Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Summer 1990 by Maine State Library

~AINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE

SUMMER 1990

$3.50

White-tall fawn

Photo Â© Leonard Lee Rue m

~AINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE Governor John R. McKeman, Jr.

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife William J. Vail, Commissioner Norman E. Trask, Deputy Commissioner Frederick B. Hurley, Jr., Director, Bureau of Resource Management Charles A. Atwater, Director, Bureau of Administrative Service Larry S. Cummings, Director, Bureau of Warden Service Advisory Council Alanson B. Noble, Otisfield, Chairman Dr. Ogden Small, Caribou Vice Chairman F. Dale Speed, Princeton Carroll York, West Forks John Crabtree, Warren William Sylvester, Clayton Lake Eugene Churchill, Orland Carroll Cutting, East Sebago Gene Brown, Durham Thomas Jagger, Sanford Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine W. Thomas Shoener, Editor Thomas J. Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor Dale S. Clark, Editorial Assistant All photographs in this issue were made by the Public Information & Education Division unless otherwise indicated. MAINE ASfi AND WILDLIFE (ISSN 0360-00SX) is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04330, under Appropriation 01409A-0529. Subscription rate: $14.00 per year. No stamps, please. Second class postage paid at Augusta, Maine and at additional malling offices. ÂŠ Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1990. Permission to reprint text material Is granted, provided proper credit Is given to the author and to MAINE FISH 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 FJSH AND WILDLIFE Magazine, 284 State St., Sta. #41, Augusta ME 04333. Please allow six weeks for changes to take effect. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Circulation Section, MAINE ASH AND WILDLIFE, 284StateSt., Sta. #41, Augusta, Maine 04333. QUESTIONS ABOlIT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Just call toll-free 1-800-288-8387 The Department of Inland fisheries and Wildlife receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Accordingly, all department programs and activities must be operated free from discrimination with regard to race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against should write to The Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S . Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.

SUMMER 1990

VOL. 32, NO. 2

Features Critical Edge by Bill Si/liker, Jr.

Marsh edge . .. water's edge ... forest edge ... it's all important!

K-9s: Super Sleuths! by Debbie Pa/man 6

In this case, ifs "find the missing boys"

On Anonymous Pond by James Potts 8

One angler's Utopia is another angler's ... Utopia!

The Warden Dive Team by Paul Fournier

It's the beginning of the busy season for these guys!

Whaddya Know About Maine Lakes?

A little quiz to check your water sense

1990 Maine Duck Stamp Winners by Tom Shoener 16

For many, a first look at the winning Canada goose paintings

Shore Worth Saving by Flis Shauffler Picking up Maine's beach trash - to everyone's benefit!

What's Happened To The Caribou? by Mark McCol lough Keeping you up-to-date on the reintroduction project

Understanding The Future Of Maine Lakes by Frank O'Hara and Barbara Welch Helping us to see what we're doing to hurt - and help!

Three's A Crowd ..â&#x20AC;˘ What About Four? by Tom Chamberlain Some days are just more hectic than others!

Departments KID-BITS FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

The Front Cover Mid-summer marsh - duck boxes, Illy pads, and all the other special touches. Photo by Jacki Bragg

To the average person, it's the woods down by the marsh ... or the river bank ... or the lake shore. To the real estate developer, it's the place with a view. To the people who own it, it's their land - and it's worth a lot of money. Are such places valuable for wildlife, too? Andrew French of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service thought so when he coined the phrase "critical edge" in 1986 while he was manager of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in southern Maine.

s defined in refuge literature, critical edge ...

"...provides breeding habitat. food sources, cover and travel corridors essential tn the survival of those species of wildlife that inhabit the coastal zone. Critical edge vegetation serves as a naturalftlter, protecting wetland water quality, ensuring the preservatton of ourftnflSh and shelljish resources. Development surrounding the marsh degrades the quality of the coastal wetland ecosystem. resulting in the demise of the numerous species of wildlife which rely on it."

''Critic by Bill Silliker, Jr. Photos by the author

French believed that local protection of transitional riparian habitat - where the upland meets the wetland - at Rachel Carson was inadequate. Salt marsh was protected, but the development boom of the '80s was chewing up the edge. He feared for the continued viability of some marsh sections as refuge. Securing the edge became critical. Could the need to protect habitats in other parts of Maine also be critical, either now or in the future? A look at the history of the Rachel Carson Refuge may help answer that question.

Wildlife professionals will recognize this as an established concept. As Assistant Regional Biologist Warren Eldridge of the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.. Department wrote to City of Saco officials in October 1986:

"Our Department has long recognized the value of wetlands and... now includes recommendattons for bu.ffer strips and/ or wildlife travel lanes around important wetlands, streams and rivers in projects we review for the Department of Environmental Protection." If the edge concept wasn't new. and if Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was making recommendations for buffers in 1986, why did French call it critical edge? Was there a crisis? And if so, was the crisis unique to the Rachel Carson Refuge? Another point Eldridge made in his letter helps us understand: "In southern Maine, 80-90 percent of all develop-

ment currently taking place receives only local review. For this reason it is imperative that if wetland and other important natural areas are to be protected that they be included on local zoning maps and be given protectton through local zoning ordinances." 2

A prime example of "critical edge". . . The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge originated from a 1965 federal agreement with Maine to protect salt marsh estuaries strung along the coast from Kittery to Cape Elizabeth. The refuge was named after environmentalist Rachel Carson, author of SILENT SPRING. The original plan called for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to acquire some 4,000 acres of coastal estuary and salt marsh habitat. Upland edge was mostly not included as an acquisition priority at the new refuge. A major part of the reason for that was money. As Robert Miller of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Realty told a habitat protection conference in 1989: Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

ti Edge'' "It (Rachel Carson Refuge) started out as a migratory bird refuge and we were acquiring take this back into the early '70s - at that time all of our acquisitions had to go to the Migratory Bird Commission.. At that time the requests for funding were approaching $100 an acre. They were starting to panic over that number so we scaled Rachel Carson right to the edge of the marsh - we were required to do that. And we acquired a lot of marsh lands at Rachel Carson. Now- and we didn't know then, but we do right now - that was probably the biggest mistake we made with Rachel Carson. Our objectives now are to acquire as much fringe or upland edge - and we're not pushing to acquire wetlands. We are acquiring wetlands, but only as they come along with the upland edge... but the critical part is the critical edge. "

and an example of how not to protect it! Critical edge. Andy French says he came up with the phrase "out of frustration." Part of the frustration came from the short-term management approach most of the communities around the refuge used to regulate growth. Often that was all that they could do: the development boom caught southern Maine unprepared. But a larger part of the frustration came from the response French and others got when they pointed out the need to protect the resource through improved zoning. Those who felt threatened by the message quickly formed adversarial positions. Consider that average person again. What would the average person say was the greatest Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

threat to the survival of Maine's wildlife? Excessive hunting? Highway hazards? Poaching? Maybe even coyote proliferation, depending upon what they regarded as wildlife to begin with? How many would say loss of habitat? Not many. And isn't that understandable, in a state as vast and as apparently wild as Maine seems? People see deer in the suburbs, black ducks by the road to the beach. How could there be a habitat problem? Most people I know think that wildlife moves "some place" if the press of development gets too great. The average person doesn't think about canying capacity. They never heard of travel corridors or transitional riparian habitat. French made the rounds in 1986, telling local governments about the importance of riparian habitat, and how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife SelVice was authorized to purchase an edge of 150 feet for fair market value from willing sellers. He asked the refuge communities to zone protection of the edge until it could be acquired. He made some progress: people in southern Maine were waking up to the consequences of poorly managed development. But the opposition was strong, and they often seemed to prefer more heat than light in the discussion. A comment made by French in 1989, after he was promoted to a position in Minnesota, says a lot about how the attempt to inform became a battle: "I'm not anti-development. I'm 'pro' appropriate growth." His frustration was compounded by inadequate funding. The Reagan Administration wasn't budgeting for land acquisition for the refuge. By the mid1980s, at the request of local and national environmental groups, Congress, with the urging of all four members of Maine's congressional delegation, provided some funding. But land costs in southern Maine were up sharply by then. It's worth .noting that Congress budgeted $2.4 million for Rachel Carson Refuge acquisition in fiscal year 1990 - the largest annual budget to protect proposed refuge habitat to date - and that all of the money is promised to The Nature Conservancy in partial payment for the holding action which the Maine Chapter bravely took in late 1989 to protect 314 acres of the refuge's Goosefare Brook Division in Saco. The Nature Conseivancy

The author, a freelance writer and nature photographer from Hampden, is also founder and past president of Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.

paid nearly $8,000 an acre to the landowners, who for several years had planned to develop 1,100 units on the parcel. Quite a change from the $100 an acre "panic" price of the early 1970s! This recent success at the Goosefare Brook Division was partly due to increased public awareness . . and the support the refuge gained as the development wars raged. Increased awareness and support is also shown by the response the Fish and Wildlife Service got when it proposed expanded boundaries at each of the refuge divisions in late 1988. But despite the increased support. some refuge divisions did not fare well in the 1980s. The publication entitled "Final Environmental Assessment: January 1989: Proposed Additions to the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge" states: 'This proposal ts in response to the unprecedented rate of development in the coastal commW1ities of southern Maine. During this period of economic prosperity, valuable habitat has been lost or severely degraded at an alarming rate, and losses continue. Of particular concern ts the impact on the ecological integrity of the estuarine system through the loss of valuable 'critical edge' habitats and the cumulative losses of small 'protected' coastal wetlands ... Residential lots with ocean and marsh views are in tremendous demand. thus, dense residential development has nearly encircled several refuge divisions and the proposed Biddeford Pool Division. Conversion of summer cottages to 4

Eagles, black ducks, and deer - a few of the many wild Inhabitants of the critical edge.

permanent homes, large-scale subdivision projects, and development of high-density 'condo-motel' units create significant impacts. For example, the number of 'condo-motel' units in Wells increased.from 1,000 to 3,000 within two years. Although the town has adopted new standards which address this issue by more precisely defining motel units, a significant amount of damage occurred in the interim due to high-intensity development of areas poorly suited to these uses {Southern Maine Regional Planning Corrunission 1986). Valuable 'critical edge' habitats were severely impacted with resultant degradation in the quality of estuarine salt marsh."

