Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Fall 1996 by Maine State Library

I5't !ftJ .' 3~/3 C!

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE FALL 1996

MAINE S Al-E LIBRARY LJBRAR'r~ JSE DiJLY

EDITORIAL by Ray B. Owen, Jr., Commissioner

Learning From Geese The following were given to me at a Wildlife Society Meeting this summer. They come from Ralph Stayer who wrote "Flight of the Buffalo." Read them several times as I have; geese really do have it all together.

• OBSERVATION: In the fall, when the winter ahead is still only a hint in the air, geese depart from Canada for

southern environs in a dramatic illustration of anticipation. LEARNING: ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE. Geese anticipate winter. Despite the fact that it is sunny and warm in September, the flock recognizes and anticipates the arrival of December freezing. Survival requires the ability to anticipate future needs on a regular basis and to consider both short-term and long-term needs. What works today is no guarantee of tomorrow's success. Geese never get complacent with todays comfort. •

• OBSERVATION: When the time arrives for the flock to depart from Canada in the fall, every goose knows that if it does not or will not take off, it will not see spring. • LEARNING: THE PRICE OF EMPOWERMENT IS ACCOUNTABILITY. There is no free lunch. Unless the flock lives in a government preserve, there is no free entitlement guaranteeing its security. Actually, these days, even government bureaucracy is no guarantee, as there are starving animals on preserves and zoos within the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. The modern day price of freedom and empowerment is anxiety and accountability. • OBSERVATION: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an uplift for the birds in its wake. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds 71 % greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. • LEARNING: SYNERGY. The V formation of geese demonstrates the concept of synergy. Simply put, synergy is the notion that 1 + 1 = 3. A flock of geese, when properly aligned, is far more efficient and capable than a collection of individual geese. Like geese, we are each existentially responsible for our own performance, and we must choose to fly; but we do not have to choose to do it alone. • OBSERVATION: Geese take turns leading the wedge. When the lead goose tires, it simply peels off of the front and tucks back into the rear of the formation, where it can take a break and benefit from the aerodynamic advantage of the uplifting current created by the bird's wings immediately in front of it. • LEARNING: TEAM LEADERSHIP & CLARITY OF DIRECTION. In order for every goose to be able to take the lead, every goose has to be clear about the destination. There is no question about where the flock is going. Direction is dearly established, and every leader strives to help the flock reach its destination. Leadership is contributed by everyone, and the leader is simply the goose who is out in front. • •

OBSERVATION: Geese adjust to their organizational structures to the task at hand. LEARNING: FLEXIBLE AND BOUNDARYLESS BEHAVIOR. The formation of the flock depends specifi-

cally upon the desired results at any particular time. For example, while migrating great distances, geese fly in a wedge. When taking off and landing, however, they do so in great honking waves. The formation and social architecture of the flock remains flexible, depending upon the immediate task or challenge they face. The organizational question is always, "What Is the most simple, elegant, and efficacious design that will accomplish the task before us?" • •

OBSERVATION: Geese are great communicators, and feedback is constant. LEARNING: COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE. Geese have the uncanny ability to

decipher sophisticated messages from the nuances of honking. Geese motivate each other through constant encouragement. Geese alert each other to danger and utilize. honking to celebrate ~e d.ay' s success when they land at the end of the day. Geese have developed the key attitude of good commurucations .. the acute ability and desire to listen to one another. OBSERVATION: When a member of the flock is infirm or wounded, two geese drop out of formation to support and protect it. They stay with the inflicted bird until it dies or is able to fly once again. When ready to rejoin the flock, they simply launch out with another formation, or they work together to catch up with their flock. • LEARNING EMPATHY. Teamwork means never allowing another t.eam member to fail. Any group is composed of people who are fallible human beings. In order to create a learning culture, where individuals and teams are willing to take risks and to try things differently, there must be an atmosphere where mistakes are viewed as opporturuties to learn. In such a culture, the team rallies around the individual experiencing difficulty, rather than abandon him. •

·- :NE

AINE

~ILDLIFE

FISH AND WILDLIFE A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

VOL. 38, NO. 3

SPECIAL HALF-PB.ICE OFFER! D l year only $9 D Payment enclosed

D 2years only $15 D Please bill me later by V. Paul Reynolds from several different angles!

Ad.dress _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

by Barbara Haupt ts, are silent but deadly hunters

FOB FASTEB SERVICE, CALL TOLL-FBEE l-800-288-8387

AINE

J9638

by William B. Krohn & Bradley F. Blackwell second of two articles

by David M. Peppard Fu/ year for Operation Game Thief

FISH AND WILDLIFE 1d other businesses to crow

A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

SPECIAL HALF-PRICE OFFER! D l year only $9 D Payment enclosed Name _ _ __

by Peter J. Lucas

D 2 years only $15 D Please bill me later

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

e of a "feeling " he had. Good yarn!

to hunt by ... ways to help

_ _ __

Ad.dress _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

' ',ven-barbecued venison

City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

FOB F ASTEB SERVICE, CALL TOLL-FBEE l-800-288-8387

AINE

J9638

FISH AND WILDLIFE

by Butch Carey

A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

SPECIAL HALF-PRICE OFFER! D l year only $9 D Payment enclosed

D 2 years only $15 D Please bill me later

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Ad.dress _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

painting by Ed Murdock. To :he artist at (207) 626-04 71. l

FOB F ASTEB SERVICE, CALL TOLL-FllEE l-800-288-8387 nks on recyclable paper

•

Pla.oe

EDITORIAL

Lee The followi who wrote

• OBSERVATION: In the fall, southern environs in a dramati •

Sta.mp Here

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augus·t a ME 04333

LEARNING: ANTICIPATE

warm in September, the flock n ability to anticipate future nee, works today is no guarantee of OBSERVATION: When the that if it does not or will not tal

• •

LEARNING: THE PRICE (

the flock lives in a government days, even government bureau the former oviet Union and Y1 accountability. • OBSERVATION: As each ~1 formation, the whole flock ad : • LEARNING: SYNERGY. T is the notion that 1 + 1 = 3. A fie ti.on of individual geese. Like g, we must choose to fly; but we c

• OBSERVATION: Geese tak1 front and tucks back into the re advan ta~of the cum

•

LEA

ING:

rtliftinf AM EAD

Pla.oe

Sta.mp Here

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

take the lead, every feoose has t going. Direction is c early estab is contributed by everyone, anc • •

OBSERVATION: Geese adj1 LEARNING: FLEXIBLE AJ'I

cally upon the desired results a a wedge. When takinioff and architecture of the floe remain zational question is always, "W task before us?" • •

Pla.oe

Sta.mp Here

OBSERVATION: Geese are LEARNING: COMMUNIC

decipher sophisticated messagt: encoura&ement. Geese alert eac land at e end of the day. Gees and desire to listen to one anotl • OBSERVATION: When am support and protect it. They st, rejom the flock, they s ~ lau • LEARNING EMPA: . Te; posed of people who are fallibl1 are willin~ to take risks and to 1 opporturuties to learn. In such , than abandon him.

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE Governor Angus S. King, Jr.

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Ray B. Owen , Jr., Com missioner Matthew Scott, Deputy Commissioner Frederick B. Hurley, J r.. Director, Bu rea u of Resource Management Richard Record, Director. Bureau of Administrative Services Parker K. Tripp, Director. Bureau of Warden Service Advisory Council Wilmot Robinson, Millinocket Chairman Stanley D. Milton . Andover Vice Chairman Gary Cobb, Nort h New Portland Charles F. Beck, Presque Is le Millard A. Wardwell, Penobscot Eric N. Davis, Vinalhaven F. Dale Speed, Princeton Richard A. Neal. E. Lebanon Ellen N. Peters, New Gloucester Russell E. Dyer. Bowdoinham

Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine V. Paul Reynolds, Editor Thomas L. Carbone. Photo Editor V. Paul Reynolds. Advertising All photographs in this issue were made by the Public Information & Education Division unless otherwise indicated .

FALL 1996

VOL. 38, NO. 3

Features 2

Anatomy Of A Pinch

by V. Paul Reynolds

A case that went RIGHT for the Warden Service-from several different angles!

Feathered Silence

by Barbara Haupt

Great gray owls, like their cousins, uncle, and aunts, are silent but deadly hunters

The Double-Crested Cormorant In Maine, Part II

by William B. Krohn & Bradley F. Blackwell

This species gets some more close scrutiny in this second of two articles

Crunching The Numbers

by David M. Peppard

Statistics give us an picture of yet another successful year for Operation Game Thief

Outdoor Roster

Here's an opportunity for Maine camps, guides, and other businesses to crow

Maine Moose Hunt: A Real Good Premonition

by Peter J. Lucas

He knew he'd get a permit-and a moose-because of a "feeling " he had. Good yarn!

1996 Hunting Season Preview

Big bucks from last year ... all-time records ... words to hunt by ... ways to help

RECIPE CORNER

This feature debuts in this issue with a succulent oven-barbecued venison MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE (ISSN 0360 OOSX) is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildli fe, 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04330. under Appropriation 0 1009A-0529. Subscription rate: $18.00 per year. No stamps, please. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Augusta. Maine and at additional mailing offices. •Q Mame Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. 1996. Permission to reprint text material is granted, provided proper credit is given to the author and to MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE . Clearance must be obtained from artists. photographers , and non-staff authors to reproduce credited work. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send both old and new addresses to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine. 284 State St, 4 1 State Hse Sta., Augusta ME 04333. Please allow six weeks for changes to take effect. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Circulation Sect ion, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE, 284 State St. 41 State H,c Sta Augusta. Maine 04333

Departments KID-BITS

FROM THE FLY TYING BENCH: The Copper Killer

MARKETPLACE

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

by Butch Carey

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Just call toll-fre<' 1- 800-288-8387 The Departm<'nt of lnl,md 1-isheries and Wildlife receives federal func.ls from the U.S Department of me Interior Accordingly , all dcpdrtment programs and activities must be operated free from discrimina lion with regarc.l to race, color, national origin. age, or handici.,p. Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminuled against should write lo The Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S Department of the lnte rior. Washington, DC. 20240. magazine de.sign & prepress by graphlti Lclfast me 04915

The Front Cover: "Back Forty." From a painting by Ed Murdock. To obtain a print of this painting, call the artist at (207) 626- 0471.

