Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Fall 1988

I

E

D W LDLIFE

FA L 1988

$1.75

Stale of dl!( aine

WHEREAS, conserving our nation's natural and wildlife resources is one of the most important responsibilities we have to this and future generations of Americans; and WHEREAS, hunters and fishermen were among the first to realize this responsibility more than 100 years ago, when they saw firsthand how expanding civilization and commercial exploitation had caused disastrous declines in wildlife populations throughout America; and WHEREAS, they took steps to reverse the trend by helping to found the conservation movement, supporting laws to stop commercial exploitation of wildlife, helping establish state fish and wildlife agencies to implement much-needed conservation programs, and suggesting and supporting laws to establish special hunting and fishing license fees and special taxes on their equipment to pay for conservation programs; and WHEREAS, through those fees, special taxes, and private contributions, hunters and fishermen have contributed more than $6 billion for conservation, and the programs supported and financed by sportsmen have benefited hundreds of wildlife species from pronghorn antelope and white-tailed deer, to so ~gbirds and whooping cranes wildlife that all Americans can enjoy, NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHN R. MCKERNAN, JR., Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim Saturday, September 24th, 1988 as HUNTING AND FISHING DAY throughout the State of Maine and urge citizens to join with hunters and fishermen in a renewed effort to secure the future of America's natural and wildlife resources.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this twenty-fourth day of May in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighty-Eight.

E

~AI

F SH AND WILD IFE

Governor John R. McKeman, Jr. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

WilliamJ. Vail, Commissioner Norman E. Trask, Deputy Commissioner Frederick B. Hurley, Jr., Director, Bure.auo/ResourceManagement Peter C. Brazier, Director, Bureau of Administrative Service Larry S. Cummings, Director, Bure.au of Warden Service

Advisory Council F. Paul Frinsko, Portland, Chairman Carroll York, West Forks Nathan Cohen, Eastport F. Dale Speed, Princeton Alanson B. Noble, Oxford John Crabtree, Warren William Sylvester, Clayton Lake Dr. Ogden Small, Caribou

FALL 1988

VOL. 30, NO. 3

eatur s Some Different Ways Of Doing Things by Timothy Peabody A warden with coastal islands in his district - many surprises!

2

Big Bucks, 1987

4

The Statistics Speak! by Urban D. Pierce, Jr. The results of eight years of research at Sebago Lake

5

It's Still Our Target! by Gary Anderson Looking back on past year's hunting accident statistics

10

Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine W. Thomas Shoener, Editor Thomas J. Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor Dale S. Clark, Circulation

Mushrooms by Wilmot Robinson A rundown on what's good - and bad - in the world of edible fungi

14

How Goes It With Maine's Moose?

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

MAINE ASH AND WILDLIFE (ISSN 036000SX) Is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and WUdllfe, 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta, Maine, 04330, under Appropriation 4550. Subscription rate: $7.00 per year. No stamps, please. Second class postage pakl at Augusta, Maine and at additional maUing offices. e Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1988. Permission to reprint text material Is granted, provided proper credit Is given to the author and to MAINE ASH AND WILDLIFE. Clearance must be obtained from artists, photographers, and non-staff authors to reproduce credited work.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send both old and new addresses to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine, 284 State St., Sta. #4 l, Augusta ME 04333. Please allow six weeks for changes to take effect. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Circulation Section, MAINE ASH AND WILDLIFE, 284 State St , Sta. #41, Augusta, Maine 04333.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and WUdllfe receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Accordingly, all department programs and actMtles must be operated free from discrimination with regard to race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who belleves 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.

by Karen Morris A look back at moose season stats - what do they tell us?

21

The Feed They Need by James Ecker How herbaceous seeding is helping wildlife on Maine's public lands

24

The Herd Is Growing! by Mark McCollough A progress report on Maine's caribou herd - post-nursery!

26

KID-BITS

12

FROM THE FLY TYING BENCH: The Olive-Grey Scud

19

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

30

T

o

Signs of early fall - leaves and pine needles beginning to show up downstream. Photo by Bill Cross¡

The Life of an Offshore Warden

Vinalhaven/North Haven, from the air.

These two islands, separated by only a narrow channel (Fox Islands Thoroughfare) represent a major portion of the author's offshore duties.

Photo by Jacki Bragg

Some Di ferent Way of D in Th¡ng

by Timothy Peabody

he coast of Maine is dotted with a large number of offshore islands, ranging in size from less than one acre to thousands of acres. Some are inhabited by people, some by wildlife, and some with both - or neither.

Being a district game warden in the mid-coast area, I have the task of enforcing fish and wildlife laws on the offshore island communities of Vinalhaven, North Haven, Islesboro, and Isle au Haut, as well as eight towns on the mainland.

The author is a district game warden stationed on the Maine coast in BeHast.

2

The largest of the four island communities is Vinalhaven, which lies roughly eight miles off the coast of Rockland. Until 1950, Vinalhaven had no resident deer population other than a few transients that swam from the mainland. In 1951, a request from island residents prompted the transplant of a small number of deer from Swan Island in Richmond to Vinalhaven. This was the start of the deer herd which is present today on Vinalhaven and North Haven, and on the hundreds of small islands surrounding those communities. Department records show the first deer hunting season began on the island in the early '60s; 40 deer were tagged in 1962. The present herd on Vinalhaven still

produces an annual harvest of about 40 deer under the antlerless permit system.

North Haven lies adjacent to Vinalhaven, separated only by a narrow thoroughfare. Being smaller in size and population, North Haven boasts a sizeable deer population of its own, attributed to the stocking that took place on Vinalhaven in 1952. Hunting pressure appears less intense on North Haven, producing a deer harvest of about 20 deer per year.

Isle au Haut is 20 miles by boat from the Rockland area, lying to the east of Vinalhaven.

Having a small population of people and a large population of deer, Isle au Haut differs from the others - as part of the national park system, it is closed to all hunting.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

Islesboro, the closest island community to the mainland, lies only about three miles off the town of Lincolnville. Islesboro has a sizeable resident population of people, and a healthy deer population as well. The island's nearness to the mainland allows many deer to be transient between island and coast. Islesboro is open to hunting by bow and arrow only; there is no firearm season. The legal deer kill is only about five or six deer per year.

Travel between the mainland and Islesboro, North Haven, and Vinalhaven is provided by the Maine State Ferry Service.

Travel to Isle au Haut is by mail boat from Stonington. The alternative is by private boat or aircraft. That fact alone has made effective enforcement activity by game wardens quite difficult. Consider this: if a warden gets on a ferry in uniform, driving a green pickup, he might just as well raise a flag on the island to say he is coming.

In the past, wardens have traveled to the islands by ferry in covert fashion, or have used small boats, too small to be on the ocean. Once on the island, travel for these wardens has ranged from foot patrol to unmarked vehicles: bicycles and motorbikes have frequently filled in the gaps.

The spring of 1987 marks a new page in Maine Warden Service history. The Department of Marine Resources gave the warden service a 23-foot Penn Yan boat to use in offshore enforcement situations. The craft was plagued with motor failure during the summer of 1987, but was ready for service by late September. From September to December, 30 hours were logged on this craft. During that time, 15 fish and wild-

life violations were encountered from the area around North Haven and Vinalhaven. That type of success, coupled with answering scattered complaints from island residents, is enough to keep almost any warden going back for more. The "Where did you come from?!" reception we get from some of the violators is worth something.

Patrolling coastal islands is not quite as spontaneous as getting into the patrol vehicle and driving to a field to check hunters. A constant check of weather conditions must be made to assure that a trip can be made as planned. Eight-foot seas and thick fog can often force a change in plans. Temperatures in October and November are also a consideration.

We wear flotation work suits during cold weather travel; they will increase survival time in the water from about 10 minutes to

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

roughly 90 minutes, not to mention making a routine trip a lot more comfortable.

The future of patrolling the coastal islands looks good. The recent purchase of some up-todate navigational gear and radio equipment will provide for much safer travel. The Department of Marine Resources has provided hours of labor and technical assistance to help with the project, and the Rockland Coast Guard Station has shown willingness to help with future enforcement patrols. With that type of back-up, and a warden service boat and aircraft to spot activity, game wardens should no longer be considered an "extinct" species on the coastal islands. • The Penn-Yan, loaded with alternate modes of travel and other patrol necessities, has made a big difference.

Thanks, Marine Resources! Photo by Roger Wolverton.

3

1987

BIGGEST Name

Mike Savage Lane Benoit Joseph F. Marconi William Schreindorfer Allan Albert Larry Lessor Walter Hosford Gerald Harrison , Sr. Anthony Diprete Robert Waterman Joan Kent Jim Johnson Paul J . Carlson Nicholas Barker Donald Perry Richard E. Preble Eric Laskey Robert Bennett George Barousse Romeo Paradis Howard Leblanc Rodney Lambert William Bellisle Donald R. St.Hilaire Robert M. Scott William B. Lacaillade William E. King Bruce King, Jr. Conrid R. Houghton , Sr. John A. Gallant Richard F. Delano Bert N. Brown Richard R. Burrell Gerald Knight Luc Bilodeau George J. Legere Michael Dumond Stephen F. Burnett Roland W. Bumpus Michael Michaud Henry Potopowitz, Jr. Barry L. Yens er David Wisell Paul A. Lusky Randy Ladner Doug Fahey Velmond Camey Randy Richard Bruce R. Carrington Gregory A. Dobrolet Edward Cowan Richard Poulin Edward Gangel Glenn R. Carson David Kennedy Tammy Jenness Dean Herrick Ronald Gagnon Harley W. Baker

4

Address

Stratton, ME Waterbury, VT Portsmouth, NH E. Hampton, CT St. Francis, ME Gorham, ME Island Falls, ME Trenton , NJ Providence, RI Gray, ME Madawaska , ME Mt. Holly, NJ Lowell, MA Norway, ME Waterbury, VT N. Kingstown , RI Waterboro, ME Auburn, ME Pitman, NJ Ft. Kent, ME Nashua, NH New Limerick, ME Manchester, NH Jackman , ME Belvidere, NJ Manchester, NH Cumberland, RI Brunswick, ME Carthage, ME Rumford, ME Liberty, ME Presque Isle, ME Berwick, ME St. Albans, ME Montmagny, PQ Fairfield, ME Fort Kent, ME Groton, CT Plymouth, MA Eagle Lake , ME Glen Gardner, NJ Emmaus, PA Rochester, VT No. Fryeburg, ME Eaton , ME Plympton, MA Ashland, ME Kokadjo, ME Proctor, VT Warwick, RI Anson, ME Fairfield, ME Wrightstown , NJ Presque Isle, ME Daytona Beach, FL Canaan, ME Harmony, ME Madawaska, ME Coatsville, PA

Date Killed

11/7/87 11/10/87 11/23/87 11/14/87 11/17/87 10/31/87 10/31/87 11/3/87 11/12/87 11/24/87 10/31/87 11/14/87 11/7/87 10/31/87 11/11/87 11/3/87 11/14/87 11/11/87 11/16/87 11/18/87 11/10/87 11/3/87 11/14/87 11/7/87 11/13/87 11/16/87 11/4/87 10/31/87 11/7/87 10/31/87 11/2/87 11/20/87 11/1/87 11/23/87 11/3/87 11/14/87 11/5/87 11/16/87 11/2/87 10/31/87 11/14/87 11/17/87 11/19/87 11/6/87 11/9/87 11/9/87 11/4/87 11/21/87 11/5/87 11/14/87 10/31/87 11/14/87 11/9/87 11/16/87 11/18/87 11/18/87 10/31/87 11/13/87 11/13/87

Where Killed

Firearm

Lang Twp. .35 Rem. .30-06 Eustis .30-06 Danforth .30-30 Jackman .308 Allagash Skowhegan .308 .30-30 T3R4 WELS .30-30 Dole Brook Twp. .44 mag.

