safety coordinators to implement a comprehensive program for ATV safety education. A new law, signed by Governor Joseph E. Brennan in April, makes several significant changes to Maine's ATV laws. Highlights of this new legislation are as follows : • The annual registration fee for ATVs is raised to $12, from $7. • Effective July 1, 1987, a person under 18 is required to successfully complete a training course approved by the Fish and Wildlife Department before operating an ATV on land other than that belonging to the operator or his or her parent or guardian . • Also effective July 1, 1987, the department may appoint agents (municipal clerks or other municipally designated agents) to issue ATV registrations. Agents may charge a fee, not to exceed $1, for each performance of this service. • Two license plates are now re quired for an ATV, one in front and one in the rear. • Monies received from registration of ATVs is to be allocated as follows: at least $2.50 from each registration to go to provide training and education to ATV operators (to assist them in complying with the requirements

which will become effective July 1, 1987; at least $4 from each registration to go to the ATV Recreation Management Fund; the remainder to go to the Fish and Wildlife Department for administration of the ATV laws. (Note: The ATV Recreation Management Fund may be used to conduct research related to the management of ATVs, assist in the formation of non-profit ATV groups, distribute funds to construct and maintain ATV trails, assist in the design and development of such trail systems, etc. Unexpended funds shall not lapse at the end of a fiscal year, but will carry over into succeeding years. The Maine Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks & Recreation , will administer this fund.) • Persons under 18 years of age must wear protective headgear when operating an ATV. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

wind. For purposes of this subchapter, "all-terrain vehicle" does not include a snowmobile; an airmobile; a construction or logging vehicle used in performance of its common functions; a farm vehicle used for farming purposes; a vehicle used exclusively for emergency, military, law enforcement or fire control purposes.

• Every ATV must have at least one headlight (white, capable of casting a beam 100 feet or more directly in front of the machine) and at least one red light visible from at least 100 feet behind the machine. (Note: ATVs manufactured without such lights are exempt from these requirements if Operated between sunrise and sunset.) • Operating an ATV on a salt marsh, intertidal zone, sand dune, cemetery or burying ground , freshwater marsh or bog, or alpine tundra is prohibited, other than on trails designated by the Maine Department of Conservation for ATV use. • ATVs may be operated on a public way for a maximum of 300 yards for purposes of crossing a public way; and for a maximum of 500 yards for purposes of crossing a bridge or overpass. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

Some of you may wonder specifically what is included in Maine's legal definition of "all-terrain vehicles." From the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, Section 7851 , paragraph 2:

All-terrain vehicle. "Allterrain vehicle" means a motor driven , off-road, recreational vehicle capable of crosscountry travel on land, snow, ice, marsh, swampland or other natural terrain. It includes, but is not limited to, a multi-track, multi-wheel or low pressure tire vehicle; a motorcycle or related 2-wheel, 3-wheel or belt-driven vehicle ; an amphibious machine; or other means of transportation deriving motive power from a source other than muscle or

As already stated, safety training for ATV operators under 18 years of age is mandatory. We must gear up now if we are to offer training sessions in time for operators to comply with the requirements which become effective July 1, 1987. It is greatly to our advantage that many ATV safety publications are already in print, and can be purchased quickly and inexpensively. Initial plans are to provide statewide programs on a "one-day" basis until we have been able to catch up with the demands for training; we can teach ATV safety on a largeclass "seminar" basis, for example, reaching many more students with one instructor, during this early stage of compliance with the July 1 mandate. After the peak demands have been met, courses will be offered on a "demand" basis. Maine will most likely adopt a program identical, or very similar, to that used by the SVIA, since one important consideration is reciprocity with programs and training requirements of other states.

M ANY

PEOPLE view our current problems with ATVs as more environmentally threatening than snowmobiles ever were. They cite, for example, the many more months of operation in each year, and the ground-breaking tendencies of knobby-faced, low pressure, off-road tires. In addition , the state felt , at least until the latest legislation was passed , a certain lack of control of what could be a serious developing problem. We feel now that we're ready to go! • 7

MILES

by Forrest Bonney Photos by Tom Carbone

, :ERE ARE FEW Maine river drainages as unknown to Mainers as the Dead River. Geography, after all, is often defined in human terms, and there is relatively little evidence of man in the area to help define the river's location. Located in northern Franklin and central Somerset counties, the river has no large population centers along its banks. Early settlement was discouraged when much of the land was bought up as timberland in the eighteenth century. Farming was difficult due to the rugged terrain and short growing seasons. And finally, the major settlement of the area was destroyed by the creation of Dead River Flowage (Flagstaff Lake) in 1950. Only two numbered state highways penetrate the entire drainage. Route 27 parallels the north branch from the Quebec border, and Route 16 parallels the south branch from Dallas Plantation, near Rangeley. The two branches, as well as the highways, merge in Eustis, the largest town in the drainage (pop. 5 79). Here, the rivers flow into Flagstaff Lake, a 22,833-acre reservoir formed by the construction of Long 8

Falls Dam in the late 1940s. The river below Flagstaff Lake is a combination of dead water, falls , and roaring whitewater which enters the Kennebec River at The Forks. The Dead River takes its name from the stretch of deadwater below Stratton which now lies below Flagstaff Lake. Here, as one author observed in 1895, the river "for miles runs so smoothly, you may walk a long distance on its banks before you can decide which way its waters are moving." Today, the only remaining extensive stretch of deadwater lies below Long Falls and the Big Eddy. Here the Dead River Flowage meanders north a distance of seven miles, providing excellent views of the Bigelow Range, before it terminates at Grand Falls, a spectacular 30-foot drop. Below the falls , from the junction of Spencer Stream to The Forks, the river drops 440 feet in 15 miles through a steep gorge. This stretch of river presents some of the most challenging canoeing in the East, and is the longest stretch of continuous rapids in New England. It is canoeable (by the experienced!) during the spring flows , and during the summer when water is released from Long Falls Dam. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

TIie

Dead Ri11er

Falls, which lies near Route 27 , provides a convenient starting point. The south branch from Dallas Plantation to Stratton flows through a gentler plain, paralleled by Route 16. The headwaters of this branch intrude into the north slope of Saddleback Mountain, and emerge from Saddleback Lake as the south branch. While the north branch drops only 127 feet from its source at the Chain of Ponds to Flagstaff Lake, the longer south branch drops 601 feet from Saddleback Lake to Flagstaff Lake! The best section of this branch for canoeing is from the Green Farm Bridge in Coplin Plantation to Flagstaff Lake. It should be run before June. Like the north branch, the south branch is mostly quick and smooth water, with a few difficult spots. Major tributaries to the Dead River include Spencer, Kibby, and Enchanted streams in the northern part of the drainage ; Tim Brook and Alder Stream in the western part of the drainage; and Nash and Redington streams in the southern part of the drainage. Spencer and Little Spencer streams are canoeable, but their remoteness and degree of difficulty, combined with short peak flows, discourage many canoeists.

