Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Spring 1991 by Maine State Library

ILDLI E $3.50

EDITORIAL

Dollars and Sense: The Value of Wildlife

by William J. Vail Commissioner Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Think of the ways wildlife is important to you. If you fish or hunt. one way is obvious: recreation. Obvious. too. is the value of wildlife to the many folks who enjoy watching birds that come to their feeders. or the moose or deer they chance to see in travels through the Maine countryside. Wildlife also has some less obvious values. among them: scientific. social. educational. environmental. aesthetic and. finally. economic values. The latter can be controversial. Not everyone is comfortable assigning a dollar value to a deer. or to a trout. or learning that wildlife resources support many familiesÂˇ incomes and even regional economies. They argue that natural resources are important in and of themselves. for their intrinsic value, and that's good enough. In an ideal world. they'd be right. But in reality there is great advantage to knowing such things as how much revenue is generated by various game and nongame species. The advantage comes when hard decisions are being made about the impact proposed activities would have on the environment. and on Maine's economy. And it comes when hard decisions are being made on the value of programs designed to protect and manage wildlife resources. One wlio was keenly aware of the need to know the value of wildlife and fish was State Representative Don Carter of Winslow. Representative Carter had a vision that wildlife resources could play a much more important role in future economic and environmental decisions in Maine. That position is shared by many. of course. but Don Carter was in a unique position of influence in the legislature to help make the vision a reality. Three years ago. as chair of a legislative study committee. he urged funding for a thorough study of the economic value of Maine's game and nongame wildlife. His proposal was met enthusiastically in this department and by Governor McKernan. and with initial funding from the legislature. a study was contracted to a team of researchers at the University of Maine's Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Tragically. Representative Carter was killed in a highway accident last January. just weeks after receiving the completed report. Despite this loss. I am confident that important things will con::e of the study. Others will see to that. We knew readers of Maine Fish and Wildlife would be interested in the study's results. and beginning in this issue and continuing in the next four. Dr. Kevin Boyle and others who worked on it will present highlights of what they learned. Fast-forwarding to a few of their findings: The total economic value of inland fishing in Maine is at least $300.7 million. Hunting is valued at a minimum of $183 million. Nonconsumptlve uses of wildlife - bird feeding. moose watching, etc. - have a total economic value of at least $55.4 million. There is much more. and, in my opinion. it is of enormous importance to anyone with any kind of interest in Maine's fisheries and wildlife resources. Let's hope it also turns the heads of a few who are not so inclined!

~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. Qgden 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 FISH AND WILDLIFE (IS.SN 0360-00SX) is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04330, under Appropriation 01009A-0529. Subscription rate: $14.00 per year. No stamps, please. Second dass postage paid at Augusta, Maine and at additional mailing offices. e Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1991. 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 FISH 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 FISH AND WILDLIFE, 284 State St., Sta. #41, Augusta, Maine 04333. QUESTIONS ABOUT 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.

SPRING 1991

VOL. 33, NO. 1

Features One That Didn't Get Away Club, 1990

The whoppers-summer and winter-from Maine's last fishing year

Maine's Wlldllfe ~ Fish Resources: How Valuable?

by Kevin J. Boyle, Stephen D. Reiling, Mario Teisl, & Marcia L. Phillips

First In a fiue-part series oe economic ualue of Maine's wildlife

Woods Work For Woodcock Welfare

by Charles T. Hulsey

Volunteer workers are clearing paths for woodcock mating, nesting, and feeding

Tools For Maine's Planning Future

.by Dan Walters

Geographical infor1:1ation systems (GIS) are presenting data about Maine In new ways

Wlldllfe Management Areas: Pond Farm

by Barry Burgason

One of Maine's many Interesting management areas-this one was once under water!

Set The Wild Ones Free!

by Urban D. Pierce, Jr.

Catch-and-release-nowhere does this ethic apply more than on Sebago Lake!

Nuisance Critters: A Homeowner's Advisor

by Henry Hilton

What to do when those "cute" animals just won't leaue you in peace!

Depart1nents KID-BITS

THE FLY TYING BENCH: Butch's Phantom

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

The Front Cover: "Brook Trout" - from the original watercolor by Gene R. Fuller of West Poland, Maine. Printed with vegetable oil based inks

The One That Didn't Get Away Club - 1990 Top Freshwater Catches From Maine - Winter and Summer The Fish Brook Trout (Qualifying Weight 4 pounds)

13 entries In 1990

Brown Trout (Qualifying Weight 6 pounds)

1O entries In 1990

Rainbow Trout

The Angler

Lbs. Length Oz. (In.) Date Where Caught

Lure

201/4 22 201/2 20 191/2

4/25 4/6 5/22 1/1 1/1 2/4 3/24 5/21 4/23 5/4

smelt sinking Rapala Gov. Aiken bait bait shiner angleworm smelt Gray Ghost worms

14-9 12 11-12 11-6 11-4

31 281/4 29 28 281/2

9/6 7/4 3/17 3/25 7/2

Mousam Lake Mousam Lake Square Pond Great Pond, Rome Great East Lake

6-9

6/18

Kennebec River, Moscow

live ball

20-2 18-1 16-4 15-12 15

36 34 35 39 34

5/12 1/13 7/1 3/29 3/2

Sebago Lake Tunk Lake Sebago Lake Moosehead Lake St. Froid Lake

Mooselook Wobbler sucker Davis Spinner & shiner Swedish Pimple smelt

14-8 12 8-12 7-12 7-12 7-9 7-8 7-6

32 33 27 261/2 25 24 518 261/4 251/4

5/10 1/17 9/24 7/31 4/29 6/10 5/31 5/8

Long Lake, St. Agatha Long Lake, Sinclair Cross Lake, Sinclair Rangeley Lake Richardson Lake East Grand Lake Rangeley Lake Long Lake, Van Buren

Ghost Smelt smelt Green Drake fly Mooselook Wobbler Gray Ghost Triple A sewed bait homemade fly

351/4

East Machias River

Durham Ranger 4-0

Norris McElwaln, E. Wakefield NH Ted P. Sperdakos, Gray ME Brian Johnson, Ayer MA Richard F. Flood, Woodland ME

7-4 5-10 5-5 1/2 5

21 1/4 21 3/4 20 1/2 201/2

8/10 5/8 4/28 3/15

(York County) Sebago Lake Trickey Pond, Naples Meddybemps Lake

Crazy Crawler Tender Tube Fat Gitzit smelt

Ted P. Sperdakos, Gray ME David Swift, Gardiner ME Neil Armitage.Portland ME Joseph A. Regnault, Johnston RI F. Buzz Yates, Leeds ME Tim Hill, Yarmouth ME John Hines, West Poland ME Jeffrey S. Miller, Windham ME Robert Chandler, Scarboro ME Randy 8. Therrien, Freedom ME

10-2 9-8 9-5 9 9 8 7-8 7-6 1/2 7-6 7-5

24 3/4 23 1/2 23 3/4 241/2 23 23 26 23 1/2 23 22

6/9 5/2 6/14 6/6 2/10 4/27 7/10 6/13 7/18 4/29

Little Sebago Lake Cobbossee Stream Little Sebago Lake Cobbossee Lake Tripp Lake, Poland Moose Pond, Bridgton Thompson Lake, Casco Sokokls Lake Thomas Pond, Raymond Freedom Pond

Jig & pork frog Black Jitterbug Hula Popper Guido Bug shiner Double Tail Bassil Haddon artificial frog rubber worm white spinner rubber worm

Justin Gushee, Appleton ME Al Kirksey, Bangor ME Roy E. Albert, Millinocket ME Gary Keene, Gorham ME Troy Hanna, Winter Harbor ME Brandon P. Brown, Liverpool NY Robert Lavertu, York ME Susan Rooney, Readfield ME

4-10 4-8 4-8 4-7 4-6 4-2 4-1 4

27 25 24 28 251/2 251/2 251/4 251/4

3/16 2/24 2/7 1/3 2/3 8/10 2/18 2/11

Tilden Pond Green Lake Quaklsh Lake Little Sebago Lake Molasses Pond, Eastbrook Seven Tree Pond Wlnnecook Lake, Unity Wilson Pond

live bait live smelt shiner live balt shiner Dardev1e shiner

2-5 2-2 2 1-12 1-12 1-11 1-10 1-9 1/2 1-9

13 151/4 14 14 13 1/2 141/4 13 1/2 141/4 15

8/20 8/1 3/11 3/6 2/2 1/20 6/23 2/2 5/21

Spednlc Lake Branch Pond Meddybemps Lake Quakish Lake Great East Lake Snow Pond, Oakland Grand Lake Flowage Snow Pond, Oakland Serpentine River, Smithfield

Gov. Aiken Dardevle smelt shiner live shiner shiner bait shiner Rapala

20-6

1/28

Great Pond, Belgrade

shiner

2-2 2

15 3/4 15 3/4

5/31 5/19

Sebago Lake Sebago Lake

live shiner Marabou jig

16-4

401/2

6/12

Baker Lake

Rapala

Bob Williams, Portland ME Jeff Clifford, N. Edgecomb ME Philip Winslow, lslamutada FL Terrance H. Mason, Augusta ME Simonetta L. Mason, Augusta ME David L Violette, Rumford ME BIii Patrick, Old Town ME Barney Hamlin, Gorham ME Craig Carey, W. Poland ME Jerry C. Keay, Albion ME Jim Fortier, E. Lebanon ME Brad Lodge, Alfred ME Dan Ghidoni, Alfred ME Milton C. Brown, Sr., Thomaston ME Mark D. Lodge, Alfred ME Jessie McLaughlin, Anson ME

6-8 5-14 5-5 5-4 5-2 1/2 5 4-8 4-8 4-8 4-8

22 231/2 23

Little Pond, Damarlsootta (Moosehead Lake region) Echo Lake, Mt. Vernon Echo Lake, Mt. Vernon Ellis Pond, Roxbury Chamberlaln Lake Hiram (Cumberland County) Monson Pond

live bait shiner shiner live bait

(Qualifying Weight 5 pounds)

Lake Trout (Qualifying Weight 15 pounds)

Landlocked Salmon (Qualifying Weight 6 pounds)