Printed with vegetable·base •

#•

w•T

mks on recyclable paper

TROUT THIEVERY

by V Paul Reynolds TO GAME WARDENS , IT SEEMS THAT ALL TOO OFTEN , THE LAWBREAKERS WIN . 50 IT 'S ESPECIALLY GRATIFYING WHEN A CASE COMES TOGETHER AS THIS ONE DID . ..

n June of 1995, four Millinocket men walked into one of Maine's premier catch-and-release fly fishing trout ponds with an elaborate poaching plan. They hacksawed a chain securing a canoe; together, the four spin-cast with worms from the stolen canoe, catching 10 brook trout. These fish, ranging in length from 13 to 18 inches, were all kept. The fish were taken out of the woods concealed in a packbasket. Two days after this "fishing trip," these men were apprehended by Greenville Game Warden Roger Guay. The following autumn, three of the four convicted trout poachers paid fines of $750 each. The fourth man served 30 days in jail. In March of this year, all license privileges of the four men to hunt and fish were revoked for a period of three years. While it is not unusual for Maine game wardens to nab dozens of illegal anglers each year in Maine, this particular case had a slightly different twist. As fate would have it-or The author is director of the depa rtment's Public Information Division and editor of MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine .

â&#x20AC;˘

Main e Fish and Wildlife

perhaps it was Providence- other anglers had plans to try their luck at the same pond on the same day that the Millinocket poachers had planned their visit... .. "This is a magnificent little pond, Bucky," said Paul Johnson, as the three of us followed Paul up

the rocky path. A light drizzle had been falling since daybreak and a trickle of runoff was flowing down the steep grade in front of us. Paul said it was about a mile hike up the hill to the pond. As Chief Fishery Biologist for the Greenville area, Paul was eager for his boss, Fish and Wildlife Commis-

â&#x20AC;˘

Fa/11996

sioner Bucky Owen, to sample firsthand one of his new catch-and-release waters. As commissioner, Owen had led the charge for a quality fishing initiative that would result in trophy fishing waters for Maine. As we worked our way up the pond path, the commissioner spoke with an obvious sense of pride about the new fishing possibilities that would come about if anglers would be patient. Paul and the other fishery biologists in the Department had, at the commissioner's request, selected from their respective regions a few select wild trout ponds that had great potential for growing big trout. These special ponds were designated catch-and-release. "We're here," Paul said. Through the fir trees, we could see the mist hovering over the silent little pond. The mist, we discovered, was mixed with the unmistakable smell of wood smoke. "Good morning," came the greeting. Two young men, along with a big wet dog, were struggling to keep a campfire from giving way to the light drizzle. We stopped to chat. "How's the fishin'?" the commissioner asked. The two fly fishermen said that they had caught a few on wet flies, but that it had been pretty slow. Always the salesman, Bucky began to talk about the potential of this pond and other catch-andrelease ponds. "We'll be lucky if there's any fish left in here to grow big!" exclaimed one of the youthful anglers. Paul Johnson's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean?" he asked. The two explained how, earlier that same morning, they had witnessed a wholesale trout poaching incident. Four men had walked by their tent and not far from their encampment, had sawed the chain off a canoe, paddled onto the pond, and worm-fished a dozen trout right before their eyes! "What?" intoned Bucky. "Did you confr<?nt them? Tell them that they were

Maine Fis/z and Wildlife

breaking the law big time?" The campers, who had no idea they were telling their story to Maine's fish and wildlife commissioner, said that there was no way they were going to challenge four guys. As we all introduced ourselves, a detailed discussion ensued about precisely what these two campers saw. The two said that they would cooperate with us in any way they could. The commissioner, who was still seeing red, pledged that this fishing foursome would be apprehended and that he would exercise his license revocation authority to its fullest. The drizzle began t0 slacken as we left the pond to contact the nearest game warden. A short time later, we were savoring a hot cup of coffee at a nearby sporting camp when Wardens Roger Guay and Don Annis responded to the commissioner's radio message. Bucky recounted the morning's events for the two wardens, including the descriptions provided by the cooperative campers. The two wardens said they had some ideas based on the descriptions provided. "We'll find 'em, Commissioner," Warden Guay said with a confident grin as he and Warden Annis parted our company And find them he did. Two days later, two of the original four poachers were apprehended by Warden Guay in the act of illegally worm fishing another wild trout pond not far from the earlier trout water. That apprehension, combined with some additional investigation and confessions, led to the arrests of all four original trout poachers. So Warden Roger Guay, like so many of Maine's conservation law enforcement officers who take pride in looking after Maine's precious wild trout fishery, kept his word to the commissioner. On the next page, in his own words (as contained in the investigative records), is Roger's report of the events.

On June 3, 1995, this officer met Commissioner Ray Owen and Biologist Paul Johnson, who had just returned from Mountain View Pond. They informed me of their interview of (witnesses) Eric and Stephen Powers, and the finding of night crawlers and fish gills in the canoe. The Powers brothers had observed a group arrive, fish illegally, and depart from the pond. On June 5, 1995, this officer apprehended Ritchie Barnett and Desmond Austin worm fishing at Birch Ridge Pond, TARll, approximately five miles from Mountain View Pond. During an interview (they were not under arrest), Ritchie Barnett implicated his brother, Peter Barnett, and Desmond Austin's son, Corey Austin, as members of the group who were at Mountain View Pond on June 3, 1995, between 0700 hrs. and 0900 hrs. He also stated that the fourth person was a friend of Corey's, and that the illegal activity must have been done by Corey and his friend. He stated that he did not know who Corey's friend was (see attached statement). No one knew where Corey could be found. Desmond Austin, who owned the packbasket described by the witness, told me that he was not with his son on that day. Later that same day, I interviewed Peter Barnett, who also implicated Corey Austin and his friend in both the illegal fishing and the breaking of the lock (see attached statement). Both of Corey Austin's parents indicated that they didn't know how to get hold of him. They stated that they thought he had gone to Farmington, Maine. On June 7, 1995, this officer wrote an affidavit for the arrest warrant for Corey Austin, implicated by Peter and Ritchie Barnett as being the one who cut the lock and kept the fish from Mountain View Pond. The warrant was issued, and it was found that Corey Austin was not in Farmington, but in East Millinocket. He was arrested by East Millinocket P.D. and interviewed at the police station under Miranda. Corey Austin, in a taped interview, confessed to the group's activities at Mountain View Pond on June 3, 1995. He lied about a friend named Dick from Farmington. It came out that the fourth person in the fishing party was, in fact, Corey's father, Desmond Austin. He gave a very descriptive account of his father's plan to go to the pond early in the morning and to go through the gate using the name "Troy Sincyr," to bring a hacksaw to cut the canoe lock, fish with worms, and catch and kill 10 trophy trout between 13 and 17. Corey said he was to cut the lock and carry the fish out because he was the youngest. His father felt the penalty would be less due to his age. He also described the elaborate plan on the trail out with the others ahead of Corey. If they met a warden, they would yell for their dog, "Item," which meant for Corey to hide at the vehicle. The other three would hang around the vehicle for awhile, and when the coast was clear, they would beep the horn indicating all was safe and for him to approach. On June 8, 1995, at 0900 hrs, I received a fax from Joseph Cloutier of Rockland, in affidavit form, stating that he did not give anyone permission to use his canoe at Mountain View Pond (see affidavit). On June 13, 1995, at 2030 hrs, in Liberty, Maine, this officer interviewed and obtained statements from Eric and Stephen Powers. I had spoken to them previously, June 7, 1995, on the phone. They recognized Corey Austin's photo and identified him as the youngest of the group, the one who, when leaving the pond, had a packbasket and cooler. In summary, they informed us that the group of four men approached the pond at about 0700 to 0730 hrs and that the-i; felt they had cut the lock off a canoe up the lake, because it took them so long to get the canoe in the water. They watched them fish with what they believed to be worms, and keep all the fish that they caught. Biologist Paul Johnson observed 11ightcrawlers in the canoe shortly after the subjects had left. (See attached statements.) Respectfully submitted, Wdn Roger Guay 11

Fall 1996

ne afternoon in early March my husband and I were walking our three dogs in a familiar area on the St. George peninsula. Spread before us was a tidal cove and marsh adjoining an open field, and old apple orchard stretching up a gentle incline toward dense spruce and hard wood. The dogs were sniffing out voles, jamming their heads into the soft snow and making us chuckle with their loud snuffs and clowning antics . This scene changed abruptly as a huge bird appeared, coming out of the apple trees and drifting in the direction of the woods. All five of us saw it and froze. In those few moments my brain and body registered many thoughts and emotions. I knew it must be a great gray owl; it was far too big to be anything else and we were aware the species had been sighted in our area. The silhouette the bird presented '

Maine Fish n11d W1/dlifr

by Barbara Haupt seemed mammoth to me, even intimidating-a wing span that seemed as broad as I was tall. The impact of this creature was so different from the American eagles we had spotted on other occasions. This was much more private-the proximity of the creature, the glorious sight of it, but most of all the silence. I could feel its solitude as I feel my own and we were connected. Reality returned and the

creatures proceeded up the slope where we could ob erve the owl in a tree on the Âˇ fringe of the woods. The dogs now paid it no mind,

but the owl watched them closely, turning its head from side to side with that extra rotation that owls can exhibit. My heart raced; my breath was short, thrilled to see this demonstration and treasuring each prolonged moment while anticipating another flight. The camera was around my neck! There were two pictures left on the roll and I had brought it along as an afterthought wan ting to finish them off. The first picture I took was from the spot where I stood, so sure my movements might frighten the owl. For the second, I got as close as I dared and used the zoom lens. The small yellow eyes are just discernible in this shot. It flew off then and I was disappointed not only to see it go but also because I had no more film to record that memorable silhouette. We momentarily marveled at our good fortune as we continued to cover the area and give the dogs their workout, my husband and I each in our own world of wonder. We watched 111e author is a resident of Tenants Harbor and writes for The Maine Sportsman.