T18Rll .30-06 Staceyville .30-06 T18R12 .308 T12R7 .30-30 E. Middlesex .308 Stoneham Lower Cupsuptic .308 Cornville .308 Waterboro Oxford .12 .30-30 Dennistown Pit. Sly Brook .308 .30-06 Allagash .44 mag.

Topsfield Days Academy Grant .300 Upper Enchanted Twp. .30-30 .300 mag.

Russell Pond Twp. .270 Rum Ridge .30-06 The Forks .270 Mass. Gore .30-06 Carthage .270 So. Rumford .30-06 Rockwood .35 Rem. Presque Isle .30-06 Kennebago Ripley 7mm. .308 T8R17 .12 Benton .30-30 Allagash .308 Hermon .308 Lambert Lake .308 Portage .300 mag.

Eagle Lake .30-06 Elliotsville .270 mag.

Chase Stream Twp. .308 Stow .30-06 Easton N. New Portland .308 .300 mag.

Washburn .308 E. Middlesex .308 Misery Twp. Rockwood Strip .308 Starks .358 Benton .270 .30-06 T12R8 Squa Pan Lake .308 Libby Camps .30-06 Canaan 7mm. .30-30 Wellington T15R5 .308 .30-06 Beddington

Dressed Live Weight Weight

287 284 274 270 265 265 263 263 262 262 261 260 260 260 257 255 255 255 255 252 252 252 252 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 249 248 248 247 247 247 247 246 246 245 245 245 245 245 245 244 244 243 243 242 242 241 241 240 240 240 240

373 369 356 351 345 345 342 342 341 341 340 338 338 338 334 332 332 332 332 328 328 328 328 325 325 325 325 325 325 325 325 325 324 322 322 321 321 321 321 319 319 318 318 318 318 318 318 317 317 315 315 314 314 313 313 312 312 312 312

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

After Eight Years of Data-Gathering at Sebago Lake ...

The Statistics Sp ak!

by Urban D. Pierce, Jr. ebago Lake has always been widely known as the home of the "famous" landlocked salmon. Dr. Charles Girard of the Smithsonian Institute first described the landlocked salmon (Salmo salarj as a separate species from fish collections he made at Sebago Lake in 1852.

Early reports stressed the large sizes of Sebago's salmon, but average size has declined through the years. To this day. however.

Sebago Lake continues to support a very popular, quality landlocked salmon fishery. Even though fish over 5 or 6 pounds are almost totally lacking in the fishery, the overall size and numbers of salmon caught places Sebago in the list of top producers of salmon fishing in Maine.

The introduction of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) to Sebago in the early 1970s has added more opportunity for anglers pursuing lake trout and salmon fisheries. Their average size and quality appearing in the fishermen's creels have provided a fine fishery. These fish have demonstrated their ability to grow and suIVive well in A handsome specimen of what Sebago Lake is capable of producing, this landlocked salmon is a fisherman's delight!

The author is regional fisheries biologist for the Sebago Region, with headquarters in Gray.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

Sebago Lake. The largest known lake trout captured to date weighed in at just over 28 pounds!

Experimentation and monitoring of the fish populations over the years at Sebago Lake have allowed fishery managers to gain valuable information that will provide long-lasting benefits in maintaining and enhancing Sebago's fisheries. This experimentation will also allow for the management of populations that will be responsive to public desires. The data presented in this article are intended to be a summary of the characteristics of the landlocked salmon and lake trout fisheries at Sebago Lake for the years from 1980 through 1987.

Sebago Lake, Maine's second largest lake, is located in southwestern Maine about 25 miles west of Portland. It is 28,771 acres (45 square miles) in size with maximum and mean depths of 316 and 101 feet, respectively.

Above, the anglers' way of catching Sebago salmon .

Photo by Jacki Bragg. Below, this time-honored method of seining salmon from below the dam at Panther Pond in Raymond has occurred annually, but is now history; a new building has been erected on this site to function as a trap and holding area for eggtaking operations each fall.

Sebago Lake is a classic oligotrophic lake with excellent water quality. Surface temperatures only exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit for short periods late in July and early August. Water quality conditions are considered highly suitable for salmonid management.

Ice-out conditions usually occur within the first 15 days of April and freeze-up usually does not occur until mid- to late January.

Sebago's three major tributaries are Northwest River, Jordan River, and Songo River. Entering the Songo River is the Crooked River which seives as the major spawning tributary for the landlocked salmon. All dams have been removed on the Crooked River, thus making this 55-mile-long tributary totally available to spawning salmon and trout. The Northwest River is also a major salmon tributary. Inefficient upstream and downstream fish passage at a major dam on this river, however, severely affects spawning migrations. The Jordan River has little spawning habitat but is used to induce a salmon spawning run in order to procure eggs for the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife hatchery and rearing program.

Fishing regulations have varied over the years.

Minimum length limits on salmon have ranged from 12 inches during the mid-1960s to 17 inches in the early 1970s. The current minimum length of 16 inches has been in effect since 1980. The current bag limit of two salmon per day has been in effect since 1982. The current 18-inch minimum length limit on lake trout has been in effect since 1980. The current bag limit is also restricted to an aggregate limit of 7 1/2 pounds per day for all salmonids. The number of lines allowed per angler was reduced from two to one in 1983. The ice fishing trap limit was also reduced from five to two during this time. Five lines are still allowed during the winter season for nighttime fishing for cusk (Lota lota). Salmon fishing is not allowed in the winter season. The open water fishing season extends from April 1 to September 30 with the winter season extending from January 1 to March 31.

Principal fisheries in the Sebago Lake include landlocked salmon, lake trout, brook trout (Salvelinus Jontinalis) , smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieuO, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmonides), cusk, lake whitefish (Coregnus clupeaf ormis). and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax).

Rainbow smelt are the major forage species for salmonids in Sebago.

Sebago Lake is currently stocked annually with landlocked salmon and brook trout. Lake trout were introduced in 1972 and were stocked until 1982. Sebago has ample spawning habitat suitable for lake trout. Natural reproduction appears to be 6

sufficient to perpetuate the lake trout population without further stocking.

Sports fishery suiveys were operated on Sebago Lake from 1981 to 1987 to determine the use and haivest. Ground checks obtained catch rate data and aerial surveys obtained total use data. The total angler use from 1981 to 1987 has varied from a high of 80,954 user days in 1982 to a low of 35,070 user-days in 1985. Total user-days have stabilized since 1983.

YEAR

USER-DAYS

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987

49,027 80,954 34,154 39,550 35,070 41,835 42,020

The average catch rate for salmon through the study period was 0.13 fish per angler trip. The highest and lowest catch rates obseived on lake trout were 0 . 118 and 0.027 fish per trip, respectively. The average catch rate obseived during the period of study was 0 .086 fish per angler trip.

Catch rates for salmon and lake trout follow.

SALMON

LAKE TROUT

YEAR

CATCH/TRIP

YEAR

CATCH/TRIP

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986

0 .1542 0 .2191 0 .1602 0.0874 0 .0906

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986

0.0265 0 .0841 0.0895 0.1149 0.1176

The haivest of landlocked salmon and lake trout has also varied from 1982 to 1987. There has been a general decline in the numbers and pounds of salmon haivested throughout the period. In 1982, 12,483 salmon accounted for 39,447 pounds being haivested from Sebago Lake. In 1987, 3,134 salmon were haivested accounting for 10,354 pounds. Figure 1 shows the general trend of salmon haivested from Sebago from 1982 through 1987.

While salmon haivest has generally been declining, the lake trout haivest has shown an upward trend throughout the period. Lake trout haivest in 1982 was 2, 144 fish accounting for 15,436 pounds. Harvest had increased to 4,920 fish and 27,206 pounds in 1986. Haivest in numbers and pounds declined to 3,437 and 19,935, respectively, in 1987. Figure 2 shows the general trend of lake trout harvest from Sebago Lake from 1982 through 1987.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

T

l ur 1. ALMO

[I POUNDS/ ACRE e NUMBER/ ACRE

[l POUNDS/ACRE e NUMBER/ ACRE

1983

1982

Fl

1986

1984 1985 YEARS SAMPLED

1987

r 2 LAKET OUT ~ POUNDS/ ACRE

e NUMBER/ACRE

1983

1984 1985 YEARS SAMPLED

1986

1987

While haivest rates for salmon and lake trout have shown opposite trends throughout the study period, the total pounds of both species combined have remained fairly constant with the exception of 1982.

The average haivest rate for lake trout in total numbers and pounds per acre was 0.13 and 0.83, respectively. The average haivest rate in total numbers and pounds per acre for both species combined was 0.30 and 1.27, respectively. Figure 3 shows the general trend of total combined numbers and pounds of salmon and lake trout haivested from Sebago Lake from 1982 through 1987.

The mean lengths and weights and salmon and lake trout caught from Sebago Lake are present in the following tables:

1983

1982

YEAR

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 MEAN

20.6 in.

20.0" 18.7" 17.9" 20.5" 19.3" 17.4" 19.2 in.

4.2 lb.

3.2" 2.4 ..

2.5" 4.0"

I•

2.6" 3.1 lb.

LAKE TROUT MEAN MEAN YEAR LENGTH WEIGHT

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 MEAN

25. 7 in.

24.6" 24.5" 23.7" 24.5" 22.5" 23.6" 24.6 in.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

8.5 lb.

7.2" 6.7" 6.4" 7.1" 5.5" 5.0" 6.6 lb.