29 entries in 1990

Atlantic Salmon

Amelia E. Bates, Portland ME Mark R. Lurvey, Franklin ME W illiam Ragusa, So. Casoo ME Edward Raymond, Northeast Carry ME Glen Johnson, Balley Island ME Donald Chalmberland, St. Agatha ME Roger Boucher, Slnclalr ME Herman Pelletier, Caribou ME Thomas Wolf, Amherst MA Brian W. Gross, Hanover ME Rick Dalton, Staten Island NY Richard Cormier, Springvale ME Wayne Castonguay, Van Buren ME Ernest Smith, Whitneyville ME

(Qualifying Weigtll 15 pounds)

Smallmouth Bass (Qualifying Weight 5 pounds)

Largemouth Bass (Qualifying Weight 7 pounds)

16 entries In 1990

Pickerel (Qualifying Weight 4 pounds)

White Perch (Qualifying Weight 1 1/2 pounds)

11 entries In 1990

Northern Pike

Julia M. Stoddard, Danforth ME Robert Potter, Palermo ME Mary P. Flood, Woodland ME Carrissa A. Pelletier, Millinocket ME James K. DeMoss, Wells ME Danielle D. Doyon, Waterville ME EIieen Eisenhauer, Campbell Hall NY Danny W. Doyon, Waterville ME Andrew Brod, Smithfield ME

Donald Mairs, Oakland ME

(Qualifying Weight 15 pounds)

Black Crappie (Qualifying Weight 2 pounds)

Muskellunge (Qualifying Weight 15 pounds)

Regina A. Sperdakos, Gray ME Lindsay Boland, New Gloucester ME

Kendall Warner, Orono ME

Maine's Wildlife and Fish Resources

HOW VALUABLE? ....: .'~. .

. ·

,,~"" The first of a jive-

·----·· .~ part series on the ./~~-~\\\: \/. /J

~--

economic value • l oJ.. , recreationa uses of Maines game and • nongame species.

by Kevin J. Boyle, Assistant Professor Stephen D. Reiling, Associate Professor Mario Teisl, Research Associate and Marcia L. Phillips, Graduate Research Assistant Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics University of Maine at Orono Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

W ildlife managers and researchers have spent years studying Maine's fish and wildlife resources. The sophisticated biological data from these efforts far exceeds the knowledge about anglers, hunters and other recreational users of these resources. Sound management policies, however, require a balance of biological and user information. Biological data on Maine's fish and wildlife are obtained by conducting field surveys to monitor population levels and habitat conditions. Data on users of these resources is obtained from a number of different sources. The numbers of anglers, hunters and trappers are monitored by the num3

bers of resident and nonresident licenses issued each year. Participation and success records are maintained for big game hunting. Big game hunters must obtain a special permit to take an antlerless deer, bear, moose or turkey, and must take all big game they bag to a registration station. Similar procedures do not exist for upland bird, migratory waterfowl and small game hunting, or for inland fishing. Records of trapping success are more extensive than the hunting and fishing records as trappers must report most furbearers they take. In addition to the above data which is collected annually, information about anglers is obtained from periodic surveys where Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W) personnel interview anglers while they are fishing. These so called, creel census clerks, record information on numbers of fish caught, fish kept and the size of these fish. Surveys of hunters and trappers have also been conducted from time to time. For example, deer hunters were surveyed in the mid-1980s, and licensed trappers were surveyed in 1980. All of these various efforts provide fragmentary data about anglers, hunters and trappers at various points in time, but the picture they present of these consumptive users of Maine's fish and wildlife is far from complete. Another use of Maine's fish and wildlife resources, which we refer to as nonconsumptive use, involves people enjoying wildlife in its natural habitat, but the creature(s) is not removed from the wild. Nonconsumptive uses include seeing wildlife, seeing signs of wildlife or hearing wildlife. Examples of nonconsumptive uses include feeding and watching birds around one's home, or taking a whale or puffin watching trip off Maine's coast. Little is known about nonconsumptive uses of Maine's wildlife since it involves activities in which people can participate in their backyards and a license is not required. To address the need for comprehensive and systematic user information, the Maine legislature's "Commission to Study the Impact of Game and Nongame Species on Maine's Economy," chaired by the late Representative Donald Carter, was established to study recreational users of Maine's fish and wildlife resources. The legislature's Commission had four "duties and responsibilities" to address: A. An analysis of the present economic impact of the State's wildlife resources on Maine's economy:

B. An analysis of the economic, recreational and ecological potential of the State's wildlife resources on Maine's economy: 4

C. An analysis of the annual costs associated with managing and maximizing the potential of these resources for the long-term benefit of the entire State: and D. An evaluation of alternative funding mechanisms for managing these resources.

Left, downy woodpecker. Below, whitetailed buck and doe grazing. Right, a trophy largemouth bass and proud angler. Photos left and below by Bill Cross, right photo by Tom Carbone.

Through a grant from the the Commission to the t)niversity of Maine, we conducted smveys of anglers, hunters and nonconsumptive users to address duties A and B. Duty C can only be addressed when the results from our study are combined with biological data maintained by IF&W to formulate species management plans. Duty D was addressed by the Commission when they introduced a successful bill into the Maine legislature to change the funding structure of IF&W. The studies we conducted for the legislative Commission were divided into the four groupings of recreational uses mentioned above: (1) inland fishing, (2) hunting, (3) trapping and (4) nonconsumptive uses. These groupings, by type of activity, allowed us to conduct surveys where reMaine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

spondents were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding a specific activity. Admittedly, individuals can participate in more than one of the above activities and some people may participate in all four activities. For example; a person may be an inland angler, hunter and nonconsumptive user of Maine's fish and wildlife resources. If this person was selected to respond to the hunting survey, he/ she would be asked to report only his/her hunting activities in Maine and would not be asked about inland fishing and nonconsumptive uses. This process of designing surveys to cover only one type of activity made it easier for respondents to answer survey questions and made it easier for us to analyze their responses.

IF&W should work closely with other state agencies to protect the scenic quality of Maine's water bodies. Future development should not detract from scenic quality.

2•

IF&W should work closely with other state agencies to maintain or enhance public access to Maine's water bodies. Future development should not reduce public access.

3•

Management agencies should insure that fish stocks are maintained statewide at a level that satisfies anglers' expectations for a quality fishing experience. Needs for expanded hatchery capacity/ stocking programs for brook trout, landlocked salmon and lake trout should be closely monitored.

4•

Efforts to expand fishing effort for warm water fish species should be increased to more fully utilize this valuable resource. This effort should focus on nonresident anglers as they are more inclined to fish for warmwater species and because nonresidents have a larger economic impact on the state economy than do resident anglers.

5•

IF&W should closely monitor future ice fishing effort and its impact on fish populations and open water and ice fishing success rates.

6•

IF&W should maintain the status quo re• garding waters open to ice fishing and the allocation of catch among open water and ice fishing in the near future. However, the Department should be prepared to make policy changes should it become clear that the resource cannot support the combined impacts of open water and ice fishing effort. After conducting over 8,000 surveys of inland anglers, over 9,000 surveys of hunters, 200 surveys of trappers and 2,000 surveys of nonconsumptive users, 26 recommendations were made regarding the future management of Maine's fish and wildlife resources. These recommendations, listed below, were made based on responses to our surveys.

IF&W should use public service announcements and other means to provide information about ice conditions throughout the ice fishing season. It also should develop and distribute written material to educate ice anglers on methods to test the safety of ice.

Inland Fishing

Hunting

IF&W should work closely with other state agencies to insure the water quality of Maine's rivers, lakes, ponds and streams is sufficient to support fish populations and a quality fishing experience.

9•

1•

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

8•

IF&W should publicize key management

actions designed to improve the quality of the hunting experience. This information should be distributed among all current and potential resident and nonresident hunters. 5

IF&W should conduct or coordinate hunter • education courses that are species specific and accessible to the average hunter.

extent possible. IF&W should set the 11 • Todeer.themoose and bear seasons to minimize the overlap among the three seasons for these species. should develop management policies 12 • toIF&W maintain. and if possible. increase the population of bears in Maine. IF&W should develop reasonable policies to 13 • reduce conflicts among bear hunters who use dogs and bear hunters who do not use dogs. IF&W should work closely with Maine • Guides to enhance the quality of guide services available to bear hunters (and other hunters and anglers) in Maine.

IF&W should continue to develop manage15 • ment plans to maintain current opportunities of deer hunting in Maine. IF&W should work closely with the appro16 • priate federal agencies and other states to enhance the number of migratory waterfowl in the state. number of moose hunting permits is17 • The sued each year should be increased. Biological data should be used to determine the number of permits issued. should continue its efforts to reintro18 • IF&W duce turkeys throughout the areas of Maine with suitable habitat. Management programs should continue to 19 • focus on increasing the number of upland

birds, thereby maintaining or increasing the potential for hunter success.

with habitat enhancement for upland 2 0 • Along bird hunting. IF&W should work to increase or maintain public access to these areas.

Nonconsumptive Uses

Brochures or leaflets describing tech-

2 2 • niques to attract common species of wildlife to residences should be developed and distributed to interested households. should develop educational materi23 • IF&W als for distribution to residents interested in learning more about different species of wildlife. Materials describing opportune times and viewing locations also should be developed and distributed upon request. Management plans should reflect the im-

24 • portance of nonconsumptive uses of deer, bear and moose. Management actions should be taken to enhance the nonconsumptive use of these species. IF&W should expand efforts to increase 25 • the number of nesting pairs of bald eagles in Maine.

IF&W should develop an organized pro26 • gram to increase information and ed uca-

tion about the resources it manages. This program should be designed to reach the average Maine resident. These recommendations. and the associated data generated by our study. are important and useful in designing management policies for Maine's fish and wildlife resources. Since our recommendations are based on the preferences of users. implementation must be considered in light of biological and ecological information about the resources in question. We do believe, however. that the implementation of our recommendations will significantly enhance users' enjoyment of Maine's fish and wildlife resources. In the next four issues of Maine Fish and Wildlife. we will present important and interesting findings from our study to support our management recommendations. We will present specific findings on inland fishing in the Summer 1991 issue, hunting in the Fall 1991 issue, trapping in the Winter 1991-92 issue and, finally, nonconsumptive uses in the Spring 1992 issue. •

Trapping

No recommendations were considered for • this activity. However. our results indicate trapping is an important recreational activity for those who participate.