By 1988, other refuge communities had also adopted new standards of protection - some better than others - none without a fight. At the same time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Anny Corps of Engineers enhanced their wetlands protection in south coastal Maine. And the Maine legislature passed the Natural Resources Protection Act. which Governor McKernan signed into law in April 1988. This law includes improved protection for "significant wildlife habitat" as it is defined in the law. if the habitat is Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

mapped by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Meanwhile, Maine's Board of Environmental Protection, with advice of the Department of Environmental Protection was increasingly stricter in regulating projects that received state review. But the Fish and Wildlife Service, taking such improvements into account, concluded in the January 1989 "Final Environmental Assessment" that: "Existing local, state andfederal laws and regulations are not adequate to protect these important habitats from loss and/ or severe degradation." The proposed additions to the Rachel Carson Refuge were approved in the spring of 1989. Most of the 2,850 additional acres wait to be acquired. They need willing sellers and/ or funds. Of this total, 48 percent are critical edge. Where does the Rachel Carson Refuge critical edge crisis stand in 1990? Current Refuge Manager Dick Steinbach says that he anticipates an eventual backlash to tighter regulation. Each case must stand on its own merits, and with concerns about the claim of .. taking of value" that is often raised, and the difficulty in precisely defining the impacts a specific development would have, he wonders that citizen boards don't have to .. swallow a bit harder each time." And while development pressure has momentarily lessened, he thinks that improved habitat evaluation methodology and yet more public awareness are needed to generate realistic zoning protection that will stand the tests that are surely coming. He believes that adequate protection of the resource is going to occur only if people "buy on" to the need at the local level through comprehensive planning and zoning. French agrees that much more needs to be done - and not just for the Rachel Carson Refuge. He says that, nationwide, ..the value that wetlands have is not reflected by our level of efforts to protect them." He adds that to protect any such resource - river, stream, lake, whatever and wherever - without protecting the edge is like "building a house without a roof." So is the need to protect other wildlife habitats in Maine critical? First, consider the following from the introduction of the 1986 international agreement, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan:

"Efforts to resolve problems facing waterfowl have evolved.from afocus on limiting the harvest to a need for creative action if current benefits from this resource are expected to continue. AU other efforts will be in vain if the ongoing trend of habitat loss and degradation is not reversed." Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

A 11 other efforts will be in vain?

Fish and Wildlife Realty Office's Bob Miller in discussion of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan:

"We're.finding that some of the areas that we're looking at are some of the larger bays on the coast of Maine. As Jar as the black duck and waterfowl, the real value, at least in wintering, is the tidelands and those lands that are flushed by the tides. It's a feeding source. In order to try and protect that, you start quickly .finding out that it isn't acquiring those lands that's the important part of that It's the uplands, points, fmgers that protect those bay lands and they are the lands that are expensive, and developing, and are also carrying, in many cases, large eagle populations and potential." Critical edge? Now consider Maine's north woods, much in the news at this writing due to the recent takeover of Great Northern Paper by Georgia Pacific. There is concern that much lake, stream and river frontage may eventually be exposed to development as a result of this action. Critical edge? If current laws and regulations are inadequate to protect wildlife habitat at the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, what about the Down east coast, the north woods, and other special places? Is there a "critical" need beyond the Rachel Carson Refuge? Or does the need become critical only when development plans hit the table? What might need to be done? Improve public awareness? Develop additional regulations? Comprehensive planning? Fund acquisition by local conseivation groups, or by state or federal agencies? Conseivation easements? Find ways for hunters and anti-hunters to put aside their differences and unite with environmentalists, birdwatchers, hikers, wildlife enthusiasts, and just plain folks to form an effective constituency?

ecause if the need is critical, then the words on the stone by the trail through the woods at the Rachel Carson Refuge Upper Wells Division may be reason enough why all need be concerned. Rachel Carson wrote them in her book THE SEA AROUND US:

"All the life of the planet is interrelated ... each species has its own ties to others, and ... all are related to the earth." 5

arch 26, 1990 was a cool, breezy day ln Mt. Vernon, Maine. On that early spring day two local boys, brothers eight and twelve years of age, were packing a duffle bag with spare clothes and planning to run away from home. They were going to see their mother, who was not living with them at the time. The boys' sister last saw them behind their house at 4:30 p.m. A while later their father realized they were missing and called the local fire department to help find them. At 7:30, when the first members of the Maine Warden Service arrived at the scene to organize the search, they found at least a hundred spectators and volunteer searchers milling around, many wandering through the nearby woods. While enroute, Warden Dan Murray, Belgrade, had called Warden William Hanrahan, Farmington, to ask him to bring his K-9 to assist in the search. Arriving about 8, Warden Hanrahan and his K-9 Major followed the boys' sister to where she had last seen them. The warden commanded Major to track,

t[>(l

â&#x20AC;˘

and the dog almost immediately began to follow scent into the woods behind the house. Then he circled back toward the road, and after about a quarter mile broke out into the road, where searchers and spectators were milling about. The dog seemed determined to track up the road, but because of all the contaminating scent and confusion Warden Hanrahan was unsure who the dog might be tracking. He stopped the K-9 and returned to his truck to await more information and instructions. A stiff breeze was blowing, and although the afternoon had been above freezing a cold front was coming in and the temperature was dropping rapidly. By nightfall the ground had frozen hard, and a blustery, frigid wind whipped through the trees. Temperatures were predicted to reach zero or below. If the boys were in the woods without shelter or heat they would be in great

~_, '-

, ~danger. About 9:30 p.m. Deputy Warden Robert Strout found some small ~ V~ _ tracks frozen in the mud in a ~ skidder trail just up the road

.,, 2

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Warden Service K-9 Team:

Super Sleuths! from where the K-9 team had quit tracking. Warden Hanrahan and Warden Dwight Cram from Phillips went to the scene and examined the tracks. Though the ground had frozen, making the tracks appear too small, the tread pattern matched what the boys had been wearing. Warden Hanrahan placed Major on track. and he picked up the scent immediately. Further down the trail, the wardens found a patch of snow with tracks matching the boys' and headed into the woods. Also in the snow, but headed out of the woods, was a set of tracks of an adult male - probably a searcher. The K-9 tracked down the rough trail about a quarter of a mile, then stopped and indicated there was something to the right off the trail. Warden Hanrahan looked with his flashlight, but couldn't see anything. He told the dog to continue and tried to lead him away, but Major returned to the spot and again "pointed" into the woods. This time the warden could just make out what appeared to be a wall made of rotten wood. A closer look revealed something blue through a gap in the wall. He

by Warden Specialist Deborah S. Palman asked Warden Cram to move ahead and check the structure out. The wall turned out to be the side of an old camp that had fallen in. Warden Cram pulled a board off the wall and found the boys underneath - asleep. One woke up and said "Daddy, is that you? Did you come to find us?" The wardens assured him that, no. they were not Daddy. but yes. they did come to find him. The temperature was 12 degrees. The younger boy had gotten wet and was shivering uncontrollably as the wardens brought him out, already entering the stages of hypothermia, where the body cannot produce enough heat to replace ~its losses. If the boys had not been found that night. chances are they would not have woken up in the morning. The next day Warden Hanrahan interviewed the boys and found that they had left behind the house and circled out to the road. Major had been on the right track all along! â&#x20AC;˘

In addition to being the game warden in the Aurora district, the author is the meat identification specialist and a veteran K-9 handler for the Maine Warden Service.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

On Ano.

(not Go] by James B. Potts Photos by the author

the beginnlng of time, man has apparently been a fisherman; admittedly, perhaps a matter of selfpreseivation, but (at least as practiced by anglers in more recent history) clearly providing something other than mere food. For me, the aspect of fishing that has probably played the largest role in determining the '"wheres and whens" has been the tranquility and solitude a state of peace and contentment not common in everyday life. I can, and have, enjoyed fishing under just about any condition or circumstance you can imagine. But if you will accept that peace and contentment are reasonable reasons for fishing in the first place, and that the anticipation of success is an essential ingredient, then all that is needed to complete the picture is the proper setting. My Utopia is a fishing-based concept; in my mind's eye, it's a small lake at early evening - the wind tends to die down, the shadows lengthen, and the surface of the lake becomes calm, except perhaps for the dimples of feeding fish. A day comes to a peaceful end. To add to the perfection of such a moment, it would be an autumn day when the leaves have turned, but not yet fallen. The sky is blue with the very clear air of fall days; the temperature is cool, but not at all cold. The sun is lower in the sky at this time of the year so the effect is that of a very long evening. It's too late in the year to be bothered by 8

Maine Fish and Wlldllfe - Summer 1990

1ymous

If you get simple beauty

den) Pond many bugs, and there are no mosquitoes! Before the evening is over, the whippoorwills will begin their evening chorus and the earliest stars will show their timelessness. I prefer to be alone in a small boat; being a bass fisherman by choice, I quietly fish the shoreline and the now dying weed beds. The tranquility and quiet of such moments completely devour my being; I am not conscious of time or matter. There is just me, the fish that might be, and the beauty of the world around me. No anger or turmoil spoil my thoughts. and while this is perhaps an escape, my affinity for such a world has existed for such a long time that there is no feeling of escape. I'm irresistibility drawn to this scene, my idea of Utopia, with no yesterdays and no tomorrows, where the only thing that must be done is fish. I've experienced this scene often on small ponds in New Jersey and Macyland, but my all-time favorite place is Utopia Pond (a fictitious name) in Maine. It is here I find everything I seekincluding plenty of bass! There are at least three ponds with the same name in Maine (and probably many more). but this particular pond seems to be especially deserving of the name.. I haven't yet encountered moose browsing in the pond, but I did share the road one morning with a cow and her calf as I made my way to the pond.