1987

The average size salmon caught by anglers through the study period has varied from approximately 17 to 20 inches and 2 to 4 pounds. The average size oflake trout, however, has shown a general decline in size from 25.7-inch 8.5-pound fish in 1982 to a 22- to 23-inch, nearly 5-pound fish in 1986 and 1987. The average size of salmon caught during the period was 19.2 inches and 3.1 pounds. The average size of lake trout caught by anglers during the same period was 24.2 inches and 6.6 pounds.

Salmon first become vulnerable to the fishery at Age II+. These fish average 17. 7 inches and 1.85 pounds. Very few fish older than Age V+ appear to be present in the population. A few Age IV+ salmon have been caught. These fish average nearly 23 inches and 3. 7 pounds. The length to age and weight to age relationships for salmon caught at Sebago from 1980 to 1987 are as follows:

2

SALMON MEAN MEAN LENGTH WEIGHT

1986

1984 1985 YEARS SAMPLED

3

AGE IN YEARS

5

4

I

6

AGE IN YEARS

I• 2

3

4

AGE IN YEARS

5

I 6

AGE IN YEARS

7

A tracking of Age II+, Age III+, and Age IV+ salmon shows basically the same growth trend for all three age groups from 1980 through 1987 as shown in Figure 6:

The annual smvival rate calculated for salmon Age III+ to Age VI+ is 26 percent.

Lake trout harvested from Sebago Lake from 1980 through 1987 averaged approximately 24 inches and 6.6 pounds. Figure 9 shows the age frequency of lake trout appearing in the fishery for 1980 through 198 7. l 9. L TROUT CAUGHT B ANGLERS ·······:

1980

1981

1982 1983

1984 1985

SJ

1986 1987

YEARS SAMPLED

The length to weight relationship for salmon Age II+ to Age IV+ sampled from 1980 through 1987 shows the greatest rate of growth occurring between Age II+ and Age IV+. The length-weight relationship for salmon sampled during the study period is shown in Figure 7:

17.78

18.66

20.63

22.04

3

4

II i 5

6

Mi

7

8

9

10 11 12 13 14 15

AGE AT CAPTURE

The catch of lake trout from Sebago Lake has been represented by fish from Age III+ to Age XV+.

These fish appear to be fully recruited into the fishery by Age v +. Peak age classes appearing in the catch include Age V+, VI+, IX+ and X+.

The numbers of wild fish recruited into the fishery have been steadily increasing through the · period as seen in Figure 10. Less than 1 percent of the catch in 1981 were wild as opposed to 42 .1 percent and 39.5 percent in 1986 and 1987.

23.06

LENGTH IN INCHES Age III+ salmon are the major year class exploited by anglers. Nearly 56 percent of the salmon caught by anglers consisted of Age III+ fish. Age IV+ salmon were the next highest year class exploited. Nearly 22 percent of the catch consisted of Age IV+ salmon. Figure 8 shows the percentage of each age represented in the fishery through the study period.

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 YEARS SAMPLED

T

~••,•,•,•,•!•

2

3

4

5

AGE AT CAPTURE

8

6

It appears that the overall angler use on Sebago Lake has stabilized since 1983. The variation from 1983 to 1987 has been less than 8,000 user-days compared to the nearly 50,000 user-day variation from 1981 to 1983. The one line limit established 1983 appeared to have a dramatic effect on userdays. Even though use has essentially stabilized, the downward trend in salmon harvested versus the upward trend in lake trout harvest displays an obvious interaction dynamic presently occurring

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

between the lake trout and salmon. Both species utilize the same forage with overlapping in depths occupied resulting in competition for food and space. The major diet oflake trout and salmon at Sebago is rainbow smelt.

Despite the present population trends for both species, the total combined pounds of salmon and lake trout harvested from Sebago has remained fairly constant, averaging 1.27 pounds per acre (35,539 pounds) since 1983. Because lake trout are such long-lived fish, with age at sexual maturity later than for most salmonids, it was felt that it would take a number of years before the full impacts of the lake trout introductions would be known. Presently, wild lake trout contribute nearly 40 percent to the total catch, and this percentage should increase at a more rapid rate within the next few years. It is expected that the wild lake trout will be able to sustain a desirable fishery, but at current levels of exploitation, total yield in pounds may decline and stabilize at a lower level.

Findings to date suggest that the presence of lake trout has compromised the total available yields expected for salmon. If this trend continues, high exploitation of lake trout should be encouraged in order to maintain more desirable yields of salmon.

An abundant smelt population is essential in maintaining good growth of both salmon and lake trout.

Key to increasing longevity for salmon is also increasing the survival rate. The current annual survival rate is 26 percent which is less than the desired 30 percent to 35 percent. The high exploitation of Age III+ salmon has influenced the carryover into older-age classes. The production of older-age fish in the population is necessary to ensure the necessary escapement of spawning salmon needed to reach production goals in the Northwest and Crooked river systems. A continued high exploitation of Age III+ salmon will definitely tend to compromise goals for an increase in wild salmon at Sebago.

The management implications of any changes in length limits, bag limits, seasons, terminal tackle restrictions, etc., will have to be fully considered not only for their effects on the biology of the fish populations involved but also in consideration of the social and economic settings and new technologies now available to the angling public. •

The author checks one of Sebago Lake's creel census boxes.

These boxes are primary sources of the data on which this research report is based. Photo by Jacki Bragg

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

9

Zero ~

• 1es

s

It

. . ·. .

10

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

by Gary Anderson

ack in 1978, we wrote that we were shooting for a fatalityfree hunting season (Maine Fish and Wildlife, Fall 1978, page 14). Well, I'm happy to report that we made it in 1984 - and had only one fatality in 1982. We have had two seasons when we experienced fewer than 20 incidents in total.

"Bucks-only" proponents would like to claim the honors; for me, it isn't quite that clear.

We were doing very well before bucks-only seasons; it's difficult not to notice the reduction in fatalities of the last 10 years from the prior 10 years (see table). Actually, these reductions are due to a combination of training, wise laws, and a more careful hunting public.

The hunter safety program in Maine got its start in 1958; at first, it was almost entirely concerned with safe handling of firearms. Gradually, other related subjects were added; now, in its mandatory form, it is an educational experience!

Our program is available statewide, under the regional supervision of hunter safety coordinators situated strategically throughout the state.

During these past years, we have had a steady progression of students. We will certify our 100,000th student sometime in 1988: a remarkable situation in a state of such low population!

We have received invaluable assistance from many legislators during this period. They have presented, and caused to be enacted, bills prohibiting hunt-

ing after sunset, driving deer, and hunting from public ways. A law requiring each person hunting with firearms during the open season on deer to use fluorescent orange clothinghas also been passed. Each of these wise laws has caused a decrease in the type of accident usually associated with that particular activity. (Author's note: one of the additional benefits of hunter orange is the ease of locating a lost or injured hunter from the air on a search.)

From 1977 to 1987, we logged 312 firearms incidents while hunting. Of these, 26 were fatalities, either self-inflicted or inflicted by others. For the 10year period 1967 to 1976, there were 424 incidents, resulting in 44 deaths - a remarkable reduction!!

It appears that rabbit hunters and upland bird hunters are now the prime targets for hunter education and training - they make up, each year, a full 50 percent, and more, of the total injuries!

The author is the department's safety officer.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

Deer

Many of these incidents involve unsupervised juveniles. If parents don't take the time to do things with their youngsters, there is a great chance that they'll do those things alone and very possibly get hurt.

Our decreased incident rate should not make us complacent.

We will continue to strive for fatality-free years and incidentfree years, while realizing that hunting is already a very safe pastime.

It is timely to thank all the people who encourage and support this program, not the least of whom are the many volunteer instructors. We simply could not function without them; the cost to use state personnel would be prohibitive. Speaking of costs, these same instructors permit us to use their time value as our share of the "seed money" to acquire Pittman-Robertson money (from the 11 percent tax hunters pay on guns and ammunition). so that our department doesn't have to foot the bill. •

Year

Kill

Total Hunters

Resident

Nonresident

1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987

34,701 41,080 30,409 31,750 18,903 28,698 24,720 34,667 34,675 29,619 31,340 29,002 26,821 37,225 32,167 28,834 23,799 19,304 21,300 19,567 23,729

199,311 205,323 201,248 212,080 194,052 181,680 197,922 210,572 224,471 214,974 220,740 227,447 231,054 233,305 235,272 235,195 218,340 218,139 203,013 203,303 218,694

165,846 169,174 162,636 170,593 155,572 151,916 165,025 177,008 188,550 183,610 190,569 194,292 196,904 198,753 202,899 199,885 183,692 182,491 171,556 168,503 180,816

33,465 36,149 38,612 41,487 38,480 29,764 32,897 33,564 35,921 31,364 30,171 33,135 34,150 34,552 32,373 35,310 35,648 35,648 35,457 34,800 37,878

Total Incidents

43 52

49 52 36 37 31 33 33 31 41 32

41 29 32 29 19 23 24

14 27

Fatal

6 6 6 8 4 3 4 3 3 3 2 3 4 3 2 1 3 0 2 3 3

Nonfatal

37

46 43 44 32 34 27 30 30 28 39 29 37 26 31 28 16 23 22 12 24

Prior to 1971, deer drives were legal, hunting was legal until 1/2 hour after sunset, and hunting was legal on paved roads.

1971 - season was abbreviated to low deer population.

1973 - First year of statewide FBO law.

1984 - First year of no fatalities.

11

Letters should be sent to: Liz Chipman, Kid-Bits Editor MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine 284 State Street, Station #4 l Augusta, Maine 04333

MAINE TRACKER This animal: 1. has the scientific name Alces alces 2. feeds on buds, vegetation, and aquatic plants 3. is known for its large, flat antlers 4. is the largest member of the deer family 5. is found on the Maine State Seal

HUNTER SAFETY FOR KIDS (and everyone) 1. Kn9w your gun. You should know where the safety catch is and how to load and unload your gun. Know how to clean your gun. Most importantly know how to shoot your gun. What's the right way to line up the sights on a target? What does the gun feel like when it goes off? Target practice before you go hunting.

2. Know your hunting buddy. Go hunting with an adult you feel comfortable with and who your parents say is OK. Never go hunting without your parents' permission.

3. Wear hunter orange. This is the law. Orange lets other hunters see you and know that you are not a deer. You must have some orange on all sides of your body (a vest or jacket is good).

Never wear anything white into the woods during hunting season. This could be mistaken for the white flash

12

of a deer's tail. A careless hunter might shoot before he or she was sure.

4. Be sure of your target before you pull the trigger. Do not fire at noises. If you hear bushes rustling or footsteps, don't shoot! Wait until you see what you are shooting at. There are other hunters in the woods and they are depending on you to be careful. You would certainly want another hunter to make sure you were not a deer if he heard you coming, wouldn't you?