the dogs but we also kept glancing over our shoulders, each of us attempting to recapture the sights we had just seen and hoping for more. My English Cocker had not been distracted by the owl. He had his job to do and diligence paid off when he emerged from a dive into the snow with a vole in his mouth. He brought it to me to show off his prize, his black tail a wiggling blur. I admired it, said, "Thank you," and he dropped it into my hand. Later, heading back toward the truck we heard the raucous uproar of crows - a lot of crows. They were flying back and forth over the apple orchard swooping and diving. With little difficulty we could see the owl - the object of their harassment. We were excited to see it again but annoyed with the noise and behavior of the crows. We hoped the owl could handle these adversaries. As I slowly approached the orchard, the crows pulled away and silence returned. I placed the limp vole on the snow as an offering to this creature that had blessed us with its magnificent presence. I'm sure it saw my action and I like to think the rodent provided some sustenance to this awe-inspiring animal that was so far from home. Returning to our dwelling, I immediately looked up the great gray owl. One particular item of interest was the statement that they occasionally dine on crows. That information modified our previous outlook on the birds' behaviors in the orchard-you could say it even evoked a few grins. Some time ha passed since the sighting. We have returned to that area many times since, but have n ver seen the owl again. â&#x20AC;˘

GREAT GRAY OWL This is the largest North American owl by dimension although the weight may be exceeded by the great horned owl and the snowy owl which are also the most powerful. The body of the gray owl is from 24-33 inches long; the wingspread reaches 54-60 inches. The males average 940 grams, the females 1300 grams. It has a large round head with no ear tufts, prominent gray concentric circles on the facial disc, and small yellow eyes. The gray underparts are striped; it has a dark chin spot and long tail. This bird is common only in the timbered regions of the Far North, sometimes seems fearless, and can be approached closely in thick woods. The great gray owl hunts by day; it eats mice, rats, shrews, moles, gophers, rabbits, hares, red squirrels, crows and occasionally, small birds. The sight and hearing of owls is extraordinarily keen. Their ears are openings in the side of the head surrounded by feathers which they can spread to make a funnel to the ear opening. The facial disc of the owl' is believed to function acoustically by collecting and focusing sound waves. Owls can fly silently and can strike their prey on the ground or out of the air. They use their powerful feet and talons in defense rather than their bill. Very rarely has the gray owl been seen in Maine. The winter of 1970-71 saw the largest invasion into eastern Canada since the unprecedented one of the winter of 1965-66 and another large flight into eastern Canada and the United States in the winter of 1978-79. Owls are protected by law. In an emergency it is permissible to assist an injured or sick animal.

Fall 1996

<IJ'oilble--Crested

<Part IF: Is the Corm_j!an t.,a major predator r "Of groundfi shes in <Pen obscot

.c 0

:,' i:ii ~ 0

.c o._

Almost extirpated as a breeding species in Maine during the early 1900s, Maine 's coastal islands today support 22,000 to 28,000 pairs of nesting double-crested cormorants.

by Bradley F. Blackwell and William B. Krohn The Gulf of Maine supports two species of cormorants: the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) and the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). The first species, which gets its common name from the feather crests that appear on breeding adults only during spring, is a near-shore species that has long lived in Maine. In contrast, the great cormorant is an offshore species that is a newcomer from the north, first being noted as nesting in Maine

Maine Fish and Wildlife

during the 1980s. Great cormorants are considerably larger than double-crested which allows this species to dive deeper and live farther north of its smaller cousin. However, because great cormorants have not been well studied in Maine, and only a few hundred pairs nest here compared to as many as 28,000 pairs of double-crested, this article discusses only the double-crested. In Part I of this two-part series, we considered the issue of what effect double-crested cormorants are having on the restoration of Atlantic salmon in the Penobscot River. In this article we look at what cormo-

rants feed their young in Penobscot Bay, especially the types of groundfishes that are eaten.

Cormorants and Commercial Fisheries The effect cormorants have, if any, on commercial fisheries is not a new question in Maine. In the 1930s a study was done in Maine in response to perceptions that seabirds, including cormorants, were preying on commercially important fishes such as cod, herring, and pollock. This food habits study was commissioned by the Maine Department of Sea and Shore Fisheries (now the Department of Maine Resources). The late Howard L.

Cormorant in Maine Mendall of the Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (now the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit) collected regurgitated foods from adults and nestlings on nesting islands in the southwestern part of Penobscot Bay in the summers of 1934 and 1935.

Cormorant Foods in Penobscot Bay In 1993, we visited 10 islands throughout Penobscot Bay used by nesting cormorants, including the islands studied six decades earlier by Mendall. Colonies were visited twice between late June and late July. To prevent

Locations of double-crested cormorant nesting colonies in Penobscot Bay, where food samples were collected during June and July 1993.

gull predation, and the overexposure of young birds to the sun, the first visits were done at night. Samples of regurgitated foods were taken throughout the colonies. Once brought back to the laboratory, samples were examined and prey items identified. Approximately 85 percent of the 673 samples contained three or fewer types of prey showing that cormorants only feed on a few prey items for any one meal. In June and July, however, more than 40 different species were eaten, including eight species of crabs, shrimp, snails, and one juvenile lobster. While cormorants eat many species of aquatic organisms, we found that cunners, rock gunnels, sand shrimp, wrymouth, and three species of sculpins-all non-commercial groundfishesmade up the bulk of the birds' diet. These core foods were used regularly and heavily, whereas the other foods were not. Of particular interest is that, although a variety of sport and commercial fishes were eaten, none of these species were used regularly, with the exception of alewives during the spring.

Brad Blackwell recently completed his Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Maine, where he studied cormorants with Bill Krohn serving as his major advisor. Bill is employed by the National Biological Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and is leader of the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Maine.

Fall 1996

Dams and weirs have been built to catch alewives during their spawning runs into freshwater, and cormorants readily take advantage of the concentrations that occur as these obstructions (especially at the mouth of the Orland River in the lower Penobscot). One of the cormorant's major foods, sculpins, appears to feed regularly on juvenile hake, an important commercial fish. This statement is based on our finding of distinct bones of the skull, known as otoliths, from the stomachs of sculpins that were eaten by cormorants. Note that if one were to use otoliths to identify foods (which we did not do), then the erroneous conclusion could have been reached that cormorants were a predator of hake. However, because we did not find scales or other hake body parts in our samples other than the otoliths, and we found intact stomachs of sculpins full of hake otoliths (see our story about this fascinating way of studying fish coming in the Winter 1996 issue), we found evidence that cormorants may help, not hurt, hake by preying on one of the predators of young hake, sculpins.

FOODS EATEN BY DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS IN PENOBSCOT BAY, MAINE. BASED ON EXAMINATION OF 673 REGURGITANT SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM 1O NESTING COLONIES IN 1993a_

. .. -

Freshwater Fish (6 species)

Fresh and SaltwaterFish (7 species)

Saltwater Fish (20 species)

The Diets of Cormorants Yesterday and Today Mendall's work 60 years ago in lower Penobscot Bay showed, like our study, that the small and medium-sized bottom fishes made up the bulk of the cormorants' diet. Unlike Mendall, who found that cormorants ate some juvenile groundfishes of commercial value (i.e., cod, flounder, hake), we found commercial groundfishes (and lobsters and salmon smolts) to be a negligible part pf the nestling cormorants'

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Invertebrates (9 species)

Common name Smallmouth bass Pumpkinseed Brown bullhead Chain pickerel Yellow perch White sucker American eel White perch Atlantic salmon Brook trout Rainbow smelt Alewife Blueback herring Mummichog Northern pipefish Atlantic tomcod Gunner Winter flounder Yellowtail flounder Atlantic cod Banded gunnel Rock gunnel American sand lance Ocean pout Sculpin (3 species) Atlantic silverside Wrymouth Atlantic menhaden Atlantic herring Round herring Atlantic mackerel Green crab Jonah crab Rock crab Common spider crab Toad crab Northern lobster Common periwinkle N. caridean shrimp Sand shrimp

Contribution to cormorant's diet: frequency, amount uncommon, low uncommon, low uncommon, low uncommon, low uncommon, low uncommon, low common, medium uncommon, low rare, low uncommon, low uncommon, low common, medium common, medium common, medium rare, low common, medium common, high uncommon, low uncommon, low uncommon, low rare, low common, high common, medium rare, low common, high uncommon, low common, high uncommon, medium uncommon, medium rare, low rare, low uncommon, low rare, low rare, low rare, low rare, low rare, low uncommon, low common, low common, high

â&#x20AC;˘Prey items that comprise the bulk of the cormorants' diet are underlined.

diet. In the 60 years since Mendall's work, fish populations have changed dramatically in the Gulf of Maine. Decline of commercial groundfishes is currently thought by most biologists to be the result of overfishing. Fewer large cod and other predatory groundfishes near shore may have, in turn, fostered increases in populations of the small and medium-sized bottom fishes. Because these smaller bottom fish are the cormorants' main prey, an increased food base could have contributed to the increase in the cormorant population, although legal protection and a less contaminated environment were also factors contributing to the comeback of the cormorant in New England.

â&#x20AC;˘

Conclusions We found that double-crested cormorants feed mainly on small to medium-sized bottom fishes, but do take advantage of other prey species when the opportunity arises. Similar results have been reported elsewhere by other researchers. Thus, we think that cormorants, whether feeding in the Penobscot River shortly after ice-out or foraging in Penobscot Bay during summer, are merely taking advantage of the feeding opportunities they find. When people modify ecosystems, such as obstructing free-flowing rivers or reducing near-shore populations of large predatory fishes, these changes have ecological consequences. Examples of such effects in regards to cormorants include the increased opportunity to exploit anadromous species such as salmon, and the possible increase in abundance of small bottom-fishes once kept in check by predatory cod.