Z E DEAD RIVER drains a mountainous section of Maine; the drainage includes, entirely or in part, the Bigelow range (elevation 4150 feet) and eight other peaks exceeding 3,000 feet in elevation. The north branch of the river originates in the mountains which make up the Height of Land separating Maine from Quebec. It was along this north branch that General Arnold and his men struggled in the fall and winter of 1775 in their ill-fated attempt to capture Quebec from the British. It was some 150 years later before the wilderness through which the north branch flows was penetrated by a public highway. The section along the Chain of Ponds is poorly suited as a highway site, however; even today, travellers must be prepared to dip and twist along a road squeezed between cliff and water.

Grand Falls, near the confluence of the Dead River and Spencer stream.

The section of Route 27 between Stratton and Coburn Gore has been designated by the Department of Transportation as Maine Scenic Highway, and provides good views of the Bigelow range in the southern stretch, and the rugged hills and mountains surrounding the Chain of Ponds near the Canadian border. The north branch is mostly flat, with some quick water and ledge falls which should be well scouted by the canoeist. It is canoeable in all but low water, and provides a good view of the Bigelow range. Sarampus

The author is a regional fisheries biologist in western Maine.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

The author casting a fly just upstream from Grand Falls.

B ROOK TROUT ARE distributed throughout most of the Dead River drainage, and the fishery is provided by native fish except in a stretch of the south branch , where the population is supplemented by annual stockings .of spring yearling brookies. The main stem of the Dead River and Spencer Stream also have native populations of salmon, but their slow growth in the river environment limits their potential as a sport fishery. The north branch of the Dead River is limited to fly fishing only. Flagstaff Lake, which lies along the north slope of the Bigelow range, is poorly suited for cold water fish management. Although large in size, the reservoir is quite shallow. When full , water depths are, for the most part, only 20 to 25 feet. In most years, the lake is drawn down by August. Pickerel, yellow perch, and horn pout have thrived in this environment, but salmon and brook trout d.o poorly. In contrast to Flagstaff Lake, the remaining 104 named lakes and ponds in the drainage are mostly well-suited to cold water fish . Most are small lakes and ponds, tucked in the

Dri-ki on Flagstaff Lake, near Long Falls Dam.

folds of the hills and mountains which dominate the region . Eighty percent of these waters are less than 100 acres in size; 69 percent are less than 50 acres. Ofthe "larger" lakes, Spencer Lake (1 ,819 acres) , Spring Lake (7 62 acres) , Jim Pond (320 acres) , Chain of Ponds (700 acres) , King and Bartlett Lake (538 acres) , and Tea Pond (90 acres) all have populations of lake trout, salmon , and brook trout. All but King and Bartlett Lake, which has restricted public access, are presently stocked with lake trout and/or salmon. There is little commercial or residential development on any of these lakes. This fact, combined with the fine. scenery provided by the surrounding mountainous topography, make them wonderful waters to visit and fish. The remaining 95 ponds in the drainage are mostly brook trout waters. Fourteen are presently stocked annually, and the rest sustain natural populations of brookies. Seven of these ponds are over 2,000 feet in elevation, and one, Horns Pond (atop Bigelow Mountain) , is over 3,000 feet. With the exception of Tim Pond, all of these high elevation ponds (and many of the other ponds in the drainage) are accessible only by foot. This remoteness affords these ponds some protection from overfishing while providing a degree of isolation preferred by many fishermen. Public access to more than a dozen lakes and ponds in the drainage is limited due to restrictions imposed by land-owners or lessees. Private roads to King and Bartlett Township are gated , limiting public access to the great ponds of this township to foot only. That section of the drainage in Massachusetts Gore is similarly restricted. The Penobscot Indian Nation owns land in Alder Stream Township and Carrabassett Valley; their regulations and access policies may vary from those in surrounding townships. Campgrounds and commercial sporting camps in the Dead River area provide comfortable accommodations for those who intend more than a day trip. Because much of the Dead River drainage is accessible only by woods road and foot , it is an ideal area for those who enjoy good fishing , fine scenery - and privacy. â&#x20AC;˘ Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

Atlantic Salmon:

A Progress Report Âˇ by Edward T. Baum

THE

STATUS OF the Atlantic salmon in Maine has changed considerably since the Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission was established in 194 7. At that time, less than 10 percent of the historical salmon habitat was accessible; the salmon population ranged from 1,500 to 2,500 fish . Today, about 36 percent of the original Atlantic salmon habitat is acccessible, and the size of the resource ranges from 4 ,000 to 8 ,000 fish annually. The commissioner's long-range goal, for the rest of this century, is to make significant progress toward restoring most of the remaining historical salmon habitat in Maine and producing homewater returns of from 20,000 to 35,000 salmon. Priorities to meet these goals are as follows: A. Maintain and protect existing salmon populations and sport fisheries on the seven Maine rivers which have wild Atlantic salmon runs (Dennys, East Machias, Machias, Pleasant, Narraguagus , Ducktrap, and Sheepscot) . B. Restore Atlantic salmon populations to the Penobscot and St. Croix Rivers. C. Restore Atlantic salmon populations to other historical rivers (e.g. Saco, Aroostook, Kennebec, Androscoggin , etc.) with resources above and beyond those necessary to accomplish A and B. As usual, 1985 proved to be similar to previous years, with many ups and downs. The salmon runs in Maine's 'W' rivers were about average, while the returns to the "B" rivers (Penobscot and St. Croix) were above average. Highlights of the year's activities are as follows:

Fish Culture Operations and Stocking All hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon stocked in Maine are produced at two federal hatcheries - Green Lake National Fish Hatchery, near Ellsworth, and Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery, near Bucksport. Both hatcheries were in full production in 1985, resulting in the stocking of 772,000 smolts, 165,000 parr, and 472,000 fry (age O+) in Maine waters. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

one of the successful salmon anglers from the lower Penobscot River. It is interesting to note that more such salmon were caught and released than caught and kept during 1985!

The commission has been successful in stocking age 1 + parr into remote areas, with the aid of helicopters provided by both private and public groups. Fry stocking in remote areas has been accomplished by assistance from numerous salmon fishing club members statewide.

The Sport Fishery Several major changes in angling regulations were instituted for the 1985 fishing season. An Atlantic salmon fishing license replaced the stamp that was required for the previous 10 years, and a season limit of five salmon, complete with tagging requirements, was instituted. On the Penobscot and St. Croix rivers, further restrictions included a "one salmon and four grilse" season limit for the Penobscot, "four grilse only" for the St. Croix. Recorded rod catches were as follows: Dennys-20; East Machias-31 ; Machias-32; Narraguagus-61 ; Penobscot-625 (305 released and 320 retained) ; Sheepscot-6; and Saco-85. The total sport catch in Maine in 1985 was about 40 percent higher than that of 1984. One other encouraging note: the commissioner's goal of reducing the Penobscot River harvest to 10 percent of the run (from 25 percent) was successful. Increased spawning escapement from reductions in the sport harvest is expected to significantly enhance restoration of the Penobscot River in future years.