5. NO ALCOHOL. Don't drink alcohol while hunting, or go into the woods with anyone who is drinking alcohol. Alcohol (including beer) makes people less careful and makes it harder for them to shoot straight. It is very dangerous to go hunting with anyone who has been drinking. Hunters should save drinking for around the campfire or woodstove after the guns have been unloaded and put away.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

A mushroom is a fungus - they aren't plants and they aren't animals - they are in a category all their own. Mushrooms stay in one place like plants, but they can't make their own food from sunlight like plants can. Mushrooms and other fungi (FUN-ji) need to get their food from somewhere else, just like animals do. Most mushrooms get their food from dead plants, like old rotting logs, tree stumps, or dead leaves. Mushrooms also like manure and soil that has lots of dead plant material or manure in it.

Some mushrooms are good to eat, but some are poisonous.

Don't eat any mushroom that you find outdoors until you have checked with someone who can tell you if it is OK to eat ~ Fly AAgaric Shaggy(i0. or not. Some of the edible (ED-i-bul) mushrooms found in Maine are described in the article beginning on page 14.

Mane 'e/

MAINE ISLAND

WO

IND

Hidden in this maze of letters are the names of many different Maine islands.

The names are listed below, but they go all different directions in the maze forward, backwards, up and down - ..----.--..---,----r--.--.--.-..---..----.-.------r-----r-- - . - - ~ ~ ~ ~ even diagonally! One of them is found for you; the rest is up to you!

Eagle Two Bush Isle au Haut Vinalhaven Mt. Desert Matinicus North Haven Deer Isle Chebeague Pound O' Tea Diamond Whaleboat

Jewell Damariscove Cliff Mashers The Goslings Long Dagger Bangs White Bull Uncle Zeke Dogs Head Junk of Pork Crow

Take a look at the story on page 2 for more about Maine's offshore islands!

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

Answers on page 30

13

henever we were heading outdoors "to play," my 11 brothers and sisters and I were always cautioned by our Mother: "Don't touch any toadstools, or you'll get warts on your hands!"

As one of that happy dozen (I

was somewhere around halfway), I heeded Ma's advice and, so far, no warts!

Mother Robinson meant well, of course, and her warning is one still often heard in regard to wild mushrooms, which is what toadstools really are, but the warning today more often applies the to picking and eating of wild mushrooms. This is because there are many more people involved in gathering wild mushrooms now than there were, say, 25 years ago, probably owing to the fact that everything and anything related to the outdoors has more people involved today than "yesterrlay."

If we agree on that, I guess we can understand the warning that when it comes to wild mushrooms, be cautious in what you pick, and even more cautious in what you eat.

I am not a botanist, professor, or educated mycologist (one who studies mushrooms). I'm just a plain outdoorsman with a bit of a curious nature, and my experiences have taught me to identify a few of the more common edible wild mushrooms. Naturally, in the process I have also learned to identify some of the seemingly more prevalent varieties as well.

I would like to pass along some of my observations, but hear this: Never eat a wild mushroom that you have not positively identified as an edible variety. Although some poison-

ous mushrooms will cause death, most will only make you so violently ill you may wish (or think) you are dead!

There are some excellent guides and books available in book stores and libraries to help you identify a specimen, and until you gain a little experience and confidence it is also wise to seek confirmation from someone skilled in mushroom identification. I have never been disappointed whenever I submitted an unknown specimen to the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at the University of Maine. If you mark it in care of the Cooperative Extension Sexvice, chances are it will come under the scrutiny of Dr. Richard L. Homola. This very knowledgeable gentleman has au-

by Wilmot Robinson

luscious with lunch?

14

or deadly wi

Lr thored several bulletins about mushrooms in Maine, which are available from the Cooperative Extension Service. I have had the pleasure of sharing thoughts and colored slides with Dr. Homola, and his own slide show is truly worth viewing.

As I grew into my teenage years, I had my first taste of wild mushrooms. Dad would carry them home in his dinner bucket, and 'though Ma didn't eat any, she seemed to approve of Pa picking this one variety. It was

The author, a Millinocket resident, is a registered Maine guide and an amateur mycologist (mushroom hunter).

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Left, the G in July and August. Once you have idenr think I have ever seen one, but Audubon room - very common around here. Find ¡ Head Tooth - A large whitish mass, too I slowly. I like it! Photos by the author.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

Although some poisonous mushrooms will cause death, most will only make you so violently ill you may wish (or think) you are dead!

en Chanterelle - a choice mushroom found in this area, usually very abundantly, in mossy areas along streams and brooks it you should have no problem with mistaking it for the deadly Jack O' Lantern, sometimes called False Chanterelle. I don't s that fresh specimens will give off an eerie glow in a dark room. R. Homola photo. Center, the False Morel, or brain mushnd identify it so you will know it from the true edible Morel, but do not eat it! Most books classify it as deadly! Right, the Bear's

j

d in many small tufts and found growing on deciduous trees or even in hollow logs. Homely as it is, it's delicious if cooked

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

15

the Shaggy Mane, sometimes called Lawyer's Wig or Inky Cap. Pa got them in behind the mill somewhere. And since Millinocket has its own Little Italy. many of his friends were Italians. Now, everybody knows that Italians love mushrooms, and when it comes to wild ones, they were the experts. Ma must have figured that if the Italians said Shaggy Manes were OK to eat, that was good enough for her. Whatever the reasoning, Pa brought 'em home, and we liked 'em. In fact, until about 10 years ago. I thought they were the only species of wild mushroom that was safe to eat.

This time it was another family member, my son Jay. who introduced me to another mushroom - the Honey Caps. At first I was cautious, even somewhat fearful. 'This one looks like a toadstool" I

The Honey Caps are somewhat different in appearance. But Jay cooked some for us, and to prove he knew what he was doing, he ate some first. Then I ate some. and discove~ed a new taste treat. From that point on, with the help of Richard Homola and his bulletins, the Audubon Society's Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. and another good guide book by Orson Miller, we went into the fields and forests with desire to gain more knowledge about wild mushrooms.

One of the first wild mushrooms newcomers hear about is the Morel. I wish I could find some! They are said to be the choicest of choice wild mushrooms, but where I live they are conspicuous in their absence plenty of False Morels, but not many Morels. The few I have found and eaten were delicious, and I would welcome a chance to pick more if a reader should know where there are some. In Maine they are in their edible stage only in late spring. Don't 16

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1.988

eat the False Morel (also called the Brain Mushroom, for its resemblance to that organ), as it is poisonous.

Spring and fall are the best seasons for most wild mushroom picking. A dry summer can have a negative impact on the growth of many species, even causing some not to appear at all. Conversely, a wet summer means a good fall upcoming for mushroom hunters.

By the way, some of the fall mushrooms I'll mention are often found on lawns. If it's not your lawn, be sure you have the landowner's permission before picking them. Permission will usually be granted, but you can also count on hearing: "You mean you actually ~ those toad.stools?" Don't make the

same mistake I once did - convincing the homeowner how good they are to eat. Now I can't pick mushrooms th-ere because he eats all of them himselfl

'fr

he Shaggy Mane is very common in Maine in September and into October until hard frosts come. I can usually find a winter's supply along the highways, on mowed lawns, and even in cemeteries. Shaggy Manes must be washed and blanched as soon as possible after picking, or they will tum into a black, inky mess. This has earned these mushrooms the name Inky Caps.

The Coprinus family of Inky Caps also has a member known as the Alcohol Inky. The Alcohol Inky is fairly abundant, is found in grassy areas, and tastes really good! Though it is a choice edible mushroom, no alcoholic beverages should be consumed for a day or two after eating the Alcohol Inky - something to do with its ability to inactivate certain enzymes that detoxify alcohol in the human body.

While not fatal, this can cause a

Maine Fish and .Wildlife - Fall 1988

17

most uncomfortable sensation.

Eat, drink, and be sick!

Highly prized in Europe, and very abundant in Maine, is the Chanterelle family of wild mushrooms. Most are edible and several are listed as choice the highest rating given for edibility. Chanterelles can be dried for preseiving, and certainly are one of our favorites.

In the fall, usually while hunting, I keep a lookout for the

with the soil in the area. Many places will produce worm-free mushrooms, and if we find an area that appears to have a lot of worm-infected mushrooms, we simply pass it by on future hunts. We find many Pink Bottoms along grassy road edges and on lawns.

Oyster Mushroom

This delicacy grows on trees, usually hardwoods, and in clusters that will provide good eating for many days.

When I bring up Pink Bottoms, I

hope no one thinks rm referring to part of a baby's anatomy.

Meadow Mushrooms are

often called Pink Bottoms due to the color of the underside of the cap. This tasty mushroom is the closest thing you'll find to the "storebought" variety. It's just as good to eat, even better at times. I often eat them raw, cut them into a salad, mix some into scrambled eggs or surround a medium rare first-cut-of-therump with sauteed Pink Bottoms. Now that's good eating!

The Pink Bottom picker should be on the lookout for worm holes in the stems. The worm itself, a pin-sized creature, will be found in the cap of the mushroom.

These worms seem to be a localized problem associated 18

Here's a strange one: Dentinum repandum, the Toothed Mushroom. also called the Sweet Tooth. The Tooth Fungus family

includes many that are found in Maine, and several that are indeed edible, including the Sweet Tooth and the Bear's Head. (Italian friends call this one "The Mop".) Instead of gills beneath the cap there are spinelike "teeth" hanging down. In the case of the Bear's Head, some individual specimens are over a foot in diameter.

Honey caps are another of our favorite species of wild mushrooms. The name comes from the color of the cap. They grow on the ground in droves, especially in an area where hardwoods have been haivested.

Occasionally you '11 find this mushroom around every stump in such an area.

Honey Caps can be dried or blanched and frozen.

Pu.ffballs are common in many areas, some growing to huge dimensions.

There are several edible types of pufiball, and I have seen people pick and eat them like candy.

My family is not as fond of puffballs, but that is partly because we can usually locate other species that we prize more highly.

I have barely scratched the surface of this fast-growing fad of hunting wild mushrooms. I hope I've aroused your curiosity enough to send you looking for some good books on this fascinating hobby. Once you experience your first choice edible, I guarantee you'll want more. I have avoided discussion of poisonous mushrooms because, until you prove them to yourself, all of them are poisonous! "Move with caution until you are convinced," that's my motto. I have

been convinced on the ones I mention here.

Good luck, and don't worry about warts! • Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

~ h e Fly Tying Bench

THE OL VE GREY SCUD

SPECIAL FLY#S

by Eddie Reif Photos by Jacki Bragg ABOUT THE FLY Various crustaceans play important roles as fish food. The most familiar, and the largest and most difficult to imitate with a fly, is the crayfish. Another group of considerable importance belongs to the order Isopodia and is composed of aquatic sowbugs and cressbugs. These close relatives of the common grey sowbugs, which we have all observed under rocks and rotting boards, are prime trout food in what are generally known as limestone streams. Henry's Fork out west and the famous Letart in Pennsylvania come to mind as well-known examples of limestone streams.