~ FM'"~~.,.-Âˇ~..c

Cormorant nests are typically made of large sticks. Two or three young are generally raised per successful nest. In closing, we note that the food samples examined were limited in location (i.e., Penobscot Bay) and time (June and July, 1993). To have a more complete picture of what cormorants eat in Maine's coastal waters, we suggest the collection and examination of multi-year samples of regurgitants from cormorants nesting on sites throughout coastal Maine. Opportunist predators catch their prey in proportion to the abundance of that prey. In contrast, other predators are selective in that they generally catch prey that are somewhat unique relative to the total prey population (i.e.,

slower, smaller). Because we found cormorants eat a great variety of prey in terms of size and species, and because of the nature of the seasonal and locational patterns of prey use, we believe that cormorants are largely opportunistic. Thus, the prey they eat represents what is present in the prey population as a whole. If cormorants catch prey in proportion to its abundance (and this needs testing), then a coastwide survey of the cormorants' foods would serve as a baseline for assessing future population changes in groundfishes and other aquatic organâ&#x20AC;˘ isms in the Gulf of Maine. Fa/11996

CAN

A. When will RUFFED GROUSE use a clearcut for food, cover, and nesting? 1. within 0-2 years 2. within 5-15 years 3. only after 20 years of regrowth

B. Forest openings with growing softwoods and hardwoods do provide an important food source for DEER. True False

C. What percentage of Maine forest WILDLIFE uses edges and openings around clearcuts for feeding, cover, travelways or nesting? 1.none 2.50% 3.90% 4. all species

D. Why does the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife use clearcutting (in small blocks of 520 acres) for wildlife habitat improvement on our wildlife management areas? 1. to create hayfields 2. to sell timber for profit 3. to provide a diversity of habitats for different species of wildlife E. How are clear cuts important to SNOWSHOE HARE? 1. provide open areas for the hares to snowshoe across 2. provides good escape cover 6-7 years after the initial cut 3. continue to use for food and shelter up to 20 years after the initial cut

F. MOOSE rely on successional plant growth, or growth after a site is harvested, for what essential part of their diet? 1. pine cones 2. acorns 3. browse (the tender twigs and leaves of hardwood and softwood trees) Artwork by Carol Kutz, Shadowplay Artworks, LaGrange

CLEARCUTS BE GOOD FOR WILDLIF

Many people think clearcuts are bad for wildlife. Although clearcuts aren't much to look at, they can supply a differen; habitat that provides food and cover for a variety of wildli~. Take this quiz to see how much you know about wildlife a"~ their relationship to clearcuts. Circle the correct answers (Careful-there may be more than one to a question!) G. The CANADA, CHESTNUT-SIDED and MOURNING WARBLERS have all been found to be quite abundant in this particular type of habitat. 1. early successional growth 3. marine ecosystems 2. prairie 4. old growth forest

H. Maine is a state that has seen changing land use over time, from forests to farm land and back to forests again. True False I. How would a BLUEBIRD use a clearcut? 1. eat berries for food 2. use snag trees with holes for nesting and perching

3. capture insects for food 4. all of the above

J. MOOSE had almost disappeared from Maine by the early 1900s; today our moose population is outstandingly healthy and numerous ..This might be because: 1. people like to look at moose 2. the amount of habitat provided by clearcuts has grown 3. moose migrated to Maine from other states

K. In the first 5-15 years after a block of land is clearcut, BEARS use the habitat type for: 1. hibernation 2. finding food like raspberries, blueberries, wild cherries and insects 3. swimming

L. PINE MARTEN appear to be tolerant of up to what % of clearcuts within their regular territories. If clearcuts go beyond this percentage, the numbers of martens do begin to drop off. 1. 10% 2. 20% 3. 30%

Remember any type of habitat change, whether it includes humans cutting trees or mowing fields, beavers building dams and flooding fields and forests, or even a forest fire; each can be good for many different kinds of wildlife. But any one change probably will not benefit all wildlife within that particular environment. C ., .,

)1 . ,

·r 't,

., '.l H 'l ·9 0

·c .;j

., ·3

·c ·a ., ·~ '.l ·a ., ..,,

Stl3MSNV

Fa/11996

by David M. Peppard

precise, statistical impact that Operation Game Thief has on reducing poaching in Maine is quite hard to measure. For one thing, there are no hard statistics that can be used as yardsticks to determine just how much poaching is occurring in Maine. However, when you talk to a Maine game warden, no matter where that warden is stationed, or to any true sportsman, the response is usually pretty much the same-poaching is an ongoing problem. Whether a person shoots a moose in closed season, catches 20 trout over the limit, shoots a doe deer without an any-deer permit, or hunts ducks 20 minutes after sunset, an act of poaching has been committed. We sometimes think only of big game or trophy animals and fish when we think of poaching. But violations involving seasons, hunting hours, or species limits all fall under the blanket heading of poachingabusing the wildlife of Maine to suit one's own desires for trophies, meat, or simply personal convenience. The author is coordinator of Maine's Landowner Relations and Ope;ation Game Thief programs.

Mame Fish and Wildlife

From left to right, Warden Bob Brown, Warden Sergeant Mike Marshall, and Warden Jim Davis hold up a gill net confiscated in a Spednic Lake case resulting from an OGT call. Two were convicted in this case; each paid $1,000, spent three days in jail, and lost fishing license privileges for five years. The fish caught here are whitefish and suckers; the net also caught white perch and pickerel.

Assistance that wardens receive from any source to help them protect the wildlife resources is useful, and very welcome! Operation Game Thief provides a significant amount of such assistanceand has a significant impact on poaching when looked at in that context. But when you really set out to measure that impact, you come back to the same di-

lemma. If there are no figures to define the statistical size of the poaching problem in the first place, we can't accurately measure the size of our contribution to the solution, either. Nonetheless, the facts and figures for 1995 are here to show that Operation Game Thief is alive and w 11. Operation Game Thief was establi hed to help game wardens fight poaching.

$5 525.

mounted to ' $600 GT for 1995 a . 1995 was . d aid by O t claimed in 990 Total rewar s p proved an~ no f r 1995 was $4, . Total rewards ::red restitution o taf courtor ~~~~~~~~~===: To Figure 3. Operation Game Thief Cases By Type

Figure 1. Number of OGT Calls By Month

# of Cases

Figure 2. Number of OGT Calls By Day of Week

# Requesting

January February March April May June July August September October November December TOTAL

# of Calls

Reward

13 11 9 19 11

5 4 2

1 1

21 22 55 240 344

# of Calls

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday TOTAL

5 8

124 98 88 100 111

•

70 8 4

16 18

162

122

787

235

Figure 4. Number of Cases By Division # of Cases#

Div. A, Gray Div. B, Sidney Div. C, Bangor Div. D, Greenville Div. E, Ashland TOTAL

104

Fishing Moose Hunting Deer Hunting Turkey Hunting Bird Hunting Hunting, General Other

$1,000 Cases

62 76 26

19 12 9

2 46

177

Help Us Stop Maine s Fish 8 Wildlife Law Violators

These figures clearly show that the program continues to be an instrumental effort in our fight against poaching. For the program to function at its peak, however, all Maine residents-and visitors-must no longer tolerate the abuse of our wildlife resources. If you are aware of any violation, don't ignore it. Become involved-report it. We owe it to our wildlife resources, to all future generations, and to ourselves. You can call OGT at 1-800253-7887 from anywhere in Maine-and now, if you' re calling from a United States Cellular or Cellular One phone, just dial #GW. And thank you for your help, past and future! • Fall 1996

Maine Fish and Wildlife

CAJUPS OF ACADIA Your Host: Ji,n & Kathy Lynch

OUTDOOR ROSTER

Phone N o.: ( 207 ) 444-5 207 Box 202 • Eagle Lake, ME 04739

To arrange for your advertisement to appear in this listing, contact: V. Paul Reynolds, Editor, M1ine Fish and Wildlife Magazine 284 State St. , 41 State House ~ation • Augusta ME 04333-0041

• Vacations • Canoe Trips ~5:.?{ •

Fishing • Hunting

r--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~....-~~~~~~~~~~~~---Ti-el_e_p_h...,.one:y2r-O-l)_2_B_l_-_s2_4_B~~~~--~--~~~~~-+........................·-S-n_o_"' ...... rn-o_b_i_li-n-g...... •-l-c-e_F'_i_sh_•_·n_g......-1 DEER • BEAR • MOOSE HUNTS • GROUSE • FISHING SNOWMOBJUNG • CROSS COUNTRY SK.JING

Nugent's Chamberlain Lake Camps

RR 1 · BOX 1969 SM YRNA MILLS, MAINE 04780 CARROLL & DEANNA GEROW

.. . .. ,

(207)528 -2 124

.....

UMCOLCUS SPORTING CAMPS

DEER, BEAR AND MOOSE HUNTS

4 SEASON COZY WILDERNESS HIDEAWAY HOUSEKEEPING CAMPS FISHING - HUNTING • CANOEING SNOWMOBILING · CC SKIING - RELAXING

ED MUSSON GREAT POND, MAINE 04408 (207) 584-3541

s:t . ·~ ~

AL & AUDREY CURRIER OXBOW. MAINE 04 764 (207) 435-8227

HOUSEKEEPING CABINS AN D BOARD & LODGING 12 Mile s North of Patten on R 11 Hunting • Fishing • Vacationing Boat and Canoe Rentals Snowmobiling • Ice Fishing

,~i

Nicatous I9dgc 6 Camps SuJ.M~ lJII

(6jj,u •

Lot/1, "" 12 Miu '-1 N - , IM,

Re•ole - Relai,,g HUNTING. FISHING. SNOWMOBILING

VACATIONING FOR THE OUTOOORSMAN & FAMILY-. • HOUSEKEEPING & AMERICAN Pt.AN ' BOATS & MOTORS AVAILABLE Wrile: Pete & Christina Norris, Prop. Nicalous Lodge & Canps

"True Maine Wilderness"

Four Season Remote Cabins

On East Musquash Lake Washington County Maine

Don and Angel Hibbs P.O. Box 544 Millinocket, Maine 04462 207-746-7356

THE BIRCHES TOPSFIELD , ME 04490

Stan & Sue Milton Janne Provencher

FISHING

ROBERTSON ' S GUIDE SERVICE

Middledam Andover, Maine 04216

HUNTING, FISHING, RIVER TRIPS

CEDAR MILL GUIDE SERVICE RR 1 Box 4224 Athens , ME 04912 207 .654 .201 0

JOHN MACDONALD Master Guide

VACATIONING

FISHING

HUNTING

TEL (207) 435-6211

P.O. Box 40 Rt. #11

DEAN'S DEN Your Hosts Olive & Dean Paisley

ON THE UPPER SHIN

Registered Maine Guide Bear - Deer - Moose - Coyote

COMPLETE COMFORT CAMP

Phone : 207·+44-5379

Eagle Lake " ,voostook C

HAROLD 0 . SCHMIDT 207-528 - 2936

Maine Fish and Wildlife

R. R. 1. Box 260A 04765

PATTEN , MAINE

+~~ Camp Ren tal

Salmon And Trout

Portar1e, ME. 04 768

,.....~ ; .--~~,-~ ~ .~ t~ ~ ~ ..;.,\:'_

Cffu. '''1:),1/twood''

Fly F1 s h1ng On Rapid River

O(J,)~

F\Tunn.o - Bow - Bl&ck Powder

Relaxation

tiun1in&

~ Member

fubin& Brook Trout Lake Trout Salmon

Trophy Game Grouse Sea Ducks

11!,

Fishing

Hiking, Camping

KATAHDIN REGION WILDERNESS GUIDE SERVICE

(Ask about the unusual)

American Plan John F. Robertson Registered Maine Guide

KEN AND JOANNE CANNELL (207) 796-2822 1-800-498-2821 REGISTERED MAINE GUIDE

Hiking - Camping in Katahdin area Hunting - Fishing - Canoeing GUIDED SNOWSLED TRIPS Outdoor Studies and Skills

LAKEWOOD CAMPS, INC.