The author is a fisheries biologist with the Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission.

Salmon commission Biologist Assistant Randy Spencer measures a "grilse" prior to release from the salmon trap at Veazie, on the Penobscot River. About 200 of the 3,000 salmon taken in the Veazie trap in 1985 were grilse (twoto four-pound fish that have spent only one year at sea>.

On the Saco River, Central Maine Power Company is currently in the process of constructing fish trapping and counting facilities for use in 1986. The Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission has stocked the Saco in recent years, and plans to monitor the number and origin (hatchery versus wild) of salmon entering the river. In the future, adult salmon will undoubtedly be taken by truck to headwater areas of the Saco. There were many salmon in the lower Saco in 1985, as reflected in the large number caught by anglers.

Miscellaneous Activities

Adult Salmon Counts Fishway traps provide a count of ascending salmon on several Maine rivers. In some instances, these facilities are also utilized to obtain the broodstock necessary for the hatchery program. On the Penobscot, more than 3 ,000 salmon were counted through the Veazie trapping facility. Of that number, about 2,400 were released to spawn; the remainder were retained for broodstock purposes. About 60 miles above Veazie, another fish trap is operated by Great Northern Paper Company personnel as part of an ongoing study to evaluate the existing fishway in the Weldon Dam. About 120 salmon passed this fishway, and several of them were radiotagged at Veazie and released below Weldon Dam. The fish trap in Ellsworth in the Union River (operated for the commission by United States Fish and Wildlife Service personnel) has provided 78 adult salmon broodstock for the Maine program. On the St. Croix River, Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans personnel count and tag all Atlantic salmon passing the first fishway at Milltown, New Brunswick, while fishway traps at Woodland and Grand Falls are operated by salmon commission personnel (with financial assistance from the Atlantic Salmon Federation). More than 340 salmon (a record number!) entered the St. Croix River in 1985, and several of these salmon weighed more than 20 pounds apiece! A new fishing and trapping facility on the Androscoggin River (operated by Department of Marine Resources personnel) was completed in 1983 as part of a plan for the restoration of shad and alewives to that river system. Only 20 salmon were taken in 1985; however, there is no reason to expect more, since the Androscoggin is not stocked with salmon.

Salmon Commission staff are continually involved in a variety of salmon restoration efforts throughout Maine and the rest of New England. A few of the major projects in 1985 were: • An Atlantic salmon habitat inventory of the Penobscot River between the Milford and Bangor dams. This was a particularly challenging project, considering the physical size of that section of the river (12 miles long, 700-1 ,000 feet wide with flows of from 5,000-10,000 cfs.). • Tagging of 100,000 hatchery-reared smolts as part of a 20-year study evaluating the timing and magnitude of the interception of Maine salmon stocks in distant commercial fisheries . • Transfer of 90 adult salmon stocks from Mactaquac Fish Hatchery in the St. John River (New Brunswick) to the Aroostook River in Maine. • Review of numerous hydropower project proposals, including presentation of testimony at state-level hearings involving re-development of the Bangor Dam on the Penobscot River. • Participation in two International Council for Exploration of the Sea (I.C.E.S.) working group meetings, to discuss and evaluate Canadian interception of United States salmon stocks in Newfoundland and Labrador. • Continued progress toward preparation of a statewide comprehensive operational plan which is designed to explain "how" the commission plans to accomplish "what" it presented in the 1984 Statewide Strategic Plan. • Participation in numerous regional committees and regional planning efforts, such as the St. Croix River Steering Committee, N .A.S .C.O. Research Committee, New England Fish Health Committee, New England Atlantic Salmon Committee (N .E.A.S.C.) , et al. • Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

Managing

some very Special

Resources! ÂˇRIVERS FUNDÂˇ M

AINE SPORTSMEN

have always understood the special magic of our rivers. Whether it's chasing a marauding school of bluefish in the tide rips of the lower Kennebec , or casting to a solitary trout rising in the smooth quick water of the upper St. John , river fishing stirs strong emotions in us . And return of the Atlantic salmon to our restored public rivers has made this "sport of kings" available to all . But a river's attraction is far more than the opportunity to catch a fish or two. It is the scenery , the wildlife , and the chance to experience the moment to forget about the rest of the world. It is appreciation of these values that sportsmen share with an increasing number of other recreationists . The numbers of canoe tourers and whitewater boaters have grown rapidly in the past few years. Expanded road networks and increased amounts of leisure time Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

accelerate this increase in use. The demands for hydroelectric power and seasonal campsites have also been increasing. The Maine Department of Conservation (DOC) is committed to preserving both the availability and the quality of the recreational opportunities which our rivers offer . In 1982, with the assistance of the National Park Service and several state agencies (notably the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife) , the DOC conducted a study of environmental and recreational resources associated with Maine rivers . The Maine Rivers Study , which classified our rivers on the basis of the significant values associated with them , became the foundation of the landmark 1983 Rivers Bill, in which the legislature strengthened protection on 1,300 miles of rivers. That action was supplemented in 1985 when the Maine Rivers Fund was created and the DOC hired a Rivers Coordinator.

by Stephen W. Spencer

HE MAINE RIVERS

FUND is a grants program administered by the Department of Conservation to provide financial assistance to river user groups , conservation and sportsmen's organizations , and municipalities which are directly involved in recreation management or conservation on Maine rivers. Studies by the department indicate that while access to Maine rivers is generally fairly good , very few access sites are publicly owned ; thus , there is no certainty that adequate public access will continue. Improvements are needed in parking, erosion control, trails , and camp/picnic sites in some areas . A number of popular sites are over-used and are being damaged , straining landowner tolerances.

The author is Rivers Coordinator for the Maine Department of Conservation.

Lower Gordon Falls, Mattawamkea River. Photo by Dan Prichar

tbanaa, supporting self.

tforan lnternatlonaler, aacl 22,000 mdes forlts

•• f. e g.