By far the most important crustaceans for fly fishermen in Maine are the scuds (order Amphipoda). There are approximately 90 species of these shrimp-like organisms in North America. Of these, only a few are of importance in Maine. They live in shallow water and are usually found in areas of vegetation. In shape and swimming action they are very similar to santl fleas as observed when seaweed is disturbed along the beach, or to the shrimp-like organisms one can watch swimming in the tidal pools on the Maine coast.

ABOUT THE PATTERN Fishing research indicates that in many Maine trout ponds the scuds of importance tend to range in color from olive to grey. Some phenomenal trout

t

(:

<

1

Secure tying thread to front of hook and wind to rear of shank and down bend for approximately 1/3 of the total distance. Tie in a few short hackle fibers the same color as body. Lay the butt of a short piece of silver wire for the ,rib at the rear side of hook and lash it down with a couple of turns of thread.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

fishing can be had using olive and olive-grey scuds.

This pattern works well both on the top and the bottom, assuming the water is not deep enough to preclude the growth of vegetation. Personal research on the ponds of western Maine (Forks and Jackman area) indicates that large populations of these organisms exist in this area, and that trout feed selectively on them.

Fortunately for fly tyers, a scud is easily imitated.

Its three most outstanding features are color, segmentation, and hard outer shell. All are handled with ease by this scud pattern. Some tiers may wish to try other color variations in their areas.

Nationwide, the most common colors are dark grey, pale yellow, dirty yellowish olive, tannish grey, dark olive-grey, and light olive-grey.

THE PATTERN HOOK: Mustad 3906, Size 14-18 THREAD: Danville 6 / 0 Pre-waxed nylon, olive or grey TAIL: Three or four olive hackle fibers SHELLBACK: Narrow (1 / 8" or less) strip of clear poly or cellophane RIB: Silver wire BODY: Olive, olive-grey, or grey fur or synthetic dubbing rough in texture (with guard hairs) LEGS: Picked-out dubbing fur on abdomen

2

Cut a piece of cellophane or polybag into a strip approximately 1/8" wide. Form a tapered "V" point on the end to be tied at rear of hook. Hold the tapered end at the spot the rib wire was tied in and, with a couple of turns of thread, tie in the shell back securely. Wind thread forward to front of hook.

19

Taking a little at a time, dub olive fur into the thread.

Dub a length long enough to go back and forth once on shank. Don't dub too long a length: It is better (and easier!!) to dub more as you need it than it is to remove extra from the thread. Form the body by winding your dubbed thread all the way to the rear and back, taking care to form the body evenly and fully.

Tie in at knot and cut off excess.

Fold the poly shell back strip forward over top of body and tie down at front with the thread.

4

5

Finish off head with your thread and whip finish. Using a dubbing teaser, pick and tease out the fur between the wire ribs to get a fuzzy "leggy" effect, but take your time and avoid inadvertently breaking the rib.

Lacquer the head and your scud is finished.

One further note (as a reminder to the tyer who wishes his flies to last): it is assumed that lacquer or tying cement is being applied at each step of the tying process.

20

Wind the rib wire forward around body and poly strip shellback to form a "shrimp-like" segmentation. Take care -to keep poly strip centered on back.

6 Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

How Goes It With Maine's Moose?

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

I n the late 1800s and early 1900s, Maine's moose population experienced serious declines: moose hunting was outlawed after 1935. Since then, increased protection, a declining deer herd (deer cany, but are not affected by, a parasite which kills moose), and improved moose habitat combined to reverse this moose population trend. By 1980, the moose herd, estimated at more than 20,000 animals, was thriving on the browse being produced on regenerated clearcuts.

The hunting season was reopened on a limited basis in 1980, when 700 permittees and their subpermittees hunted moose in northern Maine. In 1982, and each year thereafter, 1,000 permits have been issued.

Obviously, if there are more moose, hunters are more likely to see and kill moose. Although the first (1980) season had a higher success rate than follow-

by Karen I. Morris Photos by Stephen Vincent

21

The author is the department's moose research project leader.

Table 1. Percent of permittees who registered a moose.

ZONE

1980

1982

NW NE C SE SC SW ALL 1

91

88

1983

1984

tend to begin rutting before yearlings. With the change to a late October season, the big bulls are through the rut and are a little harder to find than in the September seasons. As the preferred type of animal becomes harder to find, more hunters take their second or third choices, small bulls and adult cows.

The other reason for a trend toward a higher proportion of yearlings in the kill is this: when animals are hunted, the sex and age class most vulnerable to being harvested tends to become more scarce than in an unhunted population. Thus, hunted moose populations are expected to have a higher proportion of young and female animals.

Each year, hunters bring the animals to check stations where they are registered, weighed, and measured. Weights and measures are two of the "tools" used to assess the condition of the moose herd and its habitat. An animal that is eating well will grow better than one on a poor diet.

There are problems we need to consider when analyzing this information. Calves and yearlings are the animals that potentially give the most useful information, but very few of these young animals are shot. Because there is a lot of variation within a group of animals, you would need to measure many animals within one sex and age group to be sure of detecting a difference

If hunters became less selective, hunter success could remain high in spite of a declining moose population. But there is no evidence that moose hunters have become any less choosey with time. In fact, more hunters (48 percent) passed up at least one moose in 1987 than in any of the previous years, when between 39 and 43 percent of the hunters decided against shooting at least one moose that they could have killed. Furthermore, the total number of moose that the hunters reported passing up was higher in 1987 than in any previous year. The average number of moose that hunters reported passing up averaged 1.4 over all years and ranged from a low of 1.0 (in 1983, the year of the hot weather) to a high of 2.2 in 1987. In other words, hunters decided not to shoot between 1,000 and 2,000 animals every year. Calves are most likely to be rejected, followed by cows; bulls are least likely to be passed up.

The proportion of adult bulls in the harvest has declined with time, while the proportion of yearling bulls has generally increased. Numbers of cows harvested do not show clear trends through all seasons. The trend toward a higher proportion of yearling bulls and cows (yearlings and adults) was expected for two reasons: first, all bulls are more vulnerable during the rut, but adult bulls

ing seasons, this doesn't necessarily indicate a decline in moose numbers since then.

There were no zones for the 1980 season; most hunters hunted in the south central or southwest zones where hunter success continues to be at or above 91 percent (Table 1).

While there has been considerable variation between zones, overall hunter success has remained very similar from year to year, especially when one considers the other variations between years; primarily differences in weather and timing of the season compared to the rut and leaf fall. In 1983, for instance, hot weather in the early part of the season kept the moose from moving about as much as usual, and the season got off to a slow start. Success rates and sightings have been highest when the season fell during the most active part of the rut (late September) or after leaf fall. The 1984 season, in early October, fell between these two time periods.

With the permit system, moose hunting is not an annual event for every hunter. In fact, with the odds of being drawn in any one year less than 1 chance in 50 for a resident and 1 chance in 100 for a nonresident, it is likely to be a once-in-alifetime hunt, and the incentive to wait for a trophy is therefore quite high.

1985

19861

Table 2. Sex and age composition of Maine moose harvests by year.

1987

57 66 78 65 95 92

67 78 82 83 94 91

73 86 89 86 98 98

65 85 90 72 100 91

64 90 96 78 98 98

74

82

88

86

89

Opening Day

Bull

ADULTS Cow

All

Bull

9/22/80 9/20/82 9/19/83 10/8/84 10/21/85 10/20/86

60 59 54 56 50 46

22 21 21 23 29 27

82 80 75 79 80 73

8 10 12 12 11 15

YEARLINGS Cow All 4 6 8 5 5 7

12 16 20 17 16 22

Calves 6 4 4 5 4 4

New areas were opened to hunting In 1986, additions to the SE, SC, and SW zones.

22

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

between areas or years. Because of the small sample of young animals, we can't rely on this data alone.

We also collect information on frequency of twins and the number of cows that are lactating (cows on a good diet will have more calves than those on a poor diet) to monitor changes in the herd. None of these have shown any change over the years. In the early seasons (in September). an average bull over five years old (moose continue to grow until age five) weighed in at around 850 pounds dressed,

and animals over 1,000 pounds weren't unusual. During the last two seasons (in late October), an average full-grown bull weighed almost 100 pounds less, and animals over 900 pounds were uncommon. This weight loss is normal for bulls and does not indicate a nutritional problem.

During the rut, bulls travel more and eat very little; as a result, they lose weight. In fact, captive moose in the rut, if they are fed all they can eat, will still lose weight at this time.

What have we le,arned from the information collected during

Editor's Note: The following column is reprinted, with permission, from the Bangor Daily News, June 1, 1988. It was written by Bud Leavitt, outdoor columnist and executive sports editor, and . ..

e Couldn't

It's not easy being a resources guardian. Not at all easy. Nor, if an officer does his Job, and most do, is he likely to win any popularity contests.

I am thinking of this because I received several messages in the wake of a recent warden road check.

1\vo of my correspondents didn't like the idea of being delayed on the road while wardens looked inside their vehicles for hidden, illegal fish. That's too bad. What a pity. Baloney!

Patrolling Maine's vast empire of wild woods, ocean coastline, lakes, and streams is a company of uniformed men and women whose duty it is to uphold the fish and wildlife laws of the state.

Maine has been fortunate by being richly endowed with natural resources, particularly as to fish and game, but faces a serious depletion problem caused by a few people who are wont to break existing laws.

The members of the warden forces are picked individuals who won their appointments after passing a rigid examination as to physical and mental fitness, fearlessness, ability, courtesy, and good sportsmanship.

Each new warden is required to attend school, presided over by nationally known experts, where he is brought up to date dealing with recent developments in conservation and propagation, legal procedure, natural history, forestry, woodcraft, first aid, and other features that are essential to his calling.

The officers who stop someone on some back country road and ask to check the portable refrigerator aren't a bunch of boobs who've been handed a warden's badge without extensive training. The chances are strong the individual is a recent graduate and holds a college degree.

He is assigned to a district, under a district head, and his patrol may cover hundreds of square miles of wild territory, to endure subzero cold and winter storms, or buck the foaming rivers at freshet pitch in a canoe and cope with daily dangers. There's more to a warden's duty than delaying some sourpuss five or 10 minutes during a road check. And don't give me that constitutional rights nonsense, please. If you broke the law and the

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

moose seasons? We understand more clearly the effect of moose season timing on hunter success, how hunter selection affects moose sex and age class distribution in the harvest, and where hunters prefer to hunt moose. We have also accumulated much biological baseline information on our moose herd when it has been in good condition and living in good habitat.

