Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Fall 1992 by Maine State Library

1992 MAINE HUNTING SEASONS (Not a legal presentation. See hunting law booklet for full details.)

BASIC LIMITS

DEER

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

FIRST DAY

LAST DAY

Nov.2

Nov. 28

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

Oct. 31

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

Oct.1

Oct.30

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

Nov.30

Dec. 5

BEAR-A- General hunting seasons ...................................... .

Aug. 31 Oct. 31

Sep. 26 Nov. 28

Hunting with dogs allowed .................................... .

Sep. 14

Oct.30

Hunting ONLY with dogs ................ ...................... .

Sep.28

Oct.30

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

Oct.5

Oct. 10

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

Oct. 1 Oct.1

Nov. 30 Dec. 10

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

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

DAILY

POSSESSION

ONE DEER PER YEAR regardless of season or method. Only deer with antlers at least three inches long may be taken from Oct. 31 - Dec. 5, except that any deer may be taken in designated deer management districts by hunters with any-deer permits. Permit application period: mid-June to Aug. 15, annually.

ONE BEAR OF EITHER SEX

Permit application period : mid-Jan. to Apr. 30. 4

Oct. 1 Oct. 1

Nov. 30 Dec. 10

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

May4

May30

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

Oct. 1

Nov. 14

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

Sep. 1

Dec. 16

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

DUCKS, GEESE, SEA DUCKS (scoter, eider, old squaw) .... . RAILS (and GALLINULES) ............................ ........... ............... . CROW ................................................................................ .

Permit application period : mid-Dec. to Feb.1.

Seasons set early in September. Regulations available mid-September from license agents, game wardens and Fish and Wildlife Dept. offices.

Sep. 1

Nov. 9

25 (15)

25 (30)

Mar 14

Apr. 30

July 16

Sep. 29

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

Oct.1

Nov. 30

** .........................

Oct.1

Mar. 31

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

Dec. 1

Jan.31

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

Oct. 26

Feb. 28

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

Oct. 1

Dec. 31

SKUNK, OPOSSUM .......... ................................................. .

Oct. 26

Dec. 31

RABBIT(cottontail) and HARE (snowshoe)

COYOTE, WOODCHUCK, PORCUPINE, RED SQUIRREL

NO CLOSED SEASON FOR HUNTING

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

NO OPEN SEASON FOR HUNTING

*Bear permit required (resident, $2; nonresident, $10) in addition to hunting license between Aug. 31 and Oct. 30. See law booklet for other recent changes a.unlawful to hunt rabbits with dogs during

any open firearms season on deer in Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and Washington counties.

SUNDAY HUNTING: Illegal in Maine. HUNTER ORANGE: Two items of hunter orange clothing must be worn by anyone hunting with a firearm during any firearms season on deer. See law book for full details. LEGAL HUNTING HOURS: Animals: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset except during any firearms season on deer, when hunting closes at sunset for all species except raccoon. Birds: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. See law booklet for details on night hunting for coyotes . LICENSES: Hunting license is required. Archery license allows hunting with bow and arrow only during any open season on that species; it is required hunt any species of animal or bird with bow and arrow during special archery season on deer. Special license-stamp required to hunt during muzzleloader season on deer. STAMPS: State and federal duck stamps required for waterfowl hunters age 16 and over. Pheasant stamp required in York and Cumberland counties.

OPERATION GAME THIEF: Call 1-800-ALERT US (253-7887) to report game law violations. Rewards paid. Caller identification protected. Poachers are thieves - help us stop them.

~AINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE G:>vemor 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 Services Herbert W. Vernon, Director, Bureau of Warden Service Advisory Council

John Crabtree, Warren Chairman Eugene Churchill, Orland Vice Chairman Dr. Ogden Small, Caribou Alanson Noble, Otisfield, Carroll Cutting, East Sebago Gene Brown, Durham Thomas Jagger, Sanford Gary Cobb, North New Portland Wilmot Robinson, Millinocket Joseph Robbins, Machias

Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine W. Thomas Shoener, Editor Thomas J. Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor Dale S. Clark, Editorial Assistant Denise M. Moore, Advertising All photographs In this Issue were made by the Public Information & F.ducation Division unless otherwise indicated. MAINE FISH AND WUDUFE OS.SN 0360-005X) is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and WildUfe, 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04330, W'lder Appropriation 01009A-0529. Subscriptial rate: $14.00 per year. No stamps, please. Second class postage paid at Augusta, Maine and at additional malling offices. e Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1992. Permission to reprint text material Is granted, pr~ vided proper credit Is given to the author and to MAINE FISH AND WUDUFE. 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 CirculaHon Section, MAINE FISH AND WllDLIFE Magazine, 284 State St., Sta. #4 l, Augusta ME 04333. Please allow six weeks for changes to take effect. POSfMASltR: Please send address changes to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WllDUFE, 284 State St., Sta. #41, Augusta, Maine 04333. QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPllON? Just call toll-free 1-800-288-8387 The Department of Inland Asherles 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 1ne Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.

VOL. 34, NO. 3

FALL 1992

Features Biggest Bucks In Maine, 1991

Time to check out last year's best as we prepare for this year's hunt

Wildlife Management Areas: Chesterville

by Peter A. Cross

One of the department's managed wetland habitat areas-a nice one to visit!

Beechnuts &.. Bruins

by Craig R. McLaughlin and Kenneth D. Elowe

Just how badly do bears need beechnuts-are they the staple of the diet?

From Here To There-Made Easler!

Here are some sources for the more popular sportsmen's "here-to-there" maps

It's A LearnJng Process!!

by Lisa J. Kane

How's the department's education effort panning out? Here's the lowdown

Live Bait: Boon Or Bane?

by Frederick W. Kircheis

The effects of baitfish on economy and ecology compared

Who Wants To Know!

The official registers for trophy fish and game-get recognized!

A Special Kind Of Habitat

by Stephen J. Pottle and Charles T. Hulsey

Deer wintering areas are more than they're cracked up to be

Where To Find Us

A basic directory of oft-used department telephone numbers

Deparb11ents KID-BITS

FROM THE n Y TYING BENCH: Nick's Smelt

nsH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

The Front Coven Detall from "The Black Ghost - Black Bear" by Michael Sieve. Artwork courtesy of the artist and WIid Wings, Inc., lake City, MN. Prints available. Phone 1-800-445-4833. Printed with vegetable-based inks on recycled paper

BIGGEST BUCKS IN MAINE, 1991 Name

Address

Date Killed

Where Killed

Anthony T. Rose Denis L. LePage John J. Silvia Roswell L. Crocker David T. Berry Michael Parken Charles W. Barnes Paul A. Shaw Peter Laplant Mark G. Kahler Leonard Jones Albert Jackson Steven L. Smith Mark Kip Tremblay William A. Seymour William C. Eurich Michael R. Baird Peter Moro Lori LaPointe Mark Eller Ricky Daniels Larry D. Gould Judie Bayles Bruce Carrington Keith Deuso Bradford Larkin Errol Glidden Dan Kokas Donald R. LaTona Richard Libby Jim Luciano Robert H. Packard Wilbur Sawyer Daniel Steams Michael S. Thompson Jarrod True Marty Woodard David Dahlbergh Stephen Geruais David Woodhead Allen Bowen Jay J. Demers Herb Gallagher Roger Ball Karl R. Dubord Germain Durocher James L. Hall Kristopher Hughes Carl Lieser Willis Maust Glen Allen Milton Gary W. Parker Dana Robinson Mark C. Hinkley Anthony J. Pinette Mike Savage, Sr. Joseph Chabot David A. Dow John Hinkley Phillip A. Lavalley Richard Blodgett

Berkley, MA Winslow, ME Farmington, NH Ktngfiek:I, ME Bangor, ME Lewiston, ME Augusta, ME Turner, ME Stetson, ME Norridgewock, ME Carteret, NJ St Francis, ME No Haverhill, NH West Haven, CT Sloatsburg, NY West Forks, ME Mechanic Falls, ME Bellingham, MA Shirley Mills, ME Union, ME Brunswick, ME Canaan, NH Yarmouth, ME Proctor, Vf Enosburg Falls, Vf Norwich, CT Comish, ME Danville, NH Ellicott City, MD Enfield, ME Jay, ME Peru, ME Kittery, ME Auburn, ME Caribou, ME Norridgewock, ME Guilford, ME Plymouth, ME West Buxton, ME East Holden, ME Rutland, Vf Bangor, ME Falrflek:I, ME Windsor, CT Augusta, ME Beauport, Quebec Gray, ME Hartland, ME Wallingford, CT Accident, MD Milford, ME Limestone, ME Hollis Ctr, ME Richmond, ME Arrowsic, ME Stratton, ME Livermore Falls, ME Oxbow, ME Kingfiek:I, ME Sanford, ME Gardner, MA

11/9/91 11/6/91 11/11/91 11/5/91 11/14/91 11/15/91 11/9/91 11/9/91 11/2/91 11/15/91 11/5/91 11/14/91 11/14/91 11/6/91 11/5/91 11/15/91 11/16/91 11/12/91 11/2/91 11/19/91 11/22/91 11/9/91 11/8/91 11/4/91 11/5/91 11/16/91 11/5/91 11/18/91 11/8/91 11/16/91 11/9/91 11/12/91 11/5/91 11/22/91 11/15/91 11/12/91 11/5/91 11/5/91 11/13/91 11/2/91 11/15/91 11/9/91 11/9/91 11/14/91 11/9/91 11/13/91 11/5/91 11/2/91 11/14/91 11/8/91 11/14/91 11/12/91 11/9/91 11/11/91 11/25/91 11/16/91 10/28/91 11/13/91 11/13/91 11/29/91 11/15/91

Denmark .30-06 Ten Thousand Acre Tract .308 Magalloway Pit. .30-06 Klngfiek:I .30-06 Wesley .30-06 Kokadjo .308 Shawtown Twp. .30-30 Seboomook Twp. .30-06 Exeter .35 Frenchtown Twp. .30-06 western Maine .308 Tl7R9 .30 Auto Tl2R15 .30-30 T3R12WELS .30-06 Carthage .308 West Forks 8X57 Merkel Lower Enchanted .32 Special Wellington .444 Marlin Monson .300 Savage Dole Brook Twp. .308 Utchfiek:I .30-06 Magalloway Pit. .308 Eustis 6mm. Jackman .308 Green Mtn. .270 Browning Hancock County .30-06 Hiram .30-06Remlngton Lower Enchanted .35 Remington T6Rl6 WELS .30-06 T3ND .30-06 Caratunk .358 Savage Sumner .444 Cal T4R7 .308 Oxbow .308 Stockholm .30-30 Marlin Norridgewock .30-30 Abbot .244 Remington St. Albans .308 Browning Flagstaff .308 Stetson .30-06 Days Academy Grant .30-06 Embden .280 Remington Soldiertown .35 Whalen Cassidy .30-06 Mt. Vernon .308 Remington T8R16 .308 Remington Crystal .308 Hartland 12 Ga Tl3R9 .300 Savage West Forks .30-06 Twp.39 .30-06 Stacyville .30-06 Dayton .45-70 Richmond .338 Mag Kennebago 12 gauge Bigelow Twp. .35 Remington Livermore bow & arrow Oxbow Pit. .32 Remington Oquossoc .308 Winchester T4R12 .30-06 Allagash .30-06

Firearm

Dressed Weight

Uve Weight

292 275 267 265 265 263 261 260 260 259 259 259 258 255 255 255 252 250 250 250 250 248 247 247 247 247 245 245 245 245 245 245 245 245 245 245 245 244 244 244 243 243 242 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 239 239 239 238 238 238 238 238

350 330 320 318 318 316 313 312 312 311 311 311 309 306 306 306 302 300 300 300 300 297 296 296 296 296 294 294 294 294 294 294 294 294 294 294 294 293 293 293 292 292 290 288 288 288 288 288 288 288 288 288 288 287 287 287 286 286 286 286 286

This list was compiled from Biggest Bucks In Maine membership cards (782 In 1991). Membership requires a 200Âˇpound deer (dressed weight, without heart and liver); $3 application fee . The Club is maintained by The Maine Sportsman, PO Box 910, Yarmouth ME 040%-0910. Live weight estimates= dressed weight+ 20%.

Mainl! Fish and Wildlift!

Wildlife Management Areas

ESTERVILLE by Peter A. Cross

ne of the most enjoyable canoe trips in west-central Maine is a float up, or down, Little Norridgewock Stream and the Chesterville Wildlife Management Area. Many people are not familiar with Chesterville or the management area. Purchased in the early 1950s, it has been managed by the Wildlife Division as a waterfowl production area. This management decision was based on the presence of high quality marsh and a water control structure with which

Moose and deer are among the many species attracted to Chesterville's abundant aquatic vegetation.

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water levels could be controlled. The importance of preserving wetlands was recognized even back in the 1950s as the centerpiece for maintaining waterfowl populations. But anyone who has visited the area knows its value to wildlife extends well beyond its value to ducks. Before learning about the wildlife on the management area, it is appropriate to find out about its physical attributes. The Chesterville Wildlife Manage-

ment Area is situated in the town of the same name. Located in southern Franklin County, the management area is nine miles southeast of Farmington. The access lot and dam are in Chesterville village and the management area follows Little Norridgewock Stream upstream (south) for a number of miles. The Department currently (1991) owns about 266 acres of wetland and over 200 acres of upland which surround the marsh area and help to buffer it.. . The Department acquired most of the area during the early 1950s with Pittman-Robertson monies. This is the federal aid money derived from the excise tax placed on firearms and ammunition. The lands were purchased from numerous owners at that time. No additions were made until the late 1980s when two small lots were added at the south end. Current plans are for additional purchases to consolidate the holdings, add upland acreage to improve access to most areas, and to provide a more variable choice of recreational opportunities. The management strategy at Chesterville is to maintain water levels at the point which will create the greatest area of high quality marsh. Maximizing

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The author is the regional wildlife biologist in Region D, with headquarters in Strong. Fall 1992

wetland quality and quantity has the greatest positive influence on waterfowl and other wetland wildlife. We achieve this by regulating water flows through the dam at the north end of our holdings. The dam is an old split granite structure so common to mill sites in Maine. Its original purpose was to power a saw mill, provide a flowage on which to float logs, and to create a pond in which to store the logs. A huge sawdust pile on the bank of the stream indicated that a great deal of wood was sawn at the mill. Shortly after the purchase, the Department dismantled the mill and constructed the storage building now on the site. The sawdust pile was removed at the same time ..,; for aesthetic and 1 "' environmental reasons. The dam was repaired and improved in the mid-1950s. These improvements allowed us to stabilize the water level and minimize fluctuations. This is important since water level stability is considered the key element in wetland wildlife management. The greatest variety and abundance of aquatic plants grow, yielding greater food and cover for wildlife, when water levels are stable. With unstable or fluctuating water levels, only the most hardy, and often the least desirable, plants become established. Stable water levels are attained in most years. However,

in late summer as things dry up, the water goes down more than we'd like. On the other hand, during periods of high rainfall, we can't get the water off the marsh fast enough. But the losses from droughts or floods like we had in 1987 and 1989 are more than offset by the increased value of the marsh environment to many kinds of wildlife. Beaver can confuse the water level management on the management area. They often build dams across the stream. This can

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Maine Fish and Wildlife

Aerial of Chesterville WMA reveals the meandering nature of Little Norridge .. wock Stream. flood desirable habitat or waterfow 1nests. The dams come and go as spring runoff destroy them. This can create different conditions on the marsh from year to year. My experience, however, is that they create a greater area of marsh and more open water. Therefore, they appear to be more beneficial than negative. We have attempted a few kinds of more active habitat

manipulation on the management area with mixed results. About 30 years ago, the Department used dynamite to blast a series of "potholes" into sections of the marsh to increase the water I vegetation interspersion. The potholes were quickly lost, however, as they filled in with muck and vegetation. In keeping with the management for waterfowl on the area, Department wildlife biologists have installed a number of duck boxes. During 1990 and 1991, there were 17 boxes on the marsh.Pastusage has included wood ducks and hooded mergansers. We also experience use from flying squirrels and tree swallows. In 1980, the Wildlife Division contracted for silvicultural treatment and wildlife habitat improvements on the uplands west of the marsh. A series of small patch cuts and selective cuts were made in several wooded areas. The idea was to create a more diverse habitat, to improve the quality of the woodlands to wildlife, and to improve the timber quality of the stands. The patches are regenerating well now. More work can be scheduled, but we do not have road access to the stands. We hope that future purchases will help to solve this problem. That's the background on the management area. Of more interest is what's actually found there. Little Norridgewock

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Once the site of a saw mill, the Chesterville dam now allows water level control for optimum waterfowl production .. Wood ducks and hooded mergansers, cavity nesters that use boxes placed for them, are both common on the area.

Stream twists and turns its way from the headwater at Parker Pond in Jay. Although we only own about half the distance to the pond, a trip there is still worthwhile. That trip should be made with a canoe. The channel is shallow and weedy in places, has a few hidden rocks, but more importantly, there are a number of beaver dams which must be conquered. Motorized boats would be no fun. But in a canoe, its a wonderful trip; whether alone, with a friend, or with a group. If you want to do the entire area, its a long trip. I usually plan on 4-5 hours to go up and back on our property. More time is needed to go all the way to Parker Pond. An early morning trip in midsummer is a true delight. It one of my highlights of the year. During the trip one almost certainly will see ducks (blacks and

woodies are most common), deer, beaver, great blue heron, and many kinds of song birds from red-winged blackbirds, to tree swallows, to marsh wrens. But be prepared for a surprise. River otter may be encountered as may moose, osprey, mink, or perhaps a painted turtle. They are all seen here regularly but not on every trip. For the botanist, a variety of aquatic vegetation can be noted from those found in rich fresh water marshes to those common to bogs. My favorites are the white water lilies scattered on the lower part of the marsh. As you twist and turn your way up the marsh, new things are seen around every comer. Stay alert as there is no telling what you might see or hear. Most times you'll have the place to yourself as the area is lightly used. Its rare in summer to meet other canoes but once in a while

you might. In fall, you may meet a duck hunter or a trapper. In November, a successful deer hunt can result from a quiet paddle up stream. Deer are often pushed into the marsh by hunters on the higher ground but are rarely pursued. A canoe trip can be rewarding. If you want to visit the Chesterville Wildlife Management Area, you won't be disappointed. In Chesterville village, our dam and a small lot are located by the bridge below the store. You can park at the lot and carry your canoe down to the mill pond. From there your trip itinerary is up to you. Whatever you decide to do, you'll have an interesting and enjoyable trip. â&#x20AC;˘ Fall 1992

Beechnuts & Bruin or ''What's for Dinner, Mother Bear?" by Craig R. McLaughlin and Kenneth D. Elowe T

hough black bears are by nature omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter, in Maine they are primarily vegetarians. Our bears will eat insects, carrion, and an occasional small mammal, bird or deer fawn, but plant parts make up the bulk of their diet. Among the plant matter bears feed on in the springtime are grasses and greens, buds and emerging le~ves of trees, and nuts left-over from the previous fall. As summer progresses, they begin to feed on berries, and by fall they are taking advantage of a variety of ripening fruits, berries, and nuts. Bears are voracious feeders during the fall months, spending most of their waking hours searching for food. Their constant foraging helps build fat reserves that will sustain them through the long winter's denning period. Female bears also need to store energy in the fall for the development and nursing of their cubs, which are born during the winter's sleep.

Of all things bears find to eat in the fall, beechnuts, the small, triangular nuts produced by beech trees, are among the most important in supplying the

nutrients they need for survival through the winter. Beech trees are common and widely distributed throughout much of the range of bears in Maine, but their crops of nuts are

Co-authors McLaughlin and Elowe work with the department's Wildlife Resource Assessment Section. McLaughlin is bear study leader, Elowe is leader of the Mammal Group.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

unpredictable, and complete failures are not uncommon. Because bears are opportunists with a diverse diet, many people believe they are always able to find enough food to supply their needs, regardless of the failure of one or two fruit or nut crops. But is this always the case? What happens to bears when beechnut crops fail? Just how important are beechnuts to bears, anyway? Given all the different foods eaten by bears, could the supply of just one of these, beechnuts, control their reproductive success? In this article, we will explore how beechnut abundance may impact Maine's bears, focusing on the production of cubs. First, let's review some aspects of beechnut production, and the nutritional and reproductive requirements of bears. Then we'll see how the department's long-term study of Maine's bear population is supplying answers to questions about how beechnut abundance affects bears. An appreciation of these relationships is leading to better understanding and management of Maine's bear resource.

The number of beechnuts produced on an area is influenced by several factors. Beech trees mature slowly, and usually begin to produce nuts at about 50 years of age. Once a stand of beech trees is cut down, half a century may pass before the trees that grow up on that area produce nuts. Also, beechnut crops vary dramatically between individual trees, among stands of trees, and from year to year. We are not certain what causes these wide variations in yields, but climate, site, and soil conditions probably play major roles. Years of widespread beechnut scarcity are common in northern Maine, forcing bears and other wildlife to search for other foods. Conversely, some years nearly every large beech tree seems to produce a heavy crop of nuts. In those years the leaf litter beneath beeches appears "roto-tilled" by bears, deer, squirrels, birds and small mammals bent on harvesting the small, high-energy beechnuts they produce. Bears forage actively through the spring, summer, and fall, but it is the food they find in the fall that is particularly important to them, as this is the season they build stores of body fat which become their sole source of energy during the winter denning period. Bears do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate during the denning period, which lasts 4-5 1 /2 months in Maine.

Female bears require additional fat stores for successful gestation (fetal development), which occurs during the first two months of the denning period, and for nursing their newborn litters during the remainder of the winter. Bears breed during

the summer months, but fetal development is delayed until late fall. This phenomenon, called delayed implantation, is closely tied to the denning cycle. Rather than spending the fall months seeking mates, which can require much time and en-

Study revealed Maine bears are at least four years old before having first litters, which average two cubs; subsequent litters average 2.6 cubs. Fall 1992

ergy, bears breed during the summer and then spend the fall feeding on plant foods, concentrating on high-energy nuts and fruits. Adult bears have high overwinter survival. Despite years of fall food scarcity, somehow they nearly always are able to find enough to eat each fall to make it through the winter. However, the delay in fetal development functions as a "safety valve" on bears' reproductive process. If female bears are not able to obtain sufficient food in the fall, they may not be in good enough condition to nourish both themselves and their offspring during hibernation. In that event, the development of cubs is stopped almost before it begins. This process maximizes the overwinter survival of adult female bears

Reproduction is postponed until another year when the adult is able to attain enough food to supply nourishment for both her developing offspring and herself. In Maine and elsewhere, black bears are slow-maturing mammals with low reproductive rates. Female bears require three or more years to reach reproductive maturity. Cubs remain with the female for a year and a half, and females with surviving litters will not produce again until two years later. The slow maturation and long period of parental care combine to reduce bear populations' potential for growth. Most bear populations can increase their numbers by only 5 to 15 percent per year, which is considerably lower than other large mammals such as deer and moose. Because of this low productivity, variation in cub production and

POSSIBLY ,,...---OCCUPIED

RANGE

Figure 1. Maine bear range and location of three study areas.

Maint Fish and Wildlife

Maine's Bear Study is a longterm assessment of the population ecology of the state's bear resource. It began in 1975, and currently we are intensively tracking up to 75 radio-collared female bears each year to learn about the population's status and the important relationships between bears and their environment. Our bear studies have taken place on three areas, each about four townships in size (Figure 1). Bear habitat varies among the three areas, chiefly in terms of the types of plants and foods that occur on them. Bears living at the Spectacle Pond study area, within the commercial forests of the North Maine Woods, depend upon beechnuts as a major latefall food source. At Stacyville, bears also have access to beechnuts on commercial forestland, but they benefit from the agricultural areas remaining in the region as well. Here bears consume oats, apples, and a variety of cherries and berries in the openings surrounding agricultural fields. Finally, bears in the Bradford study area rarely eat beechnuts, because there are few stands of hardwoods containing mature, nut-producing beech trees in this region. Instead, the fall foods of bears in this area include agricultural crops, apples and cherries, and sometimes acorns along the Penobscot river. By comparing the information on beechnut crops, cub production, and physical condition of female bears living on these three areas - one where bears had primarily beechnuts for fall food (Spectacle Pond), one where bears fed on both beechnuts and agricultural-related foods (Stacyville), and one where

Bear claw marks on a beech tree, likely made by a bear that couldn't wait for nuts to drop.

bears did not feed on beechnuts in the fall (Bradford) - we hoped to answer questions about how beechnut crops influenced the production of cubs. Between 1982 and 1991, we visually estimated the beechnut crop in the Spectacle Pond area by walking through several hard wood stands each fall and categorizing that year's crop as either scarce, common or abundant. During the same 10-year period, we recorded the reproductive histories of female bears that had been captured and radio-collared on all three study areas. We visited the dens of female bears each winter, weighed the bears and recorded when they produced cubs. We also recorded the number of cubs in each litter, and the survival of litters. During the 10 years of study we found that beechnut abundance fluctuated in an alternateyear pattern. Beechnuts were common to abundant every even-numbered year, scarce on odd-numbered years. Exceptionally abundant beechnut crops occurred in 1982 and 1988. During the same 10-year period we visited 396 dens of female bears, including 303 dens of 96 different adult females. These bears produced 154 litters of cubs, totaling 38? young bruins. When we compared records of cub production to records of beechnut abundance, we found that most female bears at Spec-

tacle Pond synchronized their production of cubs, as 73 (95 percent) of 77 litters that we recorded in this study area were born in January-February immediately following falls of beechnut abundance. Restated, radiocollared bears produced a total of only four litters in the area following the five falls of beechnut scarcity! Nearly all cubs born on the area were born on oddnumbered years (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1991). The story was a bit different in Stacyville and Bradford. Only 10 (34 percent) of 29 litters in Stacyville, and 32 (67 percent) of 48 litters in Bradford, were recorded on odd-numbered years.

y was the strong pattern in cub production at Spectacle Pond not seen at Stacyville and Bradford? Bears in Stacyville were also feeding on beechnuts but did not show strong synchrony of cub production. We found additional clues in records of the adult females' weights. March weights of older adult females, seven or more years of age, averaged about 165 to 175 pounds in all areas when beechnuts were abundant. But whenever beechnuts were scarce, the weights of older Spectacle Pond females declined to about 135 pounds, but females in Stacyville and Bradford maintained weights at nearly 170 pounds. Bears at both Stacyville and Bradford apparently maintained their weights by feeding on a wider variety of fall foods. The regular alternate-year failures of beechnut crops apparently prevented most female bears at Spectacle Pond from Fall 1992

Beechnuts in August, a few weeks before bears begin their feast. If it's time, and the nuts haven't fallen yet, the bears climb up and get 1em!

attaining sufficient body condition (stored body fat) to reproduce. As a result pf this strong alternate year cub production in northern Maine, the state's bear population fluctuates by over 3,000 bears from one year to the next. Much of this fluctuation is in the number of cubs, which have a high mortality rate. Only about 50 percent of cubs live through their first year, in contrast to the much higher survival of older bears, which is generally more than 85 percent with adult bears.

beech trees. Another factor which could affect the future availability of mature, nut-bearing beech trees in Maine is the increasing demand for hardwoods, which in recent years has resulted in greater logging of hardwood stands containing beech trees.

Would the loss of a substantial portion of our beech trees be detrimental to Maine's bear resource? There is no doubt that in much of northern Maine, where bears do not have ready access to agricultural crops or alternate mast crops, the number of cubs born, and potential growth rate of the population would be markedly reduced. While bears would not disappear from the area, _they would probably have fewer cubs and could not sustain as high a rate of mortality (including hunting harvests) as they do now.

Erure

considerations involving the relationships between bears and beechnuts include the continued availability of beechnuts, which may be affected by disease and timber management. An outbreak of beech bark disease, projected in the near future, could potentially kill many

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Bears will eat many different things, but few more important than beechnuts.

The dependence of Spectacle Pond bears on this unpredictable fall food source for reproduction leads to another issue, the need for annual monitoring of the reproductive success and survival of Maine's bears. Only two or three consecutive years of beechnut scarcity, due to weather or the loss of beech trees from disease or logging, could substantially lower the bear

population's growth rate, as few female bears in the "big woods" of northern Maine would be expected to produce cubs. Quick detection of a depressed reproductive rate, and efficient reduction in the hunter harvest would be required to maintain our current large bear population. The alternate year pattern of beechnut crops that we've noted in the past decade have syn-

chronized the production of cubs in parts of Maine's bear range. How long this will last, and what impacts a sustained widespread loss of beechnuts would have on the state's bear population, are questions without definite answers. For now, we know only with certainty that the cub production by some of Maine's bears is markedly influenced by beechnut crops. •

New Book on Amphibians and Reptiles The first thorough review of all that is known about Maine's amphibians and reptiles is now available in a new publication from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Maine, a 187 page, softcover book is the result of years of work by the department's Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund, the Maine Audubon Society, the Maine Natural Heritage Program, the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the Wildlife Department of the University of Maine, the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, and more than 100 volunteer naturalists and herpetologists throughout the state. The collaborative project, known as the Maine Amphibian and Reptile Atlasing Project (MARAP), began in 1984. The new book contains detailed information on Maine's 18 species of amphibians and 18 species of reptiles, from the common ones like painted turtles and bull frogs to the endangered, threatened, and extirpated species like box turtle, Blanding's turtle, and timber rattlesnake. It includes: • new information from five years of field surveys; • 70 original pen and ink drawings; • range maps showing each amphibian and reptile's distribution in Maine and in North America; • descriptions of physical characteristics, taxonomic status, distribution, status, habitat, reproduction, diet, and interactions with people;

• and sections on finding and enjoying reptiles and amphibians; hypotheticals, accidentals, and other oddities; and conservation of Maine's amphibians and reptiles. Alan Hutchinson, leader of the department's end~mgered species program, says the book is the first to cover Maine's amphibians and reptiles comprehensively, "and the result is an extremely informative and factual publication. It is a book that anyone with an interest in Maine's out-of-doors - from camp owners, fishermen, and canoeists to scientists and amateur naturalists-will find useful and interesting and want to add to their bookshelf. It contains a wealth of information on this interesting and important group of species." To order The Amphibians and Reptiles of Maine, send a check or money order for $9.95 (payable to "Maine's Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund") to: MARAP, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Station 41, Augusta, ME 04333. Proceeds from the book's sale will go to Maine's Endangered and Nongarne Wildlife Fund (the "Chickadee Checkoff" on Maine Individual Income Tax returns), to support the conservation of Maine's amphibians and reptiles. A discounted price is available for orders in quantities of 10 or more. For further information on the new book or MARAP contact either Alan Hutchinson, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (207-941-4474) or Dr. Malcolm Hunter, University of Maine (207-581-2865).

Fall 1992

Maps & Charts & Things

From Here To ThereMade Easier!!

f you want to get there from here, you probably can. And chances are there's a map somewhere that'd make the trip a little easier. We have always relied heavily on detailed maps and charts, or simply hand-drawn "the way to my house" type maps to get around in the Maine woods, and on her waters and roads. This article, while undoubtedly incomplete, is an effort to provide a list of sources for some of the more popular sporting maps, and maybe even point some of you to maps you didn't know existed. Following the article is a list of addresses and phone numbers (if applicable) for these sources.

• Maine Fish and Wildlife Department. The most popular maps published by our own department are the individual lake surveys, now numbering over 1,60(L The maps show the shoreline, the acreage, maximum depth, and depths at selected sounding points, the fish species, the range of water temperatures, and any special details about that particular water body. A list of these maps (alphabetically by county) is available at no charge-the list includes prices and doubles as an order blank. • Maine Department of Conservation (DOC). This department, because of its many and varied associations with land use and protection, has one of the largest selections of maps of any single source. Here's a (hopefully) complete list: Map of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Includes locations of access points and campsite areas on this beautiful northern Maine river, and much helpful information for those planning an Allagash experience. This map may be in low supply-call or write for availability. Maps of Maine's Public Lands. IXX:'s Bureau of Public Lands (BPL) has maps of many of the areas which have been acquired and made available for public use. Call or write for a brochure explaining more about what maps are available. And ask

Maint Fish and Wildlife

also (if you're interested in a small water experience) for a brochure, "Your Islands on the Coast," which is a combination map index and description of islands owned by the state and managed by BPL. Maine Geological Survey Maps. The Maine Geological Survey publishes a detailed catalogue of their publications, including maps (which are more geologically oriented and possibly of less use to sportsmen). Write for a copy of the catalogue, which includes an order blank and prices. Map of the Penobscot River Corridor. Small but quite detailed map of this popular sporting area, in brochure form, listing campsites, ranger stations, distances from here to there, etc. A boon to Penobscot River canoeists and anglers. Recreational Vehicle Trail Maps. Available from DOC' s Bureau of Parks and Recreation, these two maps are cooperative efforts involving safety officials, vehicle user groups, private landowners. The first shows all existing and proposed snowmobile trails in Maine which are part of the ITS (Interconnecting Trail System), and includes much information of use to those wishing to snowmobile to, from, or across Maine. The second map shows those all-terrain vehicle trails for which the state has landowner agreements.

• DeLonne Mapping Company. This Freeportbased company publishes many maps of value to sportsmen. A catalog is available upon request. Their two most popular sportsmen's products are: The Maine Map and Guide. Call it the Maine Highway Map if you will-it often serves as Maine's official map, now that Maine state government no longer publishes one. And it's full of useful information, as highways maps usually are. The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer. The "road atlas" for Maine. All of the state, at a large scale, updated frequently, showing just about every road, trail, boat access site, etc.

Also available from DeLorme: The Maine Geographic Series-17 volumes, including maps, of interest to those who wish specific information on canoeing, bicycling, hiking, lighthouses, etc.; Depth Maps of interest to anglers and boaters; Topographic Maps for the Moosehead region, White Mountain National Forest, Mt. Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, and the Allagash and St. John rivers; and Special Maps for Sebago region, greater Portland, Bangor-Brewer, and the Maine coast from Kittery to Bar Harbor.

• United States Geologi.cal Survey (USGS). Publishers of the well-known "topo maps" or USGS maps. Write for a catalogue and price list of these and other maps published by USGS. • Baxter State Park. A list of available items and prices is available. Included are such things as: Topographic Maps. Two different ones of the complete park, one published by DeLorme Mapping Co. (see above) and the other by North Country Press; a Day-Use Hiking Guide, the entire park with major landmarks and hiking trails-includes descriptions of the more popular day hikes; smaller area maps of some of the more popular scenic hiking areas in Baxter State Park.

Washington County and Western New Brunswick; Great Northern Paper's brochure of the West Branch region; S. D. Warren's map of their timberlands; and Champion International Corporation's Maine Region Timberlands Guide and Map. Several other forest landowners also publish maps, which are available directly from them.

• Maine Department of Transportation (DOT). Makes available a catalog and price list of maps.

• National Ocean Service. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this agency publishes up-to-date nautical charts, a must for safe navigation in coastal waters, harbors, and navigable rivers. Catalogs of these charts are available free from the National Ocean Service. Charts may also be purchased from marine dealers and sporting goods and book stores. • ,...

....

Maine Fish and Wildlife Department 284 State St., Station #41 Augusta ME 04333 Maine Department of Conservation Station #22 Augusta ME 04333 Delorme Mapping Company Main Street, P. 0. Box 298 Freeport ME 04032 (207) 865-4171

• North Maine Woods. This consortium of representatives from Maine large landowners (mostly paper companies) makes available three maps, one of the entire North Maine Woods area, one of the

United States Geological Survey Washington Distribution Section 1200 S. Eads St. Arlington VA 22202

Katahdin Iron Works/Jo Mary Multiple Use Forest, and one of the St. John River. Write for a postcard-style order form. This contact is vital for those planning a North Maine Woods hunting/fishing/ camping experience, as much of northern Maine is private property and in the North Maine Woods area.

Baxter State Park 64 Balsam Drive Millinocket ME 04462 North Maine Woods P. 0. Box421 Ashland ME 04732 Appalachian Mountain Club 5 Joy Street Boston MA 02108

• Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). This Boston-based organization publishes a catalogue of books and maps, and a listing of huts and lodges, which contains much useful information for those contemplating a hiking trip. Write for a copy of each.

Paper Industry Information Office P. 0. Box 5670, 15 Western Ave. Augusta ME 04330

• Paper Industry Information Office (PIIO). A clearing house for maps and other information published by Maine's large landowners. Available from PIIO are: Georgia-Pacific's Sportsmen's Map of

Distribution Branch National Ocean Service Riverdale, MD 20737-1199 301-436-6990

Maine Department of Transportation Station #16 Augusta ME 04333

.....

Fall 1992

Ifs A Learnin w ildlife education efforts for Maine teachers, students and the general public are going strong! First offered in Maine in 1989, Project WILD, our wildlife and conservation education program for young people in grades K-12, has now been presented to over 1,300 educators throughout the state in over 89 four to six hour teacher workshops. In addition to learning about Maine's wildlife and conservation programs, teachers receive a Project WILD Elementary, Secondary, or Aquatic activity guide, packed with hands-on wildlife-related activities to be used with their students in any subject or skill area. This year, the national Project WILD office coordinated the updating of all the guides, compiling comments and suggestions from all of the state

Project WILD coordinators. This years' printing of the Elementary and Secondary guides have been combined for more versatility, and all activity guides are now printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. Maine Project WILD workshops have been presented in Baxter State Park, at the Maine Conservation School, in school classrooms, sponsored by lake associations, and incorporated into University of Maine education methods courses for preservice and graduate teachers. In another approach to educating Maine people about wildlife, this spring, we initiated an outdoor fish and wildlife presentation program at the Gray Game Farm and Visitors Center. Mailings were sent to all elementary schools south of Augusta announcing the opportunity to register classes for

High school students from around the state participated in the "Envirothon."

Over 500 students and their teachers went to the Game Farm in Gray for a variety of wildlife education programs. Here, the author speaks about handling orphaned wildlife-in this case, a baby raccoon!

Maim Fish and Wildlife

Process!! one or more of the seven programs offered. These included two Endangered Species presentations, Search and Rescue, Fun with Habitats, If You Care, Leave Them There (orphaned and injured wildlife), The Maine Warden Service, and Fishy Facts. Over 500 children, their teachers and parent volunteers came to the Game Farm to attend these programs. We hope to expand this program with the addition of an open-sided pole barn for weather protection at the Gray site, and byoffering additional presentations that focus on Maine's fish and wildlife resources and management programs. Another development related to the Game Farm and Visitors Center: In a continuing effort to build new exhibits at this popular facility, the department applied for and received a $3,750 grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency to create a Wetlands and Wildlife Interpretation Area. Due to be completed by the fall of 1993, this walk-through exhibit will describe the value of wetlands to wild-

by Lisa Kane

life and people, and demonstrate how landowners can improve or enhance wetland habitat in order to attract and benefit wildlife. The Environmental Education Grants Program, a key mandate of the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) of 1990, stimulates environmental action by supporting projects related to environmental education or training. Other projects involving education include our participation as the wildlife resource for the state Envirothon competition for high school students; work in cooperation with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department to develop a Schoolyard Habitat Guide for teachers, due out this fall; providing informational bulletin board signs for boat access sites, production of video programs and public service announcements, and more! â&#x20AC;˘ The author is the department's natural science educator and statewide coordinator for Project WILD.

Students at the Maine Conservation School in Bryant Pond demonstrate the popular Project WILD activity, "OH, DEER!"

Fall 1992

If you like wildlife and the outdoors, you'll like taking a hunter safety course. You'll learn about gun handling and safety, wildlife identification, map and compass use, hunter ethics, basic first aid, and outdoor survival. Even if you don't know if you'll ever hunt, you may still want to take the course. Everyone likes to learn more about wildlife, and outdoor survival is important for hikers, skiers, or anyone heading outdoors in Maine. The main lesson in hunter education is how to hunt safely and responsibly. Good instruction helps you to do it right; a hunter education course gives you that good instruction. Courses run from 14 to 22 hours; they are offered main! y on evenings and weekends. They are free, except for a small registration fee in some cases, and are available throughout the year, with most offered from mid-August through the end of December. You must be at least 10 years old to hunt in Maine, and until you are 16 you must hunt with a parent or an approved adult. At age 16, you must show that you have completed a hunter safety course before you can purchase your first adult license. Maine recognizes courses offered in other states, even other countries!

HUNTER SAFETY WORD SEARCH Hidden in these letters are 20 words having to do with hunter safety and gun handling. The words read either from left to right or from top to bottom. See if you can find all 20-they're listed belOWo Good hunting!!

- ~ ~.A

Answer on page 31

A M M L p R E D A T 0 R T p G p 0 A C H E R F z F u F R F R

0 R E

p 0

K J

C A E

A M A

u G N s E s z z

R F I

s s

B L

R E A

A H A M

T A R F A R M A

R G A

E R E

C 0

R V A T

N M H M

K 0

E B C I

u s

0 N

u w s R I

L R D M

R V T M V M R A p

M A I s A w A D A T A w p T E L D E E R p C A R T R I D G E FIREARM POACHER RESPONSIBLE TRESPASS WILDLIFE

CONSERVATION PREDATOR HABITAT AMMUNITION CARTRIDGE

GAUGE MARKSMANSHIP DEER MOOSE BEAR

WATERFOWL GROUSE MAP COMPASS SAFETY

Sunset is near, and you and your Dad are ready to head home after a day of hunting together. By following the directions listed below, you should be able to find your way back to your truck. Use the scale marked in feet, and the compass, to help you find your way. You don't have to use the directions to get out of the woods, but remember-you don't have this W ''birds-eye" view when you're really in the woods! And if you had used your map and compass to get into the woods, you'd have your own set of directions (called bearings), like the ones below, to lead you back out!!

Directions: As you proceed, mark each new stop with a pen; take your next measurement from there. From where you and Dad are, proceed a) southwest 75 feet; b) southeast 175 feet; c) south 125 feet; d) west 175 feet; e) northwest 175 feet;ÂŁ) north 250 feet; g) northeast 125 feet; and finally, h) northwest 225 feet. ÂŠ Congratulations, you made it! See if your way out matches the one on page 31.

sing small fish as bait for catching large game fish is a practice Maine anglers have "always" employed. Interestingly, fishing with live bait is not popular everywhere - in Maritime Canada, for example - but in many areas, Maine included, anglers feel that using live bait is as much a right as it is a privilege. During the winter ice fishing season anglers suspend live shiners, suckers, and smelt on hooks below "traps," or tip ups, adorned with brightly colored flags. Other winter anglers use a small piece of fish, frequently a

Live Bait

when landlocked salmon are the quarry. Bass and pike anglers sit and watch red and white bobbers, below which large golden shiners swim. Everyone who uses live bait has their own ideas on the best size, best species and most effective way to use it. The state of Maine also has some ideas on what a bait fish is, and what it isn't. Twenty-two species of fish including smelt, suckers and all species of minnows known to be present in Maine waters are currently listed as legal baitfish. The list includes some species not native to Maine but which have become established and are now breeding here. Not included on the list, and therefore illegal to use, are gamefish species and fish with spines in their fins,

even these natural baits cannot be used. Sales records of live bait retailers indicate that about 90 percent of all live baitfish are sold during the winter fishing season. A large portion of the remaining 10 percent is sold during the "spring fishing" season, in May and early June. Still-fishing with live bait for black bass is much more popular in other areas than it is in Maine, but for some people it is the most satisfying type of fishing. These summer-users of live bait may be trapping their own, because the extent of live bait use is not an important component of retail sales figures. People use live bait rather than other methods of fishing for a number of reasons. Nothing

BOON TO THE ECONO BANE ON THE EC0SY5 by Frederick W. Kircheis sucker, to add visual, odor, and flavor attraction to their artificial jigging lures. A common practice in the winter, when up to five lines are legal, is for anglers to use live baitfish on most of their lines while jigging with a lure at one hole. During spring and summer, anglers trying for togue (lake trout) will often troll or drift using large suckers as bait, and they might use sewed-on smelts

Maint Fish and Wildlift

such as perch, sunfish and sticklebacks. Maine fishing laws include many listings of lakes and ponds where the use or possession of live fish as bait is prohibited. This does not prohibit the use of other types of live bait such as frogs, worms and crawfish, nor does it prevent an angler from using bait fish that are dead. However, if the law reads "artificiallures only" then, obviously,

looks more like a fish than a fish does. Artificial lures have improved greatly in appearance, but a FISH-now that's something else! It looks right, smells right, moves right and tastes right (except for the hook, of course). After a game fish has been around for a number of years, and maybe has reached trophy size, it has learned to examine its prospective meals quite carefully, especially if at

some time in the past it escaped from a hook. Live bait advocates believe this provides them an advantage over artificial lures in catching large fish. Though the law allows licensed anglers to trap or seine live bait for their own use, a survey conducted by fisheries personnel of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife revealed that about 90 percent of Maine anglers who use live bait in the winter buy it from a retailer. Only about 8 percent trap all of their bait, and about 2 percent use a combination of purchased and captured bait. A number of other interesting facts about the use of live bait were revealed by this survey. Information was collected from 2,893 anglers on 49 different

use of live bait is not allowed but dead bait fish are legal. Some waters were limited to two lines per person but most allowed the standard five lines. Interviews covered the whole three-month season but did not include the early (December) fishery. Bait price information was determined through telephone interviews of retail bait shops throughout the state.

families fishing because of the fast action. AnglersÂˇ fishing warmwater lakes buy more minnows per person (1.04 dozen) than their counterparts on coldwater lakes (0.63 dozen), and many fewer smelts and suckers. This seems logical when one considers the fast action and non-selective feeding behavior provided by pickerel and perch.

The survey revealed that the average number of people in a group (party) fishing together was 2.8 statewide. The average party size was larger (3.1) on lakes where warmwater fish abound than on coldwater lakes (2.8). This may be because warmwater lakes are popular places to take children and

On lakes with two-line limits anglers purchase only one-third as many minnows as they do on five-line lakes, but they use the same amount of smelt and suckers. Reasons for this are unclear, but perhaps they believe smelts are superior to minnows as bait and rationalize that if they are limited to only two lines,

, TEM â&#x20AC;˘ Maine lakes during the 1991 winter fishing season. The lakes were well distributed throughout the state and included warmwater (perch, bass, pickerel, etc.) and coldwater fisheries (salmon, togue, etc.). The survey included some waters where the

The author is a fisheries research biologist in the department's Fisheries and Hatcheries Division.

Fall 1992

then they will spend the extra money to have the best bait. Another interesting finding is that on waters where the use of live fish as bait is prohibited anglers use the same number of smelt, twice as many suckers and only 14 percent as many minnows as they use on general law waters, where using live bait is legal. The reason for this may be that smelt make a respectable bait even when dead, but minnows, while still effective, are not as productive when dead. Many anglers use an artificial lure to jig for gamefish on limited line waters. Most of them dress their lures with a strip of sucker, hence the increased use of suckers on these waters.

ost of the live bait available in the retail market is provided by people who capture it in Maine lakes. However, a significant axpount is supplied by people who rear fish in small ponds and raceways. The 1991 retail value of the baitfish industry in Maine was estimated at $5.4 million, and this is just for the three-month winter season. There is a major industry in some of the southern states (Arkansas, for instance), where live bait, especially golden shiners, are reared in large shallow ponds in rotation with field crops. Soybeans (or other land crops) are planted, raised to maturity, harvested and the

The raising, wholesaling, and retailing of live bait is a multi-million dollar business in Maine, providing income to several hundred licensed dealers.

Maint Fish and Wildlift

diked fields are then flooded. Shiners are stocked, fed, fertilized and harvested at a marketable size in a few months. The fields are then drained, plowed, planted to soybeans, etc. This is a very lucrative business, and millions of golden shiners are shipped all over the United States - but NOT into Maine! Due to concerns over the introduction of diseases, parasites and non-native fish species into our lakes, Maine has a law that prohibits importing live fish, except for the aquarium trade. Fish have been moved from one location to another for centuries. Intentional transfers have resulted in some excellent sport fishing opportunities, such as brown trout imported from Europe and rainbow trout moved from the West Coast of North America. Some notable failures have also resulted from intentional transfers, such as carp from Europe and Eastern

brook trout stocked into the American west, where they outcompete the native stocks of cutthroat and rainbow trout. Accidental introductions have also been disastrous to native fisheries; for example, the lamprey in the Great Lakes and the walking catfish in the southeastern states. Negative impacts from fish introductions are not limited only to fish "from away." There is a growing realization that our own native smelt, for instance, often thought of as a cure-all for poor game fish growth, can cause problems with other species; whitefish populations often decline and may eventually disappear after smelt become established. Yellow perch, which are illegal to use as bait, have been accidently stocked in new watersheds where their presence causes growth and survival problems for brook trout and other game fish. So,

FISH NAMED IN THIS ARTICLE

LEGAL MAINE BAITFISH lake chub silvery minnow golden shiner emerald shiner bridled shiner common shiner blacknose shiner spottail shiner northern redbelly dace finescale dace fathead minnow blacknose dace longnose dace creek chub fallfish pearl dace banded killifish mummichog longnose sucker white sucker creek chubsucker

Couesius plumbeus Hybognathus nuchalis Notemigonus chrysoleucas Notropis atherinoides Notropis bifrenatus Notropis cornutus Notropis heterolepis Nortopis hudsonius Phoxinus eos Phoxinus neogaeus Pimephales promelas Rhinichthys atratulus Rhinichthys cataractae Semotilus atromaculatus Semotilus corporalis Semotilus margarita Fundulus diaphanus Fundulus heteroclutus Catostomus catostomus Catostomus commersoni Erimyzon oblongus

while a forage species may be desirable in some areas, it is best left up to fishery biologists to determine where and when introductions should be made. Unintentional introductions of minnows and smelt can result from the use of live fish as bait. While many of our sensitive waters are closed to the use of live fish as bait it is never in the best interest of the lake or the fishery to release unused bait at the end of a fishing trip. Besides being illegal to stock fish without

GROUPS OF FISH

FAMILY NAMES

black bass and sunfish lamprey minnows and shiners sticklebacks suckers whitefish

Centrarchidae Petromyzontidae Cyprinidae Gasterosteidae Catostomidae Salmonidae

INDIVIDUAL SPECIES

GENUS AND SPECIES

brown trout carp cutthroat trout Eastern brook trout golden shiner pickerel pike rainbow trout salmon smelt togue (lake trout) walking catfish yellow perch

Salmo salar Cyprinus carpio Oncorhynchus clarke Salvelinus fontinalis Notemigonus crysoleucas Esox niger Esox lucius Oncorhynchus mykiss Salmo salar Osmerus mordax Salvelinus namaycush Clarias batrachus Perea fiavescens

a permit, the species of minnow in your bucket may not be present in the water you fished. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find waters where the only fish present are those that nature put there. It is vital to preserve these in the interest of science, and for the long-term health of our resources. Fishing with live bait is often satisfying and productive, but it is the angler's responsibility to

see that it does not harm native fish populations. Bait should be obtained from a reputable source and examined for the presence of illegal species. Even if you purchase the bait from a dealer, it is you who is in violation if an illegal species is in your possession while fishing. Leftover bait should either be kept for another trip or destroyed at the end of the day. Never release live baitfish into the wild. â&#x20AC;˘

BAITFISH BOOK Anyone interested in raising freshwater baitfish can obtain additional information in the booklet Baitfish for Fun and Profit in Maine. This 86-page book, published in 1989, covers all important subjects of interest to baitfish growers and dealers, from laws to techniques, marketing, and small business management To order, send $3.00 check or money order to: Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Baitfish Book Station 41 Augusta, ME 04333

Fall 1992

Whether by skill or luck-if you bring home a trophy, here's •• o

Who Wants To Know! Every fall issue of Maine Fish and Wildlife since the first one in 1958 has contained a list of the biggest deer entered the previous year in the Biggest Bucks in Maine Club. Likewise, a list of the top freshwater fish entered in The One That Didn't Get Away Club has appeared in every spring issue. Though more widely known than the rest, these two hunting and fishing trophy recognition clubs are not the only ones available to Maine sportsmen. In fact, there are seven clubs with annual membership recognition, six of them run by The Maine Sportsman, a Yarmouth-based monthly magazine. Those six award membership cards and embroidered jacket patches to hunters and fishermen who qualify; there is a $3 fee to help cover costs. Here is a summary of the clubs and their entry requirements:

• Biggest Bucks in Maine Club Membership is open to anyone who legally takes a deer in Maine weighing at least 200 pounds, field dressed (all internal organs, including heart and liver, removed). Game wardens and wildlife biologists carry membership application cards.

pounds; smallmouth bass, 5 pounds; largemouth bass, 7 pounds; pickerel, 4 pounds; white perch, 1.5 pounds; cusk, 15 pounds; black crappie, 2 pounds; northern pike, 15 pounds; muskellunge, 15 pounds. Game wardens and fisheries biologists carry membership applications.

• Maine Bowhunters Club

• Maine Tackle Busters Club

Membership is open to anyone who legally shoots a deer or bear of any weight in Maine while using archery equipment. Game wardens and wildlife biologists carry membership applications.

This is the saltwater trophy fish club. Membership is open to anyone legally taking a fish in Maine waters on rod and reel. Minimum qualifying weights are: haddock, 12 pounds; wolffish, 18 pounds; cusk, 20 pounds; bluefin tuna, 320 pounds; pollock, 30 pounds; striped bass, 30 pounds; cod, 30 pounds; mako shark, 150 pounds; blue shark, minimum length 10 feet; mackerel, 2 pounds; halibut 100 pounds; hake 45 pounds; bluefish, 15 pounds. Application forms are carried by many charter boat captains and some coastal tackle shops.

• Maine Black Bear Club Membership is open to anyone who legally shoots a black bear weighing at least 100 pounds, field dressed, with a firearm, in Maine. Game wardens and wildlife biologists carry membership application cards.

• Maine Moose Hunters Club Membership is open to anyone who legally shoots a moose in Maine. Wardens·and wildlife biologists in the moose hunting zone carry membership application cards.

• The One That Didn't Get Away Club This club recognizes trophy freshwater fish. Membership is open to anyone who legally takes a fish from the wild in Maine that meets the following minimum weights: brook trout, 4 pounds; brown trout, 6 pounds; landlocked salmon, 6 pounds; lake trout, 15 pounds; rainbow trout, 5 pounds; Atlantic salmon, 15 pounds; blueback or Sunapee trout, 2

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Further information about all of the above clubs can be obtained by writing to The Maine Sportsman, PO Box 910, Yarmouth, ME 04096.

• Maine Antler & Skull Trophy Club MASTC recognizes· trophy deer, bear and moose in several categories, including typical, non-typical and perfect deer antlers. It has categories for rifles, muzzleloaders, handguns and archery equipment. The club publishes an annual, hardcover book containing stories and many photos of the outstanding trophies. It also sponsors an annual big game banquet, at which many of the trophies are on display. For more information: MASTC, RR 5, Box 190, Gorham, ME 04038. •

DEER WINTERING AREAS:

A SPECIAL KIND OF HABITAT by Stephen J. Pottle and Charles T. Hulsey ANSWER: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) QUESTION: What large, wild, four-legged mammal is plentiful in Maine, ranges from Central America to southern Canada, and occurs at almost all points in between?

Co-author Pottle measures tree diameter to determine volume, to be used with species and age information in the forest management plan.

T.e

white-tailed deer, a most biologically successful and popular relative of the moose and caribou, occupies a broad spectrum of habitats and climates throughout its extensive range. A white-tail's ability to tolerate, sometimes even exploit human alteration of the landscape might be its most impressive trait. Throughout most of its range, this inhabitant of fields, brush,

and young woodlands has benefitted from land uses which tend to interrupt the natural trend towards expansive, mature forests. Unlike most wildlife species, white-tailed deer numbers are greater today than when Europeans first settled in North America! Maine deer live at the northern end of the species' range. To survive, they have adapted both physically and behaviorally. Northern white-tails are considerably larger than those in the southern states. Greater body

size is an obvious advantage for traversing deep snow. Also, as body size increases, the amount of surface area relative to mass, or bulk, decreases. Minimizing surface area minimizes heat loss. Larger body size is just one of several adaptations for life in a cold climate. To survive Maine winters, deer must move to forest types that provide protection from chilling winds and deep snow. When snow depth exceeds 12 inches and temperatures dip below freezing, deer begin con-

Stephen Pottle is the management agreement forester for Boise Cascade Corporation, stationed in Rangeley. Charles Hulsey is a department assistant regional wildlife biologist, headquartered in Strong. Fall 1992

centrating in "deeryards" or deer wintering areas (DWAs). Because winter severity is a factor that strongly influences deer survival, desired population levels cannot be achieved or sustained without adequate winter shelter. Typical DW As are located within the drainage area of streams, rivers and lakes. Forest stands comprised mainly of the conifers (softwoods) spruce, fir, and cedar, 35 feet tall and greater, with dense crowns, provide the best shelter. The canopy formed by dense softwood crowns effectively intercepts wind and snow. Much of the snow which lands on a conifer forest canopy either dissipates directly back into the atmosphere or melts, never reaching the ground as snow. As a result, snow depth under a conifer stand can be half as great as it is in the open or under a leafless deciduous (h,ardwood) stand. In southern Maine, where extensive stands of spruce, fir, and cedar are not common, stands of white pine and hemlock often provide wintering habitat. Concentrations of deer in a DW A can range from a few to hundreds. The trail networks the deer pack down help them conserve energy and enhance their opportunity to escape from predators. In contrast traveling through deep, unbroken snow increases a deer's energy consumption and nutritional needs. To appreciate this, think about a time when you hiked through deep snow with friends. Which was more exhausting, being at the head of the line or bringing up the rear? Since the mid-1970s, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) 24

Maine Fish and Wildlife

began identifying and evaluating DWAs in the unorganized townships. Once identified, major DWAs are submitted for zoning to the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC), the land use planning and regulatory agency for Maine's unorganized townships. If conducted properly, timber harvesting in a deer wintering area can be compatible with the deers' habitat needs. As part of the LURC permitting process, MDIF&W wildlife biologists work with landowners to develop a timber harvesting "Plan Agreement," the objective of which is to maintain or enhance the winter shelter values for deer while also accommodating the landowner's use of forest products. Once developed and accepted by LURC, the Plan Agreement serves as the landowner's required permit. The primary DWA management goal is to practice forestry that propagates and perpetuates

thriving conifer stands of varying ages. Timely harvesting can improve stand growth, affect species composition, and encourage desired seedling regeneration. Because deciduous trees sprout when cut, periodic harvesting also provides deer with a valuable winter food source. A mixture of various tree sizes should be maintained in a DW A. If at least half of the area provides shelter at any point in time, the remaining area can be comprised of seedling, sapling, and polesized (4 to 7 inches in diameter) stands. Because a forest is a dynamic, ever-changing community, such a strategy serves to avoid "boom or bust" conditions brought on by overmaturity, insect infestation, disease, wind damage, and fire.

DWA MANAGEMENT: A CASE HISTORY In the mid-1970s, an important deer wintering area near Gammon

Use of trails in a deer wintering area (right) enhances energy conservation and escape opportunity. Without trails or conifer shelter (above), deer struggle to traverse deep snow.

deer. After 80 years, the blocks harvested in 1991 will be treated again, thus providing a sustained yield of forest products. The forest management plan established seven harvest blocks, each five acres in size. Small block clearcutting was prescribed because of advanced tree age, risk of wind damage to residual trees, and because conifer seedlings were already established. The 1991 harvest was conducted during the winter months to minimize ground disturbance and to protect established seedling regeneration. A crew of two men with a cable skidder harvested pulpwood, sawlogs, and boltwood (for dowels, bowling pins, etc.) from the seven blocks.

The planned and timely harvest of trees can be an effective means of managing forested wildlife habitat

Pond in Freeman Township (Franklin County) was zoned by LURC. Seven years later, a major portion of this DWA was purchased by John Collins of Palisades, New York. In 1989, Collins joined Boise Cascade's Management Agreement Program. This program provides professional fores try assistance to owners of larger parcels of timberland in western Maine and northern New Hampshire. The Boise Cascade Management Agreement Forester worked with MDIF&W to prepare a forest management plan for the property. An important objective of this management plan is to maintain and enhance the D WA shelter

values. Light, periodic timber harvests, distributed over the ownership will insure that at least 50 percent of the area always provides winter shelter. Areas recently harvested will be growing young trees, the mature stands of the fu.ture . To accomplish the goals in this plan, it was determined that 35 of the 280 acres of DWA owned by Collins could be harvested every ten years. Harvesting one-eighth of the area every 10 years will result in the entire DWA being treated in 80 years. Such a strategy allows periodic harvests to occur, creates a balanced distribution of stand ages and sizes, maintains winter conifer shelter, and generates deciduous browse for

imber harvesting and wildlife management can be compatible. The planned and timely cutting of trees offers an effective means of managing forest wildlife habitat. With sound forest management planning and a basic understanding of wildlife needs, woodlot owners can generate income from their land while enhancing wildlife habitat. The long-term stewardship of forest land benefits landowners and all people who enjoy the â&#x20AC;˘ Maine outdoors.

The Maine Forest Service has a directory of licensed foresters who, like Boise Cascade's Management Agreement Program, work with small woodlot owners. Write to: Maine Forest Service State House Station #22 Augusta ME 04333

Fall 1992

Where To Find Us

A Department Telephone Guide to State and Regional Locations (Area Code 207) Main Office 284 State St., Sta #41, Augusta ME 04333

Business Administration

287-5210

Commissioner's Office

287-5202

Endangered and Threatened Species Habitat Group

941-4474 941-4467

Warden Service Headquarters 657-2345

Gray Regional Headquarters

1-800-322-1333

Engineering & Realty Division

287-5218

Sidney Regional Headquarters

547-4145 1-800-322-3606

Fisheries & Hatcheries Division

287-5261

Bangor Regional Headquarters

941-4440 1-800-322-2033

Licensing & Registration Division

287-5230

Greenville Regional Headquarters

695-3756 1-800-322-9844

Wildlife Division

287-5252

Ashland Regional Headquarters

435-3231 1-800-322-4011

Information & Education Division

287-2871

Regional Fisheries Biologists Magazine Subscription Information

1-800-288-8387

Personnel Section

287-5223

Safety Office

287-5220

Warden Service

287-2766

Region A - Gray Region B - Sidney Region C - Machias Region D - Farmington Region E - Greenville Region F - Enfield Region G - Ashland

657-3259 547-4161 255-3772 778-3322 695-3756 732-4131 435-3231

Regional Wildlife Biologists Fish Hatcheries Region A - Gray Region B - Sidney Region C - Machias Region D - Farmington Region E - Greenville Region F - Enfield Region G - Ashland

657-3258 547-4165 255-4715 778-3324 695-3756 732-4131 435-3231

Bureau of Resource Management, Bangor Fisheries Research & Management

941-4449

Wildlife Resource Assessment Section Bird Group Mammal Group

941-4466 941-4478 941-4471

Wade Fish Hatchery, Casco Dry Mills Fish Hatchery, Gray Ela Fish Rearing Station, North Anson Cobb Fish Hatchery, Enfield Governor Hill Fish Hatchery, Augusta Grand Lake Stream Fish Hatchery New Gloucester Fish Hatchery Palermo Fish Rearing Station Phillips Fish Hatchery Fish Health Laboratory, Augusta

627-4358 657-4962 566-0591 732-3676 287-5228 796-5580 657-3423 993-2361 639-2081 287-2917

Game FarmNisitors Center, Gray

657-4977

Swan Island Reservations (March 15-Labor Day only)

547-4165 ....,

Operation(ThisGame Thief 1-800-ALERT US (253-7887) number is for reporting wildlife law violations or similar emergencies only. Operators are not equipped to handle routine requests for information or to transfer calls)

Maine Fish and Wildlife

NICK'S SMELT the Fly Tying Bench

by Butch Carey Pattern originated by Nick Radsky, Hallowell, Maine

THE PATTERN HOOK: #4 or #6, 94720-SX THREAD: White flat waxed BODY: Pearl Mylar piping WING: Six strands of silver crystal flash, a sparse bunch of white bucktail, and four very light narrow blue dun saddle hackles ( two matched pairs) CHEEKS: Two silver pheasant body feathers HEAD: White flat waxed thread

Cast on back of hook, using white flat waxed thread. Run thread up to the front, leaving a space for the head, then back again.

For the body, slide pearl Mylar piping 2 over the hook. Tie down on the back of the hook and seal It In well to make the butt of the fly, then tie down piping In front. Apply cement, two coats.

For wings, tie In six strands of silver 3 crystal flash, extending the width of the

Tie In a sparse bunch of white bucktail, 4 the same length as the crystal.

gap beyond the end of the hook. Trim. Fall 1992

Select two matched pairs of very 1/ght narrow blue dun saddle hackles. Tie In on top of bucktaila

For cheeks, select a matched pair of sliver pheasant body feathers . Place one on each side, curved side In. Position one feather, secure with one or two wraps, then place the other.

Finished fly.

- =cl 28

Tie on head with white flat waxed thread. Apply two coats of cement.

Reason for white flat thread on this fly is so the dark hook doesn't show through.

Maint Fish and Wildlift

- =cl

Tip: Black dot, then white dot on head for eyes optional (see Maine Fish and Wildlife, Fall 1991, for a "how-to" on painting eyes).

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS Record Buck Harvest Possible This Fall "Higher over-all deer populations in 1992 should translate into a higher buck harvest. We expect the antlered buck kill to reach a modern record in 1992." Those words of optimism are from the department's deer biologist, Gerry Lavigne, in anticipation of the upcoming deer hunting season. The two main factors Lavigne bases his prediction on are the very mild 199192 winter and prior conservative doe · harvests. "We are optimistic they will complement each other to result in a strong increase in the statewide deer population for the fall of 1992," he said. Lavigne believes deer populations will be highest in central and southern areas, although he expects some herd growth in all sections of the state. He predicts a total deer kill of about 29,250 this season but adds that, "as always, these expected harvest levels ould be modified by extremes in hunting conditions, such as excessive rain or prolonged tracking snow." The 1992 season dates are similar to recent years. Opening Saturday for Maine residents will be October 31. All hunters may pursue deer November 228. The special archery season will be October 1-30; special muzzleloader season, November 30 to December 5. Sundays are closed to all hunting. Lavigne says that hunters should register at least 17,900 bucks this year, vhich would be a new record; in 1988 and 1989, slightly more than 17,000 antlered bucks were taken. "Availability of trophy bucks should remain good, because 20 to 25 percent of bucks harvested are expected to be over four years old." Since 1983, the deer herd in most deer ma nagement districts has increased in esponse to doe harvest restrictions and some rather mild winters. The estimated post-hunt herd had increased from roughly 160,000 deer prior to 1983 to nearly 250,000 during 1988, but had then declined to about 215,000 in 1990. Lavigne says the herd is currently estimated at 240,000, and "generally remains in balance with its available food supply. Although within a few districts deer populations are approaching desired levels, habitat in all districts

currently is sufficient to support more deer. Increases in deer populations may be accomplished while maintaining quality (weight and antler development) of harvested deer, and productivity, if winters remain mild to moderate in severity." Lavigne points out that wintering deer population objectives have been set for each of Maine's 18 deer management districts, based on such considerations as habitat quality and winter severity. He estimates that 250,000 to 300,000 deer can be wintered in good condition in Maine during mild to moderate winters. ''fhese objectives will continue to guide our decisions concerning allocations of any-deer permits during 1992 and subsequent years." The department will issue about 49,600 any-deer permits this year, an increase of about 7,500.

What'• new •• o what to do .•• how to stay legal in the Maine outdoor•

Q. What time do I have to quit hunting at the end of the day, and do I have to be out of the woods at that time? A. Legal hunting for game birds ends at sunset, and for game animals at 1 /2 hour after sunset, except that all hunting ends at sunset during the regular firearms and muzzleloader seasons on deer. The only exceptions are for raccoon hunting and during the special night hunting season on coyotes in the winter. The hunting law booklet contains a table of sunrise and sunset times. You are not required to be out of the v:·oods at the end of legal hunting time, but you must stop hunting, which includes unloading your gun. It's OK to use a flashlight to find your way, but don't shine it around unnecessarily, as it is illegal to illuminate wildlife from September 1 to December 1.

Federal Grant To Fund Wetlands Education Project Future visitors at the Maine Fish and Wildlife Game Farm and Visitors Center will learn how to attract wildlife to wetlands habitats, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. According to Lisa Kane, the department's natural science educator, the $3,750 grant will be used to develop a wetlands and wildlife interpretation area at a pond and marsh located between the game farm's deer pens and the adjoining Dry Mills Fish Hatchery. Kane, who wrote the EPA grant proposal, says the area will primarily demonstrate ways in which people can improve or enhance wetlands on their property to attract wildlife. She notes that "landowners among the 80,000 annual visitors to the center will learn how and be encouraged to create appropriate wetland enhancement structures for wildlife on their properties." She says plans call for the construction of about 25 types of nesting structures, boxes, floating nest platforms, and even turtle loafing platforms. All will be connected by a path, and will include interpretive signs explaining where to place similar structures on one's own property, and what types of wildlife they will attract. The wetlands education project is scheduled to be completed by September, 1993. It is one of five EPA grant recipients in Maine. The Environmental Education Grants Program was established by the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) of 1990. It "stimulates environmental action by supporting projects related to environmental education and training." ''The main objectives of these grants are to enhance environmental teaching skills and curricula; promote teamwork to improve education methods; and to help the general public make informed decisions about the environment," said Regional Administrator Julie Belaga. "We are proud that each recipient meets these objectives." The Fish and Wildlife Game Farm & Visitors Center, located off Route 26 in Gray, is open daily until mid-November.

Fall 1992

Duck Stamps Available

â&#x20AC;˘

Maine's 1992 duck stamp, featuring a pair of oldsquaw ducks, is now available to sportsmen and collectors. The duck stamp is required of anyone age 16 and over who hunts ducks and geese in Maine. It can be purchased from town clerks and other local hunting and fishing license agents. This year's stamp was painted by Persis Clayton Weirs of Deer Isle, who won a contest entered by 43 Maine artists. Maine duck stamps cost $2.50 each and can be purchased either singly, in plate blocks of four stamps, or in full sheets of ten. Stamps signed by the artist are also available from the Augusta office of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The artist's signature increases the cost of a stamp, plate block or sheet to $5, $12.50, and $27.50 respectively. The department will sell the 1992 duck stamp until June 30, 1993 and then destroy any unsold stamps. In addition to the state stamp and hunting license, hunters are reminded that a federal duck stamp is also required to hunt waterfowl. Federal duck stamps are available at most post offices.

New Hunting Booklet Available A new bool<let designed to give hunting and nonhunting publics a realistic view of what hunting is and how it fits into modern society has been plublished by the Wildlife Management Institute. Entitled "Placing Hunting in Perspective" it carefully documents hunting's benefits, including economic and cultural values, and its relationship to modern wildlife conservation. The booklet also was designed to set the record straight on misleading or inaccurate statements by people who are not familiar with the full range of issues and information involved in managing contemporary hunting programs. The booklet is not a defense of hunting - rather, it is an explanation of what hunting is. However, part of this explanation is a defense of progressive wildlife management programs, of which regulated hunting is a traditional and legitimate part. The booklet is the result of more than a year of careful research and meticulous review. It was developed at the urging of public and private wildlife conservation interests who were concerned that all of the issues surrounding hunting pro-

Maine Fish and Wildlife

grams were not being presented in a concise and easily understandable form. Single issues of "Placing Hunting in Perspective" cost $2.75 and can be obtained by writing to the Wildlife Management Institute, 1101 14th Street, N.W., Suite 725, Washington, D.C. 20005. Bulk prices are available.

Number of Hunters, Fishermen Steady, License Revenues Increase Slightly

Fishermen purchased 36,990,358 licenses, tags, permits, and stamps, a slight increase from the 36,891,444 bought in 1990. Revenue rose to $374,928,594 in 1991, up from $362,781,317 in 1990. License sales figures are compiled annually by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from information submitted by state fish and wildlife agencies. State funding through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration and the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration programs is apportioned in part by the number of paid fishing and hunting license holders in each state.

The total number of fishermen and hunters who purchase licenses, stamps, and other permits remained stable in Hunter Orange Law Reminder 1991, but overall revenue climbed 4 Maine hunters are reminded of a law percent to $813 million from $784 milnew last year that requires them to wear lion because sales increased. two articles of hunter orange clothing The money raised through license during the firearms deer seasons. sales and other fees is used by state The law now says that two items of wildlife agencies to support wildlife solid-colored hunter orange clothing conservation projects and hunting and must be worn by anyone hunting with fishing safety and education programs . firearms during the regular firearms deer While announcing last year's totals, season and the special muzzle-loading U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director season. John Turner hailed hunter's and anOne of the hunter orange articles must glers' long-term support of funding be a hat. The other must cover a major wildlife conservation and management portion of the torso. efforts. ''The nearly 50 million people The law applies regardless of the who hunted and fished last year did species being hunted, except that watermore than just have a good time," fowl hunters using a boat, blind or deTurner said. ''They also contributed coys are exempt. millions of dollars to enjoyment of the The department encourages the weargreat outdoors for all Americans." ing of hunter orange voluntarily during Last year, the number of hunters seasons when it is not required. Its use who bought licenses dropped to has been a leading contributor to a dra15,718,865 from 15,806,864 in 1990, matic improvement in Maine's hunting while the number of fishermen who accident record over the past two debought licenses rose to 30,742,212 from cades. There were no hunting-related 30,731,821. fatal shootings in Maine last year, the While there were fewer hunters, second time that's happened, and for the those who did hunt bought more lifirst time, there were no accidents in censes and permits. Last year, hunters which the victim was mistaken for game. purchased 34,089,293 licenses and associated permits, up from the 29,747,175 bought in 1990. Most states require separate stamps for many A WILDERNESS TRADITION species, and Highest Quality Meals, Guide and Accomodations hunters bought serving Sportsmen & their Families since 1890 more of these stamps last year. NATIVE BROOK TROUT â&#x20AC;˘ LANDLOCKED SALMON, Revenue raised TROPHY DEER, BEAR â&#x20AC;˘ MOOSE & SMALL GAME from these sales Matt &: Ellen Libby was $438,523,280 DrawerV, fW compared with Ashland, Maine 04732 ~4:_.______ $421,984,404 in Tel: (207) 435--8274 or 6233 1990.

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the 1960s in an effort to expand the range of Canada geese. These geese have now become a separate population from the traditional migratory geese which breed in northern Canada and winter in the South. The Maine geese were live-trapped at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge near Calais, the Ruffingham Wildlife Management Area at Searsmont, and in the Camden/Rockport area. After being fitted with neck-bands, all were released. The Camden/Rockport geese, part of a growing flock which has become a nuisance by fouling lawns and beaches in the area, were transported to the Seboomook Lake region in northwest Maine for release, in the hope they will re-establish in that remote area. Corr says (207) 778-3630 the neck bands (207) 293-2068 are marked with a special * Registered Maine Guide code, and are used by profes* Professional Trapper sional observ* Animal Damage Control ers to gather Cooperator information. Each neckRFD 2 BOX 4130 banded bird FARMINGTON, ME 04938 was also provided with a leg band.

The style-conscious Canada goose of e 1990s may be sporting a collar. About 280 Canada geese were fitted .ith special neck-collar bands in Maine • is summer as part of a U.S.-Canadian tudy to learn more about "resident" oose populations in 16 eastern states d several Canadian provinces. Wildlife Biologist Pat Corr, the partment' s bird study group leader, ys the study supervised by the U.S. 1sh and Wildlife Service is focused on oose populations which nest and even ide year-round in Maine and other states and southern Canadian provinces. 1ost originated from flocks established rough trap and relocation programs in

While he is not seeking public sighting reports of neck-banded geese, Corr requests that anyone who may happen to find a dead goose wearing a neck band, or any hunter who bags one, to contact the nearest wildlife biologist or game warden, or to contact him directly. Corr' s office is at Hedin Hall, at the BMHI complex off Hogan Road in Bangor. His telephone number is (207) 941-4478. In addition to the coded numbers and symbols on the band, the biologists may also ask for date and time information, location, size of flock and numbers of any other neck-banded geese seen. Similar neck-banding operations were conducted this year in states from Georgia to Maine and in Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, where resident-goose populations exist. Corr says that over the past 20 years, resident goose flocks greatly multiplied, causing nuisance complaints, depredation of crops, and increased concern for public health. Also, the enlarged population of resident geese has compromised the use of winter aerial counts as a management tool. Since hunting seasons and bag limits are currently based on winter counts, and the existing management of Canada geese is based on the concept of a "migratory goose" that breeds in northern Canada and winters in the United Fall 1992

States, biologists now must develop new methods to manage migratory and resident goose populations separately. In a related matter, the daily bag limit on Canada geese will be lowered this fall in an attempt to implement a 60 percent harvest reduction throughout the Atlantic Flyway. The action is in response to a declining trend in the Atlantic Flyway's Canada goose population since the early 1980s, made worse this year by a very late spring in the sub-Arctic breeding grounds. Mid-winter estimates of Canada geese have declined from over 900,000 six years ago to a record low of about 650,000 last winter. The problem is in the migrant portion of the population, birds that nest in northern Canada and migrate south in the fall. Resident goose populations are stable or increasing in Atlantic Flyway states, including Maine, but sub-Arctic nesting geese have recently experienced some poor years of production, and this year production was very poor. Also, the major mortality factor of Canada geese, hunter harvest, has remained high and, coupled with declining production, may be excessive.

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THE LAST RESORT Wilderness Camping & Rustic Cabins on Long Pond and Moose River

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Moose Watching Nature Trails Wildlife Photography Great Bird & Wildflower Viewing Vast Canoeing Opportunities and Shuttle Service Field Trip Opportunites - Group Rates in Spring & Fall

P.O. }3ox 777FW, Jackman, MB 04945 (207) 668-5091

Wardens, Safety Staff Assist at First Disabled Rendezvous Several members of the Warden Service and Safety Office assisted in the first annual Disabled Outdoor Wilderness Rendezvous, held in Jackman in August. Sponsored by a number of Jackman businesses, the Rendezvous is aimed at providing outdoor experiences to persons who are disabled. Among activities provided during the four-day event were fishing from a pontoon boat in Big Wood Lake, float plane rides provided by a local flying service, and competitive events such as skeet, rifle, pistol and black-powder shooting, archery and tomahawk-throwing contests. A total of 14 disabled persons participated. On the final day, winners were presented awards in an Olympics-styled presentation ceremony. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife personnel who were involved in the planning and/or execution of

Maine Fish and Wildlife

LEITER TO THE EDITOR Where Was It Caught? In the Summer 1992 issue you provided a list of Maine's record freshwater fish. It is my understanding that in order to qualify for this list, the angler must, among other things, have caught the fish in Maine waters. However, under the "water'' (where caught) category for the record Atlantic salmon, you have listed "(undisclosed)". If the angler did not disclose which body of water the fish was caught from, it cannot be verified that the fish was in fact caught in Maine waters. Judging by the type of lure, a self-tied nymph, perhaps the angler was hesitant to disclose the water. However, it should be mandatory that in order to qualify for Maine's Record Freshwater Fish list, the angler MUST disclose the water where the fish was caught, and the water must be listed in the record. Otherwise the fish should be disqualified on the grounds that the angler has not sufficiently demonstrated that the fish was caught in Maine waters. Bob Humphrey Pownal

â&#x20AC;˘ It's still controversial 12 years later, but our decision to recognize this Atlantic salmon as a state record without kncrwing exactly where it was caught was based on several factors (and fully explained in the Spring 1981 issue). The catch satisfied all rules for record fish rec:ognition beyond any reasonable doubt. One rule requires the fish to have been caught in Maine, but there is no requirement for disclosure of the exact location. The angler satisfied several people (the keeper of the records, the (then) chief biologist of the Maine Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission and a game warden) that the fish was caught in Maine. He also offered some acceptable reasons for not disclosing the location. We have considered changing the rules and requiring full disclosure, but the problem is verification. We'd rather have no information than fictitiou s information. Disclosure remains voluntary.

various events included wardens Rodney Small, Michael Favreau, Roger Guay and Daniel Carroll. Participating from the Safety Office were Safety Officer Gary Anderson; Harland Hitchins and Perry Edwards, recreation and safety coordinators; Hugh Awalt, hunter safety instructor; and Richard McFarland, archery instructor. Anderson said that as a result of the Rendezvous, several of the disabled participants were recruited as instructors to other disabled persons attending future safety training programs.

New Natural History Journal Anyone interested in Maine's natural history should welcome the news that the first edition of the Maine Field Naturalist is scheduled to appear this winter. Maine has not had a naturalist journal for almost two decades, but now some of the state's top experts in their fields, including several from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, are col-

laborating to produce the new publication. The project is headed by JoergHenner Lotze, director of Eagle Hill Wildlife Research Station in Steuben. The journal, expected to be published quarterly, will be of interest to specialists and laypersons interested in the natural history of Maine and the bioregion encom passing northern New England, Acadia, the Adirondacks and the Gulf of Mai11e. Articles will deal with biology, geology, geography and anthropology of the region, and with any of its terrestrial, wetland, freshwater and marine habitats. Contributors will include professional field biologists, university faculty and students, amateur naturalists, artists and photographers. The last similar publication was published about two decades ago by the Maine Audubon Society and the Portland Society of Natural History. For more information, write: Eagle Hill Wildlife Research Station, PO Box 82, Steuben, Maine 04680.

Notes From The Field Bear Bugs Beekeeper Beekeepers in Bradley had tolerated and dealt with two bears around their operation and residences for several weeks this spring. One of the bears had even learned the basic principles of electricity. The beekeepers had installed an electric fence around the hive storage area and laid a length of chicken wire in front of the fence to as an e'lectrical ground. The bear discovered that he could dig nder the fence without getting zapped if he first dragged the ground - ire back away from the electrified fence. Patience finally wore thin when the bears started walking up on :heir porches and leaving muddy paw prints on the windows. Using res and a culvert trap, I attempted to capture and move the :rouble makers, but as soon as the traps were set, the bears took off .. r.d were never seen again. Obviously, they realized their fate and .: ided to move themselves! More likely, they found a more plentiful : d supply back in the woods. Wildlife Biologist Barry Burgason, Enfield

h e One That Almost Got Away While on patrol in the town of Orneville during the 1991 deer .:.mting season I observed a hunter walking on the paved portion of . ute 11 - carrying a rifle and wearing a hunter orange vest and a . een hat. A routine check revealed that not only was he not wearing r:unter orange hat, but he also had a fully loaded .30-06 rifle. I -:;ed to see his hunting license and advised him that he was in viola. n of two laws: hunting from a paved way and failure to wear two r. · les of fluorescent orange clothing. The hunter, a nonresident, _;;s then advised that he was under arrest for hunting from a paved .:iy, and, because it was a new change in the law, would receive a _ ·tten warning on the hunter orange violation. After completing the paper work, I gave him a current law book ;.;J advised him that he was free to go. He then looked at me, stuck .! his hand and said: "My name is Scott, and I notice that your _-.,ie is Scott, I just wanted to thank you." But when I pointed that :.e name on the hunting license wasn't Scott, not even close, he ,. me a bit more distressed and tried to assure me that Scott was -Y his nickname. After we talked a bit about his nickname, he finally admitted to -ing another hunter's license, and said he hadn't bought his own. ·e was again placed under arrest, and this time taken to the ;- taquis County Sheriffs Office where he faced two new charges, • :.is the embarrassment of the jail experience. During the few hours he had been in Maine he managed to get es!ed twice, meet the bail bondsman and pay fines totaling $525. ully the rest of his hunting trip went better - after buying a - :.se nd a hunter orange hat!

The snow was crusted and walking was easy. I took my police K9, Rica, with me, and we tracked the moose for a half hour or so, and it appeared to be acting normally. Eventually we jumped it out of some thicker cover, and although I never saw it, it ran straight away from me and appeared to have no difficulties. Apparently the action of running into the truck was just normal "dumb moose" behavior. On the way out of the woods and back to my truck I started up a small gully. My dog was out of sight on one of her forays into the brush. A trained search and rescue dog, she ads like a hunting dog and ranges away from me, checking-in every few minutes to keep track of my position. There weren't any lost people to find in those woods, but she enjoys chasing squirrels almost as much as finding people. I came to a blowdown and brush pile and walked over the back end of it, watching my step closely so I wouldn't fall through. At the end of the blowdown, I noticed a patch of snow which was beat down and iced up-a porcupine den under the brush, I thought, and looked around to make sure the dog wasn't nearby. She was no where in sight. I looked into the brush again. A big log laying crossways in the blowdown blocked much of my view, but I couu:l see a round, dark object sticking out from under the left side of the log and a similar round, dark object sticking out on the right side. About the time I was thinking it was unusual to see two porcupines right together like that under the same log I noticed there were no quills on the "porcupines," then a large black nose swiveled out from under the log and pointed at my legs - about two and a half feet away. I saw no ears or eyes because they were hidden under the log, but I did notice that the nose was larger than any of the dog noses I had seen in my career as a dog trainer. I began to feel a little uncomfortable standing in what may become a bear' s escape route, and I knew that my dog would soon be there and then things would really get exciting, so I moved on. When I was 40 feet from the bear, the dog ran up behind me, passing about 10 feet from the bear. Luckily, he went by upwind, and never knew it was there. I returned to the den late that afternoon and found that after I left, the bear had exited out the back end of the brush pile and fled up over the next hill. I felt sorry I had roused him from his long winter nap about a month too early, but the bear biologists told me he would probably just den up in another location until the weather was better. Game Warden Deborah Palman, Aurora

Game Warden Scott Hoyle, Brownville

H 1ge "Porcupine" One of the best things about working as a game warden is that -: hen things start to become routine and boring, something

· ing happens. Early this spring I had one of those experiences. I had received a complaint from a man who had a moose run into :- ruck. He had stopped upon seeing the moose near the road, and -nplained that the moose then walked right up and hit his truck ·etty hard. He thought that the moose might have "moose sicks," or brainworm. I set out the next morning to try to track - rn the moose.

La'1V Violators 0

R.ATION

South Peak and Knife Edge, Mt. Katahdln, from Abol Pond. Photo by Bruce Connery.