21 6

Copies of the full report entitled "A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF GAME AND NONGAME SPECIES ON MAINE'S ECONOMY" are available for $5.00 from the Public Information Division, 284 State Street, Station #41, Augusta, Maine 04333.

Maine Fish and Wildlife -

Spring 1991

Praise for the Volunteers

Woods Work For Woodcock Welfare

by Charles T. Hulsey

Forestry students from the Foster Vocational Center in Farmington worked in two crews of five. These workers are receiving instructions from teacher Peter Tracy before heading to their assigned blocks. Peter Cross photo.

many landowners, the American woodcock

(Scolopax minor) offers an excellent opportunity to manage for wildlife. Like most wildlife, this upland member of the sandpiper and snipe family has very specific habitat needs (habitat defined as the food, water, cover, and space necessary for a species to live and prosper). Habitat used by woodcock in Maine includes locations for courtship, nesting, brood rearing, night roosting, and feeding. These habitat needs are met when fields, small forest openings, and young, early successional hardwood (deciduous) stands are present. The quality of these habitats is enhanced when they are interspersed or are in close proximity to one another and occur on rich, moist soils.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

The woodcock is both indigenous (native) to Maine and a migratory bird. Maine landowners have an opportunity to implement simple land management practices which may seive both to increase local breeding populations and to attract and benefit migrants. A woodcock's only habitat need which is not available in Maine is wintering habitat. This ground-probing earthworm predator spends the cold, snowy months in southern states.

The author is assistant regional wildlife biologist in Region D, with headquarters in Strong.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Region D Headquarters in Strong manages a 90-acre parcel consisting of fields, alders and second-growth hardwood. Woodcock and other species which utilize fields and early successional (young)

forest stands figure prominently in the management of this property. Forest succession is the orderly and predictable replacement of one plant community by another. The annual mowing of fields and the periodic cut-

Above, alders approaching overmaturity begin to grow laterally. Since alders can regenerate vegetatively (sprouting), periodic cutting will regenerate ''tired" stands. Thrifty, fast-growing stems will soon provide the habitat in which woodcock feed. Right, young, second-growth hardwood provides nesting and brood-rearing cover. Cutting a small percentage each year stimulates new growth and ensures a sustained supply of trees of this type and age. Below, saplings encroaching into the field are dropped. Maintaining fields provides areas for spring courtship and night roosting. Apple trees (foreground) are routinely flagged and saved due to their value to other wildlife.Top photo by the author, right and below by Peter Cross.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

ting of trees and shrubs sets back succession and assures a continual presence of habitats which enable woodcock to flourish. In October 1990, 10 high school students and teacher Peter Tracy from the Foster Vocational Center Forestry Program in Farmington volunteered their time and energy to cut blocks scheduled for treatment in our management plan. As part of their coursework. students were trained in chainsaw and thinning saw use. maintenance. and safety. This year. the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (and the woodcock as well!) benefitted greatly from the students newly-acquired forestry skills. The forestry students were assigned numbered blocks 40 feet wide. with lengths ranging from 40 to 100 feet. All trees and shrubs four inches in

diameter and smaller were felled with thinning saws. Used primarily for thinning young forest stands. a thinning saw is fast. efficient on small diameter trees, safe, and much less tiring than a chainsaw. The few large trees that remained were later felled with a chainsaw by another student and Mr. Tracy. Blocks treated in this third year of cutting had been systematically delineated and mapped as part of a plan to cut 1 /20 of the alder and adjacent, low-elevation, second-growth hardwoods each year for 20 years. By year 21, those blocks cut in year one will be cut again, thus perpetuating a 20-year rotation that continually provides 20 different (1 through 20) age-classes. Such a strategy will insure that our fields and forests don't become '"too old" for the ever-popular timberdoodle. â&#x20AC;˘

Barry K. Woodward Barry Keith Woodward, 30, of Washington died as a result of an aircraft accident in Augusta February 2. He was born in Augusta. Aug. 19, 1960, the son of Guy and Sandra (Harriman) Woodward. A 1978 graduate of Messalonskee High School, Mr Woodward attended Maine Maritime Academy and graduated from East Coast Aero Technical in 1981. He had been employed by the state Warden Service for six years. He was a member of the Warden Service Search and Rescue Team. pistol team and the Relief Association. He was a certified flight instructor, and also had been an instructor at the State Police Academy in its Warden Service map, compass, and boating safety curriculum. Mr. Woodward was also a maintenance officer for aircraft with the Civil Air Patrol. He is survived by his wife, Sharon (Chapman) Woodward; a son, Brandon J. Woodward; two daughters, Jessica M. Woodward and D. Susan Woodward, of Washington; his parents o( Sidney; two brothers, Craig W. Woodward of Sidney and Dean T. Woodward of North Augusta, S.C.; one sister, Anne Braley of Manchester, N.H.; his maternal grandparents, Keith and Thelma Harriman of Randolph; three nieces, several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The Maine Warden Service lost a "dynamo" when Barry Woodward died. Although the young warden had been a member of the Warden Service for only six years, it's a tribute to his helpful hardworking memory that coworkers tried and failed to put their feelings about Barry to pen and paper. One warden who was quite close to Barry wanted to add a few words to this notice, but simply couldn't find the right ones-words satisfactory to describe what Woodward meant to him as a fellow warden. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

At the memorial service for Woodward, many descriptive adjectives were utilized in attempts to describe what made this young man special. One universally agreed upon was "energetic"! Simply put, the young man loved life and never seemed to run out of gas! Fellow wardens and others who knew Barry Woodward will miss him a lot. The smile, the willingness to help, the stick-to-the-task attitudethese are things we should remember about him. And in remembering, we may-wittingly or not-become more like he was in those respects. 9

->:tt:Where do these animals live]n ·Maine~ -= . ._,"_ -Many,ani~als live in "ve'r; specific areas _ o f Maine. These_areas are , ·. called HABITATS. · = · = .: .. :\.,. . .. .. ...- . . .. ·······:_::·.:····

River Otter

Coastal Areas & Islands Habitat

~ r t MCa. 11o~1..

Spruce Grouse

Northern Spruce Fir Forest Habitat

Gray Squirrel

Box Turtle

Piping Plover

----

Northern Bog Lemming

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Letters can be sent to: Lisa Kane or Denise Moore, KID-BITS Editors

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine 284 State Street, Station #41 Augusta, Maine 04333

Pickerel

Pine Marten

Star-nosed Mole

Striped Bass

Skunk

Upland Oak, Maple, Beech Forest Habitat

Eider answers on inside back cover

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Geographic Information Systems

Tools For Maine's Planning Future A study of Lower Enchanted and Pierce Pond Townships (T2R4 & T2R5 BKP WKR). This data was digitized for a special project of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC). Large body of water in the foreground on the water layer is Pierce Pond, river immediately behind it is the Dead River.

D uring

the past decade, geographic information systems (GIS) have emerged as important computer tools in professions ranging from conservation to emergency response to comprehensive town planning. In fact, the applications for GIS are so diverse that the GIS/mapping business is the fastest growing segment of the computer industry, with 1990 worldwide hardware and software sales exceeding $1. 4 billion. Quite simply, a GIS is a computer system capable of holding and using data describing places on the earth's surface. Maps are digitized into a computer where they are linked with tabular information describing the features on the maps. For example, the topography and geology for ~n area can be stored in a computer along with the locations of roads, rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. The computer software "geographically registers" the "layers" of information using a coordinate system (e.g., latitude and longitude). Once the information is registered, the computer knows where map features such as rivers and ponds are on the earth's surface and where they are in relation to other map features such as roads and geology. This permits GIS users to "overlay" The author is Geographical Information Systems administrator for the Department of Conservation.

maps with different scales. Figure 1 illustrates the concept of geographic registration of data layers. Once in the computer. new digital maps having the characteristics of two or more maps can be created using overlay techniques. GIS can be a powerful tool in the hands of professionals who use and interpret maps. For example. wildlife biologists can add deer yard and forest type data layers to the simple GIS database. as illustrated above. A GIS database of this kind will enable detailed studies of deer habitat and facilitate management practices. Using GIS, biologists can examine specific combinations of slope. forest type. distance from water, and distance from roads that produce especially healthy deer populations. The applications for GIS in wildlife biology and management are many and will evolve as Maine continues to make progress towards a statewide GIS. Many Maine state agencies are implementing GIS technology into their programs. A 17-member GIS Steering Committee, authorized by Governor John McKeman, has studied the issues and crafted a long-term plan for the phased implementation of a statewide GIS network. The steering committee, which represents state agencies, the University of Maine, the private sector, and local government will continue to oversee the network's development and formulate policy. The Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

by Dan Walters Photos by John B. Poisson Maine Geological Survey

In the GIS workroom, what appear to be large drawing boards are in fact digitizing tablets; when a pen is touched to a particular location on the board, that location is plotted on the computer's "drawing" of the same area. In this way, data can be transferred from maps to computer files, which can then be overlayed, combined, and compared. From left to right are GIS Coordinator Diane Haukinson, the author, and Bill Duffy, a GIS specialist with the Maine Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority. Inset shows the same data as it appears on one of the GIS computer screens.

statewide GIS will be integrated with existing agency information systems to provide an array of powerful tools in carrying out agency missions. The first link in the GIS network was forged in 1990 when the Department of Conservation GIS facility began operations. The facility consists of five workstations, two digitizing tablets, and a plotter connected to a large computer which stores the GIS software and data.