And naught else, You get about the best thing God invents.

My Utopia Pond is small by Maine standards, only about 65 acres, and it's strictly a largemouth bass pond. Perhaps for these reasons, it is not frequented by vecy many fishermen; this leaves me pretty much to myself in my Utopia, which suits me fine! Utopia Pond is centrally located, in a not too populated area, yet not so far from Augusta. It is apparently a contributor to one of the streams which feed the famous Belgrade lakes. The pond is crescentshaped; access to the pond is somewhat difficult to accomplish, although the pond is not hard to find. An old dirt road takes off from the paved road and eventually finds its way to two abandoned farms. At least they were abandoned when I first went there many years ago. There's a lane off the dirt road that provides a steep downhill path to the pond shore. I have a boat that can be carried, although the shoreline near the access point can be fished to limited degree. My 12foot Jon boat serves me well in this situation; since I usually stay a few days at each visit, I chain it to a tree overnight. This is a good largemouth bass pond, but it has all the other varieties of fish that thrive in the warmer Maine lakes the perches, sunfishes, and plenty of pickerel. I first went there mainly to fish, but now I

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

-Robert Browning

go for the special feelings that all of nature has to offer. I've watched eagles feeding their young in a nest at the top of an old dead tree, and I've picked wild raspberries along the shore. But perhaps best of all. the awesome colors of the foliage in late September provide the perfect setting for my Utopia. In this natural pond, with springs apparently the primacy water source, the water is reasonably clear, although brownish. There is little rain runoff except down the access road, which does carcy some silt to the pond and, of course, causes the road to stay pretty well washed out. There are woods on all sides of the pond except for one small cove, which fronts the meadow of a farm up on a hill - the only sign of civilization. Lily pad fields are scattered in a number of areas of the pond; the shoreline, in many places, has several feet of pickerel weed. Towards the outlet, there's a tall, sedge-like grass, and just a year or two ago, beavers built their lodge in that area. They also dammed the outlet stream, raising the water in the pond a foot or so.

The author is a freelance writer who resides (physically) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. But his emotional home is in central Maine, as this article conclusively proves!

I discovered my Utopia in 1968 and have fished it nearly every year since then. My first experiences were from the shore, since I didn't have a boat. but even with the such Âˇlimited range, the pond always produced some action. Because of the necessity to fish over the weed beds, a few fish were never landed. I first took a boat there in 1974, and the fishing was much better. Some of the most vivid memories involve fish that were lost. One fish that my son hooked took his Rapala just off the pickerel weed in a little pocket and swam straight toward the boat - fast! My son reeled in the line as fast as he could, but he wasn't quick enough and the fish passed beneath the boat and began to take line. The 12-pound line snapped like thread as the fish headed for open water, leaving behind a somewhat chagrined young boy who had had a brief flirtation with an opportunity for limited fame... and, who will no doubt, retain the event etched in his memory forever! Another time I hooked a good bass on a Rapala, a fish that came out of the water just about 20 feet away from me. The fish must have been a seven- or eight-pounder; again, the twelvepound line snapped and left me with only a memory which will always be with me. I've lost other good fish at Moose, but I've taken a few good fish over the years as well.

I usually visit in midsummer, most commonly the latter part of July. and I often go again in the fall (around Labor Day or a bit later). It's not possible to say which time provides the best fishing - both are good and each time of the year has its particular Maine attractions other than the fishing. But my pond is more than just a good bass pond. It's a gem amongst the green of Maine's pine forest. When it's quiet and when the woods are in full autumn dress - it's a world of its own; even without any fish, a trip of an evening is more than worthwhile. I stayed after dark one evening in 1980 and was treated to a rare display of the Northem Lights. In the black of a woods night, there is an haunting eeriness to the Lights that is frightening. The stars put on a special show (the sky being free of the lights of civilization), and one has only to lie back to observe the frequent "shooting stars" that streak across the sky. About 18 years ago, I very nearly bought the two old farms that at that time were deserted. Somebody else beat me to it, but

I have no regrets - they are really mine anyway. I have possessed the land around the pond in my mind for years: I've even mentally built a small cabin in the woods by the pond. My name does not appear on the county tax rolls and I needn't worry about the zoning board or any elected officials, but each year I take my modest harvest and put it in store for the winter. I know that next year's crop will be good, and I anticipate that the years to come will be the same. I don't ponder the "why" of my feelings for my Utopia, nor do I question the feelings - I just know that they exist. And as the bass has his instinctive behavior, I believe my enjoyment of this environment is just as instinctive. Somehow, no explanation is needed; these are things j~st naturally to be enjoyed. In surroundings such as this pond in particular (and Maine generally), it is easy to understand why fishing has such appeal. I am reminded of Thoreau's words, written many years ago when relating his Maine experiences: "What a place to live ... " Indeed! â&#x20AC;˘

The beavers In the vicinity seem to like Utopia Pond as well as I do; they've set up housekeeping there!

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Dive Team Beady For Busy Year by Paul Fournier

'' W.

hope for the best - but we're ready for the worst!" That's the philosophy of Maine's Game Warden Dive Team, which is prepared for what could be a busy year of performing their unpleasant-butnecessary task of recovering bodies of drowning victims from Maine's inland waterways. In the wake of one of the worst seasons for drownings in Maine history, team members are acutely aware of the heavy demands that may be imposed upon them. Twenty-four people drowned in Maine's inland waters last year, and the bodies of most of them were recovered by warden divers. Two victims of a boating incident last fall at Schoodic Lake near Dover-Foxcroft were in such deep water they could not be located. In anticipation of another busy season in view of the growing popularity of boating and whitewater canoeing, the wardens on the team attended refresher training sessions on safety procedures presented this spring by the team's medical officer, Dr. Joseph Inzerrillo of Kennebunk. Team members and their dive master, Warden Sergeant Donald Gray of Newry, say they consider themselves extremely fortunate in having a highly qualified person of the caliber of Dr. Inzerrillo as their mentor. He is a member of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, and has completed n umerous courses in undersea medicine and hyperbaric (pressure chamber) oxygen treatment.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Dr. Inzerrillo is chief of the Department of Family Practice, and Director of Medical Education at Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford. He is also diving medicine consultant to several other state, educational and private organizations, and he is a lecturer and author on dive safety topics. An active SCUBA diver for 31 years, Dr. Inzerrillo has amassed an extensive background in many phases of diving, including deep water and night diving, while doing research on marine biology by diving on wrecks from Maine to the Caribbean and in the Mediterranean Sea. Members of the Maine Warden Service Dive Team are classified as Warden Specialists. The Fish and Wildlife Department furnishes their equipment, and they receive extra compensation during actual dives. Many of their dives must be conducted under rigorous conditions, such as under the ice and in river currents. Dive Master Dr. Joseph Inzerillo, second from left, reviews SCUBA safety procedures with Warden Service Dive Team members.

While their underwater recovery work can be gruesome, they are tempered by the knowledge that the recovery of bodies can ease the burdens of victims' families. Commissioner William Vail recently appointed Dr. Inzerrillo to serve on the department's Diving Safety Board. Also on the board are Norman Trask, deputy commissioner; Larry Cummings, chief warden; and Fred Hurley, director of the Bureau of Resource Management. The Safety Board monitors SCUBA activities of the Warden Service Dive Team as well as divers in the the department's Fisheries Division. The members of the Warden Service Dive Team are Sgt. Donald Gray, team leader; Sgt. Daniel Watson; Specialists Michael O'Connell, William Downing, Charles Davis and Fred Jackson; and Wardens Dennis McIntosh, Richard Stone, Roland Tilton and Michael Favreau. â&#x20AC;˘

The author is the department news media coordinator in the Division of Public Information and Education.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW AB Governor John R. McKernan, Jr. has proclaimed the week of July 15 through 21, 1990 as Lake Week in Maine-a time when all Maine people can celebrate the importance, beauty, and diversity of our lakes, while recognizing the responsibWty and ability we all have to protect and preserve them. Various lake events are scheduled statewide during Lake Week, with this year's special emphasis on lakeshore cleanup. Find out about local events by contacting your area lake association.

Meanwhile, here's a chance for you to find out how much you know about Maine's lakes. The answers are on page 31. or False: There are 1 True over 5,000 lakes and ponds

On which lake is Lily Bay State Park located? a. Sebago b. East Grand c. Moosehead d. Damariscotta e. Sebec

in Maine. The # 1 problem with lake water quality is: a. too much phosphorus b. too much silt c. too many motor boats d. too much salt

Since the mid-1970s, two 3 species of fish have been illegally introduced into Maine's largest lake, Moosehead, posing a potential threat to the future of the lake's br.pok trout fisheries. Name these two species of fish.

or False: The wake 4 True from high speed power

boats can contribute to lake shore erosion.

Too much phosphorus in a lake can cause: a. algae blooms b. less oxygen c. fish kills d. the lake to glow at night e.a, b,c f. all of the above

The current state record 6 brown trout, landlocked salmon and whitefish all came from which lake?

Some lakes in Maine have received an "alum treatment" in order to: a. compensate for the effects of acid rain b. make the lake better for smallmouth bass c. bind with phosphorus to form a precipitate that settles to the bottom and seals off bottom sediments d. decrease the amount of salt in fresh water

How many Maine lakes 12 seive as public water supplies?

a.3 b. 17 c. 181 d. 213 e.453 What animal would 13 boaters least likely come across swimming in the middle of a lake? a. moose b. snowshoe hare c. otter d. deer

or False: Nesting 9 True waterfowl can be

True or False: One quart of oil spilled in a lake can create an oil slick of up to 2 acres and contaminate up to 2 million gallons of drinking water.

permanently scared off their nests by disturbances from boats, waterskiers, and photographers.