Crowded conditions are lowering the quality of the experience , and may also encourage unruly behavior. The legislature has directed the DOC to address these problems through creation of the Maine Rivers Fund , and to provide technical and administrative assistance . Projects which can be funded include: • Securing sites for parking, launching, camping or picnicking. Development and maintenance of these sites may also be supported. • Education programs related to river conservation . • Landowner assistance • Signs • "River Runner" programs • Fisheries enhancement activities • Litter clean up • Erosion control • Sanitary facilities. The fund's only source of revenue is voluntary contributions. Contribu-

ateaded ba a, over4,000mllesof otber bdltylevels

Magnificent rainbow over the st. John River. Photo by Dan Prichard.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

tors of $5 or more receive the Maine Rivers Fund decal. The focus for this conservation effort is on public involvement, through contributions and through participation in management activities. Contributions may be made at state parks, participating sporting goods and canoe dealers , river organizations, or by mail to :

Maine Rivers Fund Maine Department of Conservation State House Station #22 Augusta, ME 04333 Please include $5 per decal (check or money order) . The author encourages landowners, sportsmen , river organizations , and interested individuals to contact him at the same address with suggested projects, questions , or comments.

â&#x20AC;˘

MAINE RIVERS ACCESS AND EASEM As follow-up to the Maine Riven Study, the Comervatlonemployedaconsultanttostady and resource protection needs on 47 dver &ellDll811ll8. concludes that while numerous lmprovem camping/ picnicking sites are needed, these aeeda general, best be satisfied through negotiated agreements and easements. High cost and landowner will make outright purchase of more than just undesirable.

!t'17l91ff~..,

Recommendation Guarantee Access Expand Parking Improve Parking Safety Install Toilets Maintain Toilets Control Utter /Trash Make General Repairs Improve Boat Facilities Create New Campsites Expand Existing Campsites Make Campsite Improvements

ing for brookies at the outlet of nd Pond, Allagash Wilderness erwav. Photo by Marshall Wiebe.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

The Department, through the Rivers Coordinator, wlllbe-... theseftnclingsasa startlngpolntfordlscusslonawlthlalldo,.,...n and concerned organizations. 15

A Healthy Population

by Stewart J. Bristol

Top photo - cannon netting was the method used in Vermont to trap wild turkeys, thus setting the Maine turkey re-population process into motion. Photo by Jeff Wallin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife. center photo, our own photographer, Tom Carbone, caught this view of two of the birds as they fluttered to freedom in southern Maine. Bottom photo - the Vermont wild turkeys, 41 in number, have re-populated all of York County, with estimates topping 1,000 birds. some have been taken from here to populate other sections of Maine. Photo by the author.

A TIME of year when the whoosh of a fly rod is a more familiar sound than the boom of a shotgun , 500 hunters will take to the southern Maine forests in search of perhaps the wariest big game species in New England - the wild turkey. As a result of a cooperative effort by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, this species of wildlife, believed to be extinct in Maine for nearly 150 years, has been successfully restored to much of its historic habitat. Unlike their domesticated counterparts, the restored flocks of wild turkeys in Maine are far removed and distant relatives of the familiar barnyard or Thanksgiving turkey, which was imported by early settlers from Spain. Wild turkeys are native birds to the North American continent, and in pre-colonial times, literally millions of wild turkeys roamed the entire Eastern seaboard and throughout the South and Southwest. During that period in North American history, the forests covered most of the landmass, and as logging and agricultural development caused the depletion of our forests , the valuable woodland habitat of the wild turkey was destroyed. Colonial settlers also took advantage of the game birds for their markets, without conservation laws and bag limits. As a result, wild turkeys became virtually extinct in most of the denselysettled Northeast by the mid-1800s. By the mid-1930s, the wild turkey population in the entire country was Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

here Once !here Were None estimated at only 30,000 birds, most of the flocks concentrated in the south and southwestern states. In their efforts to restore wild turkeys throughout the Northeast, conservationists, wildlife agencies, and sportsmen's groups bought, raised, and released more than a million turkeys. Genetically inferior to the hardy wild strains, all but a handful of these pen-raised birds were lost. In areas where limited survival was noted, it was also noted that supplemental feeding was required and that broods were smaller and the range of the flock was almost never expanded. It took wildlife managers until the mid-1960s to unlock the mystery of wild turkey restoration and management. It was proven during this period that the transplanting of wild turkeys, trapped in areas rich in flocks and moved to suitable habitat would help increase brood sizes and' expand the range. Pennsylvania and New York were first to document wide success. In 1968, Vermont became the first New England state to implement the new theory of wild turkey management. A sample transplant of 31 wild turkeys trapped in New York and released in southwestern Vermont has, to date, increased the wild turkey population to more than 14,000. New Hampshire followed suit - with less dramatic success but still much better than game fa~m stockings. The other New England states then fell in line. Here in Maine, 41 wild turkeys from Vermont were released in southern York County during the winters of 1977 and 1978. Subsequent "trap-and-transfers" have been successful along some of Maine's coastline, and the project is still ongoing, with more transfers expected. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

LDTURKEY

RESTORATION in Maine leaned heavily upon the manpower and financial aid offered by the Maine Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, a national organization which specializes in wild turkeys in much the same manner as Trout Unlimited or Ducks Unlimited look out for trout and waterfowl. In 1985, the National Wild Turkey Federation provided Maine with a $7,250 grant to be used for wild turkey research. In addition , LL Bean, Inc. pr~:>Vided $5,000 and the National Rifle Association gave $2,500. Members of the Maine State Chapter travel to sportsmen's groups and present public seminars on the restoration project and on wild turkey hunting. Their speaking programs include life history and restoration of wild turkeys, hunting tactics and techniques, and hunter safety. Educational material supplied by the National Wild Turkey Federation will be included in an informational packet sent to each of the lucky 500 hunters who were drawn by computer lottery to participate in the first modern Maine wild turkey hunting season, scheduled for May 8 through May 24, 1986 in most of York County. The season is based on the same management principle as the bucks-only deer season. Wild turkey gobblers (males) are polygamous, meaning they will breed more than one female during their brief springtime courtship. Once the hens have been fertilized and begin egglaying, a small percentage of the excess gobblers can be removed

The author, an outdoor writer residing in southern Maine, Is an officer In the Maine Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.

without endangering the future of the population. Wild turkey hunters will be entering the forest before daylight during the season, dressed in total camouflage, including shirt, trousers, gloves, hat, and facemask. All sources of unnatural color or glare, which might spook the wary gobbler, are covered, creating a somewhat dangerous recreational environment. Most of the equipment used by wild turkey hunters can do double or triple duty for bowhunters and duck hunters. Once the hens are on their nests hunters reproduce the mating calls of the hen to entice the wary gobbler within shotgun range. The National Wild Turkey Federation encourages hunters to learn as much about the lifestyle and habits of the wild turkey as possible, to become proficient in the use of calling devices, and to pattern any shotguns to be used in the sport. Pre-season scouting is as important for turkey hunting as it is for deer hunting. The restoration of wild turkeys throughout the United States has been heralded as one of the greatest achievements in modern-day wildlife management. Nationwide populations totalling only 30,000 birds have been increased to over two million birds - and they're rising every year. Every state in the country, except Alaska which has no suitable habitat has reported wild turkey popula' tions - all but four states now allow the hunting of wild turkeys. Both Maine and Rhode Island will allow their first wild turkey season in modern times within three days of each other this spring. For more information on wild turkeys contact the Maine State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, South Windham, Maine 04082. â&#x20AC;˘ 1

aine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund PROJECT REPORT

1n1ormalion Needed: Maine's Most wanted Heres

excerpted from "The Creepers and Crawlers: Herps in Maine," by John Albright, Habitat - The Journal of the Maine Audubon Society, March/April 1986.

