Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Summer 2001 by Maine State Library

Maine State Library

Maine State Documents Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

6-1-2001

Maine Fish and Game Magazine, Summer 2001 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalmaine.com/ifw_magazine Recommended Citation Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, "Maine Fish and Game Magazine, Summer 2001" (2001). Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine. Book 97. http://digitalmaine.com/ifw_magazine/97

This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at Maine State Documents. It has been accepted for inclusion in Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine by an authorized administrator of Maine State Documents. For more information, please contact statedocs@maine.gov.

CT O3 2002

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Governor Angus S. King, Jr. Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Lee E. Perry, Commissioner Frederick B. Hurley, Jr., Deputy Commissioner Kenneth H. Elowe, Director, Bureau of Resource Management Richard Record, Director, Bureau of Administrative Services Tim Peabody, Colonel, Bureau of Warden Service Andrea Erskine Assistant to the Commissioner

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Features Editorial

Comm. Lee Perry

The Department moves fo rward on improv ing wildlife habitat.

MAINE F& W Magazine 5

Don Kleiner

Time has brought signifi cant change to the Department 's magazine. Advisory Council Harold Brown, Bangor, Chairman Matt Libby, Ashland , Vice Chairman Robert Savage, Limington Sally Dyer, New Gloucester David A. Wardwell , Penobscot Ray Poulin , Ripley Tenley Meara, Topsham Don Palmer, Rangeley Ken Bailey, Camden Lance Wheaton , Forest City Don Kleiner, Editor (ISSN 0360-005X) MAINE Fish and Wildlife is published quarterly by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife , 284 State St., Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04333, under appropriation 010-09A-0529. Subscription rate is $9.95 per year. Permission to reprint text material is granted, provided proper credit is given to the author and to the Department. Clearance must be obtained from artists, photographers and non-staff authors to reproduce credited work. © Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 2001. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send both old and new addresses to P.O. Box 1457, Yarmouth, Maine 04096. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to MAINE Fish and Wildlife , P.O. Box 1457, Yarmouth, Maine 04096. QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Call 1-800-276-0883 Out of state call 207-846-9501 Periodical Postage Paid at Portland. Maine The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of Interior. Accordingly, all department programs and activities must be operated free from discrimination with regard to race, color, national origin , age or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against should write to the Office of Equal Opportunity. U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington , D.C. 20240 Design and Prepress by Harry Vanderweide

Maine Lynx Project

Cheryl Daigle

Studying the status of elusive cats in Maine' north woods.

Outdoor Partners

Tom Seymour

It 's a' wealth of outdoor information and it rolls on wheels.

Boating Safety

Tom Seymour

Knowing how tq deal with weather can mean life or death .

Kidbits

Lisa Kane

Here's a test to challenge your knowledge about Maine wi ldlife.

Hatchery Bond Issue

Don Kleiner

November bond issue could mean major improvements.

Bridging to Bowhunting 20

Cathy Genthner

More hunters are turning to archery to enjoy more hunting opportunity.

Maine Smallmouths

Cathy Genthner

You are never far from smallmouth bass action in Maine.

Wildlife Park Question

Lisa Price

How did all those different critters end up in Maine's Wildlife Park?

About the Cover: Steve Kasprzak took this brook trout photo in the Rangeley Region. Summer 2002

Editorial By Lee E. Perry, Commissioner Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Habitat Management Effort Gets Serious For decades the Department has stressed that habitat is essential to maintaining wildlife populations. Type, age, diversity and arrangement of plant species influence the species and number of wild animals that will live in a particular area. Habitat constantly changes. Nature's aging process causes trees to grow taller and thicker. One species replaces another as shade and other factors provide better growing conditions. As one plant community succeeds, populations of birds and animals decline and eventually disappear from an area as favorable habitat declines and disappears. Our goal as wildlife managers is to maintain populations of wild birds and animals. Long ago, we recognized that without proper land management this goal could not be achieved. People influence the vegetation in a particular area. Cutting trees and other activities such as mowing, burning and herbicide application set back the aging process, changing and often restoring both the plants and an imals associated with earlier successional stages. Over the years, we have worked with landowners, land managers, planning boards and others to influence the way in which development and other human activities take place on the land. We have purchased land to preserve living space for wildlife and opportunities for people to pursue wildlife related recreational activities. Many of the areas that we purchased were brought to our attention because of their value as wildlife habitat. Early settlers and Mother Nature had combined to provide vegetative communities that supported diverse and healthy wildlife populations. But time changes all things. Over the decades natural succession has replaced habitat for woodcock, grouse and other species associated with the early vegetative communities. We have lacked the staff and money to manage these lands. Experience has shown that we are able to produce wildlife habitat by managing timber resources and that we are able to realize a financial return. While we had been able to realize some money from the sale of timber, we simply didn't have enough staff to properly plan and implement management activities on all of the 100,000 acres that we have acquired over the years. This year, for the first time, the Department will devote one full time position to coordinate and encourage active habitat management on its wildlife management areas. The position is made po sible through a legislative act establishing a revolving account to receive money and pay for land management. Generous donations from the Ruffed Grouse Society, The Wild Turkey Federation and an Outdoor Heritage Fund grant provided the seed money. By caring for the land, we plan to produce not only perpetual funding and better wildlife populations, but better opportunities for you to enjoy your favorite outdoor activities.

4 MAINE Fish and Wi ldlife

Summer 2002

Price Increase Needed for MAINE Fish and Wildlife By Don Kleiner, Editor In these economic times every expense must be justified and each program evaluated to make sure that it is as effective and efficient as possible. No program , including the cost of producing and delivering this magazine, has been overlooked. Magazine production costs consumed $125,000 annually from the Information and Education budget in 1998. The magazine was produced under a series of contracts with a variety of vendors. Department personnel wrote the majority of articles and coordinated its assembly and distribution. In 1999 we set a goal to reduce the production cost; make the magazine self sufficient; allow the Jnformation and Education staff to expand the Department's public information and marketing efforts, and allow biologists, wardens and others who wrote articles to spend more time on primary duties. To achieve this, the production of the magazine was offered to private vendors. After reviewing several proposals, a single agreement for production and subscription management was reached with All Outdoors. During the last three years, the magazine required around $50,000 each year from the budget and a reduced amount of effort from Department staff. A lower production cost has been achieved by using a lighter paper and a digital production method . After some initial technical problems, quality has improved and we continue to make improvements. This process produces a magazine that is not of coffee table quality, but produces a good quality product at a reasonable cost. Prior to 1999, we received many complaints about subscription errors. A local firm now handles subscription servicesand that allows quicker response to customer inquiries. The number of customer complaints has been reduced to nearly zero, a significant improvement from my perspective. We try to have articles that are timely and on topics that we think are important for you to know about. Articles are now written primarily by freelance writers working with Department staff All articles are reviewed before going into print. This system has allowed for a range of topics new to Maine Fish and Wildlife to be part of what we offer. Another change that affects the cost of the magazine is the number of copies we are able to sel I. The subscriber base has fallen from an initial number of over 11 ,000 to around l 0,000. Part of this was the result of a large number of individuals that had received a free subscription , as a premium for becoming a Supersport license holder who did not renew. New and additional comp lemen tary copies have been reduced to a very low number as a way to hold the line on cost as well. To balance this loss of sub cribers we have done two promotional mailings; one to hunters that received any deer permits in 2000 and a joint promotion with the Maine Sportsman to any person who holds a huntin g or fishing license. MAINE Fish and Wildlife

These efforts have resulted in increases in the number of subscribers, which have been more than offset by attrition. We anticipate further promotional efforts in the corning months. Adve1tising was added to the magazine in the last several years and has been aggressively pursued; that income is now around $2,500.00 for each issue. It has been three years since magazine production was changed. l believe that the subscribers to Maine Fish and Wildlife are intensely interested in the Department and the Maine outdoors. A mistake in the magazine results in more comments than almost anything that we do. A picture in the Winter 2002 issue had a caption mistakenly calling splake brook trout and resulted in many e-mails and calls within a day of publication. A television interview during the same period brought little comment in comparison. Maine Fish and Wildlife is clearly important to its readers. Despite of our efforts to reduce cost and increase revenue by increasing the number of subscribers, we have not been able to achieve our ultimate goal of making the magazine self-sufficient. Current rates of$9.95 for a one year and $15.95 for a two-year subscription result in a net loss to the Department of $.97 per year for a one-year subscription and $5.89 (because of the discount) on each two-year sub cription. The current contract for the production of the magazine is expiring this summer. Again we will go out to bid and it is a safe assumption that the next contract will be more costly, resulting in an even greater net loss to the Department. To maintain Maine Fish and Wildlife as an important part of our information program we must begin to charge a price that covers the cost of production . To do this we will be raising the price on October I, 2002 to $14.95 for a one-year subscription and $24.95 for a 30 month or I 0-issue subscription. This will better prepare us to handle future increases in production prices and continue to provide readers the magazine that they love at a reasonable price. I realize that no one likes to pay more for a product. However, it is necessary to ensure that the information that you and other readers want about the Department, its programs and the fish and wildlife resources of our great state will continue to be delivered to you. I appreciate your support as a loyal and interested reader and hope that we will be able to provide you with an enjoyable and informative magazine for a long time into the future. Summer 2002

