Maine State Library
Maine State Documents Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
3-1-2004
Maine Fish and Game Magazine, Spring 2004 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, Spring 2004" (2004). Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine. Book 53. http://digitalmaine.com/ifw_magazine/53
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.
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DID YOU KNOW? FEDERAL LAW may prohibit you from: • Possessing a gun if you've been convicted of assaulting: ./ your child; ./ your spouse or live-in partner (past or present); or ./ the mother or father ofyour child. 18 u.s.c. § 922(g)(9) • Possessing a gun if you are subject to a final protection from abuse 18 u.s.c. § 922(g)(8) order. • Possessing a gun if you are a convicted felon. 18 u.s.c. § 922(g)(l) • Providing a handgun to anyone under age 18. 18 U.S.C. § 922(x)
• Buying a gun for someone who is prohibited from owning a gun. 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(6) and 922(d)
• Selling a gun to someone who lives out of state. 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(5)
• Lying on an application to buy a gun. 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(6)
IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE. PRO J EC T ,tc,,*
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Am•lca'1 Network Against Gun Vlolenc1
Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force United States Attorney - District of Maine Portland, Maine (207) 771-3294 psnmaine~ usdoj.gov
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Governor John Baldacci Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Roland D. Martin, Commissioner Paul Jacques, 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 Advisory Council Lance Wheaton, Forest City, Chairman David A. Wardwell, Penobscot, Vice Chairman Tenley A. Meara, Topsham Matt Libby, Ashland Sara Dyer, New Gloucester Raymond Picard, Newcastle Harlow Floyd, Holden Raymond H. Poulin Jr., Ripley Robert. S. Savage, Limington Marc Michaud, 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 $14.95 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, 2002. 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 Augusta, 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 wnte to the Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C 20240 Design and Prepress by Harry Vanderweide
Editorial
4
Comm. Roland Martin
First year one of challenges and significant accomplishment.
Eyes in the Skies
5
Cathy Genthner
Warden Pilots watch over wildlife and save lives as well.
Bear Managers
8
Maine's wildlife biologists have the experience to manage the herd.
Classic Landlocks
13
Larry Fiori
A cooperative program to enhance big salmon stocks.
Kidbits
16
Lisa Kane
Maine wildlife have a variety of strategies to ensure they survive.
Turkeys All Over
18
Bob Humphrey
No one expected Maine ' gobbler program to work this well.
Hatchery Improvements 22
Cathy Genthner
Nearly 50 kinds of wildlife are endangered or threatened in Maine.
Bulldozed Streams
25
Frank 0. Frost Joan G. Trial Merry Gallagher
Can they recover from the mid- J900s log drives?
About the Cover: Department Photographer Mark Latti took this photo of one of the Warden Service airplanes in flight. Spring 2004 Page 3
Editorial
A Year of Challenge and Significant Accomplishments It now has been over a year since I took office, which gives us all a chance to look back and see what has been accomplished. Looking back, there is no doubt that this past year certainly offered its share of challenges , and thankfully, successes. One of the first hurdles I faced when I was sworn into the office of commissioner was the looming budget deficit. Initially faced with the loss of 32 positions and 20 percent of the budget, we were able to work with the governor's office to lessen the impact. Sadly, we still lost 12 positions, but we are able to restore 20 positions. We also had to increase the cost of all our licenses, but it was the first increase since 1996, and the increase allowed us to provide the same level of service that our customers have come to expect. The broad, across the board increase ensured that all sporting groups contributed in their support of the department during these tough economic times , instead of just one user group shouldering the load. We have also made strides in other areas since my arrival. In just one year, over 26,000 licenses have been sold online, making the Internet the largest single license agent for the department. The number of remote agents online using MOSES continues to grow as well. On January 26, 2004, the City of Waterville became the first remote sales agent to sell licenses using the MOSES system. This initial pilot has been a success as most are very pleased with the new system . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Natural Areas program and State Planning Office, awarded a Conservation Merit Award the Department for its efforts initiating the "Beginning with Habitat" program . This program helps towns design their landscape to accommodate development and protect wildlife habitat so that all wildlife will still be able to exist across Maine 100 years from now. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also recently announced that Maine will receive $1 .3 million to provide landowners in Maine technical and financial assistance to conserve habitat for endangered and other imperiled plant and animal species. These funds will be used to develop management agreements with landowners in priority areas identified within the Beginning with Habitat program. The Landowner Incentive Program is expected to protect 30 bald eagle nesting sites, beach sites inhabited by 25 pairs of threatened piping plovers, habitat supporting two globally rare plants, and seabird populations on Stratton Island. Additionally, the State will protect over 2,000 acres at special places in southern and coastal Maine known for their diverse wildlife and habitat. We are also reaching out to new partners. Kittery Trading Post became a partner with IFW in selling Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Logo'd merchandise. T-shirts, fleece vests and hats with the Department logo are on sale now at the Kittery Trading Post, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this merchandise will help fund promotion of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife conservation programs. Already this program has yielded thousands of dollars in additional revenue to the Department. The Department published Maine 's Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, which is the definitive and only book on Maine's wildlife species that are at risk of extinction . This is a very well written book, with excellent pictures and illustrations. The Department also produced educational posters of Maine's amphibians, snakes and turtles of Maine. Each poster features full color photographs that are excellent for identification. Illegally introduced fish species is a problem that is plaguing Maine, but the Department is not standing still on this matter. The Department has worked cooperatively with the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a Rapid Response Plan for invasive aquatic organisms. This effort included literature searches aimed at expanding our knowledge regarding the eradication and or management of these species. Legislation was also passed in the past year to deal with the illegal introduction of fish species into Maine's waters. The legislation deals with the illegal transportation of live fish with fines reaching up to $10,000.00. Work has now begun on hatchery improvements thanks to the $7,000,000 bond that was passed by voters in November of 2002. Construction has started on oxygen systems for four fish culture facilities and effluent treatment for three fish culture facilities, and we are in the final stages of finishing plans for a complete hatchery renovation at our Embden Fish Culture Facility. All Game Wardens received training in the concepts of community policing from the Maine Community Policing Institute last June. The program was designed to make game wardens more efficient and better able to serve the public with a limited workforce and focus on fish and wildlife resource enforcement, which is the primary mission of the warden service. A new 25-year retirement plan for all game wardens was recently instituted, as was a new collective bargaining agreement with all game wardens . And , for the first time since 1979, a game warden 's job has been reclassified , allowing them to be compensated for the additional duties and respon sibilities that have been added since 1979. Deputy Commissioner Jacques chaired the Governor's Task Force on ATV Issues and as a result, there are many changes in ATV laws designed to deal with the problems associated with the growing sport. Maine has been a leader in this regard , and now other states are following suit Looking back, it has been a busy year, but when one looks back at what we have been able to accomplish as a Department, it certainly has been a satisfying year as well.
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Photos and Text By Cathy Genthner ame Warden Pilot Dan Dufault of Turner joined the Maine Warden Service last summer and in the short time he's been on board has enough stories to last a lifetime. One search and rescue operation that stands out in his mind happened last December, when Dufault was the first to spot a group of high school students and their teachers that had become stranded in the western Maine mountains during a blizzard. "When I spotted them , they were approximately a mile and a half into the woods from the trail , and l could tell they were having a real hard time getting through the snow. I let the other game wardens know that I had spotted them , and approximately where they were. It was a great feeling to see all of them
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there in reasonably good condition," said Dufault. "It took game wardens the rest of the day to get the group out. Wardens were able to get part way in on a road with snowmobiles, and then had to go the rest of the way with snowshoes because the snow was so deep." Dufault was among the game wardens responsible for rescuing the IO students from Oxford Hills High School and their two chaperones, who spent two sleepless nights in the White Mountain National Forest when they were trapped by heavy snow. Search and rescue is just one of the duties of game warden pilots. From the air, they are also responsible for monitoring activity on the ground, the fish stocking in remote areas and assisting biologists with bird and wildlife counts.
Saving Footwork "Game warden pilots are our eyes in the sky," said Game Warden Sgt. Roger
Guay of Greenville. "They save us hours of footwork and wasted time, because when they do a fly over, they can cover an immense amount of territory that would take us days on foot. In searches they are invaluable. They are our right arm ." "They are even more important for law enforcement purposes in the northern half of the state, where there is so much wilderness ," said Game Warden Sgt. Greg Sanborn of Lincoln. "They can direct patrol activity from the air to let wardens on the ground know where the people are." In addition to Dufault, there are two other game warden pilots, Otis Gray of Eagle Lake, who patrols the notthern section of the state, and Chief Warden Pilot Charlie Later, who is based out of Greenville. There are also two reserve pilots. Later, like Dufault, had a pilot 's license before he had a driver's license. "The bulk of our job is to locate activSpring 2004 Page 5
ity - whether it is illegal or normal," said Later, who has been a licensed pilot since 1975. In an hour we can see activity that would take a game warden all day to find on his own. For example, you can see a deer drive much easier from the air than on the ground. We can then relay that information to the district game warden, who then makes up a plan of action. It
saves time and money for the whole department." Later, a five-year veteran with the warden service, has his share of daring search and rescue stories as well. One of those stories took place on February 27, 2003, when Alan Perry of Massachusetts suffered a heart attack while snowmobiling with a group of
"I'm Lucky to Be Alive" The following contains excerpts from a letter written by a Massachusetts man whose life was saved by a game warden pilot, as well as other members of the Warden service and local rescue and medical personnel
Dear Tim Liscomb: On February 27, 2003, I was snowmobiling in Northeastern Maine with several co-workers and suffered a heart attack. Within 20 minutes I was unable to move. We were 30 miles from camp in a remote area with no cell phone service. Two of our group decided to go to a lodge located about 1O miles away for help. When they arrived the owners of the lodge contacted the Maine Warden Service with a radiophone. Several individuals from your group deployed to get me out of the woods and to medical help. By the time help arrived darkness had set in, but your group was not set back by this and a small aircraft landed on a pond a few miles away by the lights of snowmobiles. I was transported by toboggan from my location to the airplane and flown to Lincoln hospital. I wish to thank the Maine Warden Service and the people involved with saving my life. I was able to obtain three names from your groups that were involved in the rescue . They are Warden Bruce Loring, Sgt. Greg Sanborn and Pilot Charlie Later. Please accept my personal gratitude for your help. As I sit here looking out at the night sky through the window of an American Airlines aircraft returning on a business trip from Peoria, Illinois, it brings back memories of my flight out of the Maine woods in a small airplane, also looking out at the night sky wondering if I will see daylight. I realize how lucky I am to be alive. Thank you for this. Sincerely, Alan Perry Page 6 MAINE Fish and Wildlife
friends in a remote part of Eastern Maine. Perry's companions were able to reach a lodge and radio wardens for help, but by that time it was dark and his condition was worsening. Perry needed immediate medical attention and his life hung in the balance. Pilot Later first stopped at Lincoln Hospital to pick up a registered nurse and then prepared to land on Duck Lake in the darkness of night. To complicate matters even further, it was a lake that he had never landed on before.
Headlight Landing Strip Snowmobilers outlined a "landing strip" with their headlights as Later landed the r'ane in treacherous conditions. "I got the call when l was in Greenville and then rushed to Lincoln where l met the Lincoln rescue squad and Chari ie. Before Chari ie took off for Duck Lake, l told him to be careful because I knew that he was risking his life," said Sgt. Greg Sanborn, who was among the search and rescue team. "There is no question that Charlie's actions saved the life of that snowmobiler." Risking one's life seems to come with the territory of working as a game warden pilot. They often Oy in the worst weather conditions and when they are called out, it is often to rescue people who are lost or injured - and time is of the essence. Game warden pilots are often dealing with very high stress situations. "Weather is not always our best friend. When it is snowing or if there is an ice storm, it doesn't affect whether I survive or not," said Sgt. Guay. "But for the pilots, the weather can be life-threatening. They deal with high winds, poor visibility, heavy snow, air pockets and mountain ranges. They go up in bad weather and they push those limits on a regular basis. They give 110 percent and they are very impre sive." The Warden Service planes can be equipped with skis, pontoons or regular landing wheels in order to work in a variety of conditions and situations. "The Ce na 185 that I ny was built in 1981. It i the perfect plane for what I have to do," said Dufault. "It can reach speeds of 300 miles per hour, in ca e I need to reach a scene as soon as possible, pring 2004
or l can slow it down to 60 miles per hour in order to observe an event happening on the ground." Game warden pilots have come to expect the unpredictable and the dangerous as part of the job. "We are almost always the first ones to get the call ," said Later. "We find a lot of missing or injured people over the course of a year. The warden service in general is responsible for finding lost people. A growing problem is the number of older people with Alzheimer's or dementia who wander away from home or nursing homes."
Dan Dufault flies a Cessna 185, which can reach speeds of 300-miles-anhour and can also fly at 60 miles per hour to observe activity on the ground.
The Trout Stockers The pilots have been very successful in finding people," said Sgt. Sanborn. "They cut our search and rescue time down substantially." However, there are times when game warden pilots aren't dealing with life and death situations. In the fall and spring, they assist biologists with stocking remote ponds by carrying 500 pounds of fish and water in tanks. Pilots also take part in bird and wildlife counts. "We do eagle surveys, counting the chicks in the nests in the springtime -
and they are fairly large - the size of a chicken," said Dufault. "It is such a sight to see, 1 feel privileged to be able to see nature from the air. It is an experience
Game Warden Pilot Dan Dufault started flying for the Warden Service last summer. MAIN E Fi sh and Wildlife
that not many people have." Game warden pilots also have the opportunity to see the state of Maine with totally different eyes than thase of us who work on the ground. "The state of Maine seems so small now. I can travel from one end to the other in a matter of hours," said Dufault who, before returning to Maine, worked for five years as a bush pilot and guide in the Alaskan wilderness . He also worked for Currier 's Flying Service in Greenville. The Auburn native is glad to be back flying in his home skies. "I see more green trees than I ever have before," said Dufault. "I know people are concerned about clear cuts, but at least from my perspective I see that the trees are coming back because I am seeing more softwoods in the winter." All three pilots are able to combine their love of flying with their love of the Maine outdoors. "Flying is such an incredible privilege," said Dufault. "I love my job because it is something new and different every day. One day you can be stocking fish in Fort Kent and the next you could be looking for a lost person in the mountains of Bethel. " Spring 2004 Page 7
Meet Maine's Bear Managers This fall Maine voters will be deciding whether to allow the continuation of bait, hounds and traps as methods of hunting black bears. The Department's position, based upon long experience of studying and managing bears, is that these practices are important tools in the state's bear management efforts. The following attempts to capture some of the extensive experience with bear ecology, behavior, management, and bear interactions with the public that the staff of the Department brings to bear management in Maine. We have one of the most qualified and experienced teams in North America and we regularly share information with other states at meetings devoted entirely to bear management issues.
• Eight years as Director of Wildlife (3 yrs) and Resource (F&W) Management (5 yrs) - working with staff to develop bear management programs that achieve management goals - including seasons, methods, working with public • Seven years responding directly to nuisance bear complaints - trapping, relocating, running with hounds, working with public/agricultural interests • One year starting bear research and management programs for the Utah Division of Wildlife • Seven years as Leader of the Bear and Furbearer Group and Mammals Group in the Wildlife Resource Assessment Section - responsibilities included designing bear research and management programs to achieve management goals and recommend regulatory changes • Served as bear expert witness at the request of the Vermont Dept of Fish & Wildlife in a 6-year court case involving bear habitat • Author of several bear research and management publications • Invited to deliver keynote address at the 1998 Eastern Black Bear Conference • Very experienced in running bear hounds
Dr. Kenneth Elowe Director of the Bureau of Resource Management. • Ph.D. Degree working on black bear ecology and behavior in western Massachusetts 1983-1986 - Disse1tation entitled "Factors affecting black bear reproductive success and cub survival in Massachusetts" • M.S. Degree working on black bear ecology and behavior in western Massachusetts 1979-1983 - Thesis entitled "Home range, movements, and habitat preferences of black bear in western Massachusetts" Page 8 MAINE Fish and Wildlife
G. Mark Stadler Director of Wilt/life
• Five years as Wildlife Director working with staff and administration to develop bear management programs that achieve management goals - including seasons, methods, interacting with stakeholders, and managing the nuisance bear program • Seventeen years working with Animal Damage Control policies and operational procedures • Nine years as a Regional Biologist in northern Maine responding to nuisance bear complaints - trapping and relocating problem bears
Dr. George Matula Supervisor, Wildlife Resource Assessment Section • M.S. Degree working on black bears in Pennsylvania 1971-1974 Thesis entitled "Behavioral and physiological characteristics of black bears in northern Pennsylvania" • Nineteen years as Supervisor of the Wild Ii re Resource Assessment Section - responsibilities for leading group that recommends bear management programs and management actions • Three years as MDIFW's Bear Study Leader and Big Game Project Leader • Assistant editor for "Bears - Their Biology and Management" proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Bear Research and Management • Author or coauthor on several bear research and management publications Spring 2004
Pennsylvania Game Commission 's Bear Study
Sandy Ritchie Wildlife Planner • Five years as Wildlife Planner working with staff and coordinating species planning processes and interaction with stakeholders to develop bear management objectives • Nineteen years working with Animal Damage Control policies and operational procedures . . • Five years as a Regional Wildlife Biologist in western Maine responding to nuisance bear complaints
Jennifer Vashon Bear Study Leader, Wildlife Resource Asses.m1e11t Section • Bear Study Leader for Maine Dept of inland Fi heries and Wildlife (MDIFW) July 2003 to present • M.S. Degree working on black bear ecology and behavior in Virginia 1994-1996 - Thesis entitled "Survival , home range, and movements of Virginia 's exploited bear population" • Seven field sea ons working with MDIFW 's Bear Study - trapping, tag. . ging, den work • One field season work111g with
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Randy Cross Wildlife Specialist, Wildlife Resource Assessment Section • 22 Field seasons working on MDIFW's Bear Study, most as field team leader - trapping, immobilizing (drugging), tagging, radiotracking, and den work • Handled over 1,500 different bears over 3,000 times during tagging operations • Leads over 150 people from classes, groups, and press most years on educational field trips to observe bear tagging operations during den work • One of most experienced bear handlers in the country • Very experienced with bear hunting methods
Brad Allen Bird Group Leader, Wildlife Resource Assessment Section • M.S. Degree working on black . bear ecology and behavior in Maine 1979-1982 - Thesis entitled "The expen-
mental pursuit of black bears in Maine using trained bear dogs" • Biology Specialist working with black bears in Maine - trapping, tagging, radiotracking bears in northern Maine - 5 years. • Very experienced with bear bunting methods, including hounds
Lindsay Tudor Wildlife Specialist, Wildlife Resource Assessment Section • Seven years working with MDIFW 's Bear Study - den work, drugging, tagging . . * Two Field seasons workrng with MDIFW's Bear Study - trapping, drugging, tagging
Andrew Weik Game Bird Study Leader, Wildlife Resource Assessment Section • One field Season working on MDIFW 's Bear Study - trapping, immobilizing, tagging, den work
Spring 2004 Page 9
in the Greenville area - trapping, relocating, working with public • Very experienced owning and running bear hounds and other hunting methods
Mark Caron Region D (Strong) Assistant Wildlife Biologist • 10 Field seasons working on MDIFW's Bear Study - trapping, den work, immobilizing, tagging • Experienced with all aspects of the Bear Study • Experienced with all hunting methods
Douglas Kane Region E (Greenville) Hildlife Biologist • M.S. Degree working on black bear ecology and behavior in ew Hampshire 1986-1988 Thesis entitled "Factors influencing the vulnerability of black bears to hunters in northern New Hamp hire" • Five field seasons working on MDIFW's Bear Study - trapping, den work, immobilizing, tagging • 14 years responding to nuisance bear complaints as the Regional Biologist
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tion since l 995
Scott Lindsa), Region A ((,ray) A s1stant Wildlife 8 1ologi t • Two field seasons working on MDlFW 's Bear Study - trapping, den work, immobilizing, tagging • Two Field seasons responding to nuisance bear complaints in downeast Maine - trapping, relocating, and responding to agricultural incidents Karen .\1orris Moose Study Leader, Wildlife Resource Assessment Section • Three Field seasons working on MDIFW's Bear Study - trapping, immobil izing, tagging, den work
Dr. \\alter Jakubas Mammal..\' Group Leader, Jlildlife Rewmrce 4s.\ eument Section • Leader of group making bear management recommendations to administra-
Maine's Amphibians, Snakes And Turtles -Posters Now Available With the arrival of spring , it is a great time to discover the amphibians, snakes and turtles of Maine, and now, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has informative posters that can both aid in your discovery and help protect some of Maine's most cryptic and least understood species. Each of the posters features full color photographs on the front side for identification , and a biological summary of species distribution , habitat preferences, breeding information , and current threats to their existence as narratives on the back side of the poster. The three posters are available through the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Information Center by calling 207-287-8000. They are $3.00 each or $8.00 for the full set. Funding for the poster project was provided by a grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and from the Department's Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund .
Spring 2004
Classic Landlocks for Maine By Larry Fiori As most anglers know, the State of Maine offers unparalleled fishing for landlocked salmon. Historically, many of our lakes and rivers provided world-class landlocked salmon fishing. A select number of Maine waters till offer the opportunity for a truly outstanding landlocked salmon angling experience. However, it's no secret that the overall quality of landlocked salmon fishing has not met the expectations of many Maine anglers in recent years. Many lakes once famed for their robust landlocked salmon now produce few bragging-sized fish each season. Over the last several years, the Sportsmen's Alliance of Maine's (SAM) Fisheries lnitiative Committee, composed of concerned and experienced anglers from across the state, has been advocating for the implementation of a quality landlocked salmon program for the State of Maine. Recently SAM and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIF&W) joined forces to promote a quality landlocked salmon initiative coined Maine's Classic Landlocked Salmon Program. SAM and the DIF&W decided to work together primarily due to the results ofa survey conducted by DIF&W, and funded by SAM and Trout Unlimited to determine angler support for a quality landlocked salmon initiative. The survey results not only showed significant support from both open water and ice fishermen for the concept, but also indicated significant support for a majority of the management tools that may be necessary to create quality landlocked salmon waters . The idea of a return to a traditional classic landlocked salmon fishery enabling salmon to reach their hi toric maximum ize wa appealing to most Maine angler . The primary focus of "Maine's Clas ic Landlocked Salmon Program" is to advance the management programs necessary, on a select group of waters. The goal is to enable landlocked salmon MAINE Fish and Wildlife
to reach their water-specific maximum size, thus providing more diversity in fishing opportunities by increasing the number of 5-pound-plus landlocked salmon available to anglers. It's important to note that this initiative is only intended for a small group of waters that have the potential to grow trophy salmon, and provide that opportunity for the significant number of anglers that desire it. It is also important to note that within the Department's 15-year management plan for landlocked salmon, a category exists for "size quality management," calling for increasing the average size of landlocked salmon on selected waters. The Size Quality Waters is a group of waters that currently, or has in the past, grown quality landlocked salmon and wi 11 be some of the first waters reviewed for inclusion as one of "Maine's Classic Landlocked Salmon Waters"
Smelt Vital for Quality Landlocked Salmon While many human and natural factors impact the quality of landlocked salmon populations in Maine, there are also a few constants. Landlocked salmon depend on smelt to eat. Smelt populations are naturally highly variable. Overharvest of smelt by anglers can decimate a landlocked salmon population. Competition for smelt from other fish species can reduce the health and growth rates of landlocked salmon populations. Appropriate (i.e. low) stocking rates in hatchery-landlocked salmon populations are critical to growing larger and healthier landlocked salmon. Depending on available food supply and the number of salmon and other competitor fish in a lake, landlocked salmon in Maine exhibit a variety of growth rates. Growth is fastest in lakes with abundant smelt and a small number of predator fish. Growth is slowest where Spring 2004 Page 11
smelt populations are low or there are large number of salmon and other predator fish competing for a limited number of smelts. [n a slow-growing population, landlocked salmon may not reach 14 inches long until they are five or six years old. Salmon in lakes with "average" growth rates reach 14 inches by their fourth year. In lakes with abundant smelt populations and few predators, landlocked salmon can reach up to 19 inches in only their third year and can reach six to ten pounds by their fifth or sixth year. Landlocked salmon in Maine can live in excess of l O years. In 1939, about five percent of the landlocked salmon spawning run on Mooselookmeguntic Lake were eight-year-old salmon and 15 percent were seven years old. Older salmon (seven to ten years old) were also represented in spawning runs on the Fish River chain of lakes in Aroostook County in the 1950s. Studies indicate female salmon tend to live longer than males. Today, angler harvest of legal-sized salmon prevents most salmon from fully reaching their natural life span. There is no question that smelt will play an important role in Maine landlocked salmon's futures, and significant attention is currently being placed on research that could lead to hatcheryraised smelts and the stabilization of smelt populations in waters throughout Maine. Currently Merri Gallagher, a biologist with DIF&W, is working with the University of Maine on a major smelt research project that was funded through an Outdoor Heritage Fund grant.
Management Tools
A plump male landlocked salmon showing the small head and rounded body which are typical of landlocks in water where there are plenty of smelts for them to feed upon. Page 12 MAfNE Fish and Wildlife
One of the first and most significant things we must do to move towards quality landlocked salmon waters is to develop and implement regulations that specifically enhance and protect wild and stocked landlocked salmon on selected waters, thus allowing more salmon to reach their maximum size. This is where the expertise and experience of DlF&W will come into play. In the first half of 2004, Department fish eries biologists, along with their management teams, wi 11 review selected waters and make recommendation s as to what Spring 2004
management tools could potentially bring about more numbers of trophy salmon on selected waters. At the same time, DIF&W will put together an action plan for each water body selected that will take into consideration the Management Programs previously listed. Once these "action plans" are finalized , they will be brought to the public to gain public support and approval. A potential new management tool that could do a lot to advance quality landlocked salmon, would be catch and release in the spring only. This would allow many salmon to survive through a period when they are most susceptible, yet still allow anglers the opportunity to catch salmon during that time. Additionally, a spring catch and release provision could be used, along with a slot limit allowing anglers to take fish that for "management purposes" need to come out of the mix. Therefore, someone that wants a fish to eat could also have that opportunity. The key here is that this initiative is not about taking away angler opportunity, but enhancing an opportunity that some consider only marginal today, that of catching salmon nearer its maximum growth potential. • There are approximately 316 lakes and ponds containing landlocked salmon in Maine. • The Department actively manages 198 for salmon, believing these waters provide moderate to high quality salmon fishing. • The remaining 118 have remnant populations of salmon. Again, it is important to recognize that of the over 300 lakes and ponds containing landlocked salmon, this initiative would be proposed on less than IO percent of the total waters available with significant angler support for "quality landlocked salmon waters" Two important elements have to be recognized in regards to creating quality landlocked salmon waters: I. There i no guarantee of the re ulL wc hope for, biology is not rocket sc ience. IL ' even tougher. We take what we believe to be our be t shot and the resl is up to nature. 2. There needs to be public involvement and upport as we attempt to gain MAINE Fish and Wildlife
What Maine Anglers Want Based on a statewide survey over 35 percent of all anglers, both ice and open water, supported the following management tools. (Represents approximately 65,000 anglers) -
Reduce Stocking Rates of Landlocked Salmon
(over 50%)
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Reduce Stocking Rates of Other Fish Species (over 65%)
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NLFAB During Open Water Season (over 50%)
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ALO During Open Water Season (over 45%)
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Limit Number of Rods During Open Water Season (Over 75%)
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Closed to Smelting (over 65%)
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Catch and Release Spring Only (over 35%)
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Catch and Release Fall Only (over 50%)
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Limit Number of Traps During Ice Fishing (over 70%)
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Smaller Bag Limits (over 50%)
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Slot Limits (over 50%)
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Catch and Release, general (over 50%)
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Higher Length Limits (over 50%)
-Maximum Length Limits (over 35%) approval of the action plans that are proposed by the Department. Without signi ficant public support the likelihood of establishing quality landlocked salmon waters diminishes dramatically.
Public Input, Support and Involvement
to reach the public, links on both SAM's and the Department's websites are being established to help keep the public informed, as well as allow for input and questions concerning the initiative. I look forward to working with the many Maine anglers that have expressed their interest, and have indicated they will be there when the time comes to show their support for this initiative. I would also like to thank all the people at the Department that have dedicated their time and support to this project, especially John Boland, Peter Bourque, and Dennis McNeish. Without their support none of this would be possible.
To make Maine's Classic Landlocked Salmon Program a reality and a success story, there is no question both SAM and the Department need public input, support and involvement. A public relations campaign that promotes the Quality Landlocked Salmon Initiative by educating and informing the general public of the process, reasons for quality landlocked salmon waters, as well as encouraging public participation has already been developed and will be a crucial part of this initiative. Along with many other avenues A quality female landlocked salmon.
Spring 2004 Page 13
CULVERTS: Roadblocks To Maine's Fish Nursery Waters By Ken Allen A huge, insidious problem on fish nursery waters across the width and breadth of Maine gained momentum in the 1950s, when road crews began replacing bridges with steel culverts, a quick, inexpensive alternative to building wooden or concrete structures. At times, though , improper placement of these graveled-covered tubes blocked trout, salmon and baitfish (such as rainbow smelts) on their upstream journeys, particularly juvenile fi h that rely on these upstream habitats as nurseries. Indeed , in the last half-century, road crews have obstructed an untold number of ancient migration routes that had provided unimpeded passage since the end of the last lee Age. During the Ei enhower years, anglers noticed the increase in culverts because of a less destructive but annoying result. Many people grew up fishing under bridge , where trout hid in the ever-pre ent shade, perfect almonid and bass habitat. However, game fish were reluctant to hide in culverts, so folks lost honey holes each time a bridge came down . In some instances, generations of anglers had fished beneath these structures, so folklore had developed around them, including the enduring one of a fly rodder casting beneath a covered bridge. Indeed, many people born in the 1970s have never fished a brook beneath a bridge. In those less enlightened years before the environmental movement had gained momentum , few anglers complained about the bigger problem of Page 14 MAINE Fish and Wildlife
obstructing fish migration, and in many cases, culverts were clearly as effective as the largest dam in stopping fish swimming upstream. Obstructing pecies such as brook trout and salmon forced them to live in larger, downstream sections, filled with fish large enough to eat them.
Problem Outlined The culvert problem on many brooks and streams is often obviou . The downstream end extends from the road bank into open air, so water cascade to the pool below. Naturally, fish may not be able to leap into the culvert. Even if fish jump high enough to enter the steel tube, the current's velocity may be too fast because the pipe gradient is too steep, creating a flow impossible to negotiate for juveniles as well as adults.
The velocity part of the equation is getting worse, too. Here's why: Many culvert are reaching a half-century and more in age, so rust has deteriorated the metal. Rather than digging up the culverts and replacing them , engineers have a much less costly solution. They instruct road crews to insert plastic liners inside the rusted culverts, which exacerbates stream-velocity woes. Corrugated culverts created friction that helped to slow the flow, but plastic is smooth, allowing for increased flow speeds.
The Question How many miles of nursery water have been lost to culvert ? The Department does not have a concrete figure, but William Woodward, an assistant regional fisheries biologist,
Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist William Woodward looks at the downstream end of a good culvert that is installed so the the bottom of the culvert is lower than the water level of the pool, allowing fish to easily negotiate it. Ken Allen photo
Spring 2004
feels certain that it would be at least a four-digit number. Woodward's estimate relies partially on geographical statistics of Maine's total miles of flowing waters. This state has 5 l ,982 miles, including 12,682 miles of rivers, 24,913 miles of perennial waters and 13,387 miles of intermittent runs. The latter may seem unimportant, but it can provide nursery habitat during spring run-off. In addition to knowing the miles of running water Woodward also has firsthand knowledge of inadequate culverts in Region B, where he works. In his area he has a handle on the percentage of c~lverts that obstruct migrating fish and can extrapolate his estimate from there. To find the exact answer to miles of lost nursery water, biologists would need to catalog all the inadequate culverts across the state and multiply that number by the miles of flowing waters upstream of the obstructions. DIF&W clearly lacks manpower for this task. Woodward said that by virtue of size, river culverts are much less of a problem than ones in small brooks, and of course, rivulets. In fact, according to this biologist, it would be safe to say the culvert problem rises as the brook size diminishes becau e the smaller the water, the more important it becomes to place the culvert precisely to accommodate fish passage, particularly for juvenile fish. For several years now, Woodward has electro-shocked above and below questionable culverts to determine fish species utilizing the two different habitats. He has also stocked marked, brooktrout juveniles on the downstream side of a road to see if these fish can ascend culverts. This has given him a good indication of what degree of gradient that brookies can climb, and often, he has already suspected that certain culverts are impassable before conducting research. The average person knows salmonids need cool and well-oxygenated water. However, most people do not realize that tiny brook trout and landlocked salmon choose incredibly shallow water to evade larger, finned predator . These little fish often hide in water so shallow that golf-ball-sized rock are barely covered , which always astounds people accompanying fisheries biologists on electro-fishing research for the first time. Tiny, spring-fed tributaries are crucial to
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wild salmonid populations, and such waters thread their way through woodlands all over Maine.
Solution Exists At first glance, the solution to this long-developing problem may seem daunting, but Woodward has faith that it can be done with cooperation between DIF&W and the people who repair bridges and culverts - the Department of Transportation (DOT) and municipalities. Woodward emphasized that the Department and DOT have a good working relationship, and furthermore, DOT already does a decent job of repairing or replacing culverts. The real problem is work crews from towns that do not know and in many cases simply do not care about fish migration. When a road crew installs a culvert Woodward would like to make sure thar' each one meets two guidelines: I) The bottom of the downstream end lie below the stream surface, effectively embedded into the substrata, and 2) the gradient is level rather than steep. These two crucial steps will ensure fish passage.
Retaining Dam If the bottom of the culvert on the downstream side of the road hang in the air above the brook's surface, all is not lost. A small, low-head darn just downstream of the culvert may be a solution. If such a structure can create a pool and raise the water level above the bottom of the culvert, fish can then swim upstream. The middle of the retaining dam should have an opening for fish to swim or jump through while going up or down tream. ln short, the state DOT or local town crews may not need to dig up a culve1t and replace it with a new one, although that would be a perfect solution, and in some situations, the only alternative. Each culvert needs an evaluation from a fisheries biologist to assess the best plan. Woodward has studied an inexpensive variation of a retaining-dam design. It lies in Mount Vernon on the Watson Pond Road between its junction with the Castle Island Road and Bean Road. A tiny, spring-fed tributary flows under the paved highway, and the downstream end of the culvert had about a 12-inch drop before a rock dam was built, creating a
pool. The darn raised the water level so fish can swim into the culvert. lt is such a simple solution that a casual observer may think a child built it. Woodward thinks a concrete Jersey barrier is a better alternative to rock dams because that choice is more durable during spring run-off. The concrete wall is placed perpendicular to the current, and a gap in the center allows fish passage. The rock structure has one appeal, though. With a little guidance, volunteers from any local conservation oroani. b zat1on could construct them all over the state until a more permanent solution remedies the problem. (Caution: DEP and or lFW permits may be required for this kind of work.)
Legislation Time If the culvert's gradient drops too steeply, then a surefire solution would begin and end with replacing the culvert with a level one. In many instances, this remedy would require legislation because towns would be reluctant to dig up a culvert that worked just fine for transporting water under the road. The needs of fish often take second place when correcting the problem means spending tax dollars. Baffles in the culvert might slow the current enough for fish to swim through, but that should be a last resort. ' Woodward said that water level played a role in flow velocity, and baffles may not work in spring, when fish are migrating upstream. Woodward said that municipalities sometimes balk at replacing culverts, using the excuse that work crews cannot block traffic. Woodward knows that temporary bridges built just up or downstream can accommodate traffic when digging up old culverts and putting in new ones. Blocked access to nursery water affects everyone who buys a license because it results in fewer fish for anglers, and in some instances, stocking costly hatchery fish to make up the shortfall. In fact, Woodward argues that culvert hould be a much bigger concern than large dams, which attract great energy from fishing activists. The olutions to culvert barriers are doable, but according to Woodward, the cure do not capture the imagination as big darns do. Spring 2004 Page 15
ON THE DEFENSIVE!!! Common survival strategies wildlife may use to stay alive are those that help protect them from predation, or being eaten. Some 'def ens es' might include one or more of the following : tasting terrible, smelling awful, running fast, blending into surrounding habitats, 1. having spines or hard shells; I am: or simply looking like another animal that ------may be dangerous or poisonous. See if you can identify the animals, then match My defense: them up with one or more of specific defense strategies described. Mimicry. When an animal that is not poisonous looks and/or acts like another that is. 2. Milk snakes resemble the venomous northern Iam: copperhead and may even shake their tails in dry leaves to mimic the sound of a rattle. A viceroy butterfly, that tastes just fine, looks just like a My defense: monarch butterfly, who tastes terrible after living on a diet of toxic milkweed plants.
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Warning coloration: Bad tasting, smelling or stinging animals are often boldly colored to warm potential predators to BACK OFF! Skunks are boldly patterned. Red efts, the land-based stage of the eastern newt's life cycle, secrete toxins through their skin to deter predators, and yellow jackets have the black and yellow pattern that tells us to BEWARE! Horrible smell: Some animals are equipped with special glands that secrete noxious odors. Skunks can shoot their potent musk, made up of a sulfur/alcohol compound, up to 6 feet when threatened with danger. A garter snake can also let loose a smelly musk - expressing its displeasure when picked up!
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3.
I am: ______ My defense:
4.
I am: -------
My defense:
Spring 2004
Camouflage: This is a great strategy sitting or lying quietly and blending in with your surroundings; or actually changing color to match the seasonal substrates! Fawn deer, woodcock, snowshoe hares, ermine in winter Taste terrible: Sometimes the primary food eaten by an animal contains toxins that make it taste terrible to a potential predator. The monarch butterfly caterpillar feeds exclusively upon the toxic milkweed plant.
5.
Iam: - - - - - - - My defense:
6.
Iam: - - - - - - - -
•
My defense:
Poisonous: The northern short-tailed 7. shrew is the only mammal that has a poisonous bite to stun its prey. There are no I am: _ _ _ _ _ __ poisonous snakes currently residing in Maine, however, timber rattlesnakes used to live My defense: here but were extirpated or eliminated. Speed: Lots of wildlife can outrun or out-fly their predators to avoid being eaten. White-tailed deer and snowshoe hares are good examples of this strategy! Long legs and powerful hindquarters identify animals that use this defense.
8.
Iam:- - - - - - - -
My defense: Spines: Porcupines cannot shoot their quills like arrows, but beware of getting too close to their powerful tails. One 9. swat and hundreds of barbed quills can Iam: become embedded in flesh . The dorsal fin of a yellow perch is very sharp and spiny! Potential predators like loons or larger My defense: fish take care to swallow this prey item headfirst, so the dorsal fin folds down and the spines don't stick in their throats!
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10.
Iam: - - - - - - - Armor: The hard shell of turtles is an obvious defense mechanism, although some predators, like mountain lions, have jaws that My defense: are strong enough to break them open. And unfortunately, turtles are often injured or 11. killed by cars as they try to cross roads to Iam: get to new habitats.
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(Answers on Page 30)
MA INE Fish and Wildl ife
My defense:
Spring 2004 Page 17
Turkeys Gobbling All Over Maine Its an amazing success story that finds turkeys spreading into locations where nobody ever expected them to thrive.
Text and Photos By Bob Humphrey For anyone who has traveled the highways or back roads of Maine recently, it's hard to imagine that not so long ago, wild turkeys were virtually nonexistent in our state. Thanks to the elfo1ts of biologist and sportsmen, they've been brought back, and then some. Maine's wild turkeys now occur in numbers that almost certainly never existed before, and occupy a geographic area that far exceeds their historic range. Their return represents one of the most remarkable success stories in modern conservation. Getting to this point however, did not come easy. Lack of knowledge and proper funding mis-directed or stalled some early effort . Later, poor weather and the turkey' prerogative to travel also hindered some relocation efforts. Once the first flocks were finally established, it Page 18 MAI E Fish and Wildlife
took time, and continuing diligent efforts to help populations spread out across the landscape. Those efforts are ongoing, but thanks to the biologists, and the birds themselves, turkeys arc now thriving in areas once thought impossible.
The Early Years The impetus for turkey restoration in Maine came from sportsmen, who had been enviously watching successful reintroduction programs in other states. Responding to their requests, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife began their own restoration program in the late 1970s. Region A Biologist Phil Bozenhard orchestrated some of the first intra-New England translocations, releasing birds from Vermont and Connecticut into the Mount Agamenticus area of southernmost York County in 1977 and 1978. With limited fund and starting, results were slow in coming, and eventually stalled. Meanwhile, a portion of Maine's flock relocated itself into ew I Lampshire. Invigorated by help from the newly formed Maine Chapter of the ational Wild Turkey Federation, Maine's efforts got back on track in the early 80s. Biologists began live-trapping York
County birds and relocating them elsewhere in the state. They also continued releasing Connecticut birds at various locations. Those efforts were successful enough that Maine was able to hold its first modern spring eason in 1986, where the hunt was limited to York County. Progress remained steady through the ensuing decade as Maine continued to release birds at new locations, relying increasingly more on resident birds. The program was originally designed to reestabli h turkeys in their historical range along the southern coast. I lowever, encouraged by their repeated success, biologists transplanted birds farther inland and north, beyond the limits of anyone's expectations. Increased interest in hunting and a continued natural expansion of the turkey's range, augmented by additional releases, prompted the Department to expand the hunting Lone to include most of Cumberland County in 1992. Succes ful reintroduction continued, and in 1996, the area open to hunting was again expanded to include most of what was then the bird's current range in Maine. This included an area extending north and east from the New Hampshire border to the Pcnob cot River and pring 2004
encompassing seven counties. Maine hunters experienced their fifth consecutive record year in 1998, bagging 594 birds, and Maine's turkey population was estimated at around 8,000, and still expanding in both number and area.
More Recently Bozenhard identified 1999 as a turning point. Up to then, Maine's turkey population had been experiencing slow, steady growth. "The birds reached critical mass," he said. "We had a favorable spring with warm, dry conditions, which led to nearly 80 percent survival rate of poults. There were birds everywhere and that was when the population got ahead of hunters." Just four years earlier, biologists estimated Maine's turkey population at less than 900 birds. But by 2000, Bozenhard conservatively estimated the population had risen to approximately I 0,000, and that the statewide maximum supportable population was around 15,000 birds, based on available habitat. Just two years later however, biologist Andy Weik estimated the statewide population at somewhere between 17,000 and 20,000 birds, and growing. "Now, we've got birds everywhere, from Kittery to Brownfield, north to Bangor and back," said Bozenhard . In April, 2000, the Department convened a public Wild Turkey Working Group. Their charge was to develop goals and objectives to guide wild turkey management for the ensuing IO - 15 years. The overriding goal recommended by the group was to increase the wild turkey population within all suitable
MAINE Fish and Wildlife
habitats in Maine. Under this goal they set five specific objectives: I) By 2010, increase the size and distribution of the wild turkey population within all suitable habitats in Maine via trap and transfer activities and habitat improvements. 2) By 20 I 0, provide unlimited spring hunting opportunity, as long as the wild turkey population can support it and current (2000) hunt quality is maintained. Among the issues still to be addressed were how to expand hunter education and how to define "quality hunting." 3) By 2002, develop a component to the Department's uisance Wildlife Policy that addresses wild turkeys. Several issues were raised about nuisance complaints, damage, and depredation permits, and the Department is addressing these. 4) By 2003, implement a limited fall season in areas where the wild turkey population can support it, without adversely affecting Objective 2. The Department has acknowledged that this will require better knowledge of the population status and will require a law change. 5) Develop a cooperative habitat improvement program between landowners, the Maine Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Department. Another principal concern among group members was finding and ensuring adequate funding to support a new position whose responsibility is to coordinate wild turkey management. Somewhat of an afterthought, participants unanimously agreed this was critical to proper management of this growing resource and
hunting opportunity. With regard to the first objective, Regional Management Supervisor Gene Dumont noted: "We really don't know what suitable turkey habitat is in Maine, since the birds are now occupying habitat that we never dreamed could support them. All counties of Maine now contain, at least, some breeding turkeys except for Aroostook, although some birds have been observed in several sites in Aroostook, but their origin is suspect." Overall, the birds seem to be doing just fine. But how are they doing in each region of the state?
Region A Region A is the birthplace of Maine's restoration program , and much of what occurred has already been cited above. The area still represents one of Maine's two turkey strongholds, and Phil Bozenhard notes "birds are now nearly ubiquitous in the region, though some areas are better than others." Bozenhard observed that, "Wells and Sanford probably have 200 - 300 birds each," and recent harvest data how these two towns as consistent leaders. Bozenhard also identified Gorham, Windham and Standish, in Cumberland County, and Auburn, Lisbon and Poland in Androscoggin County, as having some of the highest numbers.
Region B Translocation efforts in Region B began in the early 1990s, mostly in Lincoln County towns. By the middle of the decade, birds were being moved to
Spring 2004 Page 19
parts of Knox, Kennebec and Wa ldo Counties. Waldo County a lso received an early infusion of 33 birds in 1982. Once established, the population boomed, and Region B now represents the other, and perhaps the greater stronghold for turkeys in the state. When asked recently how many birds he thought were in his region, biologist Keel Kemper simply responded, "An awful lot." According to Kemper, the densest populations now occur in the Waldo County towns of Un ity, Morrill, Thorndike and Belfast. Kennebec County strongholds exist in Whitefie ld, Alna, Jefferson, Pittston and surrounding towns. And they seem to be doing just fine wherever they occur. "Certainly the cold doesn't affect them," said Kemper. "Deep snow li kely has more effect as it may impa ir their ability to get natural foods. Instead, they just fly to the farmer's manure pi le and feast away." Kemper also observed that nuisance turkey complaints have been on the increase, particularly in hard winters when deep snow forces them to be more reliant on dairy farms.
Region C The current huntab le turkey population in Region C is largely the resu lt of three releases in Hancock and Lamoi ne. " We're very encouraged by the results," said bio logist Tom Schaeffer. "Observations and harvest data suggest we've got good viable population in Wildl ife Management District (WMD) 26 and the western half of WMD 27. Production is good and birds are staying in release areas." The strongest populations, according to Schaeffer "are in WMD 26 towns a long the Penobscot River, and western WMD 27 towns including Ellsworth, Trenton, Hancock, Lamoine and Dedham, and up Route I A toward Brewer. East of there birds are still at a pioneering level. We intend to continue to move east as birds become available, but we're adhering to a policy of not moving birds more than 20 miles from estab li shed locations." The Department uses spring harvest figures as an indication of the popu lation's health and by all indications, Region C birds are doing well. Three Page 20
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years ago, according to Schaeffer, " ... when we Wildlife Biologist Phil Bozenhard sets a turkey had that hard w inter, free to establish a flock in a new area. many of us were surprised the kill held its own. If we were going to expect losses, that wou ld have been the w inter." As it turned o ut, average we ights were down a bit but the harvest showed a sli ght increase. Ki ll numbers were a lso up the fo ll owing yea r, and included the first bird harvested in Washi ngton County. "We haven't had any official releases there," said SchaeITer. "The birds pioneered on their own. We rea ll y didn't thi nk Wash ington Region D "have sure ly moved in and County wou ld make an appropriate helped our efforts." release area, but the birds showed us Hulsey identified Bethel, along something." Androscoggin River drainage; the Schaeffer mentioned that the Farmington area a long Sandy River and Department has one more area in Madison in WMD 17 as having among Hancock County slated for relocation, the highest populations in his region. "then we're ready to move into "Along the Androscoggin, Sandy and Washington County." Kennebec within region D is where the farms are, the best habitat, fe rtile soils Region D and that's where we get oak." I le pointed According to biologist Chuck out that there are birds elsewhere as well. Hulsey, his region started to come on line "What really astounds me is we're as a potentia l release site in 1997. "The getting reports of birds from places they Department had gotten to our borders in have no business being, like Lexington, terms of filling in a ll potent ial sites to the C Surp lus, and Rangeley. We've had lots south and east." The first releases of reports in Strong for five or six years occurred that year with 15 birds in Bethel now." and 11 in orridgewock. "Those numbers exploded to where Region E we actua ll y had a nu isance problem with According to Department Bird over 100 birds at a farm in Bethel," he Group leader Brad Allen, Region E is said. In 1998 the Department released 16 "right on the edge of available turkey birds in Madison, which is now a stronghabitat. Flocks are small and spread out ho ld. During the winter of 1999-2000 and populations will probably always be they re leased 23 birds in Farmington of that nature." The mere fact that Falls and 44 in Canton. turkeys even exist in this region is excit"The winter of 2000 was kind of a ing, and that there are enough to support watershed point," said Hulsey. We were an allowable harvest i astonishing. now moving birds within the region. I le al o noted there are occasional We've moved birds to Bethel, rogue spring sightings of wandering Canton, Farmington, orridgewock, males ea t of Moosehead Lake, but Madison, North Anson, and Embden," he pointed to Garland, Dexter, Sangerville said. I le al o observed that birds trapped and Dover-Foxcroft as having the most and relocated to areas just south of pring 2004
birds as that's where the best habitat is. "We'll be trying to increase hunting opportunities by releasing birds to the north and cast of established flocks," he said. How far north they'll persist remains to be seen. Regional biologist Doug Kane observed that winter survival remains a question. "The northern range of the population goes all the way to Greenville, but we've never seen birds spend the entire winter north of Sangerville." He also speculated that very cold temperatures and deep snow are factors that limit distribution, and surmises the birds probably hang close by wherever they're being fed, either dairy farms or bird feeders, and where milder conditions and better habitat occur.
Region F Biologists Kevin Stevens and Buster Carter are delighted with the progress turkeys have made in their region. "We never thought we'd be working with turkeys," said Stevens. And that progress has been rapid. Birds were first introduced in the Garland area about five years ago. Additional releases occurred in Dover and Bradford the following year,
and seemingly overnight, the region had a huntable population. "The birds have responded tremendously with the help of a couple of good springs for recruitment," said Stevens. Much of the restoration effort has been focused around the Leavitt WMA, where the state manages habitat for turkeys and other wildlife. Stevens also credits the NWTF efforts for much of the turkey's success. "There is a tremendous interest in private landowners doing habitat work, planting and releasing apple trees and high-bush cranberries; federation people do a lot of volunteer work. They also have seedlings and seed mixes available for landowners. We're trying to stress that because we don't have a lot of agricultural land up here." According to Carter, relatively large numbers of birds can be found in the eastern part of WMD 17 in Bradford, Charleston, Atkinson and Milo. "We have birds all through WMD 18, but they're sporadic," he said. "We've had reports of birds in Old Town, Milford and Lagrange. "We had three successful releases in 2001, and another release in 2002 in Winn, so the birds are moving up along the (Penobscot) River," added Stevens. "We may never have large numbers like
It takes planning and careful observation to successfully trap wild turkeys. Usually they are captured near silage pits on farms. MAINE Fish and Wildlife
Waldo County," said Stevens, "but we will have huntable populations. It's amazing how well they've done. We've seen broods in Millinocket, Chester, Stayceyville, up along the east branch, and over in Prentiss and Kossuth. We'll let the turkeys tell us how far they're going to go.
Conclusion With the bulk of the restoration work completed, Department biologists are now working on filling in the holes. In southern and central Maine, the birds themselve can fill most of those holes, and populations continue to expand. Meanwhile, regional staffs continue to trap and relocate birds each winter in three basic geographic directions: Kennebec and Androscoggin Watersheds, Penobscot Watershed, and easterly along the coast. "This winter has been the Department's most successful trap and relocation year in history, primarily because of good trapping conditions, additional trapping equipment for more of the regions, and unsuitable deer wintering area survey conditions that allowed for more opportunity to capture birds," said Dumont. "Regional Wildlife Staff have been successful with eight complete releases and one partial release," he said. "A good, complete release consists of a ratio of one tom to 3-4 hens, with about 12-15 total birds." Last winter the Department relocated 130 birds to nine different sites statewide. "This is work well done, the regional staff have become very proficient at this procedure." This al o bodes well for sportsmen eager to see a lottery-free spring hunt. "To achieve this (goal) we increase permits levels each year by about 30 percent, while monitoring hunter interference rates and landowner problems," said Dumont. "Permit application numbers have leveled off over the last three years (approximately 26,000 in 2002 and 2003, and 24,000-plus this year). "At the current rate of permit expansion and the number awarded this year, we should be at an unlimited spring hunt well before year 20 I 0."
Spring 2004 Page 21
Fish Hatchery Improvements The passage of a $7 million bond issue will help hatcheries produce larger numbers of higher-quality fish Photos and Text By Cathy Genthner Several Maine hatcheries have already begun working on improvements as the result of a $7 million dollar bond issue passed by voters in November of 2002. Improvements planned at six hatcheries around the state - Casco, Dry Mills, Embden, Enfield, Governor Hill, and Palermo - include more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to raise and care for the fish. The improvements consist of three components - improving oxygen levels, increasing the efficiency of fish waste ( effluent) disposal, and installing new round tanks. What it means for anglers is that there will be an increase in the number of fish produced by hatcheries and many of these fish will be larger in size when they are stocked. Presently, over 700 Maine waters are stocked with l .2 -1.4 million hatchery raised brook, brown and rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, lake trout, and splake on an annual basis. Some bodies of water are stocked once a year - some every few weeks depending on water and fishing conditions. "We figure it will double the poundage of fish we are producing now in just a couple of years," said Steve Wilson, the Director of the Maine's Hatcheries for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. "We will see expanded fishing opportunities for Maine
Mike Andrews, fish culturist and assistant supervisor at the Wade Hatchery in Casco, shows off a landlocked salmon. anglers for those fish that we manage for growing and taking, which means those fish we raise in hatcheries are specifically for the purpose of stocking Maine's waters," said John Boland, the director of Operations for the Fisheries Division. "At the same time, this will take some of the pressure off of the wild trout resources." During the past few years, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has opened up numerous lakes, ponds and rivers to fall fishing. More bodies of water are likely to be opened to fall fishing, because the hatcheries will be able to keep up with the demands for more fish.
Low Head Oxygen
Mike Andrews and Fish Culturist Todd Langevin at work in the raceways of the Wade Hatchery. Plans are for these raceways to be replaced by round tanks when funding is available. Page 22 MAINE Fish and Wildlife
Five of the nine hatcheries are in the process of installing low head oxygenation (LHO) systems designed to put more oxygen in the water, which allows hatcheries to raise more fish in a smaller space. LHO dissolving devices placed at the upstream end of raceways mix or dissolve liquid oxygen into the water supply. This procedure allows the existing capacity of each hatchery 's water supply to be utilized to it maximum fish rearing potential. More fish can then be produced in the same rearing raceway, with the pring 2004
same water volumes, and still produce quality fish that meet stocking requirements statewide. In addition, "baffles" - a kind of bottomless dam - will be installed in the raceways to help keep them cleaner by increasing the flow of water at the bottom of the raceway, forcing the wastes through. The baffles will make cleaning the raceways easier, saving multiple hours of scrubbing as well as money. New emuent treatment systems will provide recovery offish feed solids by vacuuming them from raceways, then micro screening it all before discharge. Recovered solids are handled in sludge storage units, then spread as agricultural manure in a safe, beneficial form of fertilization. This technology will allow additional fish production and help to meet required discharge license compliance. The new waste management systems at hatcheries will ensure that neighboring rivers and wetlands are not adversely affected by fish waste. Fish Pro Consulting Engineers and Scientists, based in Springfield, Illinois, ha been hired to review the state hatchery system and also manufacturers much of the new equipment to be used in Maine's hatcheries. The company has identified strengths and weaknesses in our hatchery systems , making recommendations for ways to increase fish production . For the past few years, Fish Pro has
been working closely with the Department as well as the Hatchery Commission, which was appointed by the Legislature. "With this whole effort, the Hatchery Commission has recommended facility infrastructure improvements as a way to see that the agency has an overall higher capabi Iity in fish production," said Tom Johnson, the senior fisheries staff biologist at Fish Pro.
The Wade Hatchery in Casco raises rainbow trout for stocking and hopes to increase the number and Embden Hatchery sizes of rainbows following the installation of a new The Embden Hatchery, oxygen system. which is fed by high quality water from Embden Lake, will see the first and most dramatic round of improvements. In addition to oxygenation and waste management improvements, new round tanks will be installed to replace the antiquated linear raceways. Circular tanks have an advantage over raceways for providing self-cleaning solids and operating with less water inflow than raceways . Embden will have covered, 20-foot diameter circular tanks for production rearing. The new building, with its 40, 20-foot diameter tanks, will provide for a high quality fish-rearing environment.
"With circular tanks, the water comes in , rotates, and moves to a center drain where the solids are taken care of," said Johnson . "Raceways are more difficult to make self-cleaning." The Embden tanks should be operational by the spring of 2005. Presently, the raceways at Embden produce roughly 27 ,000 pounds of fish a year; with circular tanks, that number could more than triple . The new oxygen systems should be installed by July and the new effluent system by this fall. In addition, construction on two separate lake pipelines will begin soon so that fish can be raised in two different water temperature conditions, which will also contribute to increased production .
Wade Hatchery
This round tank is similar to the ones that will be installed within the next year at the Embden Fish Hatchery. MAI
E Fi h and Wildlife
The Wade Hatchery in Casco will soon have a new LHO system with equipment that is already on site and ready to be installed. "In the summer we typically have trouble with fall yearlings because of the leftover water from the other fish ," said Mike Andrews, a fish culturalist and assistant supervisor at the Wade Hatchery, who has worked at state hatcheries for over 15 years. "The additional oxygen being put in the water will help those yearlings stay healthier." "I am definitely looking forward to the improvements. I am excited about seeing what we can actually raise for fish with the new LHOs, " said Todd Langevin , a fish culturist who also works Spring 2004 Page 23
at the Wade Hatchery. "We should be able to raise more and bigger fish. With more oxygen in the water, the fish will feed better during the low oxygen times." The Wade Hatchery will also soon have an improved effluent treatment plant as a way to reduce phosphorus output. The water will be treated before it is discharged into a nearby brook, which then flows into the Crooked River. "We've done as much as we can to cut down on the amount of waste, such as cutting down the amounts of feed," said Andrews. "However, the new effluent system will take care of any remaining problems. The improvements will be good for the environment because the water will be clean going out."
Excitement Reigns One thing is certain, state biologists, hatchery workers and anglers are excited about the improvements in store for the hatcheries. They are united in their excitement because of a love for fishing and the beauty that each species possesses. "This is the best thing that has happened to the state hatcheries in over 50 years," said Wilson. "The last time hatcheries were renovated was in the 1950s. The passage and implementation of this bond issue gives us access to the latest technology. We are creating a much better environment to raise fish and we are addressing the issues present at our old hatcheries." Wilson says the improvements will also cut down on the rate of disease because of much-improved rearing envi-
ronments. All of the recommendations for improvements are the result of years of study by the Department, consisting of input from each hatchery. "Every region was asked to submit a list of what they would provide for additional stocking initiatives if production were increased," said Boland. "What we have learned that in waters where we stock and expect those fish to grow before they reach legal size - such as A rare golden salmon, also known as an albino salmon, lake trout, brown salmon that lives at :he Casco Hatchery. A small trout and fall finger! ing brook number of these rare fish are raised for display. trout - these programs have They are not stocked into the wild. satisfied our needs. However, there was a lot of opportunity . ~,-,, to expand the stockmg of legal- t':: 7,, ~/':'!f'!,, ••~,.r r1 size fish, in places like the ' .... Presumpscot River in •11~ Windham. This will provide increased opportunities for spring and fall fishing in waters that normally don't support wild populations of trout and salmon."
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Funding Is Crucial The hatchery improveBrook trout like this one are raised at the Dry ments have been in the planMills Hatchery in Gray. ning stages for several years have. The passage of another referendum and are far from complete - both physiwill hopefully take us to the next stage, cally and financially. Last fall's bond depending on the amount." issue will pay for new oxygenation sysFishery officials are optimistic that tems at five hatcheries and round tanks at an increase in the amount of fish hooked one hatchery. The Casco Hatchery is next by anglers as a result of hatchery in line to receive improvements will encourage Maine round tanks, but anglers to vote in favor of future hatchery everything depends bond issues. on the passage of "Of course, I love the different future bond issues species of fish that we raise here at the for additional hatchery, but when you pull up in a improvements at the stocking truck and get to see the smiles state's hatcheries . on the fishermen's faces, it makes it all "We knew from worthwhile," said Andrews. "We are prothe beginning it ducing a high qua! ity product. 1t is really would take us IO to a joy when people come up to you, pat 15 years to complete you on the back and say ' good job.' the project," aid Then they tell you a great big fish story." Wilson. "We went in The fish tories are what make it all with the idea that we worthwhile. should get started
Salmon eggs are cultivated in trays in indoor runways at the Wade Hatchery in Casco. Page 24 MAINE Fish and Wildlife
with what money we Spring 2004
Bulldozed Trout Strea01s Can They recover from the mid-1900s log drives? By Frank 0. Frost, Joan G. Trial and Merry Gallagher oday, a vast network of roads in the North Maine Woods is used to transport wood products to mill. However, in the mid-l900s pulpwood (cut in 4-foot lengths) was sent down rivers and streams to rai l crossings for transport to mill. This process was termed driving. After being cut, pulpwood was stored either in lakes and ponds or at large landings along cleared riverbanks. A network of dams built throughout northern Maine provided storage for the water necessary to transport, or sluice, the wood downstream. Often, river drives were timed with spring snowmelt to take advantage of naturally high water conditions. Water storage dams were equipped with gates to release water. Driving was the most efficient means of wood transport during its time; however, it changed the shape and character of many Maine streams, and significantly affected their productivity for wild Eastern brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, one of the most important sport fish in Maine's rivers and streams. River driving had many negative effects on trout habitat; including higher water temperatures and siltation at log land-
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Constructing a wing deflector at Big Hudson Brook, Aroostook County, in 1956. ings and access roads. These changes greatly hindered the production of the primary food source for trout - aquatic insects. Possibly the most detrimental practice was the use of bulldozers to clear streams in preparation for driving. During the 1950s bulldozers were used almost universally to remove boulders and debris jams, straighten stream channels, and flatten the streambed into long straight riffles, thus removing essential pool habitats. The features that hindered log driving were also essential attributes of productive trout streams. Productive trout streams have a variety of complex habitats. Adult trout need deep pools, or holding areas, for cover from predators and as protection from high summer temperatures and lower water flows. Shallow riffles are used as spawning areas and as juvenile rearing habitat. All trout, and their food source of aquatic insects, benefit from abundant cover consisting of logs, boulders and fallen trees within the stream and overhanging the water. Often very sinuous, meandering channels form undercut banks and debris jams that provide trout cover and large insect production areas. Bulldozing removed most of these features , along with important shade trees and created uniform , shallow stream channels with little cover left for trout.
River Driving Ends
Log landings prior to driving on Tomhegan Stream, Tomhegan Twp., Somerset County. MAINE Fish and Wildlife
River driving was phased out during the 1960s, after the Maine Legislature restricted ' dozing in streams and more and better road networks were being built to transport wood products. However, state fisheries biologists had already documented significant, widespread habitat damage in northern Maine trout streams. Could streams return to pristine pre-driving conditions over time, or would recovery require intervention? Most streams and rivers were essentially left to self-heal and biologists hoped that the widespread damage they had documented would be reversed over time. Luckily, a few stream restoration projects - designed to reverse the effects of driving - were conducted in the l 950s and 1960s. Big Hudson Brook Biologists attempted to restore fish habitat destroyed by Spring 2004 Page 25
bulldozing and driving in Big Hudson Brook (BHB), TlORIO, Piscataquis County. Big Hudson Brook is in the headwaters of the Aroostook River watershed and was considered one of the best trout brooks in northern Maine by local anglers. Big Hudson Brook arises at Upper Hudson Pond and flows about 10 miles to Mooseleuk Lake. Mule Brook is the main tributary and enters BHB about 4 miles upstream of Mooseleuk Lake. Prior to 1950, the section upstream of Mule Brook was narrow with excellent shade, numerous deep pools, and cooler water temperatures. In 1950 Big Hudson Brook was bulldozed from Lower Hudson Pond to the confluence with Mooseleuk Lake, except for about one mile of deadwater. The brook was widened to almost five times its natural width. At low flows water seeped through bottom rubble and did not flow in a defined channel. Shade trees had been removed; water temperatures reached the mid-seventies. Pools and instream cover were almost completely eliminated and the wild brook trout that had once supported a tremendous sport fishery almost disappeared.
Habitat Improvement In 1956, fisheries biolog ist Kendall Warner and district game warden Ivan Porter worked with a Great Northern Paper Company (GN PC) bulldozer operator to improve fish habitat in Big Hudson Brook, realizing they could not recreate the pre-driving conditions. Their methods and results from I 956-1958 were documented in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 1960, volume 89(1) pages 59-63. Seventy-one wing deflectors, IO rock dams, and six spring holes were constructed over approximately seven miles of Big Hudson Brook. The G PC provided a bulldozer for the work, and Aroostook River Fish and Game Club members of Ashland assisted on the project. The new structures were designed to narrow the stream, thus creating more diverse habitat capable of producing larger trout. Two years later, in 1958, many of the structures were still intact and functioning. Only 14 structures were judged to be unsuccessful at contributing Page 26 MAI E Fish and Wildlife
Section of Birch River, 1954, Eagle Lake Twp., Aroostook County, depicting a typical bulldozed stream in preparation of log driving to better fish habitat. The habitat improvement at BH 8 was evaluated again in 2002, 46 years after construction. Our questions were: l) Did structures still exist? And 2) Were they functioning as intended? We also had the opportunity to compare BHB to nearby Mule Brook, which like BHB, had been bulldozed and driven. However, it was among the many streams left to self-heal and could serve as an example of natural stream recovery.
Structures and Condition Surprisingly, 42 structures - almost half of those constructed, were found in Big Hudson Brook after 46 years. Excavated spring holes had poor longevity: only one spring hole was till functioning in 2002. Approximately one-half (37) of wing deflectors were located, and four rock dams (40 percent) were still intact and functioning in 2002. Pools are very important to olderaged brook trout those large enough to interest Maine's anglers. Twenty-six pools were located in BH 8, 16 of which were attributed to the improvement structures. Mule Brook had only eight pools in a similar length of stream ( 1.2 miles surveyed). Mule Brook was dominated by long, wide, hallow rime habitat that had extensive alder growth along the banks, likely a remnant of the severe
impact of driving. Big Hudson Brook had extensive banks of spruce, fir, and cedar in some sections and was dominated by hardwoods in other sections. These trees along BHB are nearing the age where they will soon enter the stream as woody debris, and may further improve stream habitat for trout.
Condition of Northern Streams River driving in Maine was widespread practice in the mid- I 900s, and severely impacted streams and rivers, destroying trout habitat. The paired comparison of BHB, with its 1956 habitat improvement project and nearby Mule Brook, left to "self-heal" after log driving in 1950, confirm that nature, alone or assisted, has not recreated the habitat that once made them high quality trout streams. Trout production in these waters limits the potential for future sport fishing.
The authors of this article are: Frank 0. Fros/, fisheries biologist. Maine Department of inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Ashland Regional Headquarters; Joan G. Trial, senior biologist, Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission, Bangor; Merry Gallagher, Research Fisheries Biologist, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Bangor. Spring 2004
Business Announces Software for Anglers, MDIFW This spring , a new service will be available for anglers in Maine. TripTracks, Inc., a new Maine business, is announcing the upcoming release of its TripTracks Fishing Logbook. Via a new website, www.triptracks.com, anglers will able to enter detailed information about their fishing trips into an online personal journal. Anglers can record where they have fished, what they caught and even upload photos, all of which they can refer to at a later date to review a past trip , or plan a future one . Additionally, TripTracks is working in partnership with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIF&W) to provide pieces of the data that fishermen have entered back to the fisheries biologists to be used to better maintain the State's fisheries , and understand usage patterns. John Boland , Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's Director of Fisheries Operations, said, "I'm extremely excited about this partnership. TripTracks will enable our fishery biologists to more accurately monitor fishing activity on Maine waters, and will provide an avenue to solicit input from or provide information to anglers . This innovative program will undoubtedly enhance our ability to effectively manage Maine fisheries." TripTracks Fishing Logbook is a free service for all Maine anglers, providing them with a means of recording and storing their information for their own personal use, but also enables the resource-conscious fishermen to contribute back to the management of the fisheries in a way that may not have previously been practical. The idea for building TripTracks came from two Maine
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fishermen , Keith Sirois and Dan Tarkinson. Sirois is a graphic designer and user interface specialist, while Tarkinson is a software engineer and founder of the popular website, FlyFishinglnMaine.com . "The match of skills was a perfect fit" , says Tarkinson . Sirois added, "We're really looking forward to working with the MDIFW to show that technology and innovation is something that Maine is a leader in ."
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Holding Named Warden of Year Game Warden Blaine Hol ding of Stratton, a game warden fo r 20 years, was the 2003 Ma ine Warden of the Year. "Over the course of Bl a ine's career, he has proven himse lf to be an excepti onal game warden, we ll ro unded in all res pects, as we ll as an exceptio na l person," sa id Maj or T homas Santag uida, "Bla in e is we ll know n fo r treating peopl e he encounters in a manner that leaves them w ith a lasting posi tive impress ion that re fl ects highl y on himse lf, all game warde ns, the Department and the State."
utdoorsWoman
In addi tion to hi s high quality fish and wildl ife enfo rcement; hi s efforts at recreati onal vehi cle enforce ment and search and rescue, Holdi ng has had many other notab le achievements during his career as a Game Warden inc ludi ng: assisting in apprehend ing a known te rrori st crossing the bord er; rescuing a sporti ng camp manager stranded on a rapidly freezi ng lake; and attempting to revive a These workshops are drowni ng victim by administeri ng CPR after primarily aimed at women the subj ect asp irated. Holding also is very 18 years and older dedi cated to ass istin g with the coord ination and promotion of the Ma ine W inter Specia l interested in learning or Olymp ics.
honing their outdoor skills.
Habitat Grant Awarded
2004 BOW Workshops May 8
Hunting Over Dogs, Milo
Full
Hunter safety certificate required
June 12 Swiftwater Canoeing, Bryant Pond $55 Lodging/Breakfast (Optional)
$20
Oct. 9 Shotgun Workshop, Hermon*
$55
' Must have t a ken a BOW fi rearms course or have hunter saf et y certi f ication For more informat ion , please contact :
Dorcas Miller 76 Williams Road Chelsea, Maine 04330 dorcasmiller@gwi.net
For all applications plus information about the 3-day September 17, 18, 19 BOW Workshop at Bishopwood Camp in Hope, check the web at :
www.mefishwildlife.com Sponsored by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
The U.S. Fish and Wildl ife Service announced that the State of Ma ine w ill receive $1.3 mill ion to provi de landowners in Maine technical and fi nancial ass istance to conserve habitat for endangered and other imperiled plant and ani mal spec ies. Ma ine's Landow ner In centive Progra m expect to protect 30 ba ld eagle nesting sites, beach sites inhab ited by 25 pairs of threatened pipin g pl overs, habitat supporting two g loba ll y rare p lants, and seabird popul ations on Stratton Island. Additiona lly, the State wi 11 protect over 2,000 acres at special places in southern and coasta l Maine known for the ir diverse wildlife and ha bitat including Mo unt Agamenticus, Scarborough Marsh, St. George's Ri ve r, Massabes ic Forest, and Un ity Wetlands among others.
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MA INE Fis h and Wi ld li fe
Spring 2004 Page 29
Kidbit s Answer s From Page 17 1 . Whitetailed Deer - Speed 2. Garter Snake - Smelling Awful, Camo 3. Monarch Butterfly - Terrible Taste, Warning 4. Short-Tailed Shrew - Poisonous 5. Milk Snake - Mimicry 6. Skunk - Horrible Smell. Warning, Coloration 7. Yellow Perch - Spines 8. Porcupine - Spines 9. Turtle - Armor 10. Snowshoe Hare - Speed, Camo 11. Fawn Deer - Camouflage
Maine Fish & Wildlife
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Your Hosts Olive & Dean Paisley Registered Mai ne Guide Bear - Deer - Moose - Coyote Phone 207-444-5379 Eagle Lake
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Ben Pinkham, Master Guide Spring 2004
'Pickers' ~ools HOMEOF1HE
A1LAN1IC SALMON The Main Southwest Miramichi River HOWARD, N.B. CANADA Since 1946, we have provided superb, personalized service to anglers of Atlantic salmon , brook trout, and shad . Our pools and lodging are on the Main Southwest Miramichi , 1/2 a mile below the entrance of the Cains River, and 25 miles SW of Miramichi City. This year we offer the last two weeks of October for Upland Bird Hunting (Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock).
• Salmon Pools (Beats) Our four privately owned pools provide five star wet and dry fly fishing. Anglers have the option of wading (gravel bottom with gradual grade) or fishing from a canoe . The Miramichi valley provides superb cover for Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock .
• Accommodations Our Atlantic salmon package includes lodging , meals, housekeeping , use of our four private pools, guide services, and day canoe trips . The charge is $190 US/day/angler from April 15th, 2004 - September 17th, 2004 ; $220 US/day/angler from September 18th - October 15th, 2004. The refundable Canadian tax is 15% of the daily charge. Special discounts are available based on length of stay, time of year, and size of group.
• Reservations PLEASE CALL OR WRITE:
Martyn Vickers 122 Winthrop Street Augusta, ME 04330 207-623-4879 vickers@gwi.net
Our Upland Bird package includes lodging , meals, housekeeping and guide services. The charge is $750 US/five day (Monday Friday)/hunter. The refundable Canadian tax is 15% of the weekly charge. Bird dogs are available for an add itional charge .
Please visit our website at www.miramichisalmon.com
One of Maine's best hunting and fishing spots is in Freeport Visit the LL.Bean Hunting & Fishing Store in Freeport for a full array of quality rods , reels, lures and flies in our expanded Fishing Department. You 'll also find a great selection of firearms , hunting accessories and specialized apparel. The outdoor experts on our staff are here and ready to help you 24 hours every day of the year. And, of course, everything we sell is 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Start your next adventure at LL.Bean.
L.L.Bean Hunting & Fishing FREEPORT, MAINE 800·559·0747,
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