Conservation's GIS facility and staff have two missions: first, to make the facility available for use by all state agencies undertaking GIS projects (the GIS staff provides technical support and basic training for people using the facility): second, to maintain the Department of Conservation computer as the repository for statewide GIS data (the GIS staff is responsible for managing the data and making it available to GIS users). As a result of

11 thin till

II II II II 11

stream alluvium/glacial stream alluvium glacial stream deposits (high permeability) water swamp Âˇ bedrock outcrops till end-moraine deposits stream alluvium glacial stream deposits (moderate to high permeability)

A planimetric (looking down) view of the combined information from all four layers in the upper left illustration.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

the efforts of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority, a number of statewide data layers are already in the system. The layers include aquifers, surficial and bedrock geology, swamps and bogs, and a 1: 100,000-scale basemap which contains roads, rivers, ponds, lakes, streams, political boundaries, and the coastline. Although at a relatively small scale, the data, more than adequate for many applications, are a valuable asset. The Conservation GIS staff is responsible for ongoing efforts to digitize an accurate, large-scale basemap for GIS work. The Steering Committee has selected the USGS 7.5-minute topographic maps (scale 1:24,000) as the official state basemap. By the fall of 1991, 210 of the 710 map sheets covering Maine will be digitized. As a result, data layers for ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, roads, political

1'1

boundaries, and the coastline will be available in the state's GIS database. This will provide the accurate base that agencies need to compile and digitize their data layers. The basemap provides easily recognizable geographic features which facilitate agency mapping and has geographic reference points which allow the maps to be registered in the computer. While these efforts are continuing agencies are testing GIS techniques by undertaking pilot projects. The graphics presented in this article are produced by the GIS and represent data layers that have been digitized by state agencies for their projects. As the projects evolve and the Maine GIS database becomes fully populated, interpretive and analytical maps will be produced to answer specific questions and make decisions in support of agency programs. •

---~-J

legend •

HeH'J

( lfl, &58 A.}

Ye4i•• (11,~75 A.) a 11,1a.t cu,513 A.l

1990

Moth Defoliation Area map showing gypsy moth defoliation during 1990. Inset shows same data, enlarged, for the town of Brownfield (circled). This data is being digitized by GIS for the Division of Insect & Disease Management, Maine Bureau of Forestry.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Wildlife Management Areas

by Barry Burgason Photos by the author Editor's Note: Ranging from under 20 acres to over 6,000 acres, wildlife management areas owned by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife now number over 30 and are located in each of Maine's 16 counties. They represent a variety of habitat types - primarily wetlands, wooded uplands, and coastal islands - and support a diversity of resident wildlife, from popular game animals to endangered species. The department buys these tracts not only to protect and enhance their wildlife values but also for people to enjoy in compatible ways. We've visited some of these areas in the past on these pages, but it's been a while and a lot has happened since. So, beginning with the following article, and continuing in future issues, we'll be revisiting some wildlife management areas and introducing you to many more.

L Potholes and ditches were blasted with the assistance of the Maine Army National Guard. This picture was taken in the fall of 1980.

ocated in the northwest corner of Howland, Penobscot County, the Pond Farm Wildlife Management Area has perhaps the most interesting history of land use, ownership and acquisition of any of the lands owned by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Historically, this area was a lake, known as Little Seboois Lake, with a natural outlet in the northwest corner which

The author is the assistant regional wildlife biologist in Region F, headquartered in Enfield.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Aerial view of Pond Farm WMA. Notice the pattern of potholes and ditches blasted to create open water in the extensive area of sedge meadow.

The pond is scenic-calm and quiet-much like any stretch of fine wildlife habitat.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Prescribed burning of the marsh (top photo) reduces the accumulation of dead vegetation.This early 1983 sedge meadowburn yields results visible in the lower photo, taken in May of the same year-area on right was burned over, area on left was left unburned.

The blasting of potholes continues at Pond Farm-this picture was taken in January 1990.

Maintained roads and trails along the east side of the marsh make wildlife viewing a pleasant experience.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

drained into Maxy Brook and then into the Piscataquis River. That situation changed dramatically in the late 1800s when local farmers saw an opportunity to create farmland more easily than by the traditional method of cutting trees and removing stumps. They reasoned that they could drain the lake and expose the bottom simply by excavating through the horseback, or esker, running along the east side of the area and draining the water into Seboeis Stream. That was done, and the lake bottom was farmed for a while, but eventually the support timbers for the tunnel rotted and collapsed, and the lake refilled. Between 1910 and 1915, the lake was drained a second time, by the Great Northern Paint, Chemical and Manufacturing Company, with the intent of mining the gray marine clay from the bottom for manufacturing paint. The workers were apparently a bit anxious, since they flooded bridges, homes and mills along Seboeis Stream and the Piscataquis River. This venture lasted only a few years, and for the next 50 years the land was held by a variety of owners and used for farming, haying and pasture land, and eventually abandoned. In 1964, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife eyed the area with the idea of creating a new marsh. Research on the history of the area revealed that a Great Pond had been illegally drained, and even though deeds had been passed, the land was still the property of the state of Maine. With the ownership restored to the state, the department installed a drop inlet water-control structure at the outlet, which created a shallow marsh and allows managers to raise or lower water levels to benefit wildlife. A variety of wildlife management techniques have been em18

ployed at the Pond Farm to improve the quality of the habitat. Waterfowl nest boxes provide critical artificial cavities for wood ducks, hooded mergansers, and goldeneyes. Along the western edge of the marsh, deer and Canada geese forage on high quality grass and clover in four acres of pasture planted for that purpose. Potholes and ditches have been blasted, with the assistance of the Maine Army National Guard, to create areas of open water in the unbroken stands of sedge meadow. Periodic controlled burning during the winter or early spring has also been used to reduce the accumulation of dead vegetation and to recycle nutrients tied up in plant material. Burning also opens up areas of the marsh enough that waterfowl can feed on seeds, tubers and insects previously unavailable.

Pond Farm Wildlife Management Area is situated four miles from the Penobscot River and less than two miles from the Piscataquis River. These two major rivers seive as migration corridors for many birds, especially waterfowl. During spring migration, most species of waterfowl found in the state of Maine can be viewed here, including several species of sea ducks. Waterfowl that breed at Pond Farm include black ducks, wood ducks, hooded mergansers, blue-winged teal, common goldeneyes, ringnecks, mallards and

Canada geese. Two pair of osprey have nested here for at least the past ten years, and bald eagles are frequently obseived perching and hunting near the marsh. Combined with the open character of the marsh, maintained trails along the eastern shore make the Pond Farm a pleasant place for wildlife viewing. Several organized groups and a number of individuals annually visit the area during spring migration. Easy access for canoes and small boats is also available near the dam. As with most wildlife management areas owned and managed by the department, the Pond Farm is open to hunting, trapping and fishing. Black ducks use the marsh as a resting and feeding stop until freeze-up in early November and constitute the number one species for the waterfowl hunter. Early in the season, woodies and teal are also taken. Several local trappers make use of the large number of muskrats resident on the area. The abundance of hornpout and pickerel near the dam supply many local families with an evening of fishing fun. The Pond Farm Wildlife Management Area is a excellent example of a wetland habitat which has been improved by a variety of management practices to benefit a variety of wildlife species. At the same time, it is easily accessible to a diverse group of users, all of whom share a common interest and concern for wetland wildlife. â&#x20AC;˘

HOW TO GET TO POND FARM WMA From the Howland exit off Interstate 95, drive east on Routes 6 & 155 into the town of Howland. At the first intersection, tum north (left) on Route 116 and follow through Howland. Tum left off Route 116 and drive under I-95 and continue for 1.5 miles, then tum north (right) on the Seboeis Road. Pond Farm WMA is visible on the left, approximately 2 miles north of this intersection. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

BUTCH'S PHANTOM

~ h e Fly Tying Bench

Tandem Streamer

by Butch Carey Photos by John Norton THE PATTERN

HOOK: Size 4, #94840 IBREAD: 30# test, steel covered monocord TAIL: Orange floss RIB: Embossed silver tinsel BODY: Orange floss WING: White bucktail over which are two orange saddle hackle curved side in; then two black saddle hackle EYES: Painted white with black pupil

For the tail, attach small bunch of orange floss. Then tie in, by the tail, embossed silver tinsel for the ribbing. Bring thread up front and cement body again. For the body, wind orange floss from front to back then back to front; tie down. Then bring the ribbing up front, no more than five turns; tie down. Finish a small black head; back hook is now complete.

3 Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Place hook in vise for back hook of fly. Cast on hook with black nylon thread (I use monocord). Lay an even layer of thread on the hook from front to back, then back to the front; cement. Insert tandem lead into eye of hook, run it back to just between the barb and the point of the hook, then wind thread close and tight down to the end of the wire. Seal end with thread; cover with coat of cement.

To connect the back and front hooks together, place front hook in vise.and wind on a thread base (both hooks turned down). Take tandem lead (already dressed to back hook) and lay it on top of front hook, keeping both hooks level. Leave room between front of lead and eye for attaching additional materials. Wind thread in nice close winds around hook and wire, eye to bend and return. Tie off and cement twice.

Tie a small bunch of white bucktail on top of hook the same length as the tail.

Tie in two silver pheasant cheek feathers, one on each side, facing each other, curved side in and matched up. Have the curve of the feathers facing into each other. The cheek feathers should not extend more than one-third the length of the fly wing. Trim and tie down. Finish head with black thread; cement well.

For the wing, attach two orange feathers (one on each side, facing each other, curved side in and matched up. Then tie in two black feathers on the outside of the orange ones. The curves of all feathers should face into each other and extend backwards the same length as the white bucktail.

8 20

Tie in embossed silver tinsel at rear of front hook for ribbing. Then move up front and tie in orange floss for body. Double wrap floss; tie down and trim. Bring ribbing up front and tie down to complete the tandem.

Finished fly with painted on eye (white dot with black pupil}. The overall length should be about 2 3/4".

Maine Fish and Wlldllfe - Spring 1991

Faced with ever-increasing fishing pressure and increasing harvest rates, we must begin to consider a change in our attitudes and approaches to using and managing our valuable fishery resources.