A MPHIBIANS AND REPTILES remain the least known and most misunderstood of the vertebrates. They have been dismissed as curiosities, persecuted out of fear and loathing. The first comprehensive effort to learn about the range and distribution of these animals in Maine began only three years ago. This project, funded by the Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund, is one more example of what can now be done for wildlife in Maine due to the voluntary contributions being given for wildlife on the state income tax form.

The Blanding's and spotted turtles occur in the southern sections of the state. Look for them in the boggy head waters of ponds and marshes. The spotted turtle is one of the first to begin basking in the spring in small pools and ponds. The Blanding's turtle frequently moves overland to bury its eggs. You are most likely to see one as it crosses the road in search of a place to dig its nest. If you do see one, put it in a box, or take a picture of it, and call the Nature Conservancy, the Maine Audubon Society, or the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The box turtle is primarily terrestrial, preferring wooded stream bottoms or other areas with deep, rich spoils. We currently know of no natural breeding population of the box turtle in Maine. It is likely that such a population exists, but we need your help to find it. Similarly, we know of only a few locations where the black racer has been seen. It prefers edges of woods and fields where it preys on a variety of small mammals and even birds. Both these species are probably restricted to southern and southwestern Maine.

Blanding's Turtle A large turtle with a bright yelloo· chin and profuse yello«· specks all ot1er its shell. Frequents shallo«· water in bogs , ditches , swamps, ponds and protected lake cot1es.

Spotted Turtle

Box Turtle Once common. nou · endangered, there are no known narive populations remaining in Maine.

You can make a great contribution to Maine herpetology by spending time looking for these and other herp species. You can join the Maine Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project (call Maine Audubon), or you can simply keep a record of what you find ; if you do, send it to The Nature Conservancy, Maine Audubon, or the Nongame Project of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Similar w a Blanding's turtle, but smaller and without the yellou· chin. Shell is spotted, nor fl ecked as in Blanding's. Basks at water's edge and rakes cotJer in small woodland streams, bog ponds and marshes.

Thirty-eight different kinds of frogs, toads, salamanders, turtles and snakes are known to live in Maine, but there could very likely be more. And therein lies the excitement; anyone who wishes to seek out these animals could make a truly important discovery! Four species, the box turtle, Blanding's turtle, spotted turtle, and black racer - are so rare in Maine that they are currently candidates as state endangered or threatened species. 18

Black Racer Big ( up to fi ve feet long) and fast, black racers have an al/black back and a pearly gray belly. This is one of the first snakes co emerge from hibernation.

This report concerns yet another project funded by Maine's Endangered

A Checklist of Maine's Amphibians and Reptiles AMPHIBIA Caudata Necturidae Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) Ambystomatidae Blue-spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale) Tremblay's Salamander 1 (Ambystoma tremblayi) Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) Salamandridae Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus v. viridescens) Plethodontidae Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus f. fuscus) Redback Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) Northern Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea b. bislineata) Anura Bufonidae Eastern American Toad (Bufo a . americanus) Hylidae Northern Spring Peeper (Hyla c. crucifer) Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) Ranidae Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) Green Frog (Rana clamitans melanota) Mink Frog (Rana septentrionalis) Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) Squamata Pickerel Frog (Rana palustris) Colubridae REPTILIA Northern Water Snake (Nerodia s. sipedon) Testudines Northern Brown Snake 1 (Storeria d. dekayi) Chelydridae Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra s. serpentina) Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis s. sirtalis) Kinosternidae Maritime Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis pallidula) Stinkpot (Sternotherus odoratus) Eastern Ribbon Snake 2 (Thamnophis sauritus) Emydidae Northern Ribbon Snake 2 (Thamnophis s. septentrionalis) Spotted Turtle 3 (Clemmys gutata Northern Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus edÂŤmdsi) Wood Turtle 1 (Clemmys insculpta) Northern Black Racer 4 (Coluber c. constrictor) Eastern Box Turtle 4 (Terrapene c. carolina) Smooth Green Snake (Opheodrys vernalis) Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys p. picta) Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis t. triangulum) Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) Viperidae Blanding's Turtle 3 (Emydoidea blandingii) Timber Rattlesnake 5 (Crotalus horridus)

Maricime Garter Snake

ongame Wildlife Fund; check the chickadee on your tax return this year!

DEAD RIVER WORD SEARCH

F B L E DG E F A L Ls T us A L u T T 0 N B R0 0 K B 0 C N A A C HA s E p 0 N D p H L s Ns GT Eus T I s L C p H A GA p s T RA T T 0 N B C 0 N T R I LT 0 V DEA V N0 L G 0 A u A 8,. A N u R s A H E D EwM L A N 0 F B D R A p E F RN p EC p K H F B A N DE A F Mu A M H T u H L RG AG R A I s I R u0 T u N A D T A M L LJ H 0 E RN EC p K K D D LLF s 0 0 REV E I REAA s L E T N u s H 0 L D D 0 HM NA s Hs T RE AMs uRs B WORD LIST FLAGSTAFF LAKE STRATTON LUTTON BROOK NASH STREAM SOUTH BRANCH LANGTOWN MILL RAPIDS FANSANGER FALLs 20

NORTH BRANCH OLD FARM DAM SARAMPUS (FALLS) SHADAGEE (FALLS) LEDGE FALLS JIM POND EUSTIS CHASE POND Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

Letters should be sent to: Liz Chipman, KID-BITS Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine 284 State Street, Sta. #4 l Augusta, ME 04333

MAINE TRACKER This animal: is a bird has no feathers on its head eats berries, nuts, seeds & insects was Benjamin Franklin's nomination for our national bird is often a barnyard animal is a Thanksgiving tradition

WHAT DO BEARS EAT? It's spring - and that means bears will be waking up from their winter hibernation (hi-bur-NAY-shun). They will emerge from their dens and start looking for food. What do bears eat? Find out by filling in the blanks shown below, using the clues in parentheses. The boxed-in letters will spell out the name of Maine's native bear.

(developmental stage of insects)

(warmblooded animals with fur or hair)

__ -

_ _ (dead, decomposing meat)

- - (blue, straw, black, or huckle)

K -

- - - (embryo encased in protective shell) ..,_,_.._ -

(type of insect that lives underground)

_ __._.. _ _ _ _ (our waste) Answers to Word Search, Maine Tracker, and What Do Bears Eat? on p. 28.