Maine's Lynx Project At left, a lynx kitten has been captured for study. Jennifer Vashon photo

By Cheryl Daigle A complex project, the Canada lynx study was initiated in 1999 in anticipation of the March 2000 listing of Canada lynx as a threatened species in the lower 48 states. With initial doubts that Maine had a breeding population, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Department teamed up with forest landowners and conservation groups to determine the status of lynx in Maine and its habitat needs specific to the forests of the northeastern United States. The study site is located on a 400 square kilometer area within four townships privately owned for timber and pulp production . With 18 Canada lynx currently radio-collared at the study site in northern Maine, as well as four fisher and four coyotes, pilot Jack McPhee, Department biologists Jennifer Vashon and Adam Vashon , are kept busy. Jack tracks lynx movement, behavior, and gathers habitat information from the sky several times a

MAINE Fish and Wildlife

week, while Adam and Jennifer are in the field checking out den sites, capturing lynx, investigating possible mortalities, analyzing field data in the office, or raising funds to keep the study going. Gathering information on lynx ecology in Maine is critical to ensuring conservation efforts will indeed be beneficial to northeastern populations, since the only studies currently available focus on lynx in the western states.

Denning Considerations "The listing was driven by studies completed only in the western states where lynx are known to presently or historically occur, as well as in the core of their range in Canada and Alaska," said John Organ , one of the primary investigators, and Wildlife Program Chief, Federal Aid Division , for USFWS. "The issues were applied broad brush and may not be relevant to the northeast." The current study in Maine focuses on determining if there is a viable, selfsupporting population of lynx, document-

ing mortality factors affecting lynx, identifying the habitats used by lynx, the relationship to snowshoe hare use and abundance, looking at any existing relationships between lynx and other predators, and testing the various survey methods used to study lynx. "We know that lynx [populations] are tied to snowshoe hare abundance, not to mature conifer forests , as suggested by the ruling," said Organ. "Also, one of the inferences was that lynx needed mature old-growth forest for denning. In the northeast, we have no functional old growth, which would bode ill for lynx populations here." Thus far, 43 lynx have been found a part of the current study, and denning habitat is not considered a limiting factor for lynx in Maine, contradicting the ruling that mature old-growth forests are needed for denning. "We've found eight dens so far over three years. They are all denning in areas where the major components are structure and cover, with downed logs and Summer 2002

turned over root systems, and fairly dense regeneration of either hardwood or softwood," said Jennifer Vashon. "Some dens occur in or at the edge of a regenerating stand, and some in a remnant stand of mature trees. What stood out in the data was how densely stocked the stands were - stand age does not seem to be as important as the cover component." "Most of the study area was heavily clearcut in the 70's and 80's due to the spruce budworm, with some more recent cutting in the '90's. About 75% of the study area was herbicided," said Jennifer Vashon, "The northern part of the study area is in late regeneration. It would be interesting to see if that area is getting to the point where it will no longer support lynx."

Suspicious Fishers Surprisingly, fishers are under suspicion as the cause of a number of lynx mortalities, but further work is needed to document this scientifically. The researchers have yet to find direct evidence of any negative interactions with coyote. Partnering with various groups is essential to the success of this project. The first two captured lynx and the first den were located from the air on property owned by Clayton Lake Woodlands. The core of the study area is on forestlands owned by Clayton Lake Woodlands and Irving Woodlands LLC. This particular lynx population appears to be thriving in some of the most intensively managed woodlands in northern Maine. "The whole basis of our study is a cooperative idea, with a lot of different partners. The timber industry came right forward from the very beginning. Clayton Lake Woodlands, who own some of the land within the study site, supplied more of the logistical help." said Adam Vashon , "That's where we stay (in cabins owned by Clayton Lake). Without their help we don't know where we would be." Clayton Lake Woodlands and Irving have provided access to their lands for the study as well as forest management plans. Funding sources include USFWS , National Fish and Wildlife Foundation , Wildlife Conservation Society, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc., Davis Conservation Foundation , and Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund. The most expensive part of the study is radio-tracking the animals by air. The pilot can cover much larger tracts of land by plane than if the study were only done on the ground.

View From Up Above The drone or Jack's Super Cub apparently does not bother the lynx when he circles the sky above them. He has observed them engaged in all aspects of their natural behavior: sunning themselves in clearings , hanging out with a new mate, or hunting and feeding on their favorite prey, the snowshoe hare. He knows them by their nickname, the sound of their radio frequency, and more officially by the data number MAINE Fi sh and Wildlife

A lynx kitten has its weight recorded.

Denis Berube photo

Summer 2002 7

given them, ranging from L-1 to L-43. "L-37 has three kittens, and it's interesting to watch the four hunt from the air," said Jack. "They hunt as a unit, and we can see the tracks weave in and out, showing a flushing behavior. One stays out on the edge where it can look up and down a bit, while the others may be working the hare. They love rocky areas - anywhere they can get up high." "During one mating season, Jack saw a female with her kittens on several occasions, then for four or five days the female was with a male and the kittens were gone. After the male left, the kittens were back with the female," Adam added. "This is important information about lynx behavior that we would not otherwise have." "With the pilot, we can find the anima ls more quickly and more accurately. In areas with lots of topographic relief, as we have in Maine, it is hard to get accurate bearings on radio-collared an imal s from the ground," said Jennifer. "We are very happy with Jack's ability to locate an imals fairly accurately. The negative side with aerial tracking is that we are only going to have locations during daylight hours and better weather conditions. Our intention has always been to do ground radio telemetry to supple-

Tools of the trade. Captured lynx shown with some of the items used to record its data. J. Vashon photo

MAirrn Fish and Wildlire

L 25 , an adult female lynx capturec' and radio collared in the fall of 2001. J. Vashon photo ment the pilot's work and get night and bad weather locations. [f funding were not an issue, l think we would go in that direction." In May, Jack will focus in on locating the radio-collared females. "He lets us know if we have the same female at the same location on multiple dates. This will indicate that the female has established a den. From this information, we can estimate when the kittens were born and then add four weeks to that date before trying to find the den from the ground. Jack goes up in the plane with Adam and drops a radio collar wrapped in foam and flagging near the den site, so we can find the den if the female leaves the den to hunt," explained Jennifer. Two people go in to locate the site based on movement of the female and the location of the dropped collar. "We search in a circular fashion where the first person thinks the den might be. On every occasion we have found the den and kittens, although we can't be certain we have every kitten. She may carry one off with her when she left the den as we approached," Jennifer said. She and Adam are typically the first ones to a den site, and have brought up to four other people assoc iated with the study to see the kittens. "The lynx are very cooperative in letting us work with the kittens. The fema le stays close - we have seen them or heard them growling nearby. Once we capture the kittens we try to expedite the process . .. we can't jeopardize the survival of the kittens," explained Adam. "We measure them, determine their sex , collect hair for DNA analysis, and tag them so if they are recaptured we can show a particular individual survived and put a radio-collar on it if it's big enough ." Aerial Work Crucial Recapturing a tagged kitten ha so far been unsuccessful. That's where aerial tracking has also come in handy. "Jack's itings from the air are pretty helprul. This provides anecdotal information that helps document kitten survival if he sees them with the female . Sndw tracking is al o helpful ," said Adam . Last summer, they ear tagged even kittens. Summer 2002

If additional funds do not come through by July, they will have to discontinue the field work a year early. Jennifer said, "We will continue the flights and any mortality investigations. We will also complete snowshoe hare fecal pellet plots [to determine hare abundance]. Otherwise, we will focus on analyzing the data we have." If more funds come in, they will start trapping in August and September and initially target animals that need their collars replaced. A radio collar typically lasts two years, and replacing the collar is essential to tracking the movements, sur-

viva I, and behavior of the lynx long-term. If they do not get the funding, they could lose track of six lynx that are currently part of the study. "Right now where we stand is we have enough data to produce results and meet our obligations to the agencies and funding sources. However, we need one more year of data to feel the study will satisfy our initial project goals, and two years of data would be ideal ," Adam says.