A lligher Ethic For Sebago's Salmon Fishermen

Set The Wild Ones Free!

by Urban D. Pierce, Jr.

n the past, we have always resorted to changing fishing regulations to control the numbers of fish taken from any given body of water. Sebago Lake, as evecyone knows, is no exception. The fishing regulations have changed on this famous -..,/ lake many times over the years. Regulations definitely have ~ a place and . will continue to be a valu- 4'o able tool used ~~"'~ by management lÂť1i,. biologists to prevent e,. over-using our fisheries. An article entitled "Sebago's Future Still Bright," published in Maine Fish and Wildlife in 1983, talked about the increasingly complex nature of managing Sebago's fisheries to maintain fishing quality. We talked about reducing harvest on Sebago's landlocks and mentioned how we must begin a philosophy of not so much limiting what we "catch" but rather limiting what we "kill". We suggested: "We have to come to realize that we don't have to take home evecy fish we catch. We have to be willing to set our own personal limits which are far more conseivative than what we are "legally" allowed. We must become intolerant of the poacher and lawbreaker

'l_J .

who abuses our resources by taking multiple limits offish each day, keeping evecything and anything he can catch regardless of size and numbers". In a second article entitled "The Statistics Speak!" published in Maine Fish and Wildlife in 1988, many details were presented showing some of the fishecy statistics managemept biologists have collected over the years. We saw, and continue to see, how vulnerable Sebago's landlocks are to fishing and how their suIVival is limited due to heavy fishing pressure. The high exploitation of three-year-old salmon restricts the carcyover into older age classes. Female salmon usually rv \ mature to spawn during their fourth year of ~ life. If they are caught and removed as either two- or three-year-olds, they really never get the chance to spawn naturally in Sebago's tributaries. However, to protect Sebago's landlocks fully through at least three years of age would require a length

SEBAGO

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

LAKE

The author is regional fisheries biologist in Region A, headquartered in Gray.

limit increase to approximately 20 inches. This would create a tremendous burden on the forage, particularly the smelt population, which if impacted could seriously jeopardize the quality of ALL the fishery resources in Sebago. That risk is too great. It is interesting to note that through studies conducted on the tributaries to Sebago, namely the Crooked River and the Northwest River, we have found that few of the stocked landlocked salmon put into Sebago Lake use these tributaries for spawning. Only wild ..native" landlocks are found in these rivers systems. The Crooked River has been open to spawning salmon now for nearly 20 years. Prior to that time, Sebago's salmon had been denied access to the majority of their spawning habitat for over 150 years. All dams have either been breached of taken out allowing spawning salmon to use all sixty miles of river habitat. Consequently. we are seeing the fruits of this spawning activity: nearly 40 percent of salmon caught at Sebago Lake during the summer are now wild "native" fish. With the increasing fishing pressure and harvest of so many three-year-old fish, we are very concerned that we may never realize all the potential these tributaries can produce in wild "native"

fish to Sebago's salmon fishery. Many of these wild fish are taken from Sebago before they have a chance to spawn even once. How can we increase the survival of wild salmon at Sebago? Simple! Release them back into the lake or river. Wild .. native" salmon are easy to recognize because none of them are fin-clipped. All hatchery reared salmon stocked into Sebago Lake are finclipped. Each year a different combination of fins is removed prior to stocking. This allows biologists to accurately age and recognize stocked fish when they are later caught by fishermen. So if you catch a salmon at Sebago that has NO fish removed, chances are you have caught a wild .. native" fish. We would encourage you to release this fish carefully, regardless of size, if at all possible. What about hooking injuries? Biologists have found in their surveys that as many as seventy percent of the adult fish caught at Sebago Lake show evidence of having been hooked and released before. No doubt many of these fish were caught as sublegals which had to be released. But the evidence does show that even fish hooked bad enough to sustain injury do live and continue to grow normally. However, all fish which are released should be carefully handled and returned to the water as

Left, a salmon smelt receives a fin-styling at the hands of a Department biologist. These clips-which fin or fins are clipped-tell us important things about the salmon's growth and behavior patterns. Department file photo. Right, this fine adult salmon, soon to be released (see photo above right) is an example of what Sebago Lake can yield if salmon are released to continue their development. Right photo courtesy Harry Vanderweide.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

There's a right way-and a dozen wrong ways!-to release a fish after hooking it. Gentle, soft handling is the key, plus a prompt return to the waters from which the fish came. Photo courtesy Harry Vanderweide.

soon as possible. After the catch, the real thrill is over. Now practice the release. You will find just as much satisfaction as taking that fish home to eat. HIDDEN BENEFITS ... ? What are the benefits of such an ethic? There would be greater survival of these wild "native" salmon into older age classes. Many more wild salmon would be available to ascend the tributary streams to spawn. This would consequently increase the numbers of wild "native" salmon in Sebago as the progeny of these adult spawners return to the lake and grows to adult size. As the number of wild fish increased, greater numbers would be available to catch (Nar KILL). With the amount of fishing pressure currently being exerted on the salmon resource, the only way to ever see older fish in the population is to practice the release of more of the salmon we catch. The most important ones to Sebago are the wild "native" fish. Whether or not we ever see eight- to ten-pound and larger salmon again will depend strictly on how many wild fish get released over the next few years. We certainly don't intend to make such a program mandatory on Sebago Lake, but we would encourage you to consider our plea and practice a higher ethic of releasing as many wild "native" salmon at Sebago as possible. â&#x20AC;˘

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Nuisance Critters

A Homeowner's by Henry Hilton

veryone living in Maine or visiting the state is fortunate to be able to enjoy an abundance of animals, birds. and other native wildlife. But from time to time, some of this wildlife can cause problems by invading homes or gardens, or by creating safety or health hazards. In appreciation for this wildlife, homeowners and others can help them stay out of trouble by not creating conditions that encourage the development of inappropriate feeding or other living habits; even home gardens. for instance. should be planned to reduce temptation to hungry critters. And perhaps most importantly. people should learn to distln-

guish actual problems from unfounded fears or anxieties over the mere presence of wild critters. Unfortunately, while good information is available, there is no cookbook formula for resolving nuisance wildlife problems. In order to take the "high road" in dealing with such problems, we (meaning literally anyone who may at some time have to deal with a nuisance animal) should look carefully at the circumstances leading up to a problem, understand the normal behavior of the critter involved, and make eveiy effort to correct the conditions before having to use heavy-handed measures on the poor beast! BATS AND SNAKES. For many people, bats and snakes symbolize the uncomfortable and desperate feeling of dealing with any wildlife "close up ... But virtually all wildlife species native to Maine are beneficial in some way. and none is inherently dangerous. Furthermore. most can provide us a great deal of viewing pleasure while serving their natural roles in the

environment. Fearful feelings about wildlife are unfortunate because they can profoundly affect our mental "quality of life ... This need not be, especially if we can gain a better understanding of wildlife and the practical approaches to dealing with nuisance situations. NOT IN THE HOUSE! For most of us, our home is our security; when any type of wildlife comes inside, our anxieties and fears may become veiy real. But another reality is that old houses and many seasonal structures are simply not critterproof, and certain types of wildlife will inevitably come inside. It is not uncommon, for example, for mice to have a free rein of many older buildings and cause little concern to the human residents - perhaps requiring only some periodic snap-trapping. Red or gray squirrels, on the other hand, may be cause for greater concern because of the severe damage they can cause to furniture, wiring, and other structures. Bats in an attic may not cause a veiy serious problem unless the accumulated droppings become troublesome. (And bats on the outside of the house should definitely not be considered a problem!) Clearly, wildlife nuisance is a matter of individual perspective; we must each come to terms with our own threshold of tolerance.

Milk adder. Photo by Bill Cross. 24

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Advisor or "It's Cute, But Not In NOT IN THE YARD OR SHED, EITHER! Raccoons and skunks, seeking food or a nice comfortable place to take shelter. often enter yards and outbuildings, where they can make messes and even pose health hazards. Both animals enjoy a variety of insects; they are often seen digging up subterranean beetle larvae and "grubs." Normally. this is of little consequence and should be ignored. But both animals will take full advantage of household trash or garbage left unsecured, and share - unequally - in the family pet's food. This situation should not be ignored; it inevitably creates sanitation or health problems and risks unexpected confrontations. Such attractions should be removed or securely stored if at all possible. But most older rural homes and many newer suburban homes are nestled into a very productive natural habitat of trees, fields, and rock walls, often adjacent to streams or wetlands. These environments contain a multitude of wildlife possibly one of the principal reasons for locating the home there. -In these situations, the opportunity for wildlife "nuisances" is greatly increased. Squirrels already living in these areas will include the manmade structures as "fair game" for their own use. Small rodents may become more common; they, in tum, will attract snakes and other predators. If the terrain is rocky, with per-

haps a rock wall perimeter, and with piles of firewood or boards lying around, the perfect habitat exists for a dynamic wildlife community with an "all-star cast" of prey /predator characters. These conditions pose no problem in themselves, as long as the house is wildlife-proof and no food or shelter attractions are inadvertently provided. But conditions outside the home may need attention - many of our favorite landscape plantings are preferred foods for deer! In addition to deer abundance levels, browse damage to ornamental plants depends on winter weather conditions and the availability of other natural food sources. But planting highly preferred species only makes things worse: spindle trees, English and Japanese yews, and many of the arborvitae are high on the like-list; dogwood, the resinous evergreens, mock orange and Chinese holly are among the much less susceptible species. Even among the highly susceptible species like the rhododendrons, susceptibility varies among the genus. And deer definitely prefer highly fertilized plants! Talk to your nurseryman for planting suggestions.

Henry Hilton is a staff wildlife biologist for the department and serves as animal damage control coordinator.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

My Yard"