In 1972, fisheries 15 biologists introduced this species of fish into Sebago lake.

Many Maine lakes and ponds have the same name. What is the most common one? a.Round b. Mud c.Long d. Grand e. Birch

or False: You can 11 True determine the approximate

and the population is now selfsustaining: _ _ _ _ __ hiking trail two miles long leads to the top of 16 Boarstone Mountain and great A

views of which one of the following lakes? a. Messalonskee b. Aziscohos c. Wassookeag d. Onawa

area of the watershed around your lake by connecting the points of highest elevation surrounding the lake on a topographic map.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

MAINE'S LAKES? BONUS QUESTIONS Portage, St. Froid, Eagle, Square, Cross and Long lakes are among the lakes known as the: a. Fish River Chain of Lakes b. Rangeley lakes c. Belgrade lakes d. Chiputnetlcook lakes e. Allagash Wilderness Waterway

True or False: The smallmouth bass. one of Maine's most popular game fish, is a native of the state.

Maine's second largest lake (28,771 acres). is 19 also its deepest (maximum depth it

A. Many famous fishing waters flow out of lakes of a different name.

Match the lakes with the proper outlet stream. For three correct answers give yourself 1 bonus point; get them all right and you receive 2 bonus points.

a. Spednic Lake b. Portage Lake c. Umsaskis Lake d. Parmachenee Lake e. Moosehead Lake

1. Fish River 2. Kennebec River 3. Magalloway River 4. Allagash River 15. St. Croix River

B. WHERE ARE YOU? In this bonus question, a recognizable

portion of a well-known Maine lake is shown. Name the lake. Five or more correct answers equals 1 bonus point; get them all right and give yourself 2 bonus points. If you need help, you'll find it in The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer. With permission from the DeLorme Publishing Company we've reproduced portions of Maps 5, 12, 13, 28, 32, 45, 49, 56 and 67.

316 feet, average depth 105 feet) . It is: a. Moosehead b. Chesuncook c. Grand d. Sebago e. Deep vegetated 2strips, 0 Naturally areas. called buffer along lake shores. streambeds. road ditches and intermittent streams: a. slow runoff from roads b. help filter sediment and phosphorus from runoff before it reaches lakes or streams c. stabilize shorelines d. enhance habitat for fisheries and wildlife e. all of the above

or False: Flagstaff 21 True Lake is a man-made lake.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Scientists have named over 800,000 different kinds of insects - and there may be from 1 to 1 O million bugs still unknown! You can find most of the bugs pictured here by searching lawn edges, heavy shrubbery, edges of woods, tall meadow grasses, and gardens. How many do you recognize?

----

riJ(ID-BITS

5Lhl~@[? @

WEB MAZE Help this garden spider find her way to her next meal. Trace the shortest route through the web maze to the fly, using the paths marked in blue.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN BUG BOX

Answers on page 28

You can make JI homemade bug cage! Use the ends from two 2-liter plastic soda bottles, or two cardboard Quaker oats or corn meal container lids. Cut a piece of window screen or hardware cloth to a height of about 8 inches, roll into a tube shape, and join the edges with a thin piece of wire or string. Set this cylinder between the ends as shown. Put a leafy twig in the bug box for your insect guest to crawl on, and observe it for a few hours. At the end of the day, make sure you release your bugs! You may be able to catch them another time!

East Holden Woman Wins Duck Stamp Contest by Tom Shoener, Contest Coordinator An acrylic painting of Canada geese by an East Holden artist is the winner of the 1990 Maine Migratory Waterfowl Stamp art contest. A panel of judges selected Thea Flanagan's entry from among 60 paintings of Canada geese submitted by Maine resident artists. A color reproduction of the painting will appear on the state duck stamp, required of Maine waterfowlers during the 1990-91 hunting season in addition to a federal duck stamp and a state hunting license. This year's contest judges were: Susan Hawkes, Augusta - chair. Maine Arts Commission; Ray Owen - chair, Department of Wildlife. University of Maine, Orono: Jeannine Staples. Topsham winner of the 1989 Maine duck stamp contest: George Watson. Cape Elizabeth - state chairman of Ducks Unlimited; and Bill Vail. Limerick - commissioner, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The judges' Technical Advisor was Sara Koller, Lake City, MN - market manager for art of WILD WINGS, Inc. Mrs. Flanagan is a professional artist who specializes in wildlife, the natural environment and city scenes. Born in West Germany, she graduated with a degree in art education from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania. She has also studied at Pennsylvania State University, Keane College, the University of Maine and the Haystack School at Deer Isle. Before becoming a full time studio artist in 1986 Flanagan was an art educator for 15 years in public schools in Bangor and in Pennsylvania. "Since early childhood. I have always felt an affinity towards nature," she says. "Wildlife and nature continued to inspire me as I grew older. while developing my talent and interests in drawing and painting. Here in Maine I feel fortunate for having access to a variety of landscapes and ecosystems. Throughout the year, especially during migratory seasons. I avail myself of these resources for observations and studies. In my studio, compositions are developed for my paintings based upon this field work. One such result is my painting of the three Canada geese. My intention was to present their intriguing individuality within the group structure." Thea Flanagan's win came on the first time she entered the Maine duck stamp contest. Persis

Weirs of Deer Isle was runner-up in the contest. Honorable Mention awards went to Patti Carter of Brunswick, Rachelle Bourque of Roque Bluffs and Tom Kemp of Sangerville. The winner, runner-up and honorable mention paintings will be on display through November at galleries and other public places. The winner of Maine's duck stamp art contest receives a cash award of$1,000, a sheet of stamps reproduced from his or her painting and 25 artist proof prints of the original painting. The artist also retains ownership of the winning entry. In addition to stamps bought by duck hunters. the $2. 50 state duck stamp is also sought by stamp collectors nationally. The 1990 stamp will be available September 1, in either mint condition or signed by the artist. The Fish and Wildlife Department will also reproduce Thea Flanagan's painting as a limited edition fine art print, which will be numbered and signed by the artist and available for purchase this summer. Maine's duck stamp program was initiated by the legislature in 1984. Revenues from stamp and print sales are dedicated to the acquisition and management of waterfowl habitat. The first four Maine duck stamp paintings were commissioned to nationally prominent artists David A Maass (1984-86) and Ron Van Gilder (1987); they featured black ducks. common eiders, wood ducks, and buffieheads. Since 1988 the stamp art has been done by a Maine resident artist determined in a statewide contest - green-winged teal by Rick Alley of Islesford (1988) and common goldeneyes by Jeannine Staples of Topsham (1989). Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

PUBLIC DISPIAY SCHEDULE OF THE TOP FIVE ENTRIES IN THE 1990 MAINE DUCK STAMP CONTEST AUGUSTA LEWISTON DENMARK FALMOUTH CAIAIS CAMDEN FREEPORT ORONO AUGUSTA CAMDEN FREEPORT

State of Maine Sportsman's Show - March 30-April l Gilbert Gallery, Main St. - May 1-24 Twin Pines Gallery, South Rd. - May 25-June 1 Maine Audubon Society - June 2-22 Calais Free Ubrary- July 2-13 Duck Trap Bay Trading Company, Bayview St. - July 20-August 2 Downeast Wildlife Art Show, Freeport High School - August 3-5 Art Etcetera, Mill St. - August 6-31 Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, State St. - Sept. 4-29 Pine Tree Shop/Bayview Gallery, Bayview St. - Oct. 1-26 L.L. Bean, retail store - November 1-30

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Runner-up

L.-

..... .......

.. .. "I, "

•

... .__..

For the second time in three years, Runner-up honors In the Maine duck stamp competition went to Deer Isle native Persis Clayton Weirs. A self-taught artist, Persis has become one of Maine's most recognized painters of wildlife. Her work has been featured in galleries and art shows throughout the United States and Canada, Including the past three years in the prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's ·Birds in Art· Exhibition in Wausau, Wisconsin. In 1988 her acrylic of a bull moose earned First Place honors in the Governor's Gallery wildlife art show in the Maine State House. She has had l 5 of her paintings reproduced as limited edition prints by Wild Wings, Inc., one of the nation's leading publishers of wildlife art.

Honorable Mention

Rachelle Bourque Is a native of Brighton, Massachusetts and a 1964 graduate of Paler School of Art, Hampden, Connecticut. The brilliant coloration of blueberry barrens in the fall in her duck stamp contest entry give a hint to her current residence - Roque Bluffs in coastal Washington County. After graduation from art school she worked in commercial art and also did some freelance advertising illustration. She started to paint wildlife after moving to Maine in 1973 "because the Inspiration Is right outside my home: Rachelle's work is represented in the Woodwind Gallery in Machias.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Honorable Mention

A Scarborough native, Patti Carter now resides In Brunswick. She developed a love and respect for wildlife at an early age. She Is also well known for her dog portraits. Her long time love of dogs and her knowledge of their hunting characteristics bear a marked impression In each of her works. Her care for detail lends to her lifelike dog and wildlife studies. A member of numerous groups fostering the preseNatlon of wildlife, Patti's love of dogs and wildlife play an active part In her life. Patti attended the University of Maine as an art major. She has exhibited her wildlife paintings and dog portraits In numerous shows, and her work has been commissioned throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Honorable Mention

Though born in Mineola, New York, Tom Kemp was only nine years old when he moved to Maine with his family and settted on the farm In SangeNille where he still lives. His childhood Interest In portraying waterfowl was Inspired by his father's avid duck hunting. He later studied art at Pratt Institute, and at the Porttand School of Art. Tom owns and operates Dyna-Model Products Company, manufacturers of HO scale model railroad accessories. He has also sculpted many wildlife species In bronze.