Funding Difficult for Study "Some people felt that money would be available once the lynx was listed , but that's completely false. Large grant donors are more interested in big picture issues, and single species research projects are not high on the list of priorities for major funding groups," said Organ. "The fact is, this is more than a single species issue; this study has relevance to a number of northern forest species and is also a trans-boundary issue with lynx crossing back and forth into Canada." The information gathered thus far has clear implications concerning the future of lynx in Maine. "We know that the habitat base we are finding them on is somewhat temporal. It is a window that is essentially going to close as the forest matures. We expect the hare prey base to decline as well as the lynx as the forest matures. That dynamic is going to be key to conservation of lynx in the northern forest - having enough suitable habitat on the landscape at any given time to support lynx ," Organ said. "I strongly believe that the potential is there for a win-win situation where endangered species recovery and conservation can go hand in hand with the economic sustainability of the extractive industries."

Directional radio is used to locate lynx which are fitted With transmitter COiiars. Denis Berube photo

Snowshoe hares are the primary prey species hunted by lynx and determine the cat's population in the Northeast. Adam Vashon photo MAI E Fish and Wildlife

Fitted out with ear tags, this lynx is now a part of Maine's ongoing study of these felines . J. Vashon photo Summer 2002 9

Outdoor Partners Program I

A Bright, New Direction for Maine's Warden Service Text and photos By Tom Seymour "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," might well be the new motto for Maine's Warden Service. Major Thomas Santaguida, of the Warden Service, outlined the past, present and future in a recent interview. "In the past, we ticketed everybody," Santaguida said. "Our focus was to apprehend lawbreakers. And we were good at it," he added. Maine's wardens are still "good at it," but with the inception of the Outdoor Partners Program (OPP), the primary goal is to make contact with hunters, fishermen, trappers, boaters, snowmobi lers, ATV users and others before they go afield. The laws governing outdoor activities are often complex. A II the more reason that the sporting public has a vehicle to facilitate understanding and, ultimately, compliance with those rules. When Major Santaguida took office in May 1998, the need for a new approach was evident. But just what that vehicle would be, was unclear. "We realized that people needed advice on laws and safety procedures before going afie ld, " Santaguida said . "The majority of folks

are honest, so all we needed to do was identify the best way to help them to better understand their responsibilities. For instance, consider the average person who goes fishing. This is somebody who works a 9- to -5 job and may not have time to pour over the rulebook. Does this person really deserve to go to court for some minor infraction?"

'Vfobile Clearinghouse "We have to look at the intent," the Major continued. "In the case of someone who has made an unintentional error, it's better to give them a warning and with that, helpful advice, rather than to give them a ticket and send them to court. But those who purposely break the law will have a difficult time when they meet with a Maine Game Warden." The way to achieve the new goals was determined when Major Santaguida,

along with Don Kleiner, Mark Latti and Bill Pierce, of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIF&W) Information and Education Division (l&E) met in a brainstorming session. According to the Major, it was Pierce who suggested a mobile clearinghouse, in the form of a trailer that could travel throughout Maine, meeting people and disseminating information. And so the Outdoor Partners Program was born. In the spring of 2000, the trailer, emblazoned with the legend "Hunters and Anglers Stop Here," made its debut. Santaguida said that at first, the organizers were uncertain how the trailer would be received. To their mild s urprise and great pleasure, response was overwhelming. People flocked to the trailer, apparently happy for the opportunity to discuss laws and issues with a Maine Warden in a completely non-con-

Visitors line up to check out the materials offered by the OPP Trailer

lO MAI E Fish and Wildlife

Summer 2002

frontational setting. The OPP Trailer, Santaguida explained, was a way for the Department to extend itself out of Augusta. It provides an easily-accessible avenue for people to meet with those who enforce the laws. Additionally, Santaguida mentioned that people have discovered in the trailer, a new source of infonnation on where to find the best in outdoor recreation. "Who better to suggest where to go fishing or hunting? Wardens are a great source of information." The main focus of the OPP Trailer is first, to better educate hunters and anglers before they go into the field . The second target group includes snowmobilers, ATV users and boaters. To that end, the trailer attends more than 70 events each year. These can be anything from major festivals, fairs and celebrations to simply parking along the road in a high-visibility area. For instance, the trailer is found in Greenville, on the opening day of Maine 's moose hunt. Here, anyone can relax with a hot coffee while discussing whatever is on their mind, with a Maine Game Warden. The coffee, by the way, is provided by an OPP sponsor, Carrabassett Coffee. Another sponsor, Poland Spring Water, provides bottled spring water.

Saco River Presence Here's a great example of the positive impact the program has on the general public. Anyone, who has ever tuned in to the evening new on a warm, summer evening, will recall hearing of the perennial problem of unruly boaters on the Saco River. A popular spot for canoe trips, the idyllic river setting is often marred by a volatile mixture of alcohol, heat and inflamed tempers. Large number of citations were typically issued for a variety of infractions. That was prior to the OPP Trailer setting up at the launch site. According to Santaguida, things have changed. Now, before setting out for an afternoon's pica ure on the river, young people are advised as to the "rules of the road," which may include an explanation of the requirements for personal flotation devices MAI E Fish and Wildlife

Some of the many brochures available at the OPP trailer. and basic safety precautions, along with an admonishment about intoxication in a watercraft and littering. And it works, as evidenced by the drop in the number of citations issued by local wardens, Santaguida says that the level of compliance with laws and regulations has increased greatly. This frees the wardens up from what might only be termed "police duty." Nqw, they can spend more time protecting fish and wildlife. And, as the Major Santaguida says, "Wardens protect future experiences for people years from now by protecting wildlife." It's a win-win situation all the way around.

Warden learn A team of 12 wardens from around the state operates the trailer, dedicated individuals who have volunteered to be part of the OPP team. These officers are responsible for year-round maintenance and storage of the trailer, for keeping it ful Jy-stocked with educational and informational materials (hundreds of pamphlets, folders, rulebooks and maps. "Tons of 'em," to quote Major Santaguida) and for physically hauling it from one location to the next, according to a pre-set schedule. The trailer 's schedule, by the way, is

decided after reviewing slues of requests from various groups and communities. In order to be mo t effective, the trailer needs to be present where staffers can interact with the maximum number of persons. Twice each year, the 12 warden who operate the trailer are given an updated list of events. Besides the obvious places, such as Greenville during the moose hunt, the trailer visits state fairs, festivals and State Parks. Examples of this include the Blue Hill Fair, Popham Beach State Park, the Blueberry Festival in Washington County and the Department Open House, at the Wildlife Park in Gray. The number of questions and requests can be staggering. If OPP staffers cannot immediately answer someone's question , though, they note the name and phone number of the person making the request. Within a day or two, that person is contacted, with an answer to their query. Major Santaguida told me that this policy is followed without exception. And so, in this day of doublespeak and blatant insincerity, it is refreshing to encounter a government entity that not only keeps its word, but also is prompt in doing so. Outdoors people have an opportunity to Summer 2002 11

meet with their local game wardens when the OPP Trailer visits their area. The trailer is staffed by those wardens who have volunteered to do so. This, again, is another avenue for goodwill and sharing between the warden service and the public.

Plent) of \<alue Warden Cheryl Barden, from the orridgewock District, is the Division B Coordinator for the OPP Program. Barden, like her peers, is a volunteer. Her job is to move the trailer from one location to the next. She attends all functions in her area and on occasion, in other areas A colorful paint job makes certain that the Outdoor Partners Program trailer is noticed when too. it travels to locations statewide. At the time of my remain until it next function . Barden had ju t come from a vi it, Warden Barden had just dropped the trailer off at the Memorial Day Weekend tint at Oquossoc. At my request, Warden Sydney office ofMDIF&W Sydney office, where it would Barden gave me a complete tour of the trailer and all the material it contained. It was plain that anyone with a modicum of interest in anything to do with the outdoors would find something of value here. ln fact, some of the material wound up going home with me, to be religiously studied. For instance, the booklet entitled "Maine Bass Water " was too good to be true. This lists every water, in every Maine county, that contains bass. Even better, the booklet not only describes which kind of bass (smallmouth, largemouth or both) are present, but gives a thorough breakdown on the state of public acce s. This is only one, small example of the kind of information available through the OPP Program . Wardens aren't the only one to get in on the information- haring act. Regional biologists al o staff the booth when the OPP Trailer visits their district . Talk about two exceptional ources of outdoor information! These professionals are ready and willing to offer ugge tions. After all, it's part of their job, a plea ant fact that until the advent of the OPP Trailer, few people considered. A a vehicle for sharing information and encouraging goodwill throughout the outdoors community, the OPP Program is an answer to a long-standing need .

Warden Cheryl Barden is the coordinator for the OPP effort.