NOT IN THE GARDEN, EITHER! There are homes or lots that, because of their locations close to productive wildlife habitat, may be too vulnerable to deer or other wildlife raccoons to successfully garden. The greater the density of these populations, the greater the potential losses, and the greater the difficulty in preventing them. However, assuming the intrepid homeowners will forge ahead regardless, gardens should be placed in the most exposed location, and surrounded by a buffer such as a driveway or closely cropped lawn or field. While repellents may provide some degree of protection from wildlife depredations, suitable fencing may be necessary to protect against deer, woodchucks, or other wildlife. Clearly, one should balance the cost of protection against the potential losses. REPELLENTS. Animals are alert and sensitive to anything "new," and will keep their distance until satisfied that no real danger is present. There are numerous repellents that can be useful in discouraging deer and other herbivores (vegetation feeders). There are "odor" and "scent" repellents. as well as various scare devices. Ultrasonic devices, often promoted as the last word in protection, have not been proven effective and are not recommended here. But there are a number of home remedies and commercial preparations, 25

and what works best is, to some degree, in the mind of the beholder. Experience is the best teacher. The only firm rule is that no single repellent or scare device is 100 percent effective. Deer and other garden intruders will become accustomed to new smells and tastes quickly, and it takes a combination of materials to become even marginally effective in protecting a garden until harvest time. There are several commercial preparations available at garden supply stores. Others to consider include human hair, soap, bloodmeal, hot pepper sauce, creosote, and naphthalene (moth balls). Even coyote urine (available from trapping supply houses), has been used in the theory that its odor would strike fear into the hearts of deer. Visual simulations of owls or people, and even balloons with large "eyes" have been used effectively. Radios, gas exploders, and other noisemakers can serve the same purpose, but may complicate relationships with human neighbors! HOW TO USE LIVE TRAPS. Humane box traps are available at many hardware and garden supply stores. They are manufactured in different sizes and designs, with a door at one end or both ends. With double doors open, the properly placed trap becomes part of the critter's path to your garden; if it's covered with grass, too, it becomes a cocy sanctuary- no bait is needed! Single-door traps usually do require bait. A punctured can of sardines or fish-flavored cat food serves well to attract skunks and raccoons. Nuts, peanut butter, and pumpkin or sunflower seeds work well for squirrels and

other rodents. Sweet corn, apple chunks, melon, or other sweet vegetables attract woodchucks. Any wild animal is potentially dangerous in a trap, so a good measure of caution should be exercised in handling them. Trapped skunks can be easily handled by covering the trap with a dark cloth, beneath which the skunk-and other wildlife, too- tend to feel more secure and less threatened, and are not irritated by pets and other distractions. Once covered, a skunk can be carried in its capture cage and transported by car to a suitable release site. IMPORTANT: Be considerate of others and do not release nuisance wildlife where they can bother other gardens or residential areas. ANIMAL DAMAGE CONTROL ASSISTANCE. Preventive measures should go far in avoiding unwelcome wildlife problems. But the homeowner may be faced with an emergency with no time to learn to trap or understand the situation. Experienced "home and garden" trappers are usually available to help, and can be contacted through the Maine Warden Service divisional headquarters. These trappers are registered through the Department's Animal Damage Control program, and work under the supervision of a department official. House and garden trappers are independent in the business sense, and are not paid by

the state for their services to homeowners. APHIS-ADC is an acronym for the federal animal damage control program. Most birds are under federal protection and cannot be trapped or destroyed without specific permission. Advice and technical assistance is available through the federal (USDA) ADC office in Augusta. Both state and federal programs provide additional forms of assistance to agricultural producers, including a variety of fencing and repellent materials, predator control and wildlife damage prevention information. WILDLIFE DAMAGE: SPECIFIC REFERENCES BATS â&#x20AC;˘ In the home, locate and seal all openings in eaves and chimney flashing. Close openings by caulking and screening after dark when bats are active outside. If trapped inside, just provide an open door or window for escape. Poisons are not recommended; they may kill resident bats, but won't prevent others from replacing them; and they are ecologically irre-

Woodchuck. Photo by the author. 26

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

sponsible. In the yard, do not interfere with their normal insect eating activity- bats are not a hazard, but rather provide great benefits. Rabies or other diseases are no more threatening among bats than among other animals. Consider providing a "bat house" - plans available by writing: Information & Education Division, 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta ME 04333. DEER • Locate gardens away from brush and woods that provide cover and protection. Change habitual travel patterns near garden by making travel ways unattractive. Apply repellents before heavy browsing becomes apparent. Consider installation of electric fence if (potential) losses justify the expense. Cover foundation plantings if they become targeted by wintering deer. Avoid planting preferred species. MICE & VOLES • In modern structures, close all entrance opportunities; in older, or seasonal buildings remove food sources. Use snap traps as necessary to reduce high numbers of mice, but avoid continuous use, or leave unset for periods of time. Poisons readily available but may pose odor problemsuse judiciously. Voles may chew woody plants; protect by wrapping in winter.

RACCOONS • Around the home, secure trash cans, block entry to buildings; cap or screen chimney and close damper in fireplace. Keep pet food out of reach. Avoid clutter that provides hiding places. Ignore casual occurrence in yard unless signs of illness are obvious. If the effort is justified, they can be live-trapped and moved to a more suitable location. At the garden, remove any surrounding protective cover (see DEER above); install single strand of electric fence 4" high as crop ripens. SKUNKS • Same as RACCOON, above. If live trapping is

necessary, keep trap covered with dark cloth to prevent spraying. If closed into shed or other building, leave door open for easy exit. If found denned under building place well baited box trap during warm period, then close access. Skunks will not spray unless directly threatened - but house pets can "set them offl" SQUIRRELS • In the home, block entry at vents, eaves, and foundation: capture and move using baited box trap; avoid attractions such as bird feeders. If already inside, leave door or window open before sealing the entry.

PORCUPINES • May chew on

SNAKES • In the home, locate and seal points of entry at foundation level; Remove if necessary by placing wet burlap bags near place usually seen, then remove with garden fork. If attracted by high rodent populations, see MICE above.

plywood or pressure-treated structures, and damage corn. Can be lured to a salt lick in a large box trap - but beware of tail and wear heavy gloves when transporting trap.

WOODCHUCKS • Remove all cover and sanctuary near garden. Use box traps if necessary. If fencing is used, bury at least 1O inches. Check local firearm

MOLES • Generally, try to

ignore "damage" caused by these creatures; the benefits (soil aeration, etc.) usually far outweigh the disturbances.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Porcupine. Photo by the author.

discharge regulations and use extreme caution if shooting is considered. WOODPECKERS • If pecking at house, check for insect infestations in siding; if territorial or mating signal cover involved surface with cloth. NOTE: A federal permit is required to capture or remove migratory birds! •

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS 1990 Record Safe Year Maine recorded the safest year ever for hunting in 1990. With only seven total hunting incidents and no fatalities, .. no other year since records have been kept even comes close,· according to Safety Officer Gary Anderson. While 1984 was also fatality-free, there were a total of 23 incidents that year. The figures are for the entire calendar year, not just the fall hunting season, and are particularly remarkable considering the number of participants - about 220,000 licensed hunters. The good news comes at a bad time for advocates of more stringent regulations on hunting, purportedly in the interest of safety. Anderson credits several factors which have contributed to the steadily declining hunting-shooting rate in recent years: • Over 110,000 persons have graduated from the hunter education program ~onducted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The Maine program has received an AAA rating from the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Commissioners - the highest rating issued by the group. • Mandatory basic hunter education for first time adult hunters since 1986. • The Maine legislature has enacted effective laws in recent years aimed at improving hunting safety, including cessation of hunting at sunset: no shooting from roads: and the mandatory wearing of hunter orange clothing during the deer season. Anderson notes that ..of all the major outdoor recreational pursuits, hunting is the safest among the high personal-participation categories such as hiking, biking, swimming and boating."

COLA Offers Lake Book The Congress of Lake Associations (COLA) has published a new book of interest to anyone who

makes use of Maine's thousands of lakes. The Lake~ a 32-page paperback, is written for lake shore residents, landowners, real estate brokers, and swnmer visitors. Others who will find it helpful are code enforcement officers, local plumbing inspectors, planning boards, lake associations, conservation commissions and teachers. The book describes actions citizens can take to protect bodies of fresh water. Specifics include the phosphorus content of a long list of soaps and detergents, and ways to take proper care of septic systems and to protect views. A section on .. unidentified floating objects" lists and analyzes things one might encounter on or in a lake, such as murky water, pollen, dead fish, algae, foam, ..swimmer's itch" and leeches, and what each of these things represents. Other topics include responsible boating, timber harvesting, the importance of aquatic plants and actions one can take to protect fish populations. There is a section on Maine laws affecting lakes. .. It has been apparent for several years there's a need for an educational, easy-to-read book on how lakes function and how they can be threatened," said Joan Irish, president of COLA. The principal author of the book is Libby Moore of Maine Tomorrow, a Hallowell-based consulting firm. Copies may be obtained by sending $1. 00 and a self-addressed, 9 x 12 envelope stamped with $1.10 postage to: COLA, RR 2, Box 391 Bayview Street, Yarmouth, ME 04096. For more information, call 207-846-4271.

National Survey Underway Do you hunt, fish, or watch wildlife? If you do, you may be among some 130,000 Americans who will be asked that question as part of the 1991 National Smvey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-associated Recreation. The survey, conducted every five years since 1955 by the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife SeJ.Vice, updates information about fish- and wildlifeassociated recreational actMties in each of the 50 states. The national survey is financed by hunters, anglers and boaters through the payment of excise taxes an sporting arms, ammunltlon, fishing equipment, and motorboat fuels. The survey data are used to estimate demands for wildlife recreation and to spot trends in participation and expenditures. Randomly selected participants will be called three times during the course of the year and asked about their outdoor recreation activities . They will be asked such questions as how often they fished, hunted, or watched wildlife: where they did it; and how much time and money they spent in conjunction with these activities. The actual survey work is conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Preliminary results will be available in fall 1992, and the final results published by spring of 1993. Last conducted in 1985, the survey revealed approximately 140 million Americans, or 77 percent of the total U.S. population 16 years of age and older, enjoyed some form of wildlife-related recreation. This group included 46.4 million anglers, 16.7 million hunters, and 134.7 million who participated in other wildlife-related recreation such as photography, bird watching, or feeding wildlife.

The Latest on Loons The haunting cry of the loon was heard more frequently in Maine last summer, according to a Maine Audubon Society survey indicating that this shy waterbird's numbers are steadily increasing. Meanwhile, a veterinarian at Tufts University has determined the causes of death of 34 loons from throughout New England in 1990. The Audubon survey estimated Maine's loon population at 3,949, up from estimates of 3,531 in 1984 and 3,112 in 1983. The steady increase is believed due to a number

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

At dedication of Dwinal WMA was honored guest David C. Priest, Sr. (2nd from right), Mrs. Priest, Commissioner Bill Vail (right) and Game Warden David C. Priest, Jr.

of factors, including increased protection of nesting loons, and the use of artificial nesting platforms in some areas, according to Maine Audubon's wildlife specialist, Sally Stockwell. Over 500 volunteers took part in the eighth annual loon count on Maine's lakes last July 21. In southern Maine, l, 190 adult loons and 198 chicks were counted during a half-hour period on 83 randomly selected lakes. Those numbers led to an estimate of 2,121 adults and 368 chicks for all southern Maine lakes. In northern Maine, loon population estimates were based on a flyover of 85 randomly selected lakes by Maine Audubon staff. Pilot Matt Scott of Belgrade donated flying time for the count, which produced an estimate of 1,828 adult loons. Loons remain on Maine lakes, gathering sometimes in numbers up to 100, until freeze-up. Then they migrate to coastal waters for the winter, Stockwell said. While not an endangered species, the loon is looked upon as a "bellwether" species indicating the relative health of lakes and waterways. In a continuing study of loon mortality, Tufts University Professor Mark Pokras analyzed the causes of death in 34 loons. They included 15 cases of trauma, eight cases of lead ingestion and five cases of aspergillosis, a disease of the respiratoxy system. Post-mortems revealed that seven loons had parasites, five had fractures, four had cases of toxicosis (specific toxins await further analysis), three ingested hooks, two birds had tumors, one had been shot, one was oiled, and one was entangled in plastic. It is significant to note that almost one-third of the 34 specimens had signs of human induced pathology.