hrough a long winter and

Shore Worth Saving

an interminable mud season, we waited for weather that would tempt us back to the shore. Now, like migrating birds returning to summer grounds, we flock to the beaches to enjoy balmy afternoons of strolling and boating. by Flis Schauffler But what we find at the Photos by the author shore can be disheartening. There, scattered along the highturtles often ingest plastic bags, tide line are pieces of trash - a confusing them with jellyfish, discarded styrofoam cup, a is the most prevalent, the most bleach bottle, a plastic bag, an persistent, and the most one of their favorite foods. Marine mammals, birds, and oil quart jar. hazardous. Marine scientists The pieces add up. In a fish may also become entangled consider plastic to be the most volunteer cleanup held last fall in plastic, particularly discarded widespread human threat to along 176 miles of Maine's marine species: worldwide, an fishing line and six-pack shore, participants found an estimated 1 million birds and connectors. Unable to move average of 103 pounds of debris normally or feed, the entangled 100,000 marine mammals are per mile. killed each year after they ingest animals often die from exhaustion,exposure,or Where does all this trash plastic or become entangled in it. come from? Most of it is plastic Birds can die after consumstarvation. The extent of Maine's marine discarded by shore visitors, ing small plastic fragments, entanglement problem is not recreational boaters, commercial mistaking them for crustaceans well-known: no thorough studies and sport fishermen, and or fish eggs. Endangered sea have been done merchant ships. Because the... and little effort What Yon Can Do To Help has been made waters off Maine to encourage are part of a semi• Join Maine's Coastal Cleanup September 29, 1990. To find out about citizens who see enclosed sea the cleanup nearest you, contact the Cleanup Coordinator at the entangled (lmown as the Maine Coastal Program, Station 38, Augusta, Maine 04333. Phone wildlife to report Gulf of Maine) 289 _326 1. which does not • Dispose of your trash in the proper place. When boating or visiting their sightings. mix readily with Periodic reports the beach, bring your food in reusable containers and avoid excess the Atlantic packaging. Bring along a litter bag, and cany out any waste you from marine generate. wardens and Ocean-the • Collect any trash that you find along the shore and dispose of it game wardens trash on our properly. do indicate, shores is apt to be • Whenever possible, avoid buying items that are packaged in plastics. though, that from Maine, or Instead, choose products packaged in paper or other biodegradable entanglement one of our materials. routinely neighboring • Reuse and recycle appropriate materials instead of discarding them. states (New Discourage the mass release of helium balloons in celebrations. Many occurs. During Hampshire and Massachusetts) or !~~:islt, lf~r provinces (New .,.:~ • Do not discard any monofllament fishing line in the water or along examp e, severa Brunswick and the shore. wardens have Nova Scotia). Of all the b~~h a kinds of trash that end up in our coastal waters and lakes, plastic

,.·•~~~':ii~:::~ can be Ingested II :~:~~:;~:::~:eo:=~~=~:::l::~ll:::nd::::::hCoast ~·i=.i==;==.~· . ,::_~: . . ·==:.:=:.

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

If she didn't do it today, this plastic could still be around for her grandchildren to pick up.

fishing line, as well as two gulls ensnared in plastic six-pack connectors. Debris in the water also poses a navigational hazard for boaters. Plastic nets, ropes, line, and bags can foul props and clog water intakes on boats, disabling vessels and causing engine damage. There is also a risk that the aesthetic blight posed by beach litter will hurt states, like Maine, whose economies rely on the scenic appeal of their coasts. Maine need only look to New Jersey and New York to gauge the extent of this risk. In the summer of 1988, more than 25 miles of New Jersey's beaches were closed when several dozen syringes washed ashore. Even after the beaches re-opened, the number of visitors was much lower than normal. Maine is trying to avoid a similar fate by working to keep its shores attractive and its boaters and marine wildlife safe. Each year, the Maine Coastal Program, within the State Planning Office, coordinates a coastwide cleanup involving about 3,000 volunteers. Participants collect debris and record the amounts and types of trash found. This information becomes part of a national

database tracking the marine debris problem around the country. Shore cleanups are also becoming a fixture of Maine's Lakeweek celebration held each July. And last year, the Maine legislature passed a law banning the sale of all plastic six-pack connectors in Maine after June 1991. Progress has also been made at the national level, with enactment of a federal law (the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act, or MPPRCA) that bans the disposal of plastics from all vessels within 200 miles of U.S. shores. This law, which took effect December 31, 1988, implements an international accord called MARPOL (for marine pollution) involving 29 countries. The law also covers other forms of refuse, requiring boaters to bring paper, rags, glass, metal, and food ashore or dispose of them 12 or more miles offshore. The MPPRCA requires that ports and docking facilities have adequate disposal facilities for vessel refuse, and includes an incentive for citizens to report

The author is communications coordinator for the Maine Coastal Program, State Planning Office, Augusta.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

violations to the Coast Guard, providing those who report with a portion of the dumper's fine. While these new laws should help reduce the amount of marine debris, they are not- in themselves - sufficient. The solution rests with each of us, in the choices we make and the actions we take. By one estimate, each of us uses ahnost 200 pounds of plastic annually, roughly 60 pounds of it in packaging. Many of these plastics have a life span of up to 400 years. If we don't learn to generate less waste and dispose of trash responsibly, our children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren may be left picking up our mess. There's an old saying about the outdoors: "Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints." That saying has taken on new meaning in the age of plastic. When you're at the beach or on the water this summer, please dispose of trash responsibly and - if necessary pick up after those who don't. The future of Maine's shores is in your hands. â&#x20AC;˘

Volunteers picked up over 100 pounds of debris per mile during the 1989 Coastal Cleanup.

What H

to the C by Mark McCollough, Ph.D.

Woodland caribou that have resided at the University of Maine for the last three years were released into the wilds of northern Maine this spring as the Maine Caribou Project continues its dual role as a scientific investigation and a restoration effort. Our decision to release the Orono caribou is a departure from the original plan to restore caribou by use of a "nursery herd." However, disease problems encountered at the University caribou facility in 1989 and loss of 10 of the 12 caribou released into Baxter State Park has prompted us to reevaluate future options for the project. The nursery herd concept had previously been employed to restore caribou in Quebec, Alaska and Newfoundland. And the technique was initially successful in Maine, as the original herd of 22 caribou brought from Newfoundland in 1986 had doubled to 44 individuals by 1988 (see Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1988). However. in 1989 several problems were encountered in the captive herd. Eight of the caribou (including five that died after release) contracted brainworm parasite 22

Most caribou remained solitary and stayed within the confines of Baxter State Park. Three males stayed together for most of the summer near Lord Mountain until they were killed by bears. Photo by the author.

long considered the major obstacle to restoring caribou the Maine. Seven caribou calves were also lost to an unexplained illness, perhaps of bacterial origin, still undiagnosed by Tufts University veterinarians (see Maine Fish and Wildlife - Fall 1989). Problems like these are not unique to Maine. In Maryland, the National Zoo in Front Royal lost many irreplaceable endangered ungulates to brainworm in the early 1980s. Likewise, the Minnesota Zoo, the University of Alaska and the Newfoundland Wildlife Division have lost cartbou calves to illness similar to that ours experienced. Our concern for the welfare of the cartbou under these conditions has prompted us to chart a new course for the project. Biologists in both Maine and Newfoundland now believe the best strategy is to release the nursery herd and complete the project by bringing caribou annually from Newfoundland and releasing them directly into the wild. The Newfoundland government has agreed to provide up to 25 caribou a year over the next three years for this pur-

pose. These animals will consist primarily of adult female caribou. The animals will be captured in the spring or fall and transported directly to northern Maine for release. The first group of caribou may come as early as November 1990. As were the animals in the 1986 transfer, they will be captured from a relatively non-migratory herd on the Avalon peninsula, As detailed further on in this article, predation was a major problem for the young, Maineborn caribou released last year in Baxter State Park. We believe that adult caribou raised in the wild in Newfoundland will be experienced at recognizing and evading predators, thus improving their chances for survival in Maine. Also, most of the adult caribou will have been bred in Newfoundland and should produce calves the spring following release, increasing the size and improving the genetic component of the herd. The Maine Caribou Project is more than an attempt to reintroduce this native species to the state of Maine. It is being conducted as a scientific investigation so that once-and-for-all we know whether woodland caribou can be returned to parts of their former range now occupied by deer. All of the caribou released last summer were radio-collared and monitored daily so that we could thoroughly document their movements and habitat preferences, and their fate.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

ppened aribou? In the previous attempt at restoring caribou to Maine, in 1963, the fate of the caribou was unknown. In the current project, we will know exactly what happens to every caribou. Research will not only provide us with the information to judge the success of our own program, but it will also provide valuable data for Minnesota, Isle Royale National Park, Montana and Nova Scotia, all of which have expressed an interest in restoring caribou. What happened to the 12 caribou released in 1989? Five of them died of the brainworm parasite - two directly from the infection, two from coyote predation, and one was killed when it stumbled and fell down a steep talus slope. From all five we recovered an adult brainworm, but in three cases sufficient time had not yet elapsed for the infection to have been acquired in the wild. For that reason, we believe that all five caribou likely obtained the parasite while in captivity at Orono. Four other caribou died from bear-related mortality. All of these animals seemed healthy at the time they were killed. Suffi-. cient remains were present to verify that at least two of them did not have brainworm. We had anticipated that bear predation would be a problem in Maine; black bears are the major predator of caribou in Newfoundland, where they take up to 30 percent of the calves each year and account for a substantial portion of the adult mortality.