State Fish Records Broken rONEWSTATE

Chris Rancourt of Waterville landed a new state record northern pike last winter at North Pond In Smithfield.

RECORD fish, one of which has been submitted as a new world record , were hauled up onto the ice during Maine's 1986 ice fishing season . A 19-pound, 12 ounce northern pike, taken January 17 on North Pond in Smithfield, became the first fish of this newcomer species to Maine to be awarded state record status. And Aroostook County's Eagle Lake produced an 18-pound, 8 ounce freshwater cusk (burbot) on March 15, which topped the old state record by a full pound and is likely a new world record in the ice fishing division of the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. The northern pike was caught by 18-year-old Christopher Rancourt of Waterville on a conventional ice fishing tip-up baited with a small minnow. It took the young fisherman 20 minutes to ice the 40-inch fish , which required careful playing on 8-pound-test monofilament line. Northern pike were illegally stocked in Great Pond several years ago and have spread and become

established in most of the Belgrade lakes, including North Pond. Although obviously growing to respectable size and delighting some anglers, northerns are viewed by many other fishermen and by fisheries biologists as a major threat to the future of salmon and trout populations in the Belgrade lakes drainage. Notwithstanding serious concerns about their illegal stocking and expected adverse effects on more popular species, northern pike are now eligible for membership in The One That Didn't Get Away Club (15-pound minimum qualifying weight) and will be recognized in the official state record list, beginning with Chris Rancourt's trophy. On the last day of the ice fishing season on Eagle Lake, Mrs. Annette Dumond of Fort Kent got a flag on one of her tip-ups and , after a lengthy tussle with what she thought was a hefty togue, hauled in a 36-inch, 18 pound, 8-ounce cusk. Mrs. Dumond, who fishes "about (continued on page 24)

A GREAT YEAR

The One That Didn't Get Away Club-1985 JUDGING by the number of new memberships in The One That Didn't Get Away Club, 1985 was a great year for catching trophy-class freshwater fish in the state of Maine. Though there are no records to prove it, the number of entries in some categories must have been at or near all-time highs. Particularly noteworthy is the number of brook trout qualifying for club membership: 36. 22

There have been a number of years in the club's history when less than five brookies were entered. On these very pages we proudly proclaimed that 1979 had been "The Year of the Trout" because 16 brookies made the club that year. Even considering the five-pound to four-pound reduction in the minimum qualifying weight several years ago, 36 club brook trout in one year is quite a statement for the

improvement of quality fishing in Maine. Brown trout, togue, landlocked salmon and pickerel were also more heavily represented in the club in 1985 than in the past. The club, which honors those who catch "braggin' size" freshwater fish in Maine, is run by The Maine Sportsman (Box 507, Yarmouth, ME 04096). Game wardens and fishery biologists carry entry cards and can certify qualifying fish. Each Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

fisherman meeting club requirements is awarded a jacket patch and a wallet card. The Maine Sportsman recently announced some changes in club requirements. The list of fish which can earn a membership now also

Brook'lhKlt (Qualifying weljght 4 lbs.l

ltll

(Quallfylng ~ 6 b.)

ta1981

(Quallfyllig1Nfaht 6 Iba.)

ID1981

(Qualli,Jng Md8ht 7 lbs.) 17 1981

( ~ Wlllgtd41bt.)

mil

ltll

(Quallfying weight 2 lbs.)

Pike (Quallfylng weight 15 lbs.)

the weight limit to one and one-half pounds. Application cards may not reflect these changes for a while, but they are now in effect. The top fish of each species entered in The One That Didn't Get Away Club in 1985 are listed below:

Lull

Caught

TheA,.ar

TheFIIII

â&#x20AC;˘

includes blueback and Sunapee trout (two-pound minimum qualifying weight) , northern pike (15 pounds) and black crappie (three pounds) . Also, to encourage new memberships in the white perch catgegory, club officials have lowered

Dr. Ferris Ray, Falmouth , ME Mike Black, Winslow, ME Andre Brouchu, Stratton, ME Stanley J. Pirog, Elmwood Park, NJ William C. Laflamme, Old Town , ME Linwood Moulton , Gardiner, ME David Harvey, Corinna, ME

7-8 6-21/2 6-1 5-12 5-8 5-7 5-6

24 22 1/2 24 24 24 231/ 2 24

7/ 5 2/ 20 5/ 9 8/ 3 5 / 24 8/ 4 3/ 2

Pierce Pond Moosehead Lake Indian Pond (T.l ,R.6) Moosehead Lake Eagle Lake (T.8,R .13) Moosehead Lake Moosehead Lake

Wayne C. Abbott, Waltham , MA Lewis Gaboury, Augusta , ME Cheryl Barroso, Woonsocket, RI William Melbye, Bridgton , ME Galen H. Knowles, East Holden , ME Stephen Lincoln , Wayne, ME

9-0 8-4 7-121/2 7-11 7-4 7-1

28 28 1/2 26 27 1/2 26 1/2 231/2

7/ 5 4 / 10 6/22 4/ 15 4 / 29 5/ 13

(Raymond) Silver Lake (Sidney) Hancock Pond Long Lake (Bridgton) Harriman Pond Androscoggin Lake

worm shiner smelt smelt Rapala

Reginald Allen , Harrison , ME Marshal Wiebe, Readfield , ME Norene Perigo, Parkman , ME Joe Joy, Ashville, ME Erald Kilkenny, Sr., Bridgton, ME Willie Frechette, E. Sebago, ME

25-8 22-1 20-0 18-14 17-8 17-4

39 1/2 36 37 36 36 34

4/ 5 4 / 22 8/ 6 1/ 1 4 / 28 7/ 9

Sebago Lake Echo Lake (Fayette) Sebec Lake Beech Hill Pond Sebago Lake Sebago Lake

Flatfish streamer fly live shiner Gold Minnow Flatfish Flatfish

John Overturf, Franklin, CT Dick Parker, Livermore Falls, ME Bruce W. Hilton , Kennebunk, ME Horace Perry, Kezar Falls, ME Robert Anderson , Brunswick, ME Linwood Crosby, Madawaska, ME Peter Marquis, Berlin, NH

8-3 7-3 7-2 7-0 6 -12 6-12 6-12

26 1/4 24 1/2 26 241/2 25 24 25

7/ 18 8/ 5 9/ 7 7/ 20 6/ 20 8 / 11 7/ 27

Rangeley Lake Rangeley Lake Little Ossipee Lake Sebago Lake Sebago Lake Long Lake (Madawaska) Rangeley Lake

smelt shiner sewed shiner sewed smelt shiner Mooselook Wobbler smelt

David Worcester, Brewer, ME

17-3

5/ 27

Penobscot River

Orange Butt fly

Carl Braley, E. Newport, ME Robert J. Zipse, Lewisburg, PA Daniel J. Dubord , Waterville, ME Justin Rosato, Matawan , NJ Kevin McDonald , Lovell, ME