IIIKING

INDIAN ROCK CAMPS GRAND LAKE STREAM, MAINE OPEN YEAR ROUND

OR AMERICAN PLAN

CAMPING

WATERFOWL

Tom Chase 207-528-2967

Box 731 Patten, ME 04765

THE BIRCHES RESORT WILDERNESS EXPEDITIONS Log Cabin Resort JOHN WILLARD

President

ADVENTURES ·Here to cater to whatever outdoor experience you desire" 207-938-3662

667-4403

ICE FISHING SNOWMOBILING

HUNTING FISHING

HOUSEKEEPING

(207) 243-2959 Winter (207) 392-1581 (207) 486-3200

CANOEING

(207)

Hiking Wildlife Birdwatching Fishing Hunting Dog Sled Trips

CABINS

GUIDE: WAYNE MASON

GUIDE: ROBERT GRANT (207) 667 -2511

Nahmakanta Lake Camps

ij~~tggts

REGISTERED MAINE GUIDE GIL & SUE PENNEY TEL (207) 796-5517

Bultinglon, ME ~17 (207) 732-4771

HUNTING BIG GAME UPLAND

•

GREAT PoND LoDGE

BEAR MOUNTAIN LODGE

Todd A. Braley RR 3 Box 3750 Pittsfield, Maine 04967

Whitewater Rafting Canoeing Fishing XC Skiing Snowmobiling

On Moosehead Lake P.O . Box 81 Rockwood , ME 04478 Phone (800) 825-9453 (207) 53-4 -2242 Fax (207) 534-8835

E Mail · WWLD@ AO L.COM Web Site . httpl/www.webcom.com/birches/

Fall 1996

Lincoln teacher Peter Lucas (right) bagged this large bull in the early morning of opening day last October near Molunkus Lake. His hunting companions were guide Jeff Allen (center) and friend Bill Merritt (right).

Y:u

probably have heard the story before: an omen or premonition overcomes the innermost spirit of an individual, and then in reality comes to be. My first premonition of becoming a successful moose hunter began in the spring of 1995. I had read several rave reviews of the merits of shooting the newly released Model 70 with a BOSS system from Winchester, Arms Inc. I had never owned a 30-06 cal. rifle before but admired the performance it gave others. Since I had hunted for years with a 30-30, the idea of trading up to the new Winchester intrigued me to the point of a compulsion that only another hunter could appreciate. So, off I went, looking for the ever-illusive good deal. orman Moulton, owner of Moulton' s Gun Shop in Lincoln, Maine, is a scholar of firearms. A retired Maine game warden, orm was named "Warden of the Year" in 1982. In the game warden world, that award is the equivalent of winning an Oscar.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

His knowledge of firearms is substantial, and he has the experience and skill to service w hat he sells. Norm liked my choice. After ordering the new gun, I told him as I left the shop, "I'll need this gun come October to harvest a moose." He just laughed, of course, not fully aware of my internal involvement with fate. Each year at the beginning of June, winners of the Maine moose lottery are selected, and names of winners published in some of our local newspapers. On the morning of June 7th, I checked the lengthy alphabetic list in the morning paper, and sure enough, under the L' was my name! That afternoon, I returned to Moulton' s Gun Shop where Norm greeted me with his usual diminutive smile and said, "You called that one right on." Soon it was October 2 and at 4 a.m. every light in our cabin suddenly came to life, thus ending my fitful night of sleep. I jumped out of my sl eping bag, instinctively reaching for my

clothes, just as Jeff Allen, Registered Maine Master Guide and owner of Lake Molunkus Sporting Camps, bound through the door exclaiming "That generator starting up gets 'em every time!" My hunting partner, Bill Merritt, was also on his feet and getting dressed, fresh from his restful night of sleep, and soon, he had breakfast under way. Daylight would begin the 1995 Maine moose hunt. It was scheduled to run from Monday October 2, un til sunset on October 7th, allowing 1,400 hunters and their subpermittees the privilege of harvesting a bull, cow or yearling. Our choice was a bull with the nicest rack Jeff could find . Bill and I are two veteran high school teachers, and we both had Jeff as a student. ow he was going to work for us. After guiding many succe sful black bear hunts in the huge and largely uninhabited territory around his camp, Jeff had become very familiar with the haunts of several big bull moo e.

Maine Moose Hunt:

A Beal Good Premonition by Peter J. Lucas

Sunday, the evening before the big hunt, Bill and I had arrived at camp in mid-afternoon and Jeff graciously offered to take us on a mini scouting trip through the country we would hunt the next day. This was important, since we could see in good light the roads, old clear cuts, and fresh moose signs. In some places we saw well used runs and young trees thrashed flat to the ground where a bull had left little doubt that the area was his and competitors should look elsewhere for a mate! After a breakfast that included some fine venison from last fall's harvest, the three of us along with our gear piled into one pickup and headed out in the dark. The day opened with a light cloud cover, just enough to help obscure a bright rising sun, important because we should be facing southeast. Also there was a dew on the drought-parched earth, and no detectable wind was present. Little or no wind was most important because Guide Allen, using his own

natural voice, intended to imitate a cow in heat and call a trophy bull into our cross hairs. No doubt moose calling goes back in time as early as when the first Native American Indian discovered that it wo.rks! Guides in Canada, especially north of the Saint Lawrence River in Eastern Canada, regularly call. In Maine, this method is not widely used due to a unique network of paper company roads that intersect moose ranges and run through the vast forest, allowing hunters plenty of opportunities to eventually see a moose to bag. It should be noted that Maine law forbids a loaded rifle in a motor vehicle. In any event, we intended to avoid the drudgery and guesswork and save gasoline by hunting the "old-fashioned way." The truck entered the grassy abandoned logging road heading north. After two miles of bump and grind, we parked Peter Lucas, a retired school teacher, lives in Lincoln, Maine.

where the once single'lane road split to the left and to the right. This was moose central! To the left of our parking spot, the old road was level and full of waist high dead grass, and to our right the road, less grassy by far, sloped gradually downhill for a half mile or so and was lined on each side with five to eight foot high slash piles left over from old logging operations. We chose to go left first, only a few hundred feet, and saw good signs. There were saplings down all over the place and bedding signs in the tall grass. Jeff let his cow call mournfully drift over the still air; then a few more calls, but no luck. His instincts told him now to leave this road and take the right-hand fork and go down between the slash piles. We moved slowly, Jeff calling as we stopped and listened for a response, moved again, stopped and listened, called and moved. After a couple of hundred yards, Jeff climbed atop a slash pile and called again; this time the big guy Fa/11996

answered back. If you listened hard, there was no doubt in identifying the low grunt emanating out of the new growth poplars. Jeff's instincts again grabbed him. He silently signaled that we need to move more down that road to take better advantage of what little wind drift there was. So, move we did. Jeff again climbed another slash pile, called some more and our moose responded! Bill and I were directed to squat low near the end of the slash pile. Jeff called again; the moose answered. Now for the

golden-hued leaves appeared a massive rack! Jeff may have called again, but the moose was definitely moving our way, and we were still crouched down. As the impressive antlers suddenly became visible and the big bull got to within 30 yards,

coup-de-grace. Included in our gear was a very necessary two-gallon bottle of the camp's finest H 20. While Jeff remained atop the slash pile, I opened the water jug and, lifting it head level, poured a couple of quarts on the gravel under my feet. For the information of you non-moose callers, a cow urinates before mating. As the bull's grunting got closer and closer, Bill and I calmly watched, listened and waited. Suddenly through the

Mnine Fish nnd Wildlife

Artwork by Carol Kutz, Shadowplay

our guide hollered, "Kill him! Kill him now!" Bill and I stood up and responded immediately by firing three well-placed 3006, 180 grain bullets. The moose went down in a heap. Time, 6:45 a.m. Incredible! His live weight estimated well over 1,000 pounds, yielded some 515 pounds of delicious meat. His two double-shovel antlers were

authenticated by Maine Inland Fish and Wildlife to have a 53 3 I 4 inch spread and 23 total points! The spread, while short of a record, was more than made up for en masse. It scored a total of 167 3/8, but needed a 170 to become eligible as a trophy in the Maine Antler and Skull Club. As you can see, my 1995 moose hunt was most memorable. If you're looking for the hunt of a lifetime, I suggest you get in the moose lottery next spring. Applicants can get the proper forms from Maine Fish and Wildlife beginning each January and return them to Augusta by April 30, in time for the drawing the first week of June. This lottery costs residents $5 to enter and nonresidents are charged $10. If you are lucky enough to win in the drawing, it will cost you $28 more as a resident or $203 as a nonresidents to secure a license. Finally, moose hunters of the past and in the future should encourage and promote moose calling as the way to go. Good luck in the lottery, and if your premonition comes to pass like mine did, good hunting! â&#x20AC;˘

THE COPPER KILLER rom the Fly Tying Bench

An Atlantic salmon fly by Butch Carey THE PATTERN

HOOK: #36890, size 2/0 THREAD: White monocord TAG: Flat copper tinsel TIP: Green floss TAIL: Golden pheasant tippet feathers

BUTT: Fine fluorescent red chenille RIBBING: Fine copper wire BODY: Flat copper Mylar WINGS: Red squirrel tail-natural, not dyed EYES: Jungle cock (optional) HEAD: Red nylon (heavier than monocord)

[!] Tie in gholden pheasant tippets for the tail, extending to rear of hook. Tie in butt of fine orange chenille just ahead of tip. Tie, cement.

Attach tag of flat copper tinsel just ahead of bend of hook, over the barb. Wind in green floss tip just ahead of the tag.

Attach ribbing just in front of butt. Move thread up front in close turns and attach flat copper Mylar for the body.

Fa/11996

Wind the body material from front to back, then return to just behind eye and tie off. Wind ribbing forward in five or six evenly spaced turns ; tie off behind eye. Cement.