It's a handy yardstick to measure any future habitat or populations against. So far, there's no real news, but in this case, at least no news is good news. â&#x20AC;˘

ave Sai I Be ter.

officer pulls you off the road on Route 15, he aims to find out. And from this perch and perspective, I say hooray!

No matter where you may go among Maine's millions of acres, you will find a representative of the warden force in the near vicinity. Maybe not today, 'tomorrow maybe, well, any day or night now. They'll touch down there sometime, and you'd best follow the plan set down in the law books.

The chances are excellent that he'll be friendly, hospitable, but if you're on the wrong side of the law, he's going to hand you a summons. On the other side, the same person is always ready to render aid in a woods or waters emergency, answer questions, and offer information.

I can tell you after a long, working association with two and three generations of wardens in several districts, it's not in the officer's ethics to spy nor does he take particular satisfaction in an arrest and conviction for he is not judged by his number of court cases.

He is dedicated to an oath of which his badge is a symbol and he has no sympathy for a violator of the laws he is sworn to protect.

I write this today knowing a few people are unhappy because the warden forces, both coastal and inland, were on their toes this past Memorial Day bust-out. So what if your fishing was held up 10 minutes while the wardens looked at your license? Or your vehicle was delayed on the return home trip by 10 minutes?

You, as a sportsman, can assist rather than badmouth the warden - and the state - in conserving the fish and wildlife by knowing the laws and their provisions.

And in your contact you will find that, except for the chronic poacher, the Maine wardens are far from the bugbear of fiction, but men and women who, besides being splendid officers, are also friends and gentlemen.

I say more power to them with respect to conducting road and refrigerator checks. They can look into my chests anytime.

The State of Maine has every right to be proud of her marine and inland warden forces.

23

by James Ecker

T.e

Bureau of Public Lands is directed by the legislature to manage its land for m ultiple use .

This mandate requires the bureau to enhance wildlife habitat as part of its annual program.

Timber harvesting is the principal method used to improve the quality of habitat. But in recent years, the bureau has also established a more intensive program consisting of such additional habitat enhancement projects as erecting wood duck boxes, creating water impoundments, planting wild rice as a wildlife food source in wetland areas, patchcutting poplar for ruffed grouse, strip-cutting alder swales and reclaiming old fields for woodcock and last but not least, herbaceous seeding.

The traditional use of herbaceous seeding in the forest lands of Maine has been to prevent erosion.

Seed mixtures can be modified, however, to provide an important supplement for many species of wildlife. The succulent grasses and legumes provide an excellent source of protein throughout the growing season. This is particularly important in early spring after a long winter has stressed the animals, leaving them in a weakened condition.

The bureau's seeding objective is to plant and maintain a minimum of one acre of herbaceous seeding per square mile of harvested area.

The majority of the seeding is conducted from early April to June 15, and again from August 15 to mid-September. During these times, the ground provides sufficient moisture to allow the seed to germinate and become established. Areas that

Part of multiple-use management plan herbaceous seeding - sowing selecte lie reserved lots to help give our wildl

The Fe have been seeded include log landings, roadside ditches, gravel and borrow pits, stream crossings, winter logging roads and skid trails, and any other areas of soil disturbance.

The wildlife mix currently being used by the bureau consists of the following herbaceous species: Ryegrass, Creeping Red Fescue, Reed Camary Grass, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Wild White Dutch Clover, and Red Top. Lime, fertilizer, and mulch hay are required in addition to the seed - especially on the dry gravelly to sandy soils found in eastern Maine.

Recommended application rates for the lime, fertilizer, and mulch hay are as follows: â&#x20AC;˘ Lime â&#x20AC;˘ Fertilizer â&#x20AC;˘ Hay

2 tons/ acre 200 lbs. (10-10-10 or 15-15-15)/acre 40 bales/acre

Seeding done by hand, although necessary on some sites, is very labor-intensive and costly.

Seeding with ATVs (right) has made the seeding of remote areas much more feasible, especially if it is done early in the spring when soil moisture is high and mulch is not required. Far right, a close-up of the ATVmounted electric spreader; note shielding required to block seed from hitting operator.

24

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

ng for Maine's public lands involves grasses and other plants on our pub-

They Need

In the early years of the program, all seeding was done by hand - the lime and fertilizer spread and raked into the area to be seeded; then the seed spread with a hand seeder; the area again raked; and finally, the entire area mulched with hay. Even though much of the work was done by summer students or other temporary help, it didn't take the bureau field staff long to become frustrated with The author is a Bureau of Public Lands forester in the Eastern Region.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

The "Ferti-Blast" gun - another method of seeding. This equipment is capable of propelling coated seed up to 30 feet. Experimentation is underway to use this system also to distribute limestone as soil enrichment prior to the actual seeding.

A successfully seeded area, with herbaceous crops wellrooted and growing, providing just one more feature to make the woods seem like "home, sweet home" to our wildlife.

the seeding program, due to the labor-intensiveness and the logistics of trucking the recommended amounts of bulky lime, fertilizer, and mulch to remote locations. In short, the bureau's costs for wildlife seeding began to become unreasonable, and there wasn't enough area being covered. (continued on page 28)

25

What with protection from the elements and from predators, good food and enough of it, and a measure of good old tender loving core, it's no wonder, in the case of Maine's caribou, that ...

r I Iâ&#x20AC;˘

Left, one of this year's new additions to the caribou herd. Of the 14 calves which survived this spring, 10 are females! This is a real boost to the herd's breeding capability. Below, one of the herd's older bulls reclines in what can only be termed "splendor in the grass."

by Mark McCollough Photos by Tom Simko

ust two years since 22 caribou woodland caribou were transported from Newfoundland, Maine's fledgling caribou herd has more than doubled in size! At the conclusion of this year's successful calving season, the caribou herd now numbers 45.

Although they are still in enclosures at the University of Maine, preparations are being made for the exciting first release of caribou, scheduled to occur in the summer of 1989.

The Maine Caribou Reintroduction Project began in 1986 when a group of Maine citizens formed the Maine Caribou Transplant Corporation to fund the venture. The Newfoundland Wildlife Division agreed to provide caribou for the reintroduction if it would be conducted as a carefully controlled scientific experiment. The objective of the Maine reintroduction would be to answer, once and for all, if woodland caribou can be introduced into portions of their former range now occupied by white-tailed deer. The failure of previous reintroduction attempts in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Maine (in 1963) were blamed on a brainworm parasite carried by deer but lethal to caribou.

For these reasons, the Maine caribou reintroduction has proceeded cautiously. The plan called for a nursery herd of caribou to be established at the University of Maine at Orono.

Potential release sites were

The author is leader of Maine's caribou introduction project, with headquarters near the herd's home at the University of Maine at Orono.

26

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

identified at Baxter State Park and the Bigelow Preserve. This summer, wildlife graduate students studied the deer density and prevalence of brainworm in each area, while another research team evaluated the abundance of food plants and documented the potential habitat available for caribou.

The results from these studies will be used to pick the final release site, a decision to be made by early winter.

In the meantime, the nursery herd has flourished. Seventeen of 19 adult female caribou had young this spring, and 14 calves survived - 10 females and 4 males. The preponderance of females gives a real boost to the breeding capability of the herd.

The 25 caribou born to the nursery herd in 1987 and 1988 There's been quite a lot of this going on around here this spring and summer! And it never fails to appeal to spectators (and to the staff, for that matter!), the sight of a young calf taking nourishment of the finest kind.

AB Caribou calves weren't the only things born this spring at the Caribou Project! A book, A Caribou Alphabet , was written and illustrated by Mary Beth Owens of Newcastle, Maine. The book includes a "Caribou Compendium" written by Caribou Project Director Mark McCollough. From "A" for "Antlers" to "Z" for "below Zero weather," this enchanting book of whimsical couplets and exquisite illustrations takes the reader on a journey into the fascinating world of the caribou. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book will support the Caribou Reintroduction Project. A Caribou Alphabet can be ordered from the Maine Audubon Society (address at end of article) for $14.65 ($13.95, plus tax).

Author/illustrator Mary Beth Owens signs author's copies of A Caribou Alphabet at the University of Maine at Orono.

The artwork on the inside pages shows an able and creative artistic style and considerable educational "punch" is worked into the rhyming couplets. It's a charming publication!

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

27

(11 males and 14 females) will be released in 1989 as yearlings and two-year-olds. Between 1989 and 19-92. approximately 90 to 100 caribou will be released. and in 1993. the Maine Caribou Transplant Corporation will relinquish responsibility for research and management of the herd to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

In the first two years of the project. researchers have already learned much by observing the caribou in captivity. Despite deer densities of more than 50 per square mile surrounding the university enclosure. not a single caribou has contracted the brainworm disease. A relatively new drug. ivennectin, has apparently prevented the caribou from contracting the parasite.

The antler and body growth exhibited by the caribou born in captivity is far superior to that observed even under best conditions in the wild. Apparently. the nutrition provided by our

Feed

"Purina Caribou Chow" is responsible for this phenomenon.

It is believed that our robust. healthy animals will reproduce earlier and experience greater survival in the wild.

Many have asked whether logging activity has diminished potential caribou habitat in Maine. To help answer this question. project officials visited Newfoundland in late June to observe an ongoing study of the effects of logging on caribou. a project funded by Abitibi-Price Lumber Co. Evidence from Newfoundland suggests that caribou are perhaps more adaptable to logging activity than was previously thought. Preliminary results of the study indicate that caribou were little deterred by new logging activity on their summer range. Caribou were observed feeding in clearcuts on raspberry. aspen. bunchberry. sarsaparilla.mushrooms. and grasses and sedges. Likewise.

(continued from page

2s;

In an attempt to rectify this situation. the bureau has begun using a new type of seed that is coated with lime. fertilizer. and peat moss. Not only does the coating provide the necessary nutrients for seed germination, but the peat moss acts as a wick to draw moisture into the seed. Although the coated seed is not suitable for all sites requiring seeding. it has greatly and successfully reduced the number of acres requiring separate application of lime. fertilizer. and mulch.

To reduce the amount of hand labor involved. the bureau is using two mechanical seed application systems. In areas that are accessible by vehicle. a "Ferti-Blast" gun is used. The gun. connected to an air compressor. shoots out seed to distances up to 30 feet . This method uses only coated seed. and it has proven to work very well when seeding roadside ditches. stream crossings. reclaimed gravel and borrow pits. and log landings located on gravel roads.

In areas not accessible by conventional vehicles.

A1Vs are fitted with seeders driven by electricity provided by the machine. The A1V seeder can be 28

caribou frequently used the logging roads as travel ways. On hot afternoons large numbers of caribou came to the logging roads and sand pits to escape warble flies and bot flies. As many as 50 caribou were observed standing in a single sand pit!