Two tracts of land owned and managed by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife have been dedicated to retired department employees. In the Penobscot County towns of Lee and Winn, a 2,000-acre wetland known as the Dwinal Pond Wildlife Management Area was dedicated in honor of retired game warden supervisor David C. Priest, Sr., of Winn. In Hollis, a tract of over 600 acres, officially the Killick Pond Wildlife Management Area, was dedicated to Maynard F. Marsh of Gorham, commissioner of inland fisheries and wildlife from 1971 to 1979. Priest had one of the longest service records in the Maine Warden Service history. He was a warden before serving in World War II, then resumed his career in 1947. He was the district warden at Ripogenus Dam until 1955, when he was promoted to supervisor and operated the division headquarters from his home in Winn until he retired in 1971. The tract dedicated to him supports a variety of waterfowl and other wildlife as well a seasonal brook trout fishery. After two years with the department's Game Division, Marsh joined the Warden Seivice as a district warden in 1943. He rose through the ranks, becoming a supervisor in 1953, deputy chief warden in 1960 and chief warden ln 1961. He was appointed deputy commissioner in 1970, commissioner the following year. The Killick tract is one of southern Maine's few remaining large, undeveloped areas, and is one of the primacy deer wintering areas in that part of the state. It contains most of Killick Pond, which provides good wetlands for furbearers and waterfowl. The department acquired both tracts with funds from the now-depleted $5 million Habitat Acquisition Fund approved in 1986. Wildlife management areas are managed by the department for the benefit of wildlife, and are open to public use for fishing, hunting, canoeing, hiking, winter recreation, nature obseivation and photography.

Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Bill Vail (center) dedicated Killick WMA in honor of former Commissioner Maynard F. Marsh, with Mrs. Marsh looking on.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Fisherman Beware! Recently there has been an observed increase in the number of loons and other water birds that have died or been threatened by ingested lead sinkers, hooks or monofilament fishing line. PLEASE bring your line, hooks and sinkers back home with you instead of leaving them in or near lakes where they can entangle or poison wildlife. Also, tell your fishing friends about the dangers line, hooks and sinkers pose to loons. Boaters are also asked to be cautious about chasing or harassing loons or other wildlife. Several people have paid hefty fines for violating Maine's laws protecting wildlife from such unthinking activity.

1990 Deer Kill Report, '91 Seasons Set Maine deer hunters registered 25,977 white-tails last fall. The kill was down a bit from preseason projections due to a combination of unusual weather and light hunting pressure. The department expected a reduction from the 1989 harvest (30,260) because it had issued about 10,000 fewer any-deer permits to compensate for deer losses the previous winter in northern and north-central parts of the state. For the second year in a row, the registered kill of adult does (6,912) was within 2 percent of the statewide quota. The harvest of adult does is controlled through the anydeer permit system. Hunters registered 25,551 deer during the regular firearms season, 80 percent of them by Maine residents. Bow and arrow hunters took 319 deer during the special archezy season, 87 percent by residents, and participants in the 6-day muzzleloader season registered 107 deer, 92 percent by Maine hunters. Counties with the highest deer registration totals were Penobscot (3,634), Somerset (3,488), York

Correction In the Winter 1990-91 issue, the photo of a cow moose on page 20 was improperly credited. The photograph was taken by Stephen L. Vincent of Auburn, Massachusetts.

(2,504), Aroostook (2,442) and Piscataquis 2,027). The highest deer kills per square mile of habitat were recorded central and south-coastal Maine. Unseasonably warm and rainy conditions were the chief weather features through much of the season. An apparent decline in hunting pressure may have been related to the poor hunting conditions, but it may also have been a product of the current economic climate in the Northeast. The 1991 firearms season on deer will begin and end one week later than the '90 season. Commissioner Bill Vail and the Fish and Wildlife Advisory- Council set the regular firearms season to run from November 4 through November 30, with Saturday, November 2, as Maineresidents-only day. The archezy hunting season for deer will be October 1 through November 1, and the special muzzle-loader season will run from December 2 through 7. Commissioner Vail proposed the return to a traditional deer season, entirely in November, in order to avoid conflicts with upland bird hunters, bow hunters and trappers caused by opening the season in October. Any-deer permit allocations, which control the harvest of antlerless deer in Maine's 18 deer management districts, will be announced in the spring. Applications for any-deer permits will be accepted this summer, up to the August 15 deadline. Up until press time, it appeared that Maine's deer herd had experienced an exceptionally easy winter. "Normal" winter conditions seemed to be limited to northern areas. Elsewhere, it was relatively mild and snow-free.

1990 Bear Kill Report, '91 Seasons Set The 1990 bear kill was lower than the year before and met the department's objective of reducing the harvest to allow the bear population to expand. The 1990 harvest of 2,088 bears was down about 600 from 1989, largely a result of season changes intended to lower the kill to below 2,300.

Bears were harvested in 13 of the state's 16 counties in 1990. The greatest number (61 O) came from Aroostook County, followed by Piscataquis (384), Somerset (276) and Penobscot (250). Most bears (1,389) were taken during the early general season (August 27-September 22). An additional 286 were registered during the 6-week hound season, and 363 bears were tagged during the late general season during the firearms season on deer. The 1990 harvest was comprised of 55 percent male bears; 88 percent of the total were adults. Maine residents harvested 639 bears, or 31 percent of the total. The 1,449 bears killed by nonresidents were taken by hunters residing in 32 other states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Germany. Bowhunters took 200 bears. About 57 percent of the successful hunters employed registered Maine guides.

:')//

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What'• new ••• what to do ••• • how.to nay legal lft the Maine outdoor•

Q. When are boaters required to wear their life Jackets? A. With few exceptions, the law does not require that personal flotation devices, or life Jackets, ever be worn, only that they be readily accessible in the craft. Good judgment, however, indicates many situations where wearing one is the smart thing to do _:_ to name a few: cold water boating, small craft on big waters, nonswimmers and children, foul weather, unfamiliar waters and when your boat is heavily loaded. Wearing a PFD is presently required only for white-water rafting, water-skiing and while canoeing or kayaking on the Saco River between January- 1 and June 1.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

Preliminaiy license sale figures indicate that over 7,100 Maine residents and 4,600 nonresidents bought the bear hunting permit that was required in 1990 for the first time. Anyone hunting bears before the firearms season on deer was required to have one of the permits in addition to a regular hunting license. In addition to achieving its goal of a lower bear kill, the 1990 season structure also proved popular with hunters and landowners by reducing conflicts between bait-hunters and houndsmen. A similar season has been established for 1991. The general bear hunting seasons will be September 2-28 and November 2-30; bear hunting with dogs will be permitted between September 16 and November 1. Maine's bear population is presently estimated at approximately 18,000-19,000 animals. The department's objective level is 21,000 bears, a figure expected to be reached in a few years if harvests remain below 2,300.

Annual Winter Waterfowl Survey Completed Over 82,000 ducks and geese were observed along the Maine coast during the annual winter waterfowl survey in January. Notable increases over last year's survey were recorded in black ducks and Canada geese. Early winter weather conditions may have affected Maine's data for several species surveyed, according to department wildlife biologists Brad Allen and Pat Corr. For instance, last winter the survey was conducted right after the record December cold spell "most likely caused many black ducks to winter to the south of Maine and not be represented in Maine's survey. Despite the cold, roughly 9,800 black ducks were tallied in January 1990. "In contrast, over 16,300 black ducks, spread fairly evenly over the entire length of the Maine coast, were counted in early January this year. This increase in black duck numbers is encouraging for two reasons: First, during mild winters as this one, black ducks are undoubtedly on unfrozen inland waters

Maine Fish and Wildlife -

and would not be counted, thereby making the count a consetvative one. Second, the increase, if also noted in other states along the Atlantic Flyway, would indicate further recovery of black duck populations to desired levels." The biologist notes that once again more common eiders were observed than any other species. In 1991, over 47,000 eiders were recorded on Maine waters, with the greatest concentrations in outer Casco Bay. To conduct the surveys, the biologists fly segments of the coast from Kittery to Eastport, covering ice-free coves, inlets, estuaries and islands. The designated segments cover approximately 2,000 miles of Maine's 3,500-mile coastline. The Maine data has been forwarded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for compilation with other states' data. The true status of wintering waterfowl populations in the Atlantic Flyway cannot be assessed until data from similar mid-winter surveys in other states along the East Coast are summarized.

There's something

wild lurking • your 1n Maine income tax form! When you fill yours out this year, put a check with the chickadee. It's your contribution that makes it work!

Spring 1991

Checkoff for Endangered Species Maine's individual income tax form again includes an optional line for people to contribute voluntarily to the conservation of rare and endangered species. Alan Hutchinson, in charge of endangered and nongame species work for the department, says the 1990 tax forms mark the eighth consecutive year in which taxpayers have been given the opportunity to contribute to the Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund. Hutchinson says the appropriate location for marking donations is line 15c of the short form and line 20c of the long form. Through its previous seven years, the option popularly called the "Chickadee Checkoff' produced more than $750,000 for the consetvation of rare and endangered species in Maine. These voluntaiy donations have made possible a number of significant accomplishments: ,. • initial recovery of bald eagles to 123 nesting pairs; • re-establishment of breeding peregrine falcons after a quartercentury absence; • halting the decline of the endangered piping plover; • stabilizing Maine's endangered least tern population; • discovery of the yellow rail in Maine; • starting recovery actions for two species of threatened turtles; • protecting more than 200 significant sites. "The tax checkoff option for endangered species has been a resounding success," said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Bill Vail, who expressed hope that "all Maine people who are able, in these difficult times, will consider making a contribution, as an investment in the future of Maine's threatened and endangered species." There are 22 species of wildlife listed as endangered or threatened and in immediate danger of becoming extinct within Maine. An additional 60 species have been identified as needing immediate attention to prevent their becoming endangered or threatened.

Public Access Site Donated Maine boaters will soon enjoy improved access to a popular coastal Maine lake, thanks to the generosity of a Jefferson resident. Howard D. Bartlett, a retired college professor, has deeded a parcel of land and an easement on adjoining property on the west shore of Damariscotta Lake for use as a public access facility. In accepting title to the property, which totals about three acres, Commissioner Bill Vail described Damariscotta as a lake where a good quality boating facility is needed for the benefit of the boating public. "Generations of Maine people, present and future, will be able to appreciate and enjoy Damariscotta Lake, because of Mr. Bartlett's generosity." He said he hopes a boat launching facility will be built on the site by next year. The site is a part of the family farm where Bartlett grew up. He said the donation is "something I have wanted to do for some time. I felt there needs to be some public access - and fortunately, I had it to offer." The department will erect a plaque at the "site in memory of Bartlett's late wife, Phyllis M. Bartlett, and in honor of his parents, Sanford S. and Ida M. Bartlett.

Moose Season Set Commissioner Bill Vail and the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council have set a later season for moose hunting in Maine in 1991. The council supported the commissioner's proposal to set the season for the week of October 7-12, two weeks later than the 1990 moose hunt. The early October moose season is a compromise between hunters who wanted the moose season in late September and those who wanted it in late October. Advocates of the later moose season cited decreased risk ofwarmweather meat spoilage, and conflicts with other groups using the northern Maine woodlands when the hunt is in September. Several years experience with late October moose hunting indicated that the quality of the meat of the adult male moose

Help Us Stop Maine's

Fish8 Wildlife La'1V Violators OPERATION

Cflij~ i #Ii Ii; §f i suffers due to the rigors of the rut or mating season, when bulls do not feed and lose much of their body fat. Surveys conducted by Dr. Kevin Boyle of the University of Maine, and testimony at a department public hearing, indicate a significant preference for October moose season dates. The timing of the moose hunt is more a social consideration than a biological one at the present conservative level at which the moose population is being harvested. The department is now accepting applications for 1991 moose hunting permits. Application booklets may obtained by writing to: Moose Application, Maine Fish and Wildlife Dept., Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04333. One thousand permits will be issued - 900 to Maine residents, 100 to nonresidents. The application deadline is April 30.

Moosehead Lake Report Was it weather extremes, the deteriorating economy - or some other unknown factor that kept anglers away from Moosehead Lake and fish from their creels last year? Whatever the cause, fishing at Maine's biggest lake decreased by 16 percent last winter and 28 percent last summer for a total drop for the year of 24 percent in fishing use

in 1990. That's the crux of the Annual Summary of Moosehead Lake 1990, compiled and prepared by the regional fisheries biologists of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at Greenville. The report details several aspects of the popular Moosehead fishery. Some highlights follow: • A sharp decline in the catch of landlocked salmon is at least partly attributable to a reduction in the number of salmon stocked, due to a large increase in the wild togue population in the lake. • The catch of legal brook trout fell to approximately half the catch during the past four years, possibly due to reduced fishing pressure. • White perch (introduced illegally a few years ago) were reported by fishermen from the Moose River, Greenville Junction and Spencer Bay. 1\vo dead white perch were recovered from the trapping screen at the East Outlet fishway. Biologists feel it's just a matter of time before they spread throughout the lake. • No smallmouth bass (also illegally introduced) were reported caught by fishermen; however, a young bass was taken in a minnow trap at Center Cove in Greenville. • The September fishery at Roach River produced (estimated catch) 1.335 legal salmon, of which 82 percent were released by anglers. Average length of kept brook trout was 15.9 inches. • Monitoring of the Moose River fishery (altered by the installation of a hydro-power generator at Brassua Dam) continues. An increase in the percent of legal salmon released is evident- from 43 percent in 198485 to 76 percent in 1990. Average length of salmon kept was 17.4 inches; brook trout averaged 15.5 inches. • The fishway trap at East Outlet Dam was operated from May 29 through September 24. Fish passed into the lake included 958 salmon, 162 brook trout and 27 lake trout. • A gillnetting and trawling operation was conducted at Moosehead Lake in August to determine the use of a tiny freshwater shrimp, Mysis, as food by togue, and to provide age and growth information on the juvenile togue population. Netting was

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Spring 1991

confined to deep portions of the lake, in 100 to 150 feet of water. Both adult and juvenile shrimp were caught, and found to occur widely through the lake. Shrimp were found in 11 percent of togue stomachs examined. Copies of the full report may be obtained from the Regional Fisheries Office, PO Box 551, Greenville, ME 04441.

in private, non-industrial holdings. Wise stewardship of these lands is critical to meet the demand for timber and the need for recreation, wildlife habitat and clean water. For more information, call the Maine Forest Service Information Center in Augusta at 1-800-3670223.

Turkey Permits Drawn

Recognition that most decisions affecting fisheries and aquatic resources are made at the local and regional level has led to the publication of "GRASSROO'IS ACTION FOR FISHERIES," a handbook to help anglers become involved in identifying and resolving America's fisheries problems. Written by Ron Kokel and produced by the Sport Fishing Institute in conjunction with the Fish America Foundation, the free, 36-page reference guide is part of the FlITURE 21 program, a cooperative program that seeks to improve public fisheries policy, elevate angler awareness of fisheries and environmental problems, and improve angler behavior for the long-term benefit of recreational fishing. The handbook identifies primary agencies, both state and federal, responsible for protecting and managing fishery and aquatic resources. It also provides proven methods for mobilizing and identifying support and arming the activist with the proper information, and it offers guidelines and methods for communicating concerns and desires to elected officials, regulatory agencies, the media and the courts. Available free of charge, the handbook can be obtained by writing the Sport Fishing Institute, Attention: Grassroots, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 320, Washington, D.C. 20001, or call (202) 898-0770.

A computer was asked recently to figure out who would receive permits to hunt wild turkeys in Maine this spring. It took but a few seconds for the answer. Five hundred permits were available, and all but eight of the applicants will receive one. Turkey permit applications were received from 499 Maine residents and nine nonresident hunters. The limited gobbler hunt takes place only in York County. The open season this year is May 8-28.

Forest Stewardship Assistance Available A new program designed to place 500,000 acres of private non-industrial forest land under professional management within the next five years has been announced by the Maine Forest Service. The Forest Stewardship Assistance Program is designed to help improve wildlife, recreation, water quality and timber on Maine's small woodland ownerships. The program helps the owners of small parcels of forestland obtain professionally prepared land stewardship plans. Under the program, nonindustrial landowners of 10 to 999 acres of forestland are eligible to receive up to $400 toward the cost of a forest stewardship plan prepared by a registered professional forester. The program is especially important to 20,000 landowners presently enrolled under Maine's tree growth tax law. Maine law requires that a forest management and haivest plan be prepared for all lands enrolled under the tree growth law. The cost of preparing the plan may also qualify the landowner for a state income tax credit of up to $200. Approximately eight million acres or 53 percent of Maine forest land is

Wild Game/Fish Cookbook Looking for a great cookbook of Maine wild game and fish recipes? Look no further. The Maine Professional Guides & Outfitters Association has published a practical and inexpensive book of time-tested recipes submitted by its members. Spiral bound, with protective covers, ibe Maine Guide's Great Outdoors Cookbook" contains over 160 pages of recipes for big game, small game, waterfowl, freshwater fish, saltwater fish, vegetables, baked goods, desserts and drinks. Most are basic and simple recipes, as useful in the woods as in the kitchen. The book may be ordered by sending $9.95, plus $1.50 for postage and handling, to: MPGOA, PO Box 159, Orono, ME 04473. Be sure to include your name and complete address.

New Fisheries Advocacy Handbook

,.. 1991 HUNTING & FISHING LICENSE FEES., RESIDENT Hunting (16 and older) Fishing (16 and older) Corrbination Hunting & Fishing (16 and older) S~ersport Small Game Hunting Junior Hunting (10 to 15 years inclusive) Corrbination Fishing and Archery Hunting (16 & older) Serviceman (resident) Combination Hunting & Fishing Archery Hunting (16 & older) Muzzle-loading (16 & older)

NONRESIDENT CITIZEN Big Game Hunting (10 & older) Season Fishing (16 & older) Junior Season Fishing (12 to 15 inclusive) 15-day Fishing 7-day Fishing 3-day Fishing 1-day Fishing Corrbination Hunting & Fishing (16 & older) Small Game Hunting (16 & older) Junior Small Game Hunting (10 to 15 years inclusive) Archery Hunting (16 & older) Muzzle-loading (16 & older)

n.oo 42.00 5.00 30.00 26.00 17.00 5.00 107.00 47.00 23.00 47.00 25.00

NONRESIDENT ALIEN Big Game Hunting (10 & older) Season Fishing (10 & older) Corrbination Hunting and Fishing (10 & older) Small Game Hunting (16 & older) Archery Hunting (16 & older) Muzzle-loading (16 & older)

--Answers to Kid-Bits---.

117.00 62.00 160.00 62.00 62.00 50.00

NOTES

Coastal Areas & Islands Habitat Eider, Harbor Seal, Piping Plover, Str~d Bass Northern Spruce Fir Forest Habitat Lynx, Northern Bog Lemming, Pine Marten, Spruce Grouse Upland Oak, Maple, Forest Habitat Box Turtle, Skunk, Squirrel, Wild Turkey Wetland Habitat Pickerel, River Otter.Star-nosed Mole, Wood Duck

$15.00 15.00 28.00 38.00 8.00 3.00 28.00 15.00 15.00 7.00

• #>ove prices do not include $1 agent fee. • In addition to appropriate license, a permit is required to hunt bear, and federal and state stamps are required for waterfowl hunting. • Any applicant for an adult firearms hunting license must show proof of having previously held an adult license to hunt with fireanns, or having successfully completed an approved hunter safety course. • Asmall game license permits the hunting of all species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon, and bobcat

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wlldllfe • 284 State Street • Augusta, Maine 04333

Bigelow Mountain, look.Ing across nagstaff Lake. Photo by Bryce Hamilton.