Add small bunch of red squirrel tail just behind eye to form wing. Wing should extend to rear of tail. Tie; cement. (Note: jungle cock eyes are optional, would be added at this point.)

Wind and tie in orange saddle hackle just behind head , collar style and pulled back. Tie off, trim , and cement.

Tie on red nylon thread just behind eye and wrap to form head. Tie off, trim , cementand your Copper Killer is complete!

Mame Fish and W1/d/ife

BIGGEST BUCKS IN MAINE, 1995 Name Joseph E. Breton Danie l LeC lair Alan Duffy Kirby Olson Robert Bronson Jim Chadwick Keith Burgess Kenneth Morris Steve Pelletier John R. McCabe Steve Wagg Caroline Woodman Reginald Dorr Joyce Coursey Tomas Petraska Lynn Mivi lle Robert Sawyer Andrew Kinash Jr. George M. Doody Todd Fu ll erton Deane Chamberlain Robert Benson Edward Gardoski Aaron Celley Leroy Moore Danny Shore Richard Pelletier Scott Plummer Martin Savage Eric St. Pierre Keith Doyon Yvon A. Morin Martin Cook David Lind Gerald Schofield Harvey K. Downs Gerald Fratrik James LeBlanc Janis Hanington Ronald Beedy Parker Savage Lawrence Little Joseph Robson Dennis Cyr Jason Gervais Michael Jacobs Rod Mills Matt Nicely Jim O ' Neill Philip Tallman Cecil Willett

Address Casco Barre VT Waterbury VT Arlington VT Rock Island Can Waterbury VT Litchfie ld Turner St. Francis Princeton Char leston Skowhegan Proctor VT Rumney NH Andover VT St. Pamphile Ash land Car l NY Caribou Ca lais Jackman Tannersv lle PA Kings ley PA Cabot Vt Coventry RI Albion Standish New Gloucester Temple Manchester Mexico N. Waterford Dexter Caribou Freeport Rochester VT New Hope PA Newport Ctr VT Weston/Orient Livermore Stratton Spencer MA Yarmouth Fort Kent Gray Derby Essex Jct. VT Gorham Stratton Eden Mills VT Howland

Date Killed 11/18/96 11/03/95 11/06/95 11/03/95 11/23/95 11/06/95 10/31/95 11/21/95 11/08/95 11/15/96 10/30/95 11/11/95 10/31/95 11/23/95 11/06/95 11/01/95 11/04/95 11/14/95 11/23/95 11/23/95 10/28/95 11/21/95 11/17/95 11/20/95 11/11/95 11/10/95 11/10/95 11/14/95 11/14/95 11/20/95 11/16/95 11/23/95 10/28/95 10/28/95 11/08/95 11/17/95 11/18/95 1/07/95 11/11/95 11/10/95 10/30/95 11/03/95 11/04/95 10/31/95 11/11/95 11/24/95 11/09/95 10/14/95 10/30/95 11/06/95 11/19/95

Where Killed

Firearm

.308 Kokadjo .30-30 Win. Holeb Twp. .30-06 Seboomook .30-06 W. Middlesex .30 -06 Seboomook Twp. .306 T5R17 .30-06 Litchfield .30-06 Hartford .35 Rem. T18R10 .30-06 Elsmore Landing .30-06 Charleston 12 gauge St. Albans T13R5 .35 T11R9 .30 -30 T5R18 .30-06 T14R14 .30-06 T11R5 .357 Lynchtown Twp. .30-06 Caribou .30-06 Robbinston 12 gauge Sandy Bay 30-06 Eustis .30-06 TlORlO .30-06 .30-06 T6R13 WELS .30-06 T3R4 BKPWKR .308 Albion 12 gauge , Eustis .280 Rem. T4R17 .30-30 Win. Wilton .308 Browning Allagash .308 TlO-RlO .30-30 N.Waterford .30-30 Garland 12 gauge Perham .30-06 Coplin Pit. .270 Rockwood Manor .308 Savage E. Kennabago .30-06 Oxbow TWP .7mm 08 Bancroft .244 Rem. Rangeley PL T .308 Tim Pond .308 Sherman .308 T4R18WELS .30-06 Fort Kent .308 Flagstaff .308 Win. Shirley .30-06 Portage Bow Buxton .308 Kibby Twp. .308 T3R5 .308 LaGrange

Dressed Live Weight Weight 286 282 270 268 263 261 260 260 260 255 255 254 253 250 250 250 250 250 250 248 248 247 247 247 247 246 246 245 245 245 245 244 243 243 243 243 243 243 242 242 242 242 242 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 240

343 338 324 322 316 313 312 312 312 306 306 305 304 300 300 300 300 300 300 298 298 296 296 296 296 295 295 294 294 294 294 293 292 292 292 292 292 292 290 290 290 290 290 288 288 288 288 288 288 288 288

â&#x20AC;˘

This list contains the top 51 of the 668 entries into the Biggest Bucks in Maine Club for 1995. Membership requires a 200-pound deer (dressed weight, without heart and liver); $3 application fee . The club is maintained by The Maine Sportsman, P. 0. Box 910 , Yarmouth ME 04096-0910. Live weight (estimates)= dressed weight+ 20 percent. /

Fall 1996

Give A Sporting Chance ... AND preserve landowner relations! A Maine Supersport license is the perfect gift for those special people in your life who enjoy hunting and fishing. And for the first time, the Supersport is available to anglers as well as hunters. Most outdoor recreation in Maine depends on access to privately owned land. This key to our outdoor heritage must be preserved by maintaining relationships between those who own the land and those who use it. Your Supersport contribution will help support landowner relations programs to ensure a future of sporting recreation.

Supersports receive a colorful decal-and a one-year subscription to MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine. The first 5,000 Supersport buyers will also receive a copy of the Department watchable wildlife guide. Ask about Supersport when you buy your license. Maine residents can buy one wherever licenses are sold, including many sporting outlets across the state. Nonresident hunters and anglers may obtain a Supersport license at these outlets as well, or through the mail from:

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 284 State Street, 41 State House Station Augusta ME 04333 You can even buy a Supersport add-on for someone else 's license- a perfect gift for someone who 's already purchased a sporting license. Ask for details .

Sportsmen and landowners have a futurewhy not invest in it? 24

Mni11e Fish nnd Wildlife

Maine's Record Game Whitetail Buck (firearms) Whitetail Buck (bow) (firearms) Whitetail Whitetail Doe (bow) Whitetail Doe :antlered) ) Black Bear( Bia

Bear~) Black Bear (sow)

MoOle

Turkey

355 lbs. dressed 259 lbs. dressed 188 lbs. dressed 160 lbs. dressed 210 lbs. (8 points) 680 lbs. live weight 501 lbs. dressed 306 lbs. dressed 1,330 lbs. dressed 23 lbs. dressed

Horace Hinckley Augusta

Darryl Flagg, Jefferson Jason Richardson, Harrison Dean Weeks, SL Albans

Jack Cross, Bethel lichard Moore, Allentown, PA Shippee, Ridmd J Sprague, Aubum Willard &t Sterling Watennan, ew R<mald A Emmons, Rich1nond

1955, Concord 1988, Waldoboro 1995, Harrison 1990, Corinna 1980, Bethel 1993, Patten 1990, Strong 1987, Canton 1982, Masardis 1996, Morrill

Supersport's Pledge Hunters who are licensed Supersports give a little extra to help all of us protect access to hunting lands. Supersports who also take this pledge and insist that their fellow hunters do likewise can help create a brighter future for the sport. Responsible hunting provides unique challenges and rewards. However, the future of the sport depends on each hunter's behavior and ethics. Therefore, as a hunter and Supersport, I pledge to:

• • • • •

Respect the environment and wildlife Show consideration for nonhunters Hunt safely Know and obey the law Support wildlife and habitat conservation • Pass on an ethical hunting tradition • Strive to improve my outdoor skills and understanding of wildlife • Hunt only with ethical hunters

We can talk all we want about the fact that poachers and slobs aren't "hunters, " but the fact remains that to the general public, those folks and hunters like us are one and the same. In other words, to the non-hunting public, the difference between honest, ethical hunters and the slobs is merely a matter of degree. Denis Elliot, Hunters, We have a problem.

By following these principles of conduct each time I go afield, I give my best to the sport, the public, the environment and myself. The responsibility of hunting ethically is mine; the future of hunting depends on me. Fall 1996

1996 MAINE HUNTING SEASONS (Not a legal presentation. See hunting law booklet for full details.) FIRST DAY

LAST DAY

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

Nov. 4

Nov. 30

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

Nov. 2

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

Oct. 3

Nov. 1

Muzzleloader* .... .... .. ... ... ..... ....... ...................... .. .......... .

Dec.2 Dec. 2

Dec. 7 Dec. 14

BEAR** General hunting seasons ...... ... ....... .. ... .. ...... ............ .. .. .

Aug.26

Nov. 30

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

Sept. 9

Nov. 1

••• Hunting with bait ...... ....... .. .. ... ... .. ... ........... .............. .

Aug.26

Sept. 21

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

Oct. 7

DEER

DAILY

BASIC LIMITS POSSESSION

ONE DEER PER YEAR regardless of season or method. Only deer with antlers at least three inches long may be taken from Nov. 2 - Dec . 7, 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 PER YEAR

f--

Oct. 12

Permit application period: nid-Jan. to Apr. 30

RUFFED GROUSE & (Wildlife Management Units 1 & 2) ........... . BOBWHITE QUAIL (Wildlife Management Units 3 - 8) ............ .

Oct. 1 Oct. 1

PHEASANT (Wildlife Management Units 1 & 2) ............... ... ... .. ... . (Wildlife Management Units 3 - 8) ........................... .

Oct. 1 Oct. 1

Nov. 30 Dec. 10

4 4

8 8

Nov. 30 Dec. 10

2 2

4 4

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

---

May 1

May31

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

•woODCOCK .. .. .. .. ...... .... ... ..... .................... ....... ... ...... ....... .. .... .

Oct. 1

Nov. 14

•coMMON SNIPE .. ... .... .. ... ........... ... .. .... ......... ............... ... ........ .

Sept. 2

Dec. 16

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

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

•SORA & VIRGINIA RAILS (and GALLINULES) ..................... .

Sept. 2

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

Mar. 14 July 16

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

Oct. 1

RABBIT(cottontail) and HARE (snowshoe) •••• .. .. ... ... .. .. .... ... ... .. .