7-0 6-4 6-2 6-0 5-10

19 22 23 21 22

3 / 29 4 / 24 2/ 18 9/ 19 7/ 13

Plymouth Pond East Pond Lovejoy Pond McGrath Pond Farringtons Pond

shiner Bomber "Smile'n A Minnow" smelt Rapala Jitterbug

Roddy Glover, Monmouth , ME Bob Cardali, Bath, ME Marlin Cameron , Old Orchard Beach, ME John A. Nai, Danvers, MA Scott Goodwin, Litchfield, ME Sean Guptill, Newburyport, MA

8 -ll1/2 8-10 8-4 8-4 8-2 1/2 8-0

23 23 1/2 21 23 1/2 25 21

2/ 20 7/ 23 7/ 6 8/ 9 6 / 25 7/ 24

Cochnewagon Pond Winnegance Lake Little Sebago Lake Cobbosseecontee Lake Cobbosseecontee Lake Long Lake (Naples)

shiner "Hawg- Hackle" worm Rebel black plastic worm Baby Bass lure worm

Kevin Perkins, Hallowell, ME Donald Hall, Berwick, ME Randy Higgins, Belgrade, ME Wendell Scribner, Harrison , ME Donald Roy, Scarborough, ME Kevin Callahan, Wilton , ME Richard F. Girard, Sr., N. Sebago, ME

5-8 5-4 5-3 1/2 5-1 4-13 4-12 4-8

27 27 27 1/4 25 27 261/2 251/2

2/20 2/ 3 2/ 18 2/ 2 27 2/ 28 4 / 19

Frank K. Zeller, Newcastle, ME Clarence Hardwick, Sr. , Ellsworth , ME

2-1/2 2-0

14 1/2 141/2

6/ 9 9-19

Deer Meadow Pond Georges Pond (Franklin)

Rangeley Spinner & worm Silver Shad

Brett Hinds, Edmund, OK Danny Truscott, Winslow, ME

18-8 15

42 38

8 / 14 5/ 6

Great Pond (Rome) Belgrade Stream

Flash-King Wobbler

Androscoggin Lake Bauneg Beg Lake Messalonskee Lake . Bryant Pond Panther Pond Great Pond (Rome) Sebago Lake

smelt Weeping Willow live bait frozen smelt sewed shiner

live bait shiner live bait live smelt tommy cod shiner live smelt

1985

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

Record Fish

(continued from page 22J

every nice day of the season," took the record cusk on a live smelt, according to Game Warden Jim Dumond of Portage, her son. Cusk would win an "ugliest fish in Maine" contest hands-down . But what they lack in beauty (some say they resemble a pregnant cross between an eel and a hornpout) they more than make up for in eating quality. The 18 pounds that Mrs. Dumond put in the freezer should keep her supplied with cusk chowder ingredients for quite a while! The former state record cusk was 17 pounds, 8 ounces, set in 1979 by a fish from Moosehead Lake. Surprisingly, the cusk listed as a world record taken by ice fishing is

only 6 pounds, 6 ounces - a mark seemingly soon to be shattered by Annette Dumond's ... uh, pardon the expression ... beauty.

FISH and Wildlife

Department has maintained Maine's official state record freshwater fish list since 1970. Though the original published list has undergone a number of verified challenges and changes, the record list remains incomplete, lacking information on rainbow trout, yellow perch, bullhead (hornpout) and several other freshwater species. Also, in several cases it is to be considered a modern record list. It is known , for

example, that in the pre-recordkeeping days of the late 1800s, brook trout of up to 12 pounds were caught in the Rangeley lakes. Verifiable challenges and additions to the record fish list are invited, regardless of when the fish was caught. To qualify for state record honors, the fish must have been caught legally in the state of Maine. Fish caught in hatcheries or from private pools or ponds are not eligible. The weight of any fish entered in competition must be verified by two impartial witnesses or a game warden or fisheries biologist. Pictures and/or the frozen fish also aid in record confirmation. Information on possible state record fish should be submitted to the Public Information Division in the department's Augusta office.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

the Fly Tying Bench

THE BARNES SPECIAL

STREAMER FLY #4

by John McLeod

ABOUT THE FLY The Barnes Special was adapted from the Hurricane streamer by Lowell C. Barnes, a pre-outboard era guide on Sebago Lake. This fly is still a favorite in the spring for landlocked salmon. It's also a very productive fly for brown trout, brook trout, and bass. (For more information on the history of the Barnes Special, see MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE, Summer 1978, page 25.) THE PATTERN HOOK: Mustad 9575 or 94720, size 2 to 8. For trolling

streamers, either 3906, 39068, 9671 , or 9672, size 4 to 6 THREAD: Red TAIL: Two short jungle cock body feathers BO DY: Flat silver tinsel RIBBING : Oval silver tinsel THROAT: Several turns of a white neck hackle WING : A very small bunch of red bucktail, over which is a very small bunch of white bucktail, over which are two yellow saddle hackles, flanked on both sides by grizzly saddle hackles. The bucktail is nearly as long as the hackles.

Starting 1/a" to 3/1s" behind the hook eye, cover the hook shank with thread to the beginning of the bend. Tie in two jungle cock body feather tips splayed to represent the tail of a fish, (this is an optional feature; you could substitute hen feathers>.

Spiral the tying thread back to the starting point, then tie in the oval silver tinsel on the bottom all the way to the tail.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

Spiral the thread forward again and tie in the flat silver tinsel; coat the thread wraps with head cement. While the cement is still wet, wind the flat tinsel to the bend and back to the starting point. Now, spiral the oval tinsel up the hOok shank in even turns and tie off.

_ _ _ _ _.....__ _ _

Tie In a very small bunch of red bucktail, extending just past the bend of the hook. Next, tie In a similar sized bunch of white bucktall on top of the red bucktail.

Tie In two matching yellow saddle hackles on top, Just slightly longer than the bucktall.

Tie In a white neck hackle and wind several turns in front of the wing, dry fly style; the hackle should be rather long and full. BUIid a neat head, whip finish, and your fly is complete.