The tenth caribou died from a stomach ulcer. We know from our experience with captive caribou that animals are susceptible to a variety of illnesses and accidents. These sources of mortality are rarely documented in wildlife without intensive study of radiocollared animals. Although we were disappointed with the loss of these caribou, our hypothesis that caribou raise.d in captivity would remain relatively sedentary turned out to be true. Ten of the 12 caribou released stayed primarily within the confines of Baxter State Park. For two to three weeks after their release caribou stayed in small groups. By early summer, however, most had dispersed and become solitary. In late summer three male caribou remained as a group in the center of the park until they were killed by bears. Two female caribou dispersed shortly after release. One traveled due north and eventually stopped at the confluence of the Allagash and St. John rivers. She eventually died from the brainworm parasite. Another female made a remarkable journey through northwestern Maine and eventually to Tourville, Quebec - only 15 miles from the St. Lawrence Seaway. During the summer she drifted south through Quebec until she came to the headwaters of the Daaquam River. She came back into Maine there in September and rapidly traveled across the state to Dover-Foxcroft, only 30 miles from her birthplace in Orono! During the course of her travels, she damaged her radio collar, and in early December she was captured and brought back to the University of Maine to be rereleased in this spring. Although some animal rights activists consider losses of caribou as "cruel," it should be pointed out that all animals die,

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

and caribou have died in all previous reintroduction projects. In the early 1970s caribou were successfully restored to Laurentide Provincial Park, just 100 miles north of Maine. Only 13 of 43 caribou released from that nursery herd survived the first year. However, the project persevered and an additional 39 caribou were released over the next three years, ultimately establishing a self-sustaining population of 100 to 150 caribou. Likewise, about half of the caribou released in Idaho in the last three years have died, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service remains committed to its goal of establishing a self-sustaining herd of 80 to 100 caribou in the Selkirk Mountains. Mortality occurs in reintroduction projects involving other species as well. Perhaps as many as 70 percent of the peregrine falcons released in Maine in the last five years never suIVived to be adults. However, the attempt to reestablish them in Maine has been a great success, with four pairs currently returning to grace our skies. Since 1967, over 8.8 million Atlantic salmon have been reintroduced to the Penobscot River, but less than one percent ever have ever returned. Obviously, we wouldn't expect to return salmon to a river by a single release of 100 fish, or return peregrine falcons by releasing only 10 birds. For the same reason, the Caribou Project remains committed to our original goal of releasing 80 to 100 caribou to give the reintroduction the best chance of success. Perhaps release of wild caribou will be the key to restoring caribou to Maine. Only time, and well-conduced research, will tell. â&#x20AC;˘

The author ls leader of the Maine Caribou Reintroduction Project. 23

ding the Future of Maine I Lakes

by Frank O'Hara and Barbara Welch

n the calm of a summer sunset, a lake seems permanent and unchanging, a timeless presence on the landscape. In fact, though, lakes do not last forever. Through geological processes, lakes are "born," "age," and eventually "die" or disappear. Maine's lakes were born some 12,000 years ago, the result of the scraping and melting of huge Ice Age glaciers. Each year tiny amounts of sediment are accumulated on lake bottoms - at a rate of about three feet every 1,000 years. In a lake's "youth," it has deep, cold water known as an oligotrophic state. As a lake ages, its water becomes shallower and warmer, and algal growth occurs. This is known as an eutrophic state. Though it may take thousands of years, most lakes will eventually fill completely and tum into a swamp or peat bog. This normal process of lake aging is called natural eutrophlcation. But what takes nature thousands of years, can be accelerated dramatically by human activity. Land clearance, buildings, roads, All Land Uses in a Watershed septic and sewage discharges can change the Affect Water Quality process of lake aging. When human activity is the cause of lake's change. it is called cultural eutrophication. The change can be subtle slightly reduced water clarity from year to year - or it can be dramatic: pea-green soup seemingly overnight! The element responsible for these changes is phosphorus. Phosphorus is a natural element found everywhere in rocks and soil. It is an essential nutrient for animals and plants, and is a common ingredient in fertilizers. Co-author Frank O'Hara is a senior associate with Market Decisions, a consulting firm headquartered in South Portland. Barbara Welch is a biologist with Bureau of Water Quality Control in the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. artwork by Carol Boggis

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

In a lake. phosphorus nourishes microscopic plants called algae. When phosphorus levels rise. algae multiply. Increases in algae in a clear. cold-water lake lead to decreases in dissolved oxygen levels in the bottom waters. As the algae die and sink to the bottom. they are decomposed by bacteria in a process that uses oxygen. The greater the amount of algae. the greater the amount of oxygen consumed in the process. Loss of dissolved oxygen leads to the loss of sensitive fish species like trout and sahnon that require cold. well-oxygenated water. In a lake with an already high phosphorus concentration. algal blooms tum the water green and cloudy; other species of fish suffer; and unpleasant odors and tastes arise. Such a lake loses its appeal for swimmers and boaters. Property values may plummet. Although the effects vary. the result is always the same - increased phosphorus. even in small amounts. reduces water quality. And over 350 lakes in Maine are predicted to experience a slight. but noticeable. decline in water quality over the next 50 years unless steps are taken to protect them from increases in phosphorus. Tiny amounts of phosphorus are naturally carried. or exported, from forests and fields into lakes by rainwater. The conversion of land from its natural state to residential or commercial use greatly increases phosphorus export into lakes - by a factor of up to ten. according to one Maine study. Development speeds stormwater flow into lakes by eliminating natural "filters" and "sponges." such as trees. bushes. and puddles; and by creating hard. easily washed surfaces - lawns. driveways. roads. rooftops. Development activities anywhere in a lake's watershed can add phosphorus. The watershed consists of all the surrounding land that drains into that lake. Watersheds can extend for miles. A poorly designed development within a watershed. even though far from the lake itself. can export more phosphorus into the lake than a well-designed project on the shore. Appropriate lake protection measures must therefore extend throughout the entire watershed. The most important protection measures are: â&#x20AC;˘ conscientious application of soil erosion controls wherever and whenever there is bare ground. â&#x20AC;˘ careful agricultural practices to minimize the runoff of fertilizers. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Improperly built or maintained roads and ditches contribute to siltation and phosphorus runoff. Photo by John Sowles.

Fertlllzatlon Increases plant production, but where - on this field, or In the lake downstream? Photo by John Sowles.

Permanent beauty? Maine's water belongs to all of us. If we don't care, who will? Photo by Josie Quintel!.

Too much phosphorus leads to excessive algae. Photo by John Sowles. ....

Even low-density development increases phosphorus run-off as much as 1 O times. Photo by Jeff Dennis.

• proper septic system maintenance, and • retaining or planting vegetation which captures and treats stormwater runoff. In addition, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has developed an approach which enables each town to set specific goals for phosphorus increases in each lake, and to evaluate new development proposals against those goals. The goal is expressed as a measure of "allowable phosphorus export per acre." Once established, the goal can be incorporated into a town's comprehensive plan and local development ordinances. In addition to technical help with setting up lake protection programs, handbooks and brochures on comprehensive planning, ordinances, and how to review development with an eye to lake protection are also available from regional planning councils, or from the Department of Environmental Protection (Lakes Section, Maine DE.P., State House Station 17, Augusta, ME 04333).

ake protection is not a oneshot affair. A town plan alone isn't enough. Regulation alone isn't enough. Real lake protection requires an ongoing commitment to educate citizens, monitor progress, and update plans and rules. Lake protection is a new and unfamiliar activity for many Maine towns and individuals. At a time of budget constraints, it may seem a luxury. But to preserve our quality of life, to pass on to our children the best of Maine, what is more important than protecting and preserving our lakes? Lake protection, like education, is an investment in Maine's future. • 26

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Some

days, It seems, are real different from others. One Maine game warden had one of those "real different" days this spring. Read on. It all started with a radio call from the Region B dispatcher regarding a phone call about two beagles worrying a deer in deep snow up on Route 8 in Belgrade. Warden Dan Murray, just coming off a winter full of deer worries, figured he had just one more, and headed up to meet the caller.

really got an earful just before they reached the vehicle: walking beside Dan, on the "deerhead" side, he was in perfect position to hear his first, and loudest, deer blat ever - right from ground zero!! Kind of hard to talk to him for a few minutes after that! So there they were, back at the truck. The deer, still hogtied and bleeding from what appeared to be fairly serious wounds, was nonetheless pretty lively. The adult beagles, one male and one female, were equally lively, even friendly, and

decide it's time to eat the driver? Repeated attempts by Dan and the dispatcher failed to get any assistance from other wardens, all busy in their neighboring districts. So Dan, deciding to go it alone, set out to deliver the injured whitetail to wildlife rehabilitators Don and Carlene Cote in South China. In the meantime, a telephone number on one of the dog collars allowed contact to be made with the beagles' owner, and

Two's Company . â&#x20AC;˘ Three's a Crowd . .. Whars Four? When he arrived at the site, the man who called had grabbed the dogs and moved them up the road away from the injured whitetail. Dan yarded the beagles into his truck cab, then struck out with the caller to locate the deer. They had little trouble locating the wounded animal (a 50pound young-of-the-year), who hadn't moved too far from the scene of the crime - but catching the creature was kind of like "Scenes of the Old West." Dan with his lasso, circling behind, was finally able to rope the deer and hogtie it, then lift it and muscle it back through the deep snow to the truck. The caller, still hanging in there to help,

were obviously glad to see the deer again. I bet they were! What to do with all this company!? What about putting all three in the back of the truck with the snowmobile, chains, motor oil, cases of law books, etc. -you know, just separate the dogs from the deer with a pair of snowshoes, right? Wrong! Those beagles were just too interested in the deer - still hogtied but now with a dickey over his eyes as well (he'll travel better that way!). So it's into the cab with Dan and the dogs, leaving the yearling to himself in the back of the pickup. We're ready to go - sort of - but where are we going, and shouldn't we have some help in case the dogs