12 MAI E Fish and Wildlife

Summer 2002

Waves break over the stern of the author's small boat. He survived the experience, but tragedy could have struck.

By Tom Seymour In the year 2000, 77 boating accidents occurred in Maine. Of these, 36 resulted in personal injury, and IO were fatal. In 1999, 72 accidents resulted in 32 personal injuries and 11 recreational deaths. These records are representative of the needless injuries and deaths that occur on Maine waters each year, in spite of the efforts of the Department to educate the public about safer, more responsib le boating. Part of the problem may be a cavali er attitude toward boating safety on the part of the average person. The Department publishes an annual guide to safe boating. This booklet, similar in form to the hunting and fishing regulation booklets, contains all the rules, regulations and guidelines that anyone needs to know in order to safe ly operate a boat on MAINE Fish and Wildlife

Maine's freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers. How many boaters consult this valuable booklet? More to the point, how many keep the booklet aboard their boat? Sadly the answer is few, only a few. Besides supplying boaters with the safe boating guide, the Department publishes a companion safety booklet, specially designed for personal watercraft (socalled "Jet Ski") users. As important as safety consciousness is for all boaters, operating a personal watercraft is, .as the safety booklet states, "a wet sport". Riders are cautioned that they will get wet and may even wind up overboard.

The Antidote Proper boater education is the only way to lessen the number of accidents that occur annually. The Department offers in-depth, comprehensive training. The six-hour course, "Maine Boating

Basics," is currently offered at various locations throughout the state. Topics covered include proper operation and safety, boat handling, equipment and trailering, laws, emergencies and cold-water survival, self-help first aid, environmental issues and boating ethics According to Mike Sawyer of the department's Recreational Safety Division, the boating safety course has the lowest attendance level of any of the Department's safety courses. In order to put on a course, the instructors must have a minimum of IO participants. Frequently, communities cannot field a class of 10. These instructors, by the way, are required to attend a workshop every two years for the purpose of re-certification and upgrading. Before becoming a certified instructor, all candidates must complete the basic course. Summer 2002

Invasive Aquatic Plants ew last year to the boating safety courses is a section on invasive, aquatic plants, particularly Eurasian water milfoil. Maine is the only state in the continental United States whose waters do not yet contain this destructive plant. Mil foil can live for an extended period of time even when out of water. A small fragment, clinging to a boat trailer, is all it would take to introduce this menace to Maine. In other states, milfoil grows so profusely that must be cut back each year. It is easy to see the importance of generating public awareness of the milfoil threat.

My Story Here's a scary statistic: According to Ed Davis, one of the Department's Regional Safety Coordinators, approximately 80 percent of boaters on Maine waters do not wear personal flotation devices (PFDs). That may not sound too ominous. After all, what can go wrong on a perfectly calm day on one of Maine's lakes or ponds? The answer to that is plenty! This writer has firsthand-experience concerning how little time it takes a relatively calm lake to become maelstrom . One day in May 1997, the condition on Junior Lake quickly turned from placid to untenable. Earlier that week, rain and gusty wind had made trolling for salmon an uncomfortable, but not dangerous, proposition. The weather report (only one radio station was available in the area) though, heralded better times. According to the weathem1an, the low-pressure system would move off the coast, the wind would die down to mild breezes and the rain would stop. It was time to head out and catch some almon. My fishing partner didn 't feel well, so decided to have me spend the afternoon fishing alone. Thus, noontime found me one mile across the lake from our camp, happily battling a hefty, landlocked salmon. My wearable PFD wa stashed under my oars. The weatherman had been correct and the wind was negligible, so it seemed safe to dispense with it. Then, it happened. In a flash, a great noise caught my attention. Wind, on the opposite side of

14 MAINE Fish and Wildlife

In Maine days can start out with blue skies and little wind, but later turn nasty. It is wise to wear a PFD whenever in a boat. the lake, whipped the pines and firs around like so many straws. In less time than it takes to tell about it, the waves became as high as my head. In order to cope with this unexpected situation, it was necessary to break off the salmon on the other end of my fly line and devote all my efforts to trying to come about and dart back to camp.

Lucky Break It was impossible to turn the 16-foot aluminum boat into the wind. Light in front, lighter now with the absence of my fishing partner, the bow lifted high in the air, threatening to flip the boat in an instant. My only hope was to ride with the wind and head for horc, hoping to strike land before the huge waves swamped my boat. The outcome wa in doubt and while my heart pounded, wondering what my fate was to be, the life jacket came to mind. l f only it was not towed away, out of reach. Fortunately, for me, the boat headed (the thing was pretty much out of my control; steering was impossible and it wa a great feat to simply stay afloat) for a narrow channel between two boulders on this uninhabited, rock-strewn hore. Before touching ground, a great swe ll breached

my stem, wamping the boat. The next wave knocked me down. The water was ice-cold. The ice had only been out for less than a week. My hand and feet were numb, but after crawling out of the boat and pulling my elf up on the shoreline, the threat of drowning passed . But what if the boat had flipped? With my PFD out of reach, it would have all been over by now. That thought, plus the icy cold, made me shiver. It was impossible to walk out of this predicament because the hurricaneforce wind broke treetops all through the woods. Branches, even whole tree , hit the ground in all directions. Tiny, otherwise innocuous rivulets became roaring freshets. My only chance was to wait along the shore and endure the rain and wind, hoping for rescue. By late afternoon, my mind wandered. It became hard to concentrate. Hypothermia had set in. Re cue had to come soon or my chances of survival were slight. The problem was how to alert any passing boat of my plight. My only hope was to flag someone down. I accompli hed that by fa tening the orange PFD (this required me to crawl back to the boat, taking another oakSummer 2002

ing, to retrieve the thing) to a long, dry stick of fir and to wave it from the top of one of the big boulders at the right moment. Two boats, making the trip back home from nearby West Grand Lake, passed by me without slowing down. They were, no doubt, unwilling to risk dashing their boats against the rocks; the wind and waves had yet to subside. Then, just at dusk, the last boat to pass by turned about and slowly, headed for me on a diagonal course. When they approached within hearing distance, they hollered for me to jump on the bow as they passed by. This was my one chance and it was made horrifying knowing that to miss the bow would place me between the boulder and the boat, possibly to be crushed. My friend was frantic and when he saw the boat heading toward him, waded out into the frigid water and pulled me from the wave-splashed bow. My helpers left, not to return. We didn't get out of that place for two more days and when we did, we were in poor, physical shape. Afterward, safely back home, a newspaper from the previous weekend indicated that a freak, low-pressure system had passed through eastern Maine, wreaking havoc on mobi le homes and shade trees. A henhouse was destroyed,

along with a few other buildings. This was an anomaly, something completely unexpected. Could it happen again? You bet it could, anywhere and at any time. This experience caused me to evaluate my boating practices. No longer would my PFD remain stuffed under a seat. Matches, flares and even a thin, emergency blanket were placed in a waterproof container, which was safely and permanently stowed in the boat. It was a hard lesson to learn and it nearly cost me my life. Take a lesson from

Coast Guard Auxiliary Two other groups offer boating safety courses. The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers a host of excellent courses, the most basic being a Boating Skills and Seamanship course. This six-lesson course is ideally suited for freshwater boaters and is hosted at a variety of locations throughout the state.

US Power Squadrons The United States Power Squadrons (USPS) is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes boating safety. The Squadron 's Boating Course provides fundamental boating education for both power boaters and sailors. The sevenweek course will , according to Fletcher Oakes, Commander of the Mid-Coast Power Squadron , "keep you out of trouble." The course, includes training in seamanship, piloting , advanced piloting , navigation , marine electronics , several modules on sailing , engine maintenance , weather and cruise planning . With the wealth of information and educational courses available throughout Maine, every person has a way to acquire safe boating skills . Don't take chances. Enroll in a course and remember; wear a PFD to help keep you afloat.

For More Information For more information on a boating safety courses, call the Division of Recreational Safety at (207) 287-5220 , write or check out the Department's website . www.mefishwildlife.com The Coast Guard Auxiliary, can be contacted through: From Eastport to Owl 's Head : Betty Lipousky, DCP-1 , (207) 567-3105, marvandbetty@acadialnet and from Owl 's Head south to Kittery : Wayne Hutchins, DCP-2, (207) 282-9349 , wwhutch@lamere.net. Additionally, for general information , contact Al Eggleston at Ae.eggleston@state.me.us.

Tom Seymour used to just stow his life jacket away and sit on a boat cushion. These days his life jacket is always close at hand. MAINE Fish and Wildlife

Power Squadrons are located up and down the coast of Maine. Each Squadron hosts at least one course per year and some hold several courses. Classes are offered throughout the year. The toll -free number for the United States Power Squadrons is 1-888-FOR-USPS. The national web address is http://www.usps.org . Summer2002

See if you can answer the following wildlife questions. Score yourself to find our just how much you know about Maine's fish and wildlife. Many of these questions come from the Maine Envirothon, a natural resource problem-solving competition for high school students statewide. Close to 80 teams are tested in regional competitions in five topics: soils , wildlife, forestry, aquatics and a current, national environmental issue; then up to 20 teams make the state finals for a different test in the 5 subject areas. Sponsored by the Maine Association of Conservation Districts, the wildlife tests have been written by Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine Audubon, and 4-H staff for years. 1. Wild Turkeys were extirpated from Maine in the late 1800s, now they are back! 1--:Jw did they get here? (4 pts) 2. During drought conditions , low water can negatively impact fish populations in several ways. List 2. (6 pts) 3. Indicate what kind of "'vore" (carnivore, herbivore, omnivore) each of the animals listed below are, and the principle Maine habitat in which they are found . (8 pts) "Vore" Habitat a. Lynx b. Moose c. Raccoon d. Fox 4. Many of Maine's amphibians , like yellow spotted salamanders , blue spotted salamanders and wood frogs , depend upon a unique habitat called a for breeding. (4 pts) 5. What is a ringed boghaunter and why is it an important animal in Maine? (6 pts) 6. When thinking about enhancing your backyard or property for wildl ife , what are the 4 basic elements of habitat you should cons ider? (4 pts)

8. When a wildlife population exceeds the carrying capacity of a habitat: (8 pts) a. Describe what happens to the habitat: .b. Describe what happens to the wildlife:

11. What is the most important thing you should do prior to leaving for a hike, canoe, atv ride, go hunting, fishing , snowmobiling and so on? (4 pts) 12. It is against the law for you to possess a deer or moose skull with antlers still attached if you find one in the woods. Why? (6 pts)

16 MAINE Fish and Wildlife

Summer 2002

13. Using this table from the 2001 Wildlife Division Research and Management Report, determine the value of 2 otter, 5 coyote, 1 male mink; 3 female fisher and 17 muskrat in the 2000- 2001 trapping season. (4 pts) Average pelt price of Maine furbearers from Fall 1995 to Spring 2001. Species

Beaver Bobcat Coyote Fisher: Male Female 27.00 Fox, Gray Fox, Red 16.00 Marten Mink: Male Female Muskrat 2.00 Otter Raccoon

1995-96 $22.00 25.00 12.00

1996-97 $27.00 25.00 20.00

1997 -98 $23.00 35.00 17.00

1998-99 $13.00 28.00 9.00

$15.00 30.00 12.00

15.00 40.00 20.00 21.00

22.00 34.00 12.00 17.00 29.00

25.00 22.00 11.00 11.00 23.00

21.00 15.00 7.00 14.00 13.00

15.00 16.00 8.00 15.00 17.00

16.00 14.00 4.14 42.00 10.00

24.00 16.00 3.00 46.00 17.00

15.00 9.00 1.00 43.00 14.00

10.00 6.00 2.00 32.00 7.00

13.00 8.00 2.00 36.00 5.00

1999-00

2000-01 19.00 60.001 14.00 16.00

49.00 8.00

1 Price determined from only one fur buyer.

14. White-tailed Deer in Maine usually make use of habitats called Deer Wintering Areas (DWAs) during winter months. (6 pts) a. Why do deer use these areas? b. What are the standard habitat characteristics of a DWA? 15. You are walking in the woods and come across a very young fawn, apparently all alone, and with no mother doe around. What should you do? (4 pts) a. bring it home, feed it milk and raise it until it is fully grown b. walk a distance away, hide, and watch until the parents return c. pick it up and take it to a wildlife rehabilitation center d. bring it to a place you know other deer live and 'hope it gets adopted by another mother deer e. call the state police to report the situation 16. What large mammal has been the subject of radio-telemetry studies by Dept. wildlife Biologists for over 20 years? (4 pts) 17. How does the spread of purple loosestrife negatively impact Maine wetland habitats for wildl ife? (6 pts) 18. Which of the following wildlife groups can contract rabies? (4 pts) a. birds b. mammals c. amphibians d. all of the above 19. In which Maine county would you be most likely to find a yellow-spotted turtle, a Threatened Species? (4 pts) Piscataquis b. York c. Oxford d. Penobscot 20. Deer , bobcat and beaver, among others , are considered crepuscular mammals. What does th is mean? (4 pts)

80-100 points -

60-79 points -

Congratulations. You'll soar like an eagle! Answers Page 29

You are just about as wise as an owl! Answers Page 29

MA INE Fis h and Wil dli fe

Less than 59 points - You aren't quite as clever as a fox .. Answers Page 29

Summer 2002 17

Hatchery Bond Issue Nove,nber bond issue would provide $7 million to begin major renovation effort on Maine's facilities By Don Kleiner port fishing Maine is highly valued by both Maine citizens and visitors to the state. It has been estimated that fishing in inland waters generates nearly 200 million dollars in direct expenditures annually, supports 5,000 full and part- time jobs, and contributes nearly 20 million dollars annually in state sales and income tax revenues. Many of the state's salmon and trout fisheries would not exist without the help of artificial propagation. The annual production of fish from Department fish cultur stations play a vital role in the maintenance of salmon id angling opportunities that are highly valued by Maine anglers, as well as thousands of visitors who come to Maine to enjoy the state's outdoor heritage. For example, only about four natural populations of landlocked salmon existed historically within the state. Today, there are over 200 lakes with salmon fisheries statewide. Over 60% of these waters have inadequate spawning habitat and can only be maintained by stocking. The Department's nine fish culture facilities produce approximately 1.3 million fish weighing a quarter of a million pounds annually at a cost of approximately 2 million dollar per year. The cost includes the distribution of these fish to over 700 water annually. These nine facilities are all over 40 years old with production capacities that are inadequate to meet current needs. In addition, waste treatment at several facilities marginally meets current Iicen ing requirements and i a limiting factor if production levels are to be increased.

MAI E Fish and Wi !di ife

The existing hatchr>ry sites are located on high quality sources of water that are difficult, if not impossible to find and acquire today. Over the past few years the hatchery maintenance program aided by the Adopt-a-Hatchery program has addressed the most critical maintenance needs.

Stud} Commissioned Driven by an interest in providing more and better quality fishing opportunities the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife supported legislation establishing a Fish Hatchery Study Commission

A lake trout donates eggs for the future of better fishing at a Maine fish hatchery. Mark Latti photo Summer 2002

in 1998. The commission is composed of Legislators, interested groups, fish culturists from the public and private sectors and Department staff. A legislative appropriation was received to fund a detailed assessment of the hatchery system and associated opportunities and needs. The Department and the Commission retained Fish Pro Consulting Engineers to do a detailed engineering evaluation of the Department's fish culture facilities, and various private facilities and to recommend how best to meet increased production goals. Fish Pro is a leader in the field, and has evaluated several state hatchery systems. Regional fisheries biologists presented the Commission with ways of increasing fishing opportunities and the additional fish needed to provide those opportunities. Long-term production goals were developed by the Commission to address the immediate opportunities identified by the regional staff, as well as provide the capability to meet anticipated needs over the

next l O to 15 years. Fish Pro is providing recommendations on how best to utilize the Department's existing fish culture facilities as well as private growers to meet larger long term production goals.

Long Range Effort The hatchery renovation process is expected to be a I 0-15 year project expanding and upgrading hatchery production capability and making water discharge improvements. Upgrading the system to meet future needs will require an influx of new money. The Governor's bond package (An Act to a General Fund Bond Issue in the amount of $24, I 00,000 for Water Pollution Control, Drinking Water, Water for Crops and Fish-rearing Facilities, to Clean up Hazardous Substances and Tire Stockpiles, Promote Public Geographic Data, Recapatilize the Potato Marketing Fund and Capitilaize the Dam Repair Fund) provided $7 million to begin the renovation process, the legislature has approved the package and it will go to the voters this November. Embden Conversion Passage of the bond wi II allow the conversion of the Embden Rearing Station into a state of the art rearing facility. These improvements will allow the most

Newly hatched fry with their egg sacks Still visible. Mark Latti photo MAINE Fish and Wildlirc

effective possible use of available water supplies to more than quadruple the production capacity of that facility and still meet hatchery discharge requirements. These improvements will make more fish available for the state wide stocking program and allow the Department to significantly expand fishing opportunities across the state.

Maine's fish hatcheries need major renovations and upgrading to meet the continuing need for quality trout. Mark Latti photo

A load of trout are emptied into a truck tank after being reared in a hatchery run. Mark Latti photo Summer 2002

By Cathy Genthner On Thanksgiving Day, at about four in the afternoon, seven does and one buck emerged from the edge of the woods and sauntered onto my in-laws 'back lawn in Westbrook, seemingly unconcerned with our presence. Despite my best efforts during the entire month of November, J had not even seen a single deer in the woods, while out hunting with a gun. Frustrated, I was now mere yards away from eight deer and could do nothing to put steaks in my freezer because Westbrook has a firearms discharge ordinance. That was when I decided to take up bowhunting. Many other firearms hunters

have done the same because of an expanded season, districts and bag limits. Maine has a healthy deer population -i n the southern, central and coastal areas of the state. lt also has a growing population as people from other parts of New England move to the Maine suburbs. Many of these towns in the more populated areas have firearms discharge ordinances and large numbers of deer. Bowhunting is a way to manage the deer population, while observing local firearms discharge ordinances. "It has become very popular, especially the expanded archery season in September," said Lt. Nat Berry, whose district in southern Maine encompasses one of the most populous areas in the state. "We are finding a tremendous increase in archery, especially in growing

areas like Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth and Westbrook where there are firearms discharge ordinances." The expanded archery season began in 1997. Since then, the number of people takin ,; archery safety courses (a requirement for an archery license) ha increased dramatically, according to Mike Sawyer, the Recreational Safety Officer for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Program Increases

"When we started the expanded season, we had roughly 800 students the entire year," said Sawyer. "However, during the last three years, we've averaged around 1200 students each year." That number is expected is to grow because for 2002, the special archery sea-

Christie Bisco, a member of the US Archery Team , shows the focus required in Archery.

20 MAINE Fish and Wildlife

cathy Genthner photo

Summer 2002

son has been expanded into new geographical areas, known as special districts. Classes are filling up fast for those who want the challenge of taking game with archery equipment. To be qualified, a person must take and pass a l 0-hour archery safety course to hold an Archery Hunting license. The course focuses on landowner relations, hunter ethics, safety, survival, first aid, shot placement, equipment, and map and compass. "The course is good because it has enlightened me about what we should be doing and not be doing," said Roland St. Annand of Sabattus, one of the students at the Winthrop course who has been hunting with a gun since the 1940s. "I've hunted all my life with firearms and black powder so I thought I'd try bow hunting. Besides, I have several grandsons and a brother who do it, so they talked me into taking the course and getting started in the sport." Family influence and tradition prompted a father and son to take the course. Chris Murphy and his 12-year-old son Erik from Monmouth saw the class as a way to strengthen family ties. "It's a great father and son thing to do . You have to lead by example. To instill the value of hunter safety in my son I need to be willing to go through the class with him. I want my kids to learn the proper way of hunting. By taking this course, you have the chance to keep up on some of the

Expanded Archery Season License Sales (Does not include resident archery sales for the regular season) 1997- 1,393 1998- 2,493 1999 - 4,909 2000-5,249 2001 - 5,051 For more information on the expanded archery districts, please contact the Department. For expanded archery season dates, consult your 2002 State of Maine Hunting & Trapping Laws and Rules book.

MAINE Fish and Wildlife

new techniques and safety precautions. And it's a great opportunity to learn new things." "There is growing popularity for bowhunting, mainly because of the greater hunting opportunities," said Mike Rovella, a bowhunting safety instructor and the legislative representative for the Maine Bowhunters Christie Bisco shows the form that makes her a champion Association. competitive archer. Cathy Genthner photo "Bow hunting tance." is not for everyone, only those who can Regarding safety, there has never accept the challenge. We don't just take a been a fatality involving bowhunting in stroll through the woods, jump a deer and then shoot it. There's much more to it than Maine, a statistic Maine bowhunters are proud of and continually strive to prethat, such as s~dying deer habits, the serve through education. They also direction of the wind, the bedding areas, work at maintaining good landowner and food and water sources." relations, an issue that is stressed in the Invisible Hunters course. "The first thing I do every year is Another big part of bowhunting is not being seen. In contrast to fireanns hunting, to communicate with the landowners on whose land I hunt," instructor Paul where a hunter wears at least two pieces Potvin told an archery safety class. of blaze orange, bowhunters wear camou"Some I call, some I visit in perflage and may even hunt from blinds or son. I send them a Christmas card every special tents. This near invisibility makes year." the sport so unobtrusive. Once landowner permission is "All of a sudden someone will stumgranted, Potvin scouts around for good ble on a bow hunter. They didn't think they places to put his deer stand. Everything would be there hunting," said Sawyer. "In is done as quietly as possible. contrast, people generally know when the "With bowhunting, you sneak in, firearms season is going on." you sneak out. You don't wait for peo"Most people do not even know the ple to stir things around because bow archery hunter is out there because they hunting is such a quiet sport. There is are so well concealed," said Lt. Berry. nothing moving these animals . You "We rarely get a call from someone have to figure out where a deer goes to saying they've seen a bowhunter on the eat, where he sleeps." edge of their field. The sport is silent; and it is a safe sport for the simple reason that While location is important, it is hunters have to be very close to their not everything. Well-tuned and matched game. They're not shooting from a disequipment is vital to success as is shot Summer 2002

placement. Waiting for the chance to execute a perfectly placed shot fired from your known accuracy range saves the time of tracking a wounded animal for long hours. "The key to bowhunting is being able to judge distances," said Potvin. Wind direction is also very important. You want to be downwind from the deer because they pick up the slightest scent. They'll stomp their feet and blow air out of their noses if they suspect anything unusual. You can use scents to cover your own scent. Lures can be used to attract deer. For example, if you use a 'doe in heat' scent, it will attract bucks. If you use a buck scent, it will attract a buck that thinks another buck is in his area. He's going to come looking for you to fight with you and kick you out of his territory." "I really enjoy Paul's enthusiasm as an instructor. You can tell he really loves the sport of being a bow hunter and that he loves to educate people," said Barbara Mangin, from Winthrop. Most students at the class and most hunters in general, started out hunting with a gun and then added bow hunting to their season. The expanded archery seasons ha brought increased business into sporting goods store.

Expert Advice Christie Bisco, a member of the US Archery team and US World Team, who holds 26 world records, is a bow mechanic and sales person at Howell's Archery and Gun Center in Gray, where bu iness has been brisk. "I believe a lot of people start out with a gun," said Bisco. "The special season has attracted more people to bowhunting because they can shoot more deer. It's also a warmer time of the year to go hunting." Bisco helps people select a bow that is sized specifically to fit them. "The first thing you should do is to find out how many pounds you can pull. For a woman, it's between 40 and 50 pounds. For a man, it's between 50 and 70 pounds. Then you want your draw length checked. The draw length is the distance you draw the bow to your face. It depends on how long your am, is. It's pretty much like getting your shoe size. You can get 'sized-up' if you know what you can comfortably pull and if you know your draw length." Bisco added another consideration is dctcm1ining eye dominance, important for shooting through a peep site. Eye dominance will determine which hand you use to pull. And, just because you are right-handed, doesn't mean you will be right-eye dominant or vice versa. According to Bisco, about one out of ten people have opposite hand and eye dominance. Once you are sized to the right bow, the next thing to do is practice, practice, and then practice. "Target shooting is a lot of fun," said Bisco, who has been a national champion since 1994. "I've also been

MAI E Fish and Wildlife

Practice is what separates the excellent archers from the adequate. Archery ranges provide good shooting and expertise. bowhunting with my dad since I was I 2. [ shot a bear with a bow when I was J 8. Bowhunting was something that my dad and I could do together." Archery is also something that Dennis Brackley and his 13-yearold daughter Kasandra al o enjoy in tandem. "It helps my concentration," said Kasandra, an 8th grader at Gray- ew Gloucester Middle School. My goal is to make the Olympic in 2008." "I like to shoot. It's a great sport, it's not expensive and J can do it with my daughter," said Dennis."[ don't hunt with a rifle any more in southern Maine because there are too many houses. Besides, there is the thrill of harvesting a deer without a gun like the Native Americans used to do. It is more of a task than using a rifle." That task is a joyou one for those who love the sport. "It is demanding, it requires an extensive amount of practice and it is a different mentality," said Rovella. "To become proficient with today's technology - you can be pretty good in a year's time. To be really good, take a minimum of two years." However, the most important thing to bring home from a hunt is not something to fill the freezer, but something to fill the mind. "One thing I like about hunting is not alway bringing home the game, but being able to bring home a tory," said Potvin. "Just being out there enjoying nature is fun. With bow hunting there arc a lot more times when you don't shoot, rather than shoot, and that's where all your storic come from." They are storie that last much longer than meat in the freezer, and can be passed on from generation to generation. Summer 2002

No matter what part of Maine you are in, you are never far from great smallmouth bass fishing. By Cathy Genthner From the beginning of fishing season in April until the season ends, you can usually catch smallmouth bass, since they will bite at almost anything. "With smallmouth bass, they put up quite a battle. A three or four pound smallmouth will give you a big fight on a six or eight pound test line," said Roger LaFlamme, the president of the Champion Bassmasters Fishing Club out of Saco. "Maine has one of the greatest bass fisheries around . As far as quality fish, Maine has a lot of fish in the three to four pound range. There is real good MAINE Fish and Wild life

water and excellent habitat here for small mouths." The largest smallmouth LaFlamme caught was a 5 pound 8 our,ce fish at night in Range Pond in Poland. "You get the largest smallmouths at night because the biggest fish feed at night. A lot of bass are nocturnal. Most of my larger fish have been caught at night." LaFlamme fishes for small mouth throughout Maine, often with members of his bass club. The club has been in existence for over 15 years, "Bass fishing has grown considerably in the past years, especially in Maine," said LaFlamme. "Trout and salmon can be pretty picky. Bass are easier to catch and that is why they have grown in popularity." has,; C lubo; (,rowing With the growing popularity of bass comes a growing number of bass clubs. Members not only swap fish stories but work on conservation projects and help maintain boat ramps.

"By being in a bass club, we learn who catches what on each day," said Ken Tuttle, the president of Southern Maine Anglers. "We have meetings every month where we talk about what we are using for lures and what patterns are emerging. Bass fishermen go out every day and they catch most of their fish off a rock pile, over sandy shoals or submerged wood." That is because bass like structure. When they spawn between Mother's and Father's Day in the spring, they are close to boulders and rocks along the shore. In the winter, they congregate along dropoffs. In the summer, they can be found near rocks and submerged trees where they wait in the shadows for smaller fish to eat.

ntrod ced Specie While smallmouths are plentiful in Maine waters, they are not native to Maine. They were stocked in Maine's river and lakes over a century ago. Summer 2002

"They were introduced in the late l 800's, spread around legally and illegally by well-intentioned anglers. Sometimes the best intentions don't lead to the best environmental consequences," said Paul Johnson, a regional fisheries biologist in the Greenville office for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. "They are very harmful to the trout population because they are competitors with and predators on trout." "Smallmouths are very aggressive towards bait and they are just as aggressive towards other fish in the same body of water. They definitely thrive in Maine even though we are near the northern limit for smallmouths," said Rick Jordan, the assistant regional biologist for the Downeast Region of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. "We have a lot of excellent natural reproduction habitat, especially in Eastern Maine where there is gravel from the glaciers. In this region, we have smallmouths in 80 lakes and large-

Spinning rods and minnow-type lures are a great combination to catch big smallmouths in Maine rivers and srtreams. Harry Vanderweide photo

mouths in 20 lakes. We have them in most of our rivers including the St. Croix, the Dennys, the East Machias, the Narraguagus and the Union Rivers. Our summer water temperatures get warm enough for good growth, although the water doesn't get as warm as it does in places like Florida or Arkansas, where smallrnouths are native and grow much larger." Still, the smallmouth bass are here to stay, and the best thing that can be done for the fish, the environment and the anglers is to manage them as effectively as possible. It is a careful balancing act. While bass aren't native to Maine, there Smallmouth bass are great fun for kids and often are the are plenty of Maine first "big" fish they catch. Cathy Genthner photo

24 MAINE Fish and Wildlife

natives who prefer smallmouth fishing. "Most of us go bass fishing because of the opportunities to catch fish throughout the season. Bass fishing down here in southern Maine is pretty good - much better than trout fishing. For example, just the other day my son caught a four pound smallmouth on Square Pond in Shapleigh despite terrible fishing conditions like twenty mile per hour winds," said Tuttle, who used to fish primarily for brook and brown trout. "I found I was working very hard and catching very little trout. I joined the bass club in 1989 and I've been a bass fisherman every since." Âˇ s re u ~sh "We talk about Maine being the way life should be. I talk about bass fishing, the way fishing should be," said Jordan. "You can have an awful lot of fun and they are easy to catch." Jordan added that plenty of guides in Eastern Maine receive income from guided bass fishing. The West Grand and East Grand guides have a tradition of landlocked salmon guiding which takes place for about three or four weeks in the spri ng. However, the rest

Summer 2002

of the season guides can work all spring and summer long, guiding bass fisherman. Smallmouth bass fishing is also great for children, who can often get discouraged if the fish aren't biting. Bass will usually attack just about anything and will keep kids occupied during an entire day of fishing. "It's very important to introduce your kids to fishing," said Tuttle. "When I was 12 years old my mother died of cancer and I was prone to all kinds of mischief. But because I liked to fish, it kept me out of trouble. When the summers came and we got out of school, I went fishing. It got me through some real tough times when l was a kid and I have passed that love of fishing onto my kids. l introduced my son and daughter to fishing and it was a big relief. I saw my children's friends get involved in some dangerous things, but my children always went fishing." Tuttle is still taking kids smallmouth fishing every chance he gets. For the past 13 summers, he has been a volunteer at Camp Sunshine, a camp for seriously ill children on upper Sebago Lake in Casco, where he takes kids fishing for smallmouths.

5 n' G Âˇca 5inallmou h Wa crs "If you are fishing for bass, you can fish all the time and the kids have a great time pulling them in," said Tuttle. "You do have to know about the subtle changes in the water and weather conditions and fish in different spots at different times. Once summer comes around you get long days, with low light conditions in the morning or at dusk. You throw top water bait like a popper or a jitterbug on the surface and the bass come bustin ' after it. Th~ jump of a smallmouth on Sebago is something for the kids - and for me - to see." "There are smallmouth bass in Sebago Lake, they've been there for quite a while. We have seen smallmouth bass in fairly deep water. A lot of fishennen aren't used to fishing deep for small mouths. In fact, it's not uncommon to find them 30 or 40 feet deep in Sebago," said Jim Pellerin, the assistant regional biologist for the Department in Gray. "They are very popular. They fight really well. One reason they've been spread around so much is because they are a great sport fish. However, those actions do have consequences." According to Pellerin, Keys Pond in Sweden used to be an excellent trout pond. Smallmouth bass were introduced to the pond illegally and the brook trout population has declined substantia lly. The effects of illegal introduction can last for generations. Smallmouths can live a long time often ten to 15 years. With that age comes a warning to anglers. "With any top of the line predator, they tend to accumulate things in their diet, such as mercury, dioxin and other toxics in water where they are exposed to this kind of stuff," said Johnson. "The larger bass can have quite a bit of mercury in them, and that is why children and women of child-bearing age are warned about eating fresh water fish." Becau e of these concern as well as conservation of the pccics, many bass anglers practice catch and release. "They're MAINE Fish and Wildlife

If you want to bring a smile to a child's face , take her Where She Can Catch a big Small mouth. Harry Vanderweide photo

fun to catch and they're a hardy fish," said Johnson. "Once you hook them and then let them go they are much less vulnerable to hooking mortality than trout or salmon." They are also much less vulnerable to the effects of the recent drought than other game fish. "The drought hasn't really affected the bass population. In fact, the warm weather last summer and in the I 990's has really benefited bass ," said Jordan. "The young bass have experienced much better growth in Maine and that has contributed to a higher survival rate of the bass. The survival of the first year bass is related to the length they obtain during their first year of growth. However, when we have a cool and wet summer, we have a higher mortality rate in the group of first year bass." Smallmouth bass are not native to our state and will hann native fisheries where they are introduced, but they are here to stay and provide great fishing where they are established. Summer 2002

The residents of Maines Wildlife Park in Gray arrived by many paths Photos and text by Lisa Price A few traveled as many as 2,000 mil es to get there, round trip, but for most the journey was shorter. Some received injuries that meant they would never survive in the wild again, even after recovery. ln many case , a young animal on its own was "rescued" by wellmeaning peop le. However, those wild life re cues often become a ticket to a Ii felong stay in a wildlife park.

26 MAINE Fish and Wildlife

Summer 2002

"It's more like kidnapping, when you take a young animal from the wild although yoar intentions are good, the result is not," explained Lisa Kane, National Science Educator for the Department. "It's hard to bottle raise an animal, and then expect it to be scared of humans ." Kane explained that young animals are sometimes left alone for hours at a time, as the adult female feeds. Fawns, for example, may be on their own for hours while a doe feeds - and fawns are the animals most often "kidnapped" by humans. When in doubt, she advised, don 't take the animal- leave the decisions about a young animal up to personnel from lF&W. Although the majority of deer in the park arrived as "rescued" fawns, some did not. Let's start with the deer, and move around Wildlife Park to tell the stories behind some of the other residents there.

Whitetailed Deer Sometime soon, the deer will have a new home in a three-acre hardwood ravine adjacent to the existing park grounds. The new deer pen will be divided , Kane explained, so that the deer herd can be rotated from one section to another. That should help minimize the effects of overgrazing. Most of the deer began their captivity as fawns raised by a wildlife rehabilitator. Some arrived with injuries that were permanent, meaning they could not be released into the wild. One fawn, for example, was rescued from the jaws of a fox and required extensive veterinary care. Some natural breeding takes place every year amongst the deer, and the fawns that result are usually released - in a remote area along the Maine ew Hampshire border - when they're old enough. Moose The Wildlife Park's resident male moo e arrived in the back of a Subaru wagon. The people sa id they had "found" the calf abandoned. By the time the moose calf was brought to the park, there was no way to return him. I le was bottle raised, and became too tame to ever be released. MAI E Fish and Wildlife

"Research has proven that rehab and release doesn't work with moose," Kane said. "When you bottle feed a moose, what you end up with is an 800-pound dog that likes to follow people around." The park's moose is missing the outside toe on his right foot, the result of a gravel abscess that required surgery. ln fact, his care includes having his hooves trimmed regularly - they don't wear normally as a wild moose's hooves would. He eats a special commercial feed called "The Mazuri Moose Diet," which is supplemented by fresh browse Here's a shared nest at the Wildlife Park. It conthree or four times a tains eggs laid by both turkeys and pheasants. week. Turtles Lt's probably safe to say that the Turkeys wood turtles in the park have more Although Maine residents are thrilled miles on them than any other resident. about the success of the state's turkey stocking program, they should not attempt They came from a group of about 50 wood turtles which were confiscated by to be a part of it. ln fact, it's against the a game warden ... in Florida ... as law to release your own pen-raised they were being sold out of the back of turkeys. The turkeys at the Wildlife Park a truck. are birds that were confiscated from some"The only place where that many one who was illegally raising and releaswood turtles could have been collected ing turkeys. would be Maine," Kane said. "So, the Especially in the spring, but even game wardens down there contacted throughout the year, real wild turkeys in us." the area can often be found around the "We couldn't keep that many, but park's turkey pen. The staff at the park we were unsure about releasing them would agree that "Some of your turkeys because of their unknown health histohave gotten out." is a common comment. ry, and many were sick," she continued. The turkey population remains stable "When we got them healthy, they were in the park, and some of the hens actually let go, except for a few which had nest. Over the winter, the roof of the wild cracked shells and respiratory probturkey pen collapsed, and they had to be lems." moved temporarily into shared quarters The park also has box turtles, with pheasants in another pen. Interestwhich were surrendered by their former ingly, the hen turkeys and pheasants owners. Although box turtles are an deposited their eggs in a common nest! endangered species here in Maine, in The turkeys are now back in their renovatmany other state they are very comed habitat exhibit. mon. In Maine, it is illegal to keep a Summer 2002

â&#x20AC;˘

box turtle as a pet. Owners who had moved to Maine, and then learned they couldn ' t have the turtles surrendered the ones in the park.

Raccoons You can guess this one - that cute, cuddly baby raccoon grew up, and wasn't such a good pet anymore. "When they (raccoons) reach puberty, they become unmanageable," Kane said. "They' ve grown up eating food from people, and if they're let go they usually get in trouble." "It's against the law to keep any wild animal as a pet," she continued. "When you take a baby raccoon home, you ' re kind of dooming it to a life in captivity." The raccoons, which live at the park, were confiscated by game wardens from private owners. They were too habituated to people to be released. The Owls Many times, vehicles hit owls because they hunt roadways at night, looking for rodents. For example, one of the park's Saw-whet owls was hit by a car and received an eye injury, which meant it would be unable to hunt. Other owls typically end up in wildlife parks because they are weak, possibly starving. "If they ' re hit by a car, it's usually an eye or a wing injury, and they can't be released again," Kane said. "Young birds are inexperienced hunters, and they can be so hungry that they'll try to eat a porcupine - which is a big mistake." The owls - the park has the Saw-whets, Great Horned and Barred owls - eat mice that come from Jackson Laboratory, a genetic research institution in Bar Harbor. Eagles Both of the eag les in the park, a male and a female, have interesting histories. Although it's fairly rare for eagles to get along in captivity, these two do. In fact, they are often seen sitting shoulder to shoulder on a roost, each supporting the other. That's how they are most balanced, since each is missing a portion of a wing due to injury. The female eagle was discovered on an island off Lubec. She had somehow impaled herself on a broken tree branch, and was hanging there. People who were clamming spotted her. They returned w ith a ladder and rescued her. She had a band on her leg, which revealed she'd come from a nest in the area. She was taken to Tufts University, a top veterinary school in Boston, Massachusetts. A portion of her wing had to be amputated. She arrived at the park about eight or nine years ago . The Cumberland County branch of the United Bikers of Maine donated funds for the eagle exhibit.

28 MAINE Fish and Wildlife

The Maine Wildlife Park is home to two bald eagles. Both birds have suffered permanent damage to their wings. She was alone in the park for a couple of years. A male eagle was introduced, but they didn't get along. The male eagle that is with her now was also found in Downeast Maine, hiding under shrubby growth. His wing was badly infected. The wound was most likely from a bullet. He was also taken to Tufts University, and also had a portion of his wing amputated. "They often sit stump to stump, and tried nesting just last year," Kane said. "They are certainly at the peak ages for their breeding career, but the egg she laid fell and broke." The eagles eat a diet similar to what they'd have in the wild. They munch on portions of road-killed deer, mice, and hare, and dine on fish from the neighboring Dry Mills fish hatchery.

If you come across a wild creature, whether it's a mammal, reptile, amphibian or bird, it's best to leave the decision making to people who are trained in those fields. There are many sources for answers, including personnel from the Department, the Wildlife Park, or Maine Audubon. All of those agencies keep a list of qualified, licensed rehabilitators, and can direct the caller to the one that is nearest to them. It's important to remember that once you make contact with an animal, you may have sealed its future to a life in captivity. The best rule of thumb is to leave wild animals alone, especially youngsters, and call someone who will know what to do. "A lot of people think we do the rehabilitation here, but we don't have the time or the staff," Kane said. "We (Maine's Wildlife Park) can be a holdi.ng facility, but new arrivals are most often transferred to licensed wildlife rehabilitators."

Summer 2002

Qui z on Page 16 I. Ma ine wild life biologists traded fishers for turkeys with Vermont wildlife biologists in the early 1970s. Turkeys were released in suitable habitat in York and Cumberland counties. As the flocks grew, turkey were trapped and transferred to other habitats. Turkeys now number close to 19,000 birds and are found all the way up to Penobscot County. 2. fish are trapped in pools; are more subject to predation; less water heats up faster, lessening oxygen levels; 3. a. carnivore, NW Maine, mature, remote forests; b. herbivore, throughout Maine although more abundant centralnorth; regenerating clearcut forests aro und ponds and lakes; c. omnivore, suburbs, agricultural and riparian sites, even cities; d. carn ivore, forests, fields, agricultural areas, suburbs, cities 4. vernal pool 5. an endangered dragonfly found in York & Oxford Counties, one of the world's rarest dragonfl ies 6. providing food, water, shelter, space for the wildlife you wish to attract 7. To protect fish and wi ldlife species, manage population , prevent overharvest, and increa e safety for hunters and non-hunters alike.

8a. Habitat is degraded, food supplies are depleted or eaten entirely and unable to regenerate, water resources are depleted or polluted, shelter becomes scarce, space per individual is divided or encroached upon. 8.b. Wildlife may lowly starve, become easy targets for predation, become more susceptible to stress and disease, decrease amount of reproduction, or survive in poor condition; overall population decreases 9. provide acorns for food (mast); dense leaf cover for nesting I 0. forsythia 11. tell someone exactly where you intend to be going, what time you left and when you plan to return; or leave a note with that info rmation 12. un less you have a tag showing that you legally kiUed it du ring hunting season, it cannot be proven that the an imal was legally harvested; (a naturally shed antler not attached to a skul I is absolutely legal for you to possess) 13. $262

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14. a. relative to more open areas, DWAs have reduced snow depths, overhead thermal cover, higher nighttime temperatures, higher relative humidity, reduced wind speeds; all serving to reduce energy demands of deer and reduce heat loss; b. softwood forest, dense canopy, high basal area of trees, stand heights greater than 35 feet 15. b. 16. black bear 17. overwhelms native cattai ls, which provide a variety of food sources to many types of wildlife in wetland habitats; purple loosestrife has little to no wildlife food value 18. b. 19. b. 20. active at dawn and dusk

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