Select and match a pair of grizzly saddle hackles so that their tips are even. Measure for length against the wing, trim to length, and tie one In on each side of the yellow saddles.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS DOE PERMIT UPDATE When and where doe deer may be taken in Maine this fall hadn't been settled yet as this issue went to press. Commissioner Glenn H. Manuel and the Fish and Wildlife Department have advanced a proposal, intended to be in effect for this fall's hunting season, which would allow hunters to shoot a specified number of doe deer within 17 established districts. Permits would be issued under a free lottery, with the number depending on the condition of the herd in each district. Despite having substantial support from sportsmen's organizations and individuals, the proposal has run into trouble in the legislature with a bill that would delay implementation until 1987. Whether that measure ultimately succeeds won't be known until late May or early June. The dates for the 1986 deer hunting season have been set: November 3-29, with November 1 also open for Maine residents only. Antlered deer may be taken statewide during that period.

the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Wiley will be responsible for coordinating wildlife management practices on 500,000 acres of Public Reserved Lands in Maine. In the Warden Service, Warden Sergeant Donis R. Wheaton of Bridgton retired after a 25-year career; and Eustis district warden Edward R. "Ted" White retired with 20 years of service as a game warden. Promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to Division A to replace Wheaton was warden Michael R. Marshall of Princeton, an 11-year

veteran. Also promoted to sergeant was Patrick M. Dorian, a warden for 12 years, most of that time assigned to the Ripogenus Dam district; Dorian will fill the Division D sergeant position vacated when Sgt. Parker K. Tripp was reassigned to be the Warden Service Training Coordinator at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Waterville. The former training coordinator, Sgt. Langdon F. Chandler, was promoted to lieutenant and transferred to Division E headquarters in Ashland, replacing Lt. Herbert W. Vernon, who transferred to Division C headquarters in Bangor.

1985 Warden of the Year

SAVE THOSE LAW BOOKLETS Maine fishermen are again reminded to save their open water and ice fishing law booklets this year for use again next year. Beginning this year, the booklets will be published on a two-year basis, which will mean fewer rule changes for anglers to contend with and savings in printing costs. The 1986 open water booklet and the 1985-86 ice fishing booklet should be saved and used one more year. New booklets will next be issued in 1988.

PERSONNEL NOTES Several new appointments, promotions and retirements highlight the recent personnel news from the Fish and Wildlife Department. In the Wildlife Division, Joseph E. Wiley of Dresden was hired as a wildlife biologist to work with the Maine Bureau of Public Lands under a cooperative agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Department. A University of Maine graduate and former employee of

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1986

Warden Michael L. Eaton is Maine's Game Warden of the Year for 1985. Eaton , 41, was selected for the award by the Warden Service Awards Board, made up of fellow wardens and officers. In selecting the Dover-Foxcroft resident, the board considered the recommendation of Eaton's superior officer, Warden Sergeant Douglas Tibbetts, who noted that "during a recent trying period of contract negotiations, which caused many morale problems, Warden Eaton kept things in perspective and continued doing his job to the best of his ability. With his actions, Warden Eaton was a steadying force to other wardens around him."

The recommendation continues: "Warden Eaton's district is in a high complaint area, and after working with him for 13 years, I know how conscientiously he has always handled them. Warden Eaton has a fine rapport with other law enforcement agencies. He has always shunned the limelight, in 'old-time' warden fashion ." Eaton is a native of Bangor, and a graduate of Dexter High School. He joined the Maine Warden Service in June 1970. His first district assignment was at Jonesport, until 1972, when he transferred to his present district in Dover-Foxcroft. The Maine Warden Service Awards Board also selected Warden Brian Worth of Dresden to receive the Exemplary Service Award, and Warden Alvin Theriault of Ripogenus Dam to receive the Meritorious Service Award. Both wardens carried out life-saving rescues in 1985.

Sworn-in in February and presently attending the four-month Warden Service Academy are the following new game wardens: Richard G. Stone of West Gardiner, Domenico C. Ricci of Portland, David S. Kelso of West Gardiner, Roger J. Guay of Lee, and Daryl R. Gordon of St. Albans.

HERON SEARCH Having thus far located over 50 inland great blue heron rookeries, the state's search for more will continue this summer. The Critical Areas Program of the State Planning Office is coordinating the search, in cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Department. Herons return year after year to the same rookery to nest, adding new material to the old nests and creating large, bulky stick and twig platforms. An individual tree may support many nests. Characteristic locations for heron nests include dead trees of beaver ponds and tall white pines along the shoreline of rivers and lakes. Identified rookeries have ranged in size from one to over 70 nests. Anyone with information about the location of inland rookeries of great blue herons is encouraged to write to Naomi Edelson , State Planning Office, Station #38, Augusta, ME 04333. The location (marked on a map with directions) , number of nests, years observed and

current activity of the rookery is the information most needed.

STOCKING PERMITS REQUIRED Anyone planning to stock fish in a private pond should be aware that a new procedure for issuing stocking permits is now in effect. Permits are required in order to control

Get hooked on fishing

TIPS ON RELEASING FISH

National Fishing Week June 2-8, 1986

---KID-BITS ANSWERS----, WORD SEARCH

WHAT DO BEARS EAT? BU.GS LARVAE

MAMMALS CARRION K-----BERRIES EGGS __ _

ANTS GAR!!AG~

Learn more about the Dead River see article on page 8 .

MAINE TRACKER The animal is the turkey (Meleagris gallapavo) . To learn more about them, see article on page 16.

indiscriminate stocking and prevent fish species not native to particular waters from being introduced. Anyone interested in stocking fish in a private pond must first obtain an application from the Fish and Wildlife Department's Augusta office or from regional offices in Gray, Augusta, Machias, Farmington , Greenville, Enfield and Ashland. Applications may also be obtained at all commercial trout hatcheries in Maine and through the Soil and Water Conservation Districts in each county. Completed applications must be sent to the department's Augusta office for approval. For further information, con tact the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Fisheries Division , 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04333. Telephone: (207) -289-5261.

Among the easiest and most effective things you can do to help make fishing better in the future are obeying the size and bag limit rules and properly releasing any fish you don't wish to keep. The odds that a released fish will live are greatly increased if you follow these tips: v Play and release the fish as quickly and carefully as possible. An exhausted fish may be too weak to recover. v Keep the fish in the water as much as possible. A fish out of water is suffocating and may become injured. v Be gentle. Don't touch the gills or squeeze the fish . Hold a small fish gently around the middle. Larger fish may be held by the tail and the bottom jaw area. If a net is used, be sure it is fine meshed to avoid injury to the gills and eyes. v Remove the hook with small pliers, or use your thumb and forefinger to shake it loose. If the hook cannot be removed easily, cut the leader; the hook will rust out rapidly. If the fish is bleeding profusely or injured in any way, it may not survive. v To revive the fish, hold it in a swimming position in the water and move it back and forth gently until it is able to swim away. v Lake trout (togue) often have expanded air bladders after being pulled up rapidly from deep water. If the belly appears expanded, gently press your thumb along the stomach near the paired belly fins and move your thumb forward a couple of times to remove the air from the bladder, then revive the fish as described above.

Maine Fish and Wildlife_- Spring 1986

Green Dragonfly

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

284 State St.

Sta. #41

Augusta, Maine 04333