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

by Tom Chamberlain Managing Editor arrangements were made to deliver the dogs to Oakland before striking out cross-country to South China. The trip from Belgrade to Oakland is short in terms of miles - but when you have two eager beagles in the cab with you, and a lively young deer in the back of the truck, it seems like two hundred miles! Dan finally pulled into Oakland and made contact with the dogs" owner, who was less than pleased with the two canines. A summons was issued for dogs chasing and injuring deer, and was accepted by the owner with no fuss - and then it was time to head for Cote's. 27

Now the trip from Oakland to South China takes you through WateIVille and Winslow - it's late afternoon by now. the deer is fully conscious and is head up and looking around (as well as a blindfolded deer can "look"), and needless to say, people are looking back at him. At one point, the ropes holding him down came loose, and it was touch and go until he was retied. At Cote's place, the deer was unloaded and set down on shaky landlegs. A bit skittish (as you might imagine!) he was, until two oldtime rehab residents of the deer pen came over to say hello. Then the new arrival calmed right down! A veterinarian was called, and he arrived promptly and stitched

up the deer's cuts - numerous and deep but repairable - for free! And with the dogs back with their owners, and the deer in hospital, Dan headed home with a feeling of profound relief that the animal social event of the season was finally over. Looking back on that day, Dan says, there's a lot of humor in it. But while you 're going through it, it's not very funny." I figure," Dan says, "that those dogs ran the deer out of his yard into deep snow, where they could have, and probably would have, had their way with him until he dropped and died. Early spring conditions aren't at all good for deer - the vet agreed that another 15 or 20 minutes of worrying from those dogs

would've killed the deer for sure." Good thing for the deer that Dan took the time to sort things out. This all took place in February. and since then, good news from two fronts. First the deer: still doing fine at Cote's, thanks to excellent care and many gratis visits from a dedicated veterinarian for shots and checkups. The will probably spend considerably more time before being released, but released he will be! Second, the dogs: their owner, a responsible person evidently alert to the dog-deer problem, has had both dogs put down, and is also prepared to pay fines or restitutions as ordered by the courts. A responsible solution, and a difficult one! â&#x20AC;˘

..------KID-BITS ANSWERS -----.............. BUG QUIZ 1. ladybird beetle. Often called a ladybug, this colorful beetle has a big appetite, feeding primarily upon aphids. In winter, ladybugs do not die like man~bugs, but may hibernate together in large groups under loose bark on trees.

2. black swallowtail butterfly. A common butterfly, black swallowtails fly low to the ground, often stopping to sip nectar from clover and cultivated flowers. Look for their long proboscis, or mouthpart shaped like a coiled tube, which functions like a straw to suck nectar from flowers.

3. ten-spot dragonfly. Dragonflies are big and look scary, especially when they land on your arm to rest, but they don't bite people! You'll most often see them zooming around ponds and lakes, looking for their favorite meal mosquitoes. 4. honeybee. These busy little honeymakers can taste with their feet! If they step in something tasty, they immediately extend their tongue-like proboscis to feed. Honeybees return to the central hive with nectar and pollen which is then processed into honey.

5. black-and-yellow argiope spider. This large, flashy spider may look scary when you come across it in a garden or meadow, but the "orb weaver", as it is sometimes referred to, helps people out by catching all kinds of bothersome insects in its web.

6. swallowtail butterfly larvae. Look for this green and yellow striped caterpillar on the stems of parsely and carrot in your garden, or on wild queen Anne's lace in the meadow. If you gently squeeze the caterpillar's head, two bright orange horns pop out and smell terrible! This is the caterpillar's defense against predators.

handling this predator - it can pinch quite hard with its spiny front legs! 9. katydid. Often found eating leaves in cherry, oak, maple or apple trees, or among tall grasses, the loud, persistent "katy-did, katydi.dn't" call is a familiar part of our summer evenings. Males rub ridgelike structures at the base of their outer wings like a fiddle and bow to produce the calls. Katydids 'hear' with 'ears' located on the upper part of their front legs!

WEB MAZE

7. scarlet and green leafhopper. One of the most colorful insects in meadows and gardens, you can usually find this bugjumping from one plant to another. It feeds upon plants, sucking the Juices from the stems. 8. praying mantis. The strange name comes from the position in which it rests and feeds. Look for the large adults in mid to late summer among tall grasses and wildflowers, but be careful when

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS Fishing Regulation Changes Anglers are urged to check the law booklet for changes in Maine's fishing regulations that might affect them. The one statewide regulation change is a reduction in the limit on brown trout and rainbow trout from three fish to two fish daily. There are also a number of changes affecting local waters in various parts of the s tate. Anglers should also note reductions in the recommended consumption levels of fish caught in several Maine rivers due to levels of (TCDD) dioxin concentration in fish. The new determinations were not made in time to appear in the current fishing regulations booklet, which still contains the former recommended consumption levels. The departments of Human Services, Environmental Protection and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife announced this spring that new data indicates that pregnant women and nursing mothers should not eat fish caught in the Androscoggin, Kennebec,Presumpscot, Sebasticook and Penobscot rivers. The general public was advised to eat no more than two fish meals a year from the Androscoggin River and five meals a year from the Kennebec River below Skowhegan.

Any-Deer Applications Deer hunters have until August 15 to apply for an any-deer permit if they want the option of taking either a buck or a doe deer this fall. The department plans to issue about 46,400 permits, a decrease of 10,000 from 1989. Most of the reduction will come in central, eastern and northern Maine where the winter was more severe for deer than it has been for several years (see separate report). Deer management districts there will be allocated 20 to 50 percent fewer permits this year. Several southern districts will receive modest increases in permit allocations.

The any-deer permit system is now in its fifth year. Its effectiveness in adjusting the size of local deer populations throughout the state is now widely acknowledged, even by many who initially opposed the change from the traditional rule which allowed all hunters to take a deer of either sex. The permit system's chief advantage is in allowing consideration of local conditions in deer management decisions - important in a state as large and diverse as Maine. Reflecting this is this year's creation of an additional deer management district, bringing the total to 18. Comprised of coastal islands, the new district arose from the need to treat islands differently from the nearby mainland due to differences in access, hunting pressure, predation and deer habitat conditions. Any-deer permit application forms for the 1990 deer season are available from town clerks, license agents and sporting goods stores, or from any office of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The department will hold a computer drawing in mid-September to determine who will receive permits. Hunters without permits must hunt for antlered bucks only. The 1990 firearms hunting seasons opens with resident-only Saturday, October 27, and ends November 24, to be followed by the 6-day special muzzle-loader season. The special archery season runs from October 1 through October 26. Bow hunters may take a deer of either sex. The limit on deer is one per hunter per year, regardless of its sex or when it was taken.

Close Call For Deer The winter of 1990 was tough and potentially lethal for Maine deer, but serious losses were averted by rapid snowmelt and early spring conditions. That's the assessment of Deer Biologist Gerald Lavigne in his annual report on winter severity.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

Statewide, the winter of 1989-90 was more severe than the past several, ranking sixth overall in severity for the past 18 winters, according to Lavigne. Wildlife biologists, game wardens and civilian volunteers annually gather information on snow depths, deer sinking rates, and temperatures through the winter in deer wintering areas statewide, and Lavigne compiles their information into a Winter Severity Index (WSI). He says the past winter began as the "most severe since the killer winter of 1970-71 (when Maine's deer population shrank by about one-half), but fortunately wintering conditions gradually moderated. December WSis were rated very severe statewide. "Snow cover arrived on November 20, and rapidly accumulated to depths which impeded deer mobility throughout December Both snow depth and deer sinking depths averaged higher than normal throughout the state. Deer mobility, however, was not as poor as it could have been because the snow cover remained powdery and uncrusted in most areas. "'The outstanding feature of December was the intense and persistent cold. Temperatures remained low all month, averaging 1O degrees or more below normal around the state. Persistent low temperatures and deep snow combined to produce severe wintering conditions early in the month. "Temperatures moderated in January, averaging 5-10 degrees

STOP POACHING CALL TOLL.fREE 1-aoc,.ALERT-US (253-7887)

warmer than average. Snow cover and deer sinking depths remained restrictive and slightly above average. WSI values for January moderated relative to December, but remained moderate to severe in all but extreme southern Maine. "During February, snow cover reached maximum accumulation and was above average in all areas. Deer sinking depths declined, due to the formation of crusts in the snowpack. Temperatures were normal for February. Conditions remained in the moderate to severe range in all areas of the state during February. "Spring arrived earlier than normal in 1990 and this helped offset the severe conditions which prevailed earlier on. During March, temperatures generally averaged a few degrees above normal. Snow depth and deer sinking depths declined sharply from February levels, averaging below normal in all areas. "By late March many areas of southern Maine were snow-free. Conditions in northern Maine remained severe due to persistent snow cover. April proved to be mild for deer in all areas as snow cover ultimately disappeared and springlike temperatures prevailed," Lavigne concluded. :'.;:\\:/}} :'.:\\'.//?::'.:=/\{{}}( ;::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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1989

Warden of the Year David Crocker of Lee has been selected as Maine's Game Warden of the Year for 1989. Warden Crocker was presented the award by Governor John R. McKernan at the spring meeting of the Maine Warden Service Association. Crocker, 41, a native of Lee and a graduate of Lee Academy, has been a game warden since October 1971. He has been assigned to the Lee warden district over 12 years. Previously he seived in districts at Daaquam on the Quebec border, and at Bridgewater in Aroostook County. The warden of the year is selected from a list of nominees by a committee of five wardens and one civilian. Nominations are submitted by Warden Service field officers. In his nomination of Warden Crocker, Sgt. Michael Marshall, his immediate supervisor, noted Crocker's "19 years of outstanding service as a Maine game warden. There are two areas in which Warden Crocker stands out: his good relations with the public and his perseverance in getting the job done well." Sgt. Marshall said Crocker has the "status in his community as a warden who listens. He is known as a friendly and helpful warden. In the area of professional warden work, Dave has demonstrated his ability in the type of cases he prosecutes." A recent example cited by Sgt. Marshall was one in which Crocker investigated an incident of illegal shooting of deer after sunset, which led to the obtaining of search warrants which yielded several illegal deer, and the subsequent successful prosecution of two poachers. Sgt. Marshall also made note of a trapping investigation: "During the winter of 1989, Warden Crocker maintained a lengthy investigation of trap stealing in his district. After many hours, miles and interviews, Warden Crocker successfully prosecuted two men for trap theft and illegal beaver trapping. He also received over 50 stolen beaver traps which he was later able to return to area trappers. One of those whose traps were stolen said of Warden Crocker: "My trapping career spans 50 years, I've seen wardens come and wardens go and have always respected them for their thankless job of enforcing game laws. Warden Crocker stands out above for the long hours and hard work he put into solving this case." Sgt. Marshall added: "Dave uses his experience and knowledge of his district to diligently respond to emergency situations such as finding lost people. He has been an inspiration to other wardens working around him. Following the loss of his wife in 1985, he has continued this high quality work while raising his two daughters single-handedly." Crocker's daughters are Kerri, 14, a student at Lee Academy, and Kendra, 12, who attends Jefferson Junior High School in Lee. Crocker says he continues to enjoy his work as a Maine game warden, and he feels what makes this possible is that he tries to treat people he meets "fairly, impartially and with respect."