Nov. 9

Nov. 30

Oct. 1

Mar. 31

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

Dec. 1

Jan . 31

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

Oct. 28

Feb . 28

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

Oct. 1

Dec. 31

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

Oct. 28

Dec. 31

Apr. 30 Sept. 28

25 (30)

25 (15)

---

COYOTE, WOODCHUCK, PORCUPINE, RED SQUIRREL ..... .. .

NO CLOSED SEASON FOR HUNTING ---

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

NO OPEN SEASON FOR HUNTING

•seasons are subject to change, the regulations will be available mid-September. *Muzzleloader: Dec. 2 - Dec. 14 in Deer Management Districts 7, 8, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, and 18; Dec. 2 - Dec. 7 statewide in all districts. **Bear permit required (resident, $6; nonresident, $16) in addition to hunting license between Aug. 26 and Nov. 1. See law book for other recent changes. ***Applies to so-called "set-bait" hunting from stand , blind, etc. overlooking bait or food ; does not apply to hunting over standing crops, food left from normal agricultural operations, or from natural occurrence, which may be done at any time during the bear hunting season. ****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 H.O . clothing must be worn while hunting with a firearm during any firearms season on deer. See law book for 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 to 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.

THE MARKETPLACE t 940s Posters The original silk-screened versions of these posters measure about 22 by 28 inches. Screened sometime in the mid- l 940s, they were designed to promote conservation efforts. (Editor's note: The series stands at these four, that we know about-if you know of more, let us ~ know!) These handsome 14" by 18" (about half-size) full-color reprints of the originals convey their messages loud and clear-just like their larger ancestors did! The reprints are on sturdy coated poster stock, and are shipped flat and reinforced to avoid damage.

To order, send check or money order to: POSTERS! Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 284 State Street, Station #41 Augusta ME 04333 Be sure to specify which poster( s) you want and/or the quantity of each. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

1ud\nS each, \nC ~ band\\nS sb\p\l\nS M.alne res\de~) ~dd 60/o saies

Watchable Wildlife Guide Available! This new-in-1994 pocket guide contains more than two dozen full-color wildlife photographs and descriptions of 62 great places in Maine to go in search of that ever-remembered glimpse of wildlife in its natural setting. Most of the sites are on publiclyowned land, but all are open for careful public use. The book is organized by To order, send check or money order geographic regions and describes for $4.95 + $ I postage (payable to each site in detail - how to get Maine f1sh and Wildlife) to: there, the species you might WATCHABLE WILDLIFE expect to see, details on the 284 State St., Station 41 availability of restrooms, parking, Augusta, ME 04333 and other facilities, and much (Maine residents add 6% sales tax more, including information on on $4.95) access for persons with disabilities.

1--------------

Fa/11996

RECIPE OVEN-BARBECUED VENISON Plenty of barbecue sauce and long , slow baking make this venison especially tender! 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/3 cup double-strength beef broth (add 2 beef bullion cubes to 1 can beef broth) 2 cups of hot water 1/3 cup prepared yellow mustard 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons liquid smoke 3/4 cup tomato paste 3 tablespoons ground pure New Mexico hot red chile 3 medium pickled jalapeno chiles , finely minced 1/2 teaspoon pequin quebrado (or cayenne pepper) 1 clove garlic, minced 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 pounds venison round steak 1 medium onion , thinly sliced & separated into rings

To prepare barbecue sauce, combine sugars, broth, and hot water in a saucepan. Simmer until sugars are dissolved, then add mustard , vinegar, liquid smoke, tomato paste, ground chile, jalapenos, pequin, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered , at least 30 minutes, adding salt to taste . Combine flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Preheat oven to 325Â°. Heat oil in large, deep pot over high heat. Dredge venison in flour mixture ; add to hot oil and cook until browned on both sides. Spoon off excess fat. Drizzle about one fourth of sauce over meat; arrange half the onion rings on top . Cover and bake 30 minutes; then turn , drizzle with some of the remain ing sauce, and top with onion rings . Cover and continue to bake 1 1/2 hours longer, or until meat is very tender when pierced . Keep remaining sauce simmering while venison is baking ; pass at table to serve over meat. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Don Taylor Belgrade, Maine

Want to see your favorite fish and game recipe in our Recipe Corner? Just send it in, along with a little background, to: THE RECIPE CORNER Attn: Charlie Mann 284 State Street, 41 State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333

Ma me Fish and Wildlife

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS Record Set In Turkey Season Maine's 1996 turkey hunting season, which took place during the month of May, wound up setting a number of records. Preliminary results indicate a record number of 288 male birds taken. Also, a record number of 1,250 hunters tagged some birds weighing in excess of 22 pounds. This is the first year in Maine that wild turkey hunting has been opened in a northern zone. Traditionally, turkey hunting had been limited to southern coastal Maine. However, comparatively mild winters and healthy turkey populations have contributed to an eastward expansion of these colorful, wary game birds. So this year, turkey hunters could pursue male turkeys as far east as the Penobscot River. According to wildlife biologist Brad Allen, the turkey harvest was well distributed over the two hunting zones with 139 birds taken from the southern zone and 149 from the newly expanded northern zone. Some of the largest birds taken in the northern zone were registered in Brooks, Morrill and Unity. Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen said he was "very pleased" with reports from the Maine Warden Service that this year's hunt remained accident-free and that relations between hunters and landowners appeared to be topnotch. Next year's turkey season will again run during the month of May and will be open to residents and nonresidents who obtain hunting permits by participation in a permit drawing. Applications will be available in late December.

Black Bear D isplay Opens At Gray Game Farm Maine's new Black Bear Exhibit-the only one of its kind in New Englandwas officially opened to the public June 28 during a dedication ceremony at the Game Farm and Visitors Center in Gray. Senate President Jeffrey Butland, Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Ray Owen, and State Representative Burchard Dunn of Gray spoke during the dedication ceremony. The black bear exhibit, which has been in planning and construction stages for two years, will eventually house two adu lt bears and two yearling cubs. The

Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen (left) talks with Portland artist Tony Taylor following the opening ceremony for the new Black Bear Exhibit at the Gray Game Farm and Visitor's Center. Taylor created the interpretive sign for the exhibit, which explains the history, habitat and management of Maine 's black bear population. exhibit is comprised of a 10,000 square foot area with natural habitat, rock boulders, a swimming pool, climbing trees and a large den and feeding building. A large color mural by Portland artist Tony Taylor will interpret black bears and their management in Maine. A number of people who contributed funding for the project, including individuals, schools and corporations, were on hand for the morning ceremony. South Paris resident Paula Kurtz, irutiator of the project and first donor, spoke briefly and thanked all who participated. Commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen in his remarks recognized the many volunteers from the Friends of the Game Farm who worked tirelessly to fund raise for this $75,000 project. Smokey the Bear, from the Maine Forest Service, and K.C., the mascot of television station FOX -51, also made special appearances. Among others who lent a hand in the black bear project were welding students from Waldo County Vocational Technical School in Belfast who fabricated a special aluminum cage for transporting the bears. The cage needed to be fairly light-weight, but strong enough to hold a 200 pound, somewhat agitated black bear! The cage is used to move the exhibit bears around at the Game Farm and Visitors Center, and for bears brought

there for rehabilitation and eventual release back into the wild. The Game Farm and Visitors Center, which attracts about 60,000 visitors annually, is located on Route 26, 3.5 miles north of Gray Village. The facility is operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and is a wildlife and conservation education park, with a number of native wildlife species on exhibit. The park is open daily from May through September 10:00am to 4:00pm, and admission is $2.50 for ages 13 and up; $1.50 ages 5-12; 4 and under free; seruor citizens $2.00; and group rates 15 or more $1.00 per person.

Gulliver Named Media Relations Coordinator Jon Gulliver, assistant media relations coordinator for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, has been named media relations coordinator, effective July 8. Gulliver's new appointment was made by V. Paul Reynolds, Director of Information & Education for Fish and Wildlife. Reynolds has been acting as media relations coordinator and spokesman for the Maine Warden Service since the retirement of Paul Fournier in January of 1995. Gulliver, who has been with Fish and Wildlife since June of 1995, has 8 years of media experience having served as news

Fall 1996

anchorman for WAGM-TV in Presque Isle , as well as news reporter for the Presque Isle Star Herald. The 28-year-old Houlton native, who also serves as videographer for Fish and Wildlife, will now handle the majority of media queries and work with Reynolds in preparation of news releases.

"Perfect Merger" Takes Place A noontime ceremony and "signing" at the Maine Forest Service complex July 31 officially launched a combining of supply services among three separate state agencies. The commissioners of the state's three natural resource agencies Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of Marine Resources and the Department of Conservation - had been working with their staffs during the past year to consolidate the buying and issuing of uniforrms and equipment for more than 400 conservation law enforcement personnel and field biologists. Gov. Angus King's chief executive officer, Chuck Hewitt, told a gathering of state employees at the ceremony that the merger had "broken new ground in Maine state government" and was 'the embodiment of what is good in state government. Hewitt added that the merger would be "a model of constructive collaboration that can work in others areas. Conservation Commissioner Ron Lovaglio told ceremony participants that this accomplishment, which started "from the ground up," was the "most exciting change he had seen " since taking over as head of Conservation. IF&W's administrative officer, Rick Record, said that the change would result in substantial efficiencies through volume purchasing and reduced staff-

Wildlife biologist Chuck Hulsey managed to get this photograph of a track of what witnesses reported as a mountain lion sighting near Grafton Notch State Park in Western Maine. Hulsey said that the track measured 5 to 6 inches in diameter. ing. Record said that "significant savings" would result.

Track Found After Reported Cougar Sighting Wildlife biologist Chuck Hulsey, who investigated a reported cougar sighting near Grafton Notch State Park on July 9, was able to find and photograph three tracks that he says "look very similar in size and shape to mountain lion tracks" that he has seen in the snow in Idaho. Hulsey's sighting report indicates that Glenn Muse, a licensed pilot and surveyor from Warwick, New York, along with his wife, witnessed a large catlike critter cross the road in front of their vehicle. Muse said that the animal, which he and his wife estimated to weigh about 100 pounds and with a large tail, "walked out of the woods and across the road a they approached,

looked at them and then bounded into the woods." The sighting took place about 8 in the evening. Hulsey found three tracks in the hard-packed gravel shoulder of the road near Bethel. Although the tracks lacked detail, they were 5 to 6 inches wide and consistent with a large cat track. Too large for either bobcat or lynx, according to Hulsey, the tracks appeared to have been made by a heavy animal . Hulsey said that the depth of the track indentations were comparable to those of nearby tracks made by a medium size moose. Hulsey said, however, that insufficient track detail make it impossible to confirm the track as that of a cougar. Other possible sources of the track include black bear or a large member of the dog family. He noted, too, that the rocky, rough terrain in the Grafton

â&#x20AC;˘ HUNTING . FISHING â&#x20AC;˘ ICE FISHING , CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Located in Allagash Wilderness Region north of Baxter State Park. Full service lodge, seven log cabins on Haymock, Spider, and Cliff Lake (T8R11 , T9R11 , T9R12) . American Plan or Housekeeping . Indoor plumbing available.

