Looks like a 2012 Lake Winni Ice Fisherman. Dangerous ice conditions are the norm during this years abnormal winter. This fellow is not discouraged. He has a flag and his beer is on ice. Good day on the ice? or water? ice water!
The New Hampshire & Vermont
Volume 6 Issue 3
Table of Contents
ARTICLES Eight Years in the Wilderness Traveling Outdoorsman Taxidermy Trails Mass Meanderings Riverbank Tales Lock, Stock & Smoking Barrel Waterfowlers perspective Family Tracks Bone Collections Lessons form the Outdoors The Trap Line Kens Choosing a trail camera NH’s 2011 200 lb club Tails from the Trail Southern Side Up From the Back of the Canoe Birding with Briere Coastal Zone Trail Camera contest Behind the Sights Thoughts on the Out of Doors Searching for Nature’s Treasures Guided by the Light, or.... Image Wild Gazette’s Book Review
On The Cover
Page 6 8 9 11 12 14 15 16 18 20 22 24 26 27 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 41 42 44 45 46
Wilderness day in Colebrook, NH - Three Generation Ice Fishermen at the Lake Bomoseen ice Fishing Derby, pictured left to right-Norman Flanders (Grandfather), Nick Flanders (Father), Preston Flanders (Son), and Ian Flanders (Son) – NH’s Madbury Buck” this 2011 NH muzzle loader buck, Gross scored 160 4/4, w/a net score of 156 2/8.
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Outdoor Gazette Publisher/Editor: Fred Allard Design Layout: Dan Millet
Send correspondence to: The Outdoor Gazette 1166 Court Street Haverhill, NH 03765 Tel. (603) 989-3093 • Cell (802) 738-6755 Web: www.theoutdoorgazette.com E-Mail: fred@theoutdoorgazette.com Graphic Design & Layout: Think Different Design Berlin, NH 03570 603-752-9838
The Outdoor Gazette is printed monthly by Seacoast Media Group Portsmouth, New Hampshire ISSN Number 1941-9805
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Do you have an interesting story to tell? It could be about a fishing trip with Dad or Grampa, maybe a hunting trip with some buddies or just about exploring nature with Grammie. We are always looking for good stories/pictures to publish in our paper. If you have a story that you think our readers might be interested in, then give us a call at 603989-3093 or send a copy by mail or email to fred@theoutdoorgazette.com.
March 2012
Page 3
Editor’s Back Porch Putting things in to perspective
Perspective, sometimes things happen that “correct” this for you/me /us. Working in a hospital, my perspective is constantly being corrected. Just when I think that I am having a bad day, I just have to look around at the patients coming to the hospital to realize just how lucky I am. Sometimes these “corrections” are a little too close to home. Alan Briere, long time writer for the gazette and award winning photographer and more importantly, a good man and husband, is in the ICU at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. I could not believe my ears as I heard the message from Alan’s wife Cheryl. Alan and Cheryl are very close and the pain on her face as she told me the story about Alan’s illness and eventual admission, brought tears to my eyes. At this time Alan is still asleep, having gone through emergency
surgery. He is receiving the best of care and if anyone can come through this, I know that Alan can do it. I know he is thinking “ I have too much left to do to let this bump in the road slow me down.” I am not a religious man, but I do pray occasionally and Alan has been the topic of many of my prayers lately. Please add him to yours. With us praying for him, the love and support of his family and the care from the staff in the ICU, hopefully we will be lucky enough to enjoy Alan’s exceptional work in the pages of the Outdoor Gazette once again. >>>------------------------------> This month we add 5 new writers. Randy Barrows of Milton, Vermont joins us with a monthly “Trapping” column. Finally we found some one knowledgeable about this sport and willing to write about it as well. Randy
By Fred Allard
owns, what I believe to be, the only trapping supply company in Vermont, Arrowhead Trapping Supply. Randy is not only knowledgeable, but he is easy to talk to and the passion for trapping comes out in his voice when he talks about it. Brian Bouchard owner of Field Bay Outfitters of Vermont joins us as well. Brian is the Gazette’s new waterfowl guy. I was lucky enough to have booth space next to Brian at the Yankee Sportsman Classic this past January. Like the rest of the Gazette’s writers, he too is passionate about his outdoor niche. That his passion will translate in to success for his new venture I am sure. Capt John Curry, from Cape Cod, MA. I love to fish salt water but never get much of a chance these days. As I get older I realize I can’t possibly do everything myself. The cost of equipment, the time spent to learn all there is to know about every outdoor sport…just does not happen. So I
have been hunting and fishing smarter in my old age, by taking advantage of experts like Capt John. He has the equipment, the knowledge and years of experience that I will never have. Time is precious and Capt. John can make things happen for you/me. I can’t wait to hit the ocean with him this spring and summer, maybe fall too! Check out Capt John’s website, it is obvious he knows what he is doing. David Whittmer of Western Mass…an accomplished writer, lover of the outdoors and of his home state of Massachusetts. David’s love and pride of the Bay State comes out in his writing and I look forward reading about what is going on outdoors “down under!” Lastly Ken Monte, we have been friends for many years. Some of Ken’s stories may overlap with mine, but like they say there’s 2 (or more) sides to every story. His first article “Being Continued next page
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when a fellow mushing friend informed me there was a rescheduled race in Northern New Hampshire. I needed to get weekend coverage at work to participate. If I didn’t go, he probably wouldn’t either. It would mean, logistically, getting to Northern New Hampshire by the mandatory 8:00 am Mushers meeting. MapQuest indicated it was a 3-? hour drive, backing the departure time to 4:30 am. Need to load dogs, load the truck – switch all the dogs and gear from one truck to another in Rockingham – better add a ? hour – now looking at 4:00 am departure? Probably should arrive just a tad early to the Mushers meeting, say to drop dogs and sleds, and at least look like we’re in the hunt; so add another ? hour – departure at 3:30 am? And that’s a tight timeline and doesn’t allow for any unforeseen circumstances. I agreed to go, and we contemplated the best way to manage our tightly laid out time line. As fate would have it, neither one of us slept, I tossed and turned from 10:30 to 12:00 and tried to fake sleep like a child waiting for Santa. I think I may have gotten an hour and a half of sleep – wide-awake at 2:00 am, well in advance of my 2:30 am setting for the alarm. I called my comrade at 3:00 am, a half hour before my “leaving the house” call scheduled for 3:30. He answered promptly and alert with “couldn’t sleep either”? Something interesting happens when you change the format from a fun run to a “race”. For two days I was plotting and planning what I would need to bring. Not like all that stuff isn’t in my truck anyway, but this was different. It was a race, and I wasn’t going to be in MY truck. Had to have all the stuff I needed, but not too much, as space is a premium when car-pooling with a fellow musher and his dogs. I re-evaluated and re-analyzed what I needed, being certain not to be without. The mental mindset had changed. This was a race. The race was the end of the season finale for the club, and thought it a nice chance to explore this venue. I had absolutely no expectations other than to compare our performances as a team in a “race” setting to what we had been doing in recreational runs this season. In the few longer runs (15+ miles) we have done this year, we had an overall run average of 5.7 mph, and a moving average of 8.1 mph. My team is a hodge-podge of Siberians, the first initially purchased as a pet, a couple retired race dogs, and The Outdoor Gazette
some acquired at various stages of puppyhood and trained to pull by ignorant, but eager owners who embraced the breed and wanted to exercise them properly, and most of all, have fun. They vary in age from one year to almost 9. Just as I was more discerning about my packing for this venture, once on the trail, I found myself more analytical of the dog’s behavior and actions in harness. The “race” brought into focus nuances I had to act strategically upon, which, on a recreational fun run may have been left unnoticed. The race was 25 miles – the longest run upon which we would embark last season. Anthem & Expresso started out in lead, Lyra & Kadee in point, Tarot & Strider in team, and Nina & Kaleb in wheel. Anthem is a trained lead dog; Expresso has no command training, but has the best forward drive on the team. Lyra is a very smart girl and knows her commands, but is sometimes more interested in smells on the trail than her forward orientation; Kadee has the drive of Expresso, but very little lead or command training and at
A Musher’s view... by Allan Tschorn
just one year, is young for the role of lead, but has potential. Tarot is a powerhouse and rock solid muscle – a solid team dog with lots of drive. He is the most vocal of any of our dogs, and if he were a child, surely he would be classified as A.D.D. with separation anxiety. He is very bashful around strangers, and has a very loud annoying squeaky bark (his nick name is squeaky boy) if he isn’t getting the attention he deserves. Strider is a big ‘ol sweetheart, lanky in the leg and very personable. He is a talker, eager to run and a solid team dog. Nina was our first Siberian, and the kennel princess (though she has self promoted herself to Queen). She has a strong attitude, and is always eager
to run. Just not too fast. She is a consistent team or wheel dog. And Kaleb is a big teddy bear of a dog, and sister to Kadee, and at only a year old, is still young in terms of what to expect or how far to push him. He runs well in wheel or team, is strong, always eager to run, but doesn’t quite have the drive his sister does.
Race day rest. By Allan Tschorn
About 7 miles into the run, Anthem does not want to be in lead – tug line is slack and Expresso is neck lining him down the trail. I decide to place him in point, and give Kadee a go at lead. Less than a mile later, she too is telling me she doesn’t want to be in lead with a slack tug. The next dog I have in line for drive is Tarot – and he probably is physically the strongest, and has incredible drive, but no training. What the heck – we’ll give him a go. What a surprise! He did great and actually showed some signs of listening to commands, though very far from a polished lead dog. Surprisingly, Anthem ran with tight tugs in point, and showed GREAT Gee-over support from the point position. Just as we as mushers seem to up the ante logistically and strategically, I too sensed a heightened performance from the dogs. Anxiety about staying to the right, passing and being around other dogs, and snowmobile traffic all proved to be unnecessary. The dogs’ gee’ed over
March 2012
from previous page like never before, did some (mostly allowed some) great passing of other teams on the trail without incident, and passed snowmobiles perfectly while in motion. After our 18 mile water and snack break, Nina showed signs of being tired – her tug was slack, and she was getting neck lined on some of the faster downhill runs. Thoughts of bagging her ran through my mind, but she did fine as long as we set a slower pace. She was our first Siberian, and I really wanted her to complete our first “race”. Around mile 22, Kadee, one of our yearlings, showed signs of tiring – her tug was slack, her drive evaporating, her neckline tight from the front. I set the hook, and gave her some attention. A little break from running and a lot of positive reassurance for all the team worked wonders. Again, setting a slower pace was in both Nina’s and Kadee’s comfort zone. Only a few miles to go, and I didn’t want it to end. We started as a team, and we finished as a team. Our team came in dead last, a whopping ? hour behind my front competitor (decades in race terms), and 1-? hours after the first place finisher. I am not in this to be competitive – remember, dog sledding is too much fun to add the stress of having to compete. Competition can be, however, a very useful tool. I learned about my dogs, we bonded on the trail amidst new scenery and a different venue, and hopefully built more trust and mutual respect. We met our goal of improving our overall average and moving average (7.0 mph overall, 8.4 moving average), and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Coming in dead last was a huge success in this mushers mind, and “racing” doesn’t have to be competitive. It just may prove to be one of the best tools you have though, to bring out the best in you as a musher, and the best in your team.
Page 29
Southern Side Up By Alex Cote
had antlerless restrictions but nothing doing here in New Hampshire. Folks just didn’t want to hear it. I think the winter of 70-71 was one of the
being a day or two for residents only. In the early 80’s deer harvests state wide hit the lowest point in history. In 1983, the TOTAL DEER HARVEST WAS 3,280 animals! It wasn’t until then that people started to
worst that I had seen even to this day. I went rabbit hunting with Dad and his buds and we found dead and dying deer everywhere. It left me numb for a long time seeing the results of the severe winter. The deer heard was decimated in the blink of an eye. I don’t recall if the state had hearings back then or not but the states answer was to stop the split season; we had a northern hunt and a southern hunt, both lasting nearly 30 days and reduced the number of day’s state wide in the hunting season. First, we had five days of hunting. This was the start of opening day being on a Wednesday. Then we went to seven. For a number of years we went to 11 with there even
listen to the recommendations of the states deer biologists. A plan had been created but wasn’t exactly put into action. That plan is what we now realize, limited antlerless days per management zone. A lot of planning and solid data went into this plan and it was a plan that those behind the scenes knew would work. Some dyed in the wool “Old timers” didn’t feel so confident that these “young biologists” even had a clue. At this time in my life, I didn’t have any children, and had some free time. So it was easy for me to get in the trenches and lobby for what I felt was right. I sided with this new wave of deer management and lobbied profusely for its bless-
Deer management is an obligation
As I sit here gazing out the window at the river below my house, I can’t help but wander back to the days of my youth and the memories of my early years in the great outdoors. I had the world in my pocket in those days. Who would have ever thought back then that things would look the way that it does now. Never mind the rules and restrictions put on everything that we do. The old timers all cry foul, new rules for this new rules for that. These new rules and regulations are a direct result of the demands put on the resource period. But let’s face it; the majority of people don’t like change. Some of us older ones don’t like being told that we simply can’t do something! Isn’t that the Yankee way? Where I‘m leading with this? Simply put is modern wildlife management, namely deer. Learning to hunt in the 60’s under the watchful eyes of my older brother and my father, they claim that it took the both of them to keep me in check most of the time, I was lucky enough to experience what some consider the states “Hay Days” of deer hunting. Back in 1967, the deer kill was slightly over 14,200 animals. The years leading up to that record harvest were also records for the times. Even as far back as then, there were changes being discussed behind closed doors. Vermont already
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Page 30
ing starting with the fish and game commission. I recall one particular meeting where I was so fed up with the old mind set of several of the board members, I stood up after being recognized and screamed at several of them, telling them that if they wouldn’t listen to the professional biologist we were paying for, then at least listen to the sportsmen of the state. They were old and had their days, not just do what we were asking of them, totally approve the management plan and let us have ours! Things didn’t happen overnight but the commission soon realized that I wasn’t the only one with these thoughts and the state wide management plan was put into place. The reason I say statewide is because up to this point the plan was being carried only partially. The doe harvest was really only being restricted in the western part of the state. Well, most plans don’t see results overnight, this was no different. There was a point that fear of fish and game being under pressure, may give in and modify the plan but, they held their ground and stood by the management plan. Slowly but steadily, the deer heard began to rebound. Even after some severe winters during the mid 90’s, we had a reasonably healthy deer heard. Slight modifications were made by adjusting the number of either sex days in each management unit. Continued next page
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Call - 802-738-6755 or you can send an email to: fred@theoutdoorgazette.com Continued next page
March 2012
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As we entered into the 21st century, a distinct trend had already begun but for the most part ignored but some and swept under the carpet by others. In fact, 2007 saw the second highest deer harvest on record! The plan was obviously working. But the number of trophy deer taken was on the down swing and had been for some time, statewide. By trophy deer, I am referring to the state’s program as defining a trophy deer being one that weighs over 200 pounds field dressed. There were still deer being taken over 200 pounds, but the overall weights were down and the numbers of deer entered into the program annually were down considerably. Once again, there were plan modifications being discussed that weren’t so popular. Antler restrictions were being discussed to protect the younger bucks allowing them to reach another year or to in maturity before being harvested. The
plan was working in some states, with excellent results and it was felt that it certainly would work here. However, like with the original plan, it met with resistance. I can’t be sure where the resistance comes from, I have my own suspicion but this isn’t the forum to air that in! Like the movie “Field Of Dreams”, the line that Kevin Costner was hearing,” Build it and they will come”. I’m personally convinced that if we build a quality deer heard they, (hunters) will come! With this being said, I am under the opinion that there is a fair number of people that are resisting the states (trained professional biologists) proposal for antler restrictions, some for probable monetary gain and, others out of pure stubbornness. It is a proven fact that antler restrictions work, even in New Hampshire. I know of several properties that are privately owned, open to hunting but have antler
restrictions put on them by the property owners. The longer the restrictions are in place, the better the bucks that are taken. Like anything else, it takes time for results to be realized, it doesn’t happen overnight. So with this being said, I would urge the support of any and all antler restrictions being brought forth by fish and game. There will be hearings in Concord on April 7th and in Pittsburg on April 8th, both starting at 6:30. If you can’t attend, drop a line off to fish and game and voice your support. From the mid 80’s to the liberal seasons that we now enjoy, I would have to say that putting our resource and trust in the hands of the states trained professionals has been extremely rewarding for sportsmen and nature watchers alike. We have all reaped the benefits of seeing more wildlife, namely the majestic whitetail. It has once again become the source of income for some and the source of food for others.
March Hunting and Fishing Solunar Tables
from previous page
The bottom line is without proper management practices funded by sportsmen, there would be nothing. I would urge the support of any reasonable plan to further develop the quality of the states heard being brought forth by the professional staff at fish and game. As hunters and fisherman alike, we have an obligation to not only our future generations but to the future Granite States Wildlife itself. Alex Cote resides in Deerfield New Hampshire. He is on the Pro Staff for Northwood's Common Scents! He is also a scorer for the NHASTC. Alex and his son spend as much time outdoors as possible and he only works when he has to.
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March 2012
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Page 31
From the back of a canoe of dams that lasted for years. Some changes are evident; most rivers were dammed for power (to operate mills before electricity) or logging. There are still around 5,000 dams in the state. There probably were several times those numbers once. It’s unusual to fish any stream or
problem; the largest restoration project on a river in the state. It withstood the floods last year; a good indicator the project will hold up for years. The change from agriculture to reforesting has been going on since the industrial revolution. Sheep were one of the mainstays for farming providing wool for the mills. Development has oblit-
river south of the notches and not find where a dam existed. Dams were the primary cause of the destruction of native stocks of fish; they still are the major impediment of restoring Atlantic salmon and other anadromous species. Not so noticeable are rivers or streams that have been altered; a prime example is Indian Stream that was channelized to straighten out the bends to drive logs. Any impediments like boulders were blasted out of the stream. That was a common occurrence for rivers and streams used for log drives. Gravel operations caused damage on several rivers; a prime example being the Pemi. A Trout Unlimited restoration project corrected the
erated many of the original artifacts. Stone walls are everywhere and it’s interesting to see where the old roads were. I’ve run across a few old stone arch bridges in the woods that are still in great shape; unless you’re a hiker or hunter most are long forgotten. The effects of damming rivers are well known. It’s easier to think that hundreds of years ago people did not know what the effects would be. Fishing in New Hampshire a History by Jack Noon dispels that theory. It’s a fascinating book about what the fishery was like when New Hampshire was first settled and how changes from dams to stocking practices destroyed most of
Changes on the horizon
One of the things I’m always amazed by is the remnants from years gone by. In the southern and central part of NH it’s mostly stone walls and cellar holes and on rivers and streams the remains of old dams and bridges. There’s still a lot of orchards abandoned years ago that would produce fruit for wildlife if pruned. I seldom drive by or hunt the areas without wondering what it looked like one, two or three hundred years ago. There’s stone walls every where; some going over mountains. Sizes range from a stones width to several feet across. All were built with manual labor and possibly horses and oxen. How many years did it take to build them; probably generations. I can remember when there were dairy farms in just about every town and cows were milked by hand; not machines. In the northern part of the state the change has been slower although most of the dairy farms on the NH side of the Connecticut River are gone. There are old cellar holes and apple trees high up on the hills where people once lived; reforesting not development has claimed the land. Logging remnants are more prevalent; islands created for log booms and some of the dams. Many of the dams built to drive logs were wood and over time have disappeared. Lower dam on the Rapid River in Maine before its removal and the dam at the outlet of Parmachenee are good examples
Page 32
By Jim Norton
March 2012
our native species. It would be nice to think that we’ve learned something about the environment over the years; which is true but it doesn’t stop corporations from doing whatever it takes to maximize profits. I have a friend who years ago; before guides were required in Labrador and Quebec used to get topographical maps and chart out rivers in the Northern provinces. Along with a friend they would hire a bush pilot to drop them off and pick them up several days later. They probably fished spots that had never been fished before. They usually fished different rivers but returned to one river twice because of the fantastic fishing. When they made arrangements to fish it the third time the pilot informed them he had built a fishing lodge on the river. In just a few years the fishing had declined as the owner allowed clients to keep large fish. He returned to the same general area on a trip to Labrador last summer. The entire watershed was dammed and underwater as part of the Hydro Quebec project. Below is an excerpt from my friend and partner Gerry’s account of the trip to Labrador last summer which he was also on’ Also look at the size of the towers compared to the trees. On our trip from NH to Labrador we went through the heart of the Hydro-Quebec area. For literally hundreds of miles, we saw huge transmission towers blighting the landscape. In addition to the ugly towers, the Continued next page
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land underneath the towers was destroyed. All the boreal forest had been scraped down and it was just low bushes for miles and miles. This is an excerpt from my report of the trip: “Our drive from southern NH to Labrador City took over 20 hours. The first half was pretty uneventful. Then when we headed north from Baie Comeau on the St, Lawrence River things got interesting. We pretty much left civilization behind, other than a blighted landscape of
high tension power lines, huge dams destroying entire watersheds and huge mines scraping off mountains and filling lakes with rust-red effluent. All necessary(?), but unfortunate by-products of modern life. Anybody following events in NH has heard of the Northern Pass project that would run high tension towers/cables across northern NH to bring "green" power to the northeast urban corridor. At least 40 additional miles of towers would be built around Pittsburg, NH and additional
high towers would be built on existing right-of-ways. This video is a sample of the swath of destruction that would be cut across northern NH. From our float plane you can also see some of the huge mines that have leveled mountains and filled lakes in northern Quebec and southwestern Labrador.” The report, along with some video, can be seen at flyfishnewengland.blogspot.com/searc h/label/Labrador. The attached pictures are snapshots taken from the video.
Seeing the blighted landscape in person gave me cold chills just thinking of the destruction this would bring to New Hampshire. Anybody who thinks Northern Pass will bring “Green power” is delusional. Bury the damned power lines! Gerry.
Fred, I met through traditional archery back when we were shooting the indoor league at R&L Archery. We were both equally bad, but we did get better over the years. He’s the one who usually talks me into hunting somewhere I’ve never been before. I remember hunting with him once in Bath,NH. He was going to show me an area to hunt and then he was going to go hunt out of a stand he already had set up. We walked about a mile into the woods and kept passing by what I thought was quite a lot of good
deer sign. When I finally asked Fred why I didn’t just hunt there, his response was, “you don’t want to hunt here do you, it’s awful close to the truck.” Since then I do try to get as far away from the truck as I can but I will hunt closer if the deer sign is good enough. I’ve met quite a few people through traditional archery. Fred’s bother Scott was part of the Missouri hunting trip I mentioned earlier. I’ve never laughed that much on a trip before or since. Next time you see Scott make sure to tell him that. “yes, the corn is ready.” He’ll know
what you’re talking about. I also met Bruce on one of our trips to Missouri. We have hunted and shot our bows together in several states and Canada. He did try to kill me once at the Eastern Traditional Archery Rendevous in Pennslyvania but I guess I should finally just let that one go. I guess lately that I’m the most thankful to whoever put up the sign. Every time I pass it, I’m reminded to be thankful. Thankful for the time I get to spend in the woods. Thankful for the people I get to spend that time with. Hopefully reading this will
also make you remember the people and times you are thankful for. I’ll continue to keep stopping on my way to my hunting spot and I’m sure my list of things to be thankful for will continue to grow.
The Outdoor Gazette
March 2012
Jim a native of New Hampshire enjoys fly-fishing & tying, bird hunting and a variety of other outdoor activities and is a registered NH fishing Guide www.nhriversguide.com and author of the book Granite Lines. Continued from page 24
Ken Monte lives in Arlington, VT. He works with his whole family at the Village Chocolate Shoppe in Bennington, VT and The Chocolatorium in East Arlington, VT. Any time not spent at work is spent somewhere in the woods, usually with his longbow and a quiver full of arrows close at hand. Ken can be reached at ken@theoutdoorgazette.com.
Page 33
Birding with Briere By Alan Briere
The Ring-Necked Pheasant
Living in rural New Hampshire as I do there is almost always some access to wild creatures if you only keep your eyes open. On a recent trip to run some errands I came upon an unusual sight for this time of year. Most folks that
have errands to do just zip off to the store and are back home in ten minutes or so. Each time I do errands I have to plan on a half hour trip just to get to the store. Since I used to lead photo safaris to Africa I got used to the concept of a game drive. This is how I treat these trips to the store. Until I actually reach a town there is always the chance of encountering some wild thing along the way. On this trip my encounter was a male ring neck pheasant. The males of the various species of pheasant are referred to as roosters and the females are hens. The pheasant has become a world traveler over the centuries. There are subspecies of the pheasant that originated in many parts of the world. A black-necked species from the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian seas was brought to Greece around 1300 BC. From there they spread to Western Europe and arrived in England by the 10th Century AD. Most European pheasants still have this black-necked variety as their population base. Birds from Eastern China were
eventually mixed in to the breeding pool causing a wide variety of subtle variations in color and pattern. Around 1730 the first North American pheasant introductions occurred in New York. Pheasant introductions in New Hampshire,
New Jersey, Maine and other areas were not very successful with only localized breeding populations. The first truly positive breeding and expansion began around 1881 when Judge Owen Denny (the consul general in Shanghai, China) sent a few dozen birds back to his home in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The farming practices in the area at the time made for perfect habitat for pheasants and in only ten years the first hunt for pheasants was initiated with a harvest of nearly one half million birds. After that success there was a rush to introduce the pheasant to other parts of the country. The pheasants we hunt across the country today bear the stamp of many subspecies. The English black neck, Japanese, Mongolian, Manchurian, Korean, Formosan, and Chinese ring necks have all lent a piece of their genetics to the mix. The pheasant is a very popular game bird here in New England, but since our habitat is primarily forested, the pheasants don’t do well creating viable wild populations. New Hampshire and
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Massachusetts, as well as New York all have stocking programs to provide the birds for hunters. There are also many private game preserves that raise the birds and many of them spread around if the hunters are unsuccessful in bagging the birds. The pheasant I found has been spending its time near a small farm with a small number of horses and cattle. This rooster is approximately six miles from the nearest stocking site and over the month has just expanded his travels until he found a suitable wintering location. In the plains states and the Dakotas the birds live in and around crop fields during the summer months, but later in the summer when the crops are harvested it restricts many of the birds to what thick cover remains. Shelterbelts of trees, cattail swamps and thickets restrict the bird’s movements since the corn stubble is buried under snow most of the winter. There are programs like the Conservation Reserve program and other fed-
pheasant fields for a hunt after the waterfowl stop moving. Most of the water fowlers wear full
eral programs that encourage farmers to put part of their land holdings into good pheasant cover and forage plants. The national stronghold for the Ringneck is the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains states. New England upland bird hunters are no slouches when it comes to passion for the pheasant and pheasant hunting. One important thing to remember is to wear some piece of hunter orange clothing to help other hunters see you. Pheasant hunting is high on the list of hunting activities that result in hunter injuries. In my experience, many waterfowl hunters go out early for ducks and geese and then stop by the
to black as the bird turns its head. Pheasants will come to bird feeders if they locate one in their winter travels, but even though they are stocked birds they adapt to the wild very quickly as soon as the hunters come onto the scene. Finding one in the open this late in the winter is a rare treat. It’s just another one of nature’s little surprises.
March 2012
camouflage outfits and it can be very difficult to spot them and be certain they will not be in the line of shotgun pellet drop after a shot is taken at a flying pheasant. Both roosters and hens are fair game in New Hampshire and lead shotgun ammunition can still be used. Out west the rule is roosters only and lead shot is banned since the pheasants can be found in habitat shared with waterfowl. Waterfowl can only be taken with non-lead shot. Pheasants are stunning birds and the head feathers appear to change color from green to blue
Alan Briere is an award winning photographer and outdoor writer and the outdoor photography instructor for the NH Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. Alan lives in Acworth, NH with four lovely ladies: his wife, Cheryl, and their Brittanys, Gypsy, Penny and Millie. His email is alanbriere@sugar-river.net.
The Outdoor Gazette
Reminder — Junior Duck Stamp Contest CONCORD, N.H. - Hey kids! Here’s a chance to express your creativity, learn about wildlife and win cash prizes. Create your own original artwork of a North American duck or goose and enter it in the 2012 New Hampshire Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2012. The contest is open to New Hampshire youth from kindergarten through grade 12. Entries are judged on artistic merit and scientific accuracy in portraying the waterfowl. The competition is
Deadline is March 15
open to public, private and home-schooled New Hampshire students.
This year’s winners will take home some great prizes, made possible by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The from previous page
how I am feeling this month. don’t forget you still owe me that I am thankful for all the readers beer. that continue to buy the gazette and the writers that make this Fred Allard lives in Haverhill, NH publication so unique. I am thank- with his family. He is a Bowhunter ful for my health so I can enjoy the Education Instructor, a scorer for the outdoors with my family and Northeast Big Buck Club, the New friends and then share it with all of Hampshire Antler and Skull Trophy Club and the Vermont Big Game you… Look around I’m sure you have Trophy Club. He is the President of the lots to be thankful for too, and Montshire Traditional Bowhunters. keep those that aren’t as lucky as Fred can be reached by emailing us in your thoughts.… and Alan fred@theoutdoorgazette.com.
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artist selected as Best-of-Show will receive a $500 scholarship and the first place winners in each age group will be awarded cash prizes of up to $75. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department runs the statewide competition, which is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Contest. The contest serves a edual purpose, giving students a chance to use their artistic talents at the same time they learn about wildlife and conservation. Don’t forget — entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2012. Competition guidelines, including dimension requirements and an entry form, can be downloaded from www.wildnh.com/ Education/Junior_Duck_Contest .htm, or contact N.H. Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest Coordinator Ellen Macneil at the N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301; email wildlife@wildlife.nh.gov or call 603-271-2461.
March 2012
The N.H. Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest will award first, second, third and honorable mention ribbons in four groups: grades K-3; 4-6; 7-9; and 10-12. The State Best-of-Show is selected from among the first-place winning designs. The Best-of-Show New Hampshire winner advances to the National Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest, in which the three top winners receive a cash award and a trip to the adult Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Winning artwork in all categories will be