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

New Advisory Council Members Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Bill Vail has announced the appointment of three new members to the Fish and Wildlife Advisoiy Council. They were nominated for the positions by Governor John R. McKeman. Two of the appointments are the result of passage by the 114th Maine Legislature of a bill expanding the council from 8 to 10 members. They are Carroll T. Cutting of East Sebago, representing Cumberland County; and C. Thomas Jagger of Sanford, representing York County. Gene L. Brown of Durham will represent Androscoggin, Kennebec and Sagadahoc counties, replacing F. Paul Frinsko of Portland, whose term had expired. The council previously had one member representing each of eight wildlife management units, which are established primarily on the basis of land use and climatic conditions. This resulted in council members representing widely varying numbers of people. In one instance, a council member in southern Maine represented about half of Maine's population, while another in northwestern Maine represented about one percent. The new members will represent areas set largely on population centers through use of county lines. Cutting is the owner of Jordan's Store in East Sebago, which he has operated for 32 years. He is a native of Porter, studied wildlife conservation at the University of Maine at Orono and is a life-long hunter and fisherman and member numerous s porting and civic organizations. Jagger, an official of Jagger Brothers of Springvale, is commiss ioner and vice-chairman of the Sanford Housing Authority. He is an avid fly-fisherman and upland bird and deer hunter and is active in several local and statewide organizations Brown is self-employed as a real estate appraiser. He is active in Durham town affairs and is a Dedimus Justice. He also serves on the Maine Guide Licensing Board and is an active outdoorsman and hunter safety instructor.

Appointments to the council are for three years. The council advises the commissioner of inland fisheries and wildlife on regulations changes and other business of the department. The other members of the present council are: Alanson B. Noble (chairman), Oxford - Franklin and Oxford counties Dr. Ogden Small (vice chairman), Caribou - Aroostook County F. Dale Speed , Princeton Washington County William Sylvester, Clayton Lake - Aroostook County Carroll York, West ForksPiscataquis and Somerset counties Eugene Churchill, Orland Hancock County John Crabtree, Warren-Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties.

Most boaters have to use a boat ramp to get their craft into and out of the water. Oftentimes several, occasionally many, want to use the same ramp at the same time - at the beginning and the end of the day. Eveiyone can help keep these areas running smoothly by assisting others launching or loading. Be prepared when your tum arrives by having the boat ready to go, with all gear already on board. At the end of the day, boats coming out of the water should be pulled away from the ramp area to stow gear and prepare for the trip home.

2. S.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

What's new .. . what to do .. . how to stay lepl in the Maine outdoors

g.Whatdoesaflshing "possession limit" mean? A. The .. possession limit" is the

number of fish you can legally possess (have on your person, or in your boat, car, freezer or any other storage facility under your control. The fish possession limit is the same as the daily limit. This means that at no time can you have in your possession more than one day's limit of fish. If you're on a week-long fishing trip, for example, you can keep and bring home a daily limit. Any fish over that must be eaten, given away or released unharmed.

Boat Ramp Courtesy Come summer, lakes and waterways begin to fill with boaters, anglers and other water recreationists. With the increasing popularity of water sports, courtesy is essential if eveiyone is to share in a positive outdoor experience.

Maine Fish and Wildlife -Summer 1990

ANSWERS TO LAKE QUIZ ON PAGES 12 & 13 True a. Smallrnouth bass and white perch True

e. Sebago Lake c. c. True 10. b. There are over 60 lakes and ponds named Mud. 11. True 12. c. 13. b. 14. True 15. Lake trout (togue) 16. d. 17. a. 18. False. They were introduced to Maine beginning in the 1860s. 19. d. 20. e. 21. True. It was formed on the Dead River by the construction of Long Falls Dam in the late 1940s. Bonus question A. a. 5 b. 1 c. 4 d.3 e.2 Bonus question B. a. Sebago Lake b. Cobbosseecontee Lake c. China Lake d. Mooselookmeguntlc Lake e. Sebec Lake f. East Grand Lake g. Moosehead Lake h. Chamberlain Lake (Indian Pond also showing) i. Eagle Lake

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Reminder For Bear Hunters Anyone planning to hunt bear in Maine this fall is advised to read the 1990 hunting law booklet when it becomes available later this summer. In the last several years there have been changes affecting almost evecy facet of the sport, particularly concerning hunters who use dogs or hunt over bait. New seasons are in effect this year (see Spring 1990 issue), as is a new law requiring hunters pursuing bear before the firearms deer season to purchase and possess a bear hunting permit in addition to a regular hunting license. Permit fees are $2 for Maine residents, $10 for nonresidents. Not in the laws but also of interest to bear hunters who use bait are new registration and fee policies adopted by several major forest landowners, including those in the North Maine Woods area, the state Bureau of Public Lands, and several industrial forest owners outside the North Maine Woods area. Hunters who plan to set out bear baits for this fall's hunting season are advised to contact the appropriate landowners well in advance of the hunting season, which begins August 27.

Biologists Census Anglers Evecyone in the United States is being counted and tabulated this year - but are you aware that Maine fishermen are censused continually? As with the U.S. Census, where totals of vital statistics are necessary for managing our society, Maine fishecy biologists need persistent monitoring of the state's waters for good management. How do Maine fishecy biologists obtain their statistics? One way is the Census Box Program. Biologists have established 116 boxes across the state at popular fishing and boat launching sites to census anglers as they return from fishing trips. The prominently located and marked boxes contain cards with blanks which anglers can fill in, providing information such as the

number of hours fished, numbers and species of fish caught and their lengths and weights - all information which tells biologists such things as the fishing pressure, success rates, and how fast fish are growing. From this information the biologists determine such things as stocking rates, bag limits and other restrictions which may be required to maintain healthy fish populations. This voluntacy program on the part of fishermen assists in providing angling enjoyment on many Maine waters. With many thousands of fishing waters statewide, fishecy biologists need help in obtaining current information. The census boxes are only part of the fishecy monitoring program, which also includes angler interviews, the voluntacy keeping of fishing trip information by anglers, and questionnaires. Through these means, the fishecy resource is constantly watched and monitored to provide optimum fishing opportunities in Maine waters. The Fisheries and Hatcheries Division of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife advises anglers that, as with the U.S. Census, filling in cards at census boxes provides statistics and answers to assist those concerned about the resource. So if you are an angler and see one of the boxes at your fishing hole, please take a few minutes at the end of your fishing trip to fill out the card. It will benefit you - and all who use that water.

Corrections The summacy of changes in Maine's boating laws in the Spring 1990 issue contained incorrect information concerning the operation of personal watercraft. The article should have stated that jet skis and other personal watercraft may not be operated by children under 12 at any time, and that no one may use them between sunset and sunrise. Also, on the back side of the Threatened and Endangered Species poster inserted in the Spring 1990 issue, the notations of federally listed endangered species and federally listed threatened species were reversed.

On the back cover, the butterflies identified as Monarchs were, in fact, Viceroys, which are Monarch look-alikes that can be identified by the thin band on the hind wings. Finally, on page 19 of the Spring 1990 issue, the flowers identified as Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) are really Creeping bellflower (Campanula raptmCUlotdes).

We thank the sharp-eyed readers who keep us on our toes and apologize to anyone we might have misled.

Big Game Records Book Maine deer, bear and moose hunters interested in updated information on state records can find it in the 11th Annual Big Game Records Book published by the Maine Antler and Skull Trophy Club. The 120 page, hardcover book contains 26 hunter stories and well over 200 photos of trophy animals. Copies can be ordered by sending $1 7 for the book plus $2 for handling to MASTC c/ o Dick Arsenault, RR 4, Box 190, Gorham, Maine 04038.

Endangered Plant List Last summer the State Planning Office established Maine's first list of Endangered Plants. The official list consists of 84 Endangered and 7 4 Threatened plants, with additional lists of Possibly Extirpated (90), Special Concern (46), and Watch List species (37). Recently, six species were moved from the Possibly Extirpated categocy to Endangered following their rediscovecy in Maine. State and federal agencies, municipalities, private landowners, and non-profit organizations continue to work together to protect these plants on a voluntacy basis. The Endangered Plant Technical Advisocy Committee is currently working on proposed changes to be incorporated into the biennial update of the official list. A brochure on Maine's Endangered and Threatened plants is available from the State Planning Office, Critical Areas Program, State House Station 38, Augusta, Maine 04333.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Summer 1990

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Moose c.ow and calf enjoying a partlc.ularly appealing type of "edge" at a pond In Baxter State Park. Photo by BIii Sllllker, Jr., who wrote our lead artlde, about the Importance of "edge," beginning on page 2.