The Caribou Reintroduction Project has achieved world-wide notoriety and will be scrutinized closely by many. All that has been accomplished thus far can be attributed to the generous donations of Maine citizens and visitors - $200.000 to date! The most exciting portion of this grand experiment is yet to come. as is the greatest expense. Anyone interested can help by purchasing a caribou children's book(see separate article). an art print. poster. or t-shirt. Ifs even possible to "adopt" your own caribou! For more information. write Caribou Fund. Maine Audubon Society. 118 Old Route One. Falmouth. Maine 04105. â&#x20AC;˘

used for both coated and uncoated seed. or for fertilizer. The bureau is currently investigating the availability of more coarsely ground limestone. which can be applied efficiently using either the "Ferti-Blast" gun or the electric seeder.

Where raking is necessary. the bureau often drags the areas to be seeded prior to applying seed.

The drag usually has been an old fir or spruce top pulled by an A1V. but in some cases (subject to its availability). on old agricultural springtooth harrow has been used with exceptional results.

Mulch. where needed. is still applied by hand; the bureau plans to purchase a hay blower which will chop the baled hay and spread it. This does not solve the hay transportation problem. but will greatly reduce the manpower and time required for hand application.

The Bureau of Public Lands is committed to wildlife seedings. For the calendar year 1988. it is estimated that approximately 70 acres throughout the state will be seeded by various methods. As the bureau continues to develop better. faster, and less expensive methods for seeding. more and more acres can be seeded to the benefit of Maine's wildlife. â&#x20AC;˘ Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

-Ir~

"...th r valu 1n ny xper1enc that ex r i tho e th1 al r tra1nt co le t1v ly c led ' t hip' " Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

In large measure, our hunting traditions are based on a self-imposed code of limitations that defines the manner and method by which we take game. In short, the principles of fair chase.

The hunter who abides by these standards, whose hunting emphasizes traditional skills self-reliance, respect for game and ethical conduct, always enjoys an experience of value when afield.

The hunter who disregards these standards, who is willing to bend the rules in his pursuit of a ' successful ' hunt, succeeds only in deceiving himself and degrading his sport.

Among hunters, there are no winners or losers in the conventional sense. Only those who are sportsmen - and those who are not.

NS S F -

ational Shooting Sports Foundation 1075 Post Road Riverside. Conn . 06878

; b

Main e Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

29

FISH A D WILDLIFE BR EFS LONG-TIME DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES HONORED A number of employees of the Department of Inland Rsheries and Wildlife were among nearly 600 Maine state employees honored recently by Governor John McKeman during Career Public Service Employee Recognition Week.

All were presented with lapel pins and certificates in recognition of having worked for the state at least 25 consecutive years. Rsh and Wildlife Commissioner Bill Vail joined the Governor in honoring the group for career accomplishments toward management and protection of Maine's fish and wildlife resources. They are : Raymond Johnson, fish hatchery worker, 39 years.

Kendall Warner, fisheries management supervisor, 36 years.

Kenneth Anderson, Planning Division director, 32 years.

David Locke, superintendent of hatcheries, 32 years.

Phillip Dumond, game warden, 31 years. ~ Joanne Severance, bookkeeping machine operator, 31 years.

Herbert W. "Bill" Vernon, game warden major, 30 years.

Raymond DeSandre, regional fisheries l;>iologist, 29 years.

Faylene Cooper, Warden Service stenographer, 28 years.

Charles Davis, game warden specialist, 26 years.

Donald Gray, game warden sergeant, 26 years.

Betty Jackson, Wildlife Division stenographer, 26 years.

Katherine Morgan, safety section typist, 26 years.

Also honored was Alfred Meister, chief biologist of the Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission, 31 years.

WETIAND HABITAT ACQUIRED A 2, 000-acre parcel of land comprisjng much of the D...vinal Pond Rowage in the town of Lee has been purchased towards creation of a wetlands wildlife management area in eastern Penobscot County. The Rsh and Wildlife Depart-

30

ment bought the property from the International Paper Realty Corporation.

According to Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist Barry Burgason, the tract acquired has "excellent water quality, an abundant variety of waterfowl foods and an excellent seasonal brook trout fishery. In addition, it is a calcareous bog habitat with unique plant and animal associations including shrubby cinquefoil and bog birch. Other potential unique species include calypso orchids, swamp fly-honeysuckle and Dorcas copper butterfly. Dorcas coppers are listed as Category 2 (may be endangered or threatened, and requiring status survey work) by the U.S. Rsh and Wildlife Service."

Burgason 's recommendations for future management of the property include the prospect that "a flowage of approximately 1,200 acres could be created by construction of a relatively small water control structure on Mattakeunk Stream in Winn." During a visit to the flowage this summer, Burgason reported wildlife observations including five deer, one moose, several ducks, one hawk, many muskrats, painted turtles, snapping turtles, and several snipe and sora rails. He believes habitat improvement that could be carried out on the flowage would result in enhancing its production of these and other species of wildlife.

Paul Lawlor, Manager of Land Sales, Northeast, for International Paper Realty Corporation, said the area also contains a peat bog covering some 27 5 acres and containing a reserve of 250,000 tons of commercial quality material, which "magnifies the value of the reserve considerably."

Rsh and Wildlife Commissioner Bill Vail said the D...vinal Pond Rowage was the fifth major land purchase made with the Inland Rsheries and Wildlife Department's Habitat Acquisition Fund .

The fund, approved in a referendum two years ago, provided up to $5 million for the purchase of properties suitable for wildlife habitat.

Acquisitions previously made with the fund moneys include two parcels making up the 1,450-acre Narraguagus Wildlife Management Area at Cherryfield; a 600acre parcel of undeveloped land in the

Killick Pond area in Hollis; and 500 acres of upland/wetland surrounding most of Caesar Pond in Bowdoin.

Wildlife management areas are managed for the benefit of wildlife, and are open to public use for fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking, winter recreation, nature observation, and photography.

NONTOXIC SHOT REQUIRED STATEWIDE Maine waterfowl hunters are reminded that they will be required to use nontoxic (steel) shot statewide this fall.

Lead shotgun pellets were banned last year for waterfowl hunting in southern and coastal portions of the state, and at that time Rsh and Wildlife Commissioner Bill Vail stated the ban would be extended throughout the state in 1988.

Maine's adoption of a nontoxic shot requirement accelerates a federal plan which calls for a nationwide, phased-in conversion to nontoxic shot by 1991.

Fourteen other states have taken similar action on a statewide basis.

In all areas of Maine, including offshore waters and coastal islands, the use or possession of ammunition loaded with anything other than nontoxic shot will be illegal in hunting wild ducks, geese, brant, rails, coots or gallinules.

Before restrictions on its use began several years ago, ingested lead shot was estimated to have caused the lead poisoning deaths of over two million waterfowl annually.

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The Maine Tracker animal is the moose.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

CARBONE HONORED Tom Carbone, coordinator of the Fish and Wildlife Department's exhibits and displays program, has received the Kathryn M. Weare Award as Maine's outstanding tourism employee for 1988.

The award is presented annually by the Maine Tourism Commission and the state Division of Tourism to a public or private sector employee working in the vacation/ travel industry.

Carbone , who also serves as the department's photographer and photo editor of MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE, was nominated for the award for his "continued quality performance over many years" beginning in 1966, when he assumed responsibility for the department's 65-foot display in the State of . aine Building at 'The Big E" in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Since 1982, he has also coordinated the department's exhibits at various in-state and out-of-state sportsman's shows and other tourism related trades shows.

WILDLIFE PHOTO CONTEST The second annual Wildlife Art and Photo Competition has been announced by the Maine Arts Commission and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. This year's competition will be limited to Maine resident photographers.

The two state agencies decided to sponsor a second competition due to the overwhelming response and popularity of last winter's event, which featured wildlife paintings.

Any Maine resident 18 years of age and older may submit up to five slides of their photographs before the October 7, 1988 deadline. The subject matter is limited to live wildlife, fish, or other fauna in their natural habitat, and the photos must have been taken in Maine .

Winning entries will be displayed in the Governor's Gallery Space in the Maine State House from mid-December through the end of February 1989.

Anyone interested in entering the contest should contact the Maine Arts Commission, State House Station 25, Augusta, ME 04333 (phone:289-2724) for a copy of the contest guidelines.

K-9 TEAM WINS NATIONAL AWARD Warden Specialist Deborah Palman of Aurora and her now-retired K-9 , Raven, have received their second "Outstanding K-9 of the Quarter" award from the United States Police K-9 Association.

The award was given for a "track" they accomplished in November 1987 at the scene of a fatal hunting accident.

According to Warden Palman, the K-9 team was called by wardens investigating the shooting because the shooter had fled and his identity was unknown. Working at a scene nearly five hours old and heavily contaminated with the scents of officers, medical personnel and others, Raven ran a track to a house about a quarter-mile away. Later that night, upon being presented with evidence and learning that the victim had died, a member of the family at the house confessed to the shooting. His description of what had happened proved the K-9's track to have been correct, according to Palman.

Last year, Warden William Hanrahan of Farmington and his K-9, Major , won a similar award for tracking down a lost child on a cold December night .

BEAR IAW VIOLATIONS COSTLY Two recent court cases have again shown that violating Maine's hunting laws can be very costly.

A Chesterville man was convicted in June on two counts of guiding without a Maine guide license, and two counts of hunting bear with more than four dogs.

Norman L. Parent was found guilty in Franklin County Superior Court, Farmington, and sentenced by Judge Her-

New Fish and Wildlife Laws The Second Regular Session of the 113th Maine Legislature made a number of changes in laws affecting sportsmen and others interested in the state's wildlife and fisheries resources. The following summary includes only the more important new laws. It is an advisory interpretation only. Full details will be found in the appropriate law booklet. Unless otherwise indicated, the new laws went into effect on August 4, 1988.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

bert T . Silsby to pay fines of $ 250 per . count for a total fine of $1,000. Parent was also ordered to make restitution of $2,052 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for expenses incurred by special agents of the service who operated undercover as nonresident hunters.

The violations occurred in October 1986 in Wilton and Mt. Abram Township.

Meanwhile in Hancock County Superior Court, an Ellsworth man was found guilty of 16 counts of illegal hunting and guiding, and received fines totalling $1 ,800 and a 90-day jail sentence .

Peter Mayo had all but five days of his jail sentence suspended by Justice Thomas Delahanty, who placed Mayo on probation for one year. A special condition of the sentence requires Mayo also to pay restitution of $1 ,500 to the U. S . Fish and Wildlife Service.

Among the 16 charges for which Mayo was found guilty were : six counts of hunting bear after having killed one, five counts of guiding without a Maine guide license, and one count each of exceeding the bag limit on bears, failure to register a bear, failure to,.attach a bear tag to a bear, illegal transportation of bear, and unlawful hunting of bear with more than four dogs.

In the Parent case, investigative efforts were coordinated by Maine Warden Sergeant Michael Pratt of Weld, with the cooperation of the Franklin County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Coordinating the Mayo case investigation for the Maine Warden Service were Game Wardens William Downing and Gary Sargent.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent on both cases was Richard Stott of Portland.

HUNTING â&#x20AC;˘It is now clear in the law that sporting dogs (including pointers, retrievers, setters, spaniels, Vizslas, Weimaraners, and wirehaired pointing griffons) may be trained on wild birds at any time. The commissioner may now issue permits authorizing the use of firearms during the training of sporting dogs to shoot and kill wild birds which have been raised or legally acquired by the permittee and which are in possession of the permittee by virtue of a breeder's license . â&#x20AC;˘ The previous requirements that department employees be present at field trials, and tag all birds shot, have been eliminated.

31

•In addition to previous requirements that prohibited the placing of bear bait more than 30 days before the opening day of the bear season and required that bait areas be cleaned up by November 10, it is now illegal to place bear bait after October 31.

•It is now illegal for a person to kill a bear which is treed or held at bay by another person's dog or dogs without permission of the person conducting the hunt.

•A li~e of demarcation must now be established by the Rsh and Wildli.fe Department at least 200 yards from all licensed dumps, and it will then be illegal to hunt, trap, molest or harass bear, or to release bear dogs, within this area .

•Juveniles under 16 years of age may only hunt with firearms while in the presence of a parent or guardian or another person who is at least eighteen. Subpermittees in the moose hunt must always be in the presence of the permittee while hunting moose. Nonresidents who hunt bear with dogs must employ and hunt in the presence of a resident Maine guide .

In each instance cited above, the word presence is now defined in statute as "unaided by visual or audio enhancement devices, including binoculars and citizen band radios·."

•The night hunting season on coyotes has been extended to run through the month of April in 1989 and 1990; after then, it will end on March 31. During this season it will now be lawful to hunt coyotes from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise of the following day, except Sundays.

•It is now unlawful to hunt moose by means of a "drive."

•Legal firearms for hunting moose now include all except .22 caliber rimfire firearms and shotguns using shot loads.

• The commissioner of inland fisheries and wildlife now has the authority to designate agents to register moose .

• For transportation purposes, the tag portion of the moose hunting permit can now be attached to any part of the moose.

FISHING •Although ice fishermen will still be required to have their ice fishing lines under immediate supervision, the section of law which defined immediate supervision of lines for ice fishing purposes has been repealed.

•Changes in Atlantic salmon fishing statutes include provision for: the tagging of all Atlantic salmon taken from inland and coastal waters; release of all Atlantic salmon taken by any means other than single hook and line; a daily limit of one Atlantic salmon, and an annual limit of five, from all waters of the state; a prohibition on the sale of Atlantic salmon taken from inland or coastal waters, except those lawfully raised by means of aquaculture.

TRAPPING •It is now clear in the law that it is lawful for a licensed trapper to carry a .22 caliber firearm (handgun or rifle) at any time during the trapping season (including nights and Sundays) for the sole purpose of dispatching trapped animals.

GUIDING •A guide license is now required of any person who receives remuneration for services in assisting another within state jurisdiction while hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, snowmobiling or camping at a primitive camping area.

• Licensed guides who reach their 7 0th birthday will now be able to renew their license without charge.

32

•After January 1, 1989, guide licenses will no longer carry hunting and fishing privileges, and changes have been made in the fee structure .

•Certain guide law violations have been established that call for mandatory guide license revocation of three years. oThe commissioner may now revoke a guide license for life .

•It is now a violation of law to knowingly hire a person as a guide who is unlicensed.

•Guiding without a license is now classified as a Class D crime, subject to a mandatory penalty of $1,000 and three days in jail. oThe composition of the Guide' s Board has been changed to include four members of the public to be appointed by the governor for terms of three years.

OTHER • The amount of personal recognizance which a game warden may accept in the field has been increased to $1,000.

•Persons who take snapping turtles from the wild for purposes of resale must obtain a permit from the department, and are subject to new rules on the methods of harvest, confinement and disposal of snapping turtles.

• The Commission to Review the Laws Relating to Registered Maine Guides has been reconstituted to explore the licensing or registering of outfitters in the state, and to look into the need to develop a system for assistant guides . The Commission is to submit its findings, along with any recommended law changes,

by October 10, 1988.

•The reporting date of the Commission on Sport Rsheries has been extended from February 15, 1988 to December 1, 1988.

•A Commission has been established to look into all aspects of the state's boating-related activities and the laws which govern these activities. The commission is to submit its report, along with any necessary legislation, by December 1, 1988.

•The Youth Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation Education Program has been expanded to provide the opportunity for up to 25 students to participate . Beginning in the summer of 198 9, in addition to 10 students who will continue to be funded by the department each year, up to 15 additional students may be sponsored by sporting clubs or fraternal organizations.

0 The State Endangered Species Act has been amended, giving the commissioner specific rule-making authority to identify areas currently or historically providing physical or biological features essential to the conservation of an endangered or threatened species, and which may require special management considerations . Once this habitat is identified through the rule-making process, it becomes unlawful for any state agency or municipality to permit, license, fund or carry out projects which will significantly alter these areas without first obtaining certification from the commissioner that the proposed action would not pose a significant risk to any endangered or threatened species on a statewide basis. The amendment provides for injunctive intervention by the Attorney General, and court ordered restoration in the event of violations of the Endangered Species Act . It also provides funds for a biologist position in the department to work on threatened and endangered species.

FINANCIAL •$480,000 of General Fund money was appropriated for the department. About $80,000 of this amount was reimbursement for last year's search and rescue costs. The remainder was a General Fund appropriation to help the department with personal service costs.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988

1988 MAINE HUNTING SEASONS EFFECTIVE THROUGH MARCH 31, 1989

This is not a legal presentation. See hunting regulations booklet for full details.

BASIC LIMITS -

FIRST DAY

LAST DAY

DAIL V POSSESSION

Firearms season ............................................................. .

Oct. 31

Nov. 26

Maine-resident-only day .. ... .... .... .... ............ ..... ..... ... .. ...... .

Oct. 29

Archery ...................................... .. ................... .. .............. .

Oct. 1

Oct. 28

Muzzle loader ............................................................ .

Nov. 28

Dec. 3

ONE DEER PER YEAR regardless of season or method of taking. Only deer with a minimum antler length of three inches may be taken statewide from October 29 through December 3, except that deer of either sex may be taken in designated deer management districts by persons possessing Any-Deer Permits.

BEAR* ........................................................................ .......... .

Aug. 29

Nov. 30

ONE BEAR OF EITHER SEX Contact Fish and Wildlife Dept. for information on annual moose hunting permit drawing.

DEER

MOOSE (by permit only) ........................................................ .

Oct. 17

Oct. 22

RUFFED GROUSE (Wildlife Management Units 1 & 2) ........ .. ..

Oct. 1

Nov. 30

4

8

(Wildlife Management Units 3-8) ............ .

Oct. 1

Dec. 10

4

8

PHEASANT (Wildlife Management Units 1 & 2) .. .. .................. ..

Oct. 1

Nov. 30

2

4

(Wildlife Management Units 3-8) ....................... .

Oct. 1

Dec. 10

2

4

Contact Fish and Wildlife Dept. for information on annual wild turkey hunting permit drawing.

WILD TURKEY (by permit only) ...................... ..................... ..

May 8

May 28

WOODCOCK ....................................................................... .

Oct. 1

Nov. 14

3

6

COMMON SNIPE ................................................................. .

Sept.1

Dec. 16

8

16

DUCKS, GEESE, SEA DUCKS (scoter, eider, old squaw) ••••.•

Seasons to be set early in September. Copies of regulations may be obtained upon purchase of required state and federal duck stamps, or from Maine game wardens, late in September.

RAILS (Sora and Virginia) ••••••..•.•.•.•••••••••••.••••••••••••..•...•..•...•.••

Sept. 1

Nov. 9

25

25

GALLINULES .......................................................................

Sept. 1

Nov. 9

15

30

CROW ...................................................................................

Mar. 14

Apr. 30

-

July 16

Sept. 29

.

.

BOBCAT ...............................................................................

Dec. 1

Jan. 31

-

-

FOX .......................................................................................

Oct. 31

Feb. 15

-

-

GRAY SQUIRREL ................................................................

Oct. 1

Nov. 30

4

8

RABBIT(Cottontail) and HARE {Snowshoe)** ....................... .

Oct. 1··

Mar. 31

4

8

RACCOON ............................................................................

Oct. 31

Dec. 15

-

-

SKUNK .................................................................................

Oct. 31

Dec. 15

-

-

COYOTE, WOODCHUCK, PORCUPINE, RED SQUIRREL

NO CLOSED SEASON FOR HUNTING

ANY SPECIES NOT LISTED ABOVE ..................................

NO OPEN SEASON FOR HUNTING

• No bear hunting with more than four dogs. No bear hunting with dogs before Sept. 1 or during the regular firearm season on deer. Nonresidents hunting bear with dogs must employ, and hunt in the presence of, a resident Maine guide. See law booklet for new laws on baiting and use of tree stands.

•• Unlawful to hunt rabbits with dogs during any open firearms season on deer in Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and Washington counties.

SUNDAY HUNTING: Illegal in Maine.

SHOOTING HOURS: On animals, 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset, except that during any firearms season on deer, hunting closes at sunset for all species except raccoon. On game birds, shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.

LICENSES: Hunting license is required . Archery license authorizes hunting with bow and arrow only during any open season on that species, except as otherwise provided. A person with a regular hunting license may also hunt with bow and arrow, except during the special archery season on deer. Special license-stamp required to hunt during muzzleloader season on deer.

STAMPS: Don't forget to purchase a Maine duck stamp and a federal duck stamp and/or a Maine pheasant stamp if you intend to hunt these species.

BE A GOOD SPORTSMAN: Please keep in mind that not everyone shares our views on hunting and trapping. The actions of all hunters and trappers must be tempered by the realization that if we want to continue these traditions in the State of Maine, we must all conduct ourselves as true sportsmen: OBEY THE WILDLIFE LAWS AND RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS. Only when we conduct ourselves properly in the field will we earn the respect and support of the general public.

ALERT US: Poachers are Thieves -Help Us Catch Them-Anti-Poaching Hot line: 1-800-ALERT US (253-7887).

Maine Department of Inland fisheries and WildlHe

284 State Street, Station #4 t

Augusta, Maine 04333

This beautiful mushroom, a member of the Polypore family, ls called Cinnabar Red. Polypores are usually woody In texture; some are perennial. Some, such as this one, have ornamental value only. For more about Maine's mushrooms, see the article beginning on page 14. Photo by WIimot Robinson.