~, SP~k1TN~

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Rou ND

0. Box BFG, PATTEN ME 04765 207-528-2855 (LET IT RING!)

(MAILING ADDRESS ONLY) P.

CAMP ASSOCIATION

OPEN YEAR

Notch area, as well as some nearby deer wintering areas, would make for ideal cougar conditions.

Warden's Dog Wins Award A German Shepherd scent dog that works for the Maine Warden Service has received national recognition for its part in a missing -person rescue. The United States Police Canine Association has presented the Richard Kennedy Award to "Miranda," a 4 year-old German Shepherd owned and trained by Maine Game Warden Robert 'Wade" Carter. On April 19, 1996, game wardens Tom Jacobs and Wade Carter were ca lled in to locate a Chesterville woman who never returned from a suppertime stroll in the woods. Miranda, which is one of three certified scent dogs used by the Maine Warden Service, located the missing woman about four hours after she was discovered missing. Although found unconscious and suffering from extreme hypothermia, the rescued woman fully recovered. The award was presented during a ceremony in New Hampshire in June

Outlook for Bird Hunting Season Mixed Biologists with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife are predicting another good grouse season, but woodcock numbers appear to be way down. Although no da ta exists on recent harvests except by moose hunters, Brad Allen, a biologist with the department's bird group, says hunters report grouse in good numbers in recent years, with a banner crop occurring in the commercial

Game Warden Robert Wade Carter and Miranda. forests last fall. Reports from field personnel this past June suggests that despite Maine's "unsettled" weather this spring and summer, a good number of partridge broods have been observed. Allen says data from the early 1980's showed that an estimated 100thousand hunters harvest over 500thousand grouse annually. "The ruffed grouse, or partridge, is cot,sidered by many, the number one game bird in Maine," according to Allen. More recent

surveys reveal about half of all licensed hunters in Maine hunted grouse and/or woodcock. While the news is encouraging for grouse, data suggests the opposite for woodcock. Allen says woodcock populations appear to be at or near an all time low. Researchers in the east report that conditions on the wintering grounds for this diminutive bird this winter were harsh and many birds succumbed to predation and starvation. In addition, Birds migrated to Maine this spring a little later than normal. This may have been due to the cold wet weather and frequent snowstorms they experienced while on their migration northward. Allen says April conditions were no joy to woodcock either, as many days were snowy, wet and cold. The number of male woodcock surveyed this past spring in Maine was down 31 percent from last year, further suggesting that wintering conditions took a toll on woodcock. Therefore, it appears the number of Maine's adult woodcock population is way below average. These reduced numbers can to some extent be replenished with a banner production year. But, the bad news continues. "Unfortunately, this past May, the month when the weather that potentially adversely affects newly hatched woodcock is important, was very wet and cold," Allen adds, " if we were lucky the timing of the hatch was delayed this year, towards middle or late

The new Information Center for the Department of Fish and Wildlife began serving customers the first of July. The center, which is staffed by Becky Orff (left), Wendy Bolduc (center), and Jenny Dalbeck (right), will service telephone customers and walk-in customers, as well as written inquiries and request for publications. The main telephone numbers for the Department in Augusta are still 207-287-8000 and 287-8002. The automated season update number, which is accessible 24 hours a day, is 207-287-8003. Fa /1 1996

May because early May weather conditions would not have been favorable to young birds."

IF&W in Cyberspace The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is now connected to the Internet with its own home page. IF&W's new cyberspace address is http:/ /www.state.me.us/ifw/homepage.htm. Internet browsers may access a total of 13 sites that include information on fishing,hunting, department press releases, fishing and hunting regulations, conservation education programs, wildllife management areas, telephone information and other related activities. Included on the IF&W home page is a "hyperlink" list of other outdoor home pages that provide information about Maine outdoor recreation.

Lt. Ross Heads N ew

Safety Office Warden Lt. Jim Ross has been selected to head up the newly created Recrea tion Safety Office. This new office will be responsible for a variety of programs, including whitewater rafting, guides testing and license revocations, coordination of all Department volunteers, all mandatory safety programs and coordination of the Landowner/ Relations and Operation Game Thief program. According to Warden Major Dan Tourtelotte, Lt. Ross made a lateral transfer into the new position, vacating his position as Division B Lieutenant. Jim's

office will be located in the department's Federal Street building. Ross began his new duties in July. Charlie Mann will continue to work as the part time volunteer coordinator and will be moving to Federal Street in the near future. Gary Anderson and Brenda Chapman will continue their work coordinating the hunting, boating, snowmobiling, and ATV safety programs. Dave Peppard will continue his effort in running the Operation Game Thief/ Landowner Relations program. Tourtelotte said that this new unit will be very active in promoting a number of special programs that directly impact the future of outdoor recreation.

From 1979 to 1984, Jackubas served with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a wildlife and fisheries technician in Soldotna, Alaska. In his spare time, Jakubas enjoys cross-country skiing, whitewater canoeing and fly-fishing.

FOLDS TO 4• FLAT!

The Perfect RV Boat! Makes Inflatables "OBSOLETE"

Mammal Group Leader Named Wildlife Biologist Walter Joe Jakubas, a 41-year-old Indiana native, has been named Mammal Group Leader for Maine Fish and Wildlife. The appointment was made recently by IF&W's Wildlife Director Ken Elowe. Jakubas will direct a staff of wildlife biologists at the Bangor Resource Assessment Section. A graduate of Purdue University, Jakubas received a doctorate in wildlife conservation from the University of Minnesota. An assistant professor of wildlife biology at Southern Illinois University, Jakubas concentrated his research on plant-animal interactions. He did post-doctoral work with the Environmental Toxicology Center at the University of Wisconsin and the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.

Folding PORTA·BOTE~

8' · 10' • 12' LENGTHS

• Over 20 Years In Production • Time Proven Safety Hinge • Fits On Side Or Top Of Your RV • Ends Towing Forever • Exclusive 10 Year Hull Warranty New Squareback Series Introductory Discounts On All Models Call or Write CARLTON PORTA-BOTE RR2 BOX 1300 W ISCASSET, ME 04578 207-882-7749

1996 State of Maine Migratory Waterfowl Hunting Print & Stamp 500 LIMITED EDITION

BLUE WING TEAL by:

Paul D. Fillion Durham, Maine

PRICE: (unframed) l l" x 14" print and tamp

$40.00

(framed) 15" x 16 l/2" print and stamp

130.00

Shipping & handling

$4.50

HOW TO ORDER: Include name and address, selection of framed or unframed, add 6% sales tax to cost, add shipping & handling. Enclose check or money order made out to Guylaine Fillion, and mail toGuylaine Fillion, 57 Country Lane, Durham, ME 04222. Or call 207-353-5146. All pieces are shipped UPS.

Artist Paul Fillion has generously volunteered to earmark part of the profits from the sale of the prints to support the waterfowl programs.

Mame Fish and Wildlife

LCJtn.ives '1oto files of the me Department

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

Place Sta.mp Here

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

1ntain climbing as part of p in Baxter State Park in ,ft to right, are Warden en Arnold Beleckis. Of :U an active game warden.

May because early May weather cond tions would not have been favorable t young birds."

IF&W in Cyberspace The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is now connect! to the Internet with its own home pag IF&W's new cyberspace address is ht! / www.state.me.us / ifw / homepage.ht Internet browsers may access a toh of 13 sites that include information on fishing,hunting, department press releases, fishing and hunting regulation conservation education programs, wildliife management areas, telephon information and other related activitiE Included on the IF&W home page "hyperlink" list of other outdoor horn pages that provide information about Maine outdoor recreation.

Lt. Ross Heads New

Safety Office Warden Lt. Jim Ross has been selec to head up the newly created Recreati Safety Office. This new office will be responsible a variety of programs, including whitewater rafting, guides testing anc license revocations, coordination of al Department volunteers, all mandator~ safety programs and coordination oft Landowner/ Relations and Operation Game Thief program. According to Warden Major Dan Tourtelotte, Lt. Ross made a lateral trc fer into the new position, vacating his position as Division B Lieutenant. Jim

AINE

J9638

FISH AND WILDLIFE A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

SPECIAL HALF-PB.ICE OFFER! D 1 year only $9 D Payment enclosed

D 2 years only $15 D Please bill me later

Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

OB FASTER SERVICE, CALL TOLlrFB.EE 1-800-288-8387

~===~===~=====================~

AINE

J9638

FISH AND WILDLIFE A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

SPECIAL HALF-PRICE OFFER! D 1 year only $9 D Payment enclosed

D 2years only$15 D Please bill me later

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

FOB FASTER SERVICE, CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-288-8387

AINE

J9638

FISH AND WILDLIFE A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

SPECIAL HALF-PRICE OFFER! D 1 year only $9 D Payment enclosed

Artist Paul Fillion has generously vol

D a years only $15 D Please bill me later

City/State/Zip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

FOB FASTER SERVICE, CALL TOLL-FBEE 1-800-288-8387 32

Maine Fish and Wildlife

lFrom tllte Arclltives A look back into the photo files of the ,......_~~~~- Maine Fish and Game Department

In the mid-1960s, the Maine Warden Service Dive Team learned mountain climbing as part of its search and rescue training. This photograph was taken at a camp in Baxter State Park in the early spring of 1964 during a training exercise. Pictured, from left to right, are Warden Don Gray, Warden Glen Speed, instructor Gardner Perry, and Warden Arnold Beleckis. Of those who took part in that exercise, Gray is the only one who is still an active game warden.

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife • 284 State Street • Augusta ME 04333

"Wintering whitetails near Brownville." Photo by Charles Lloyd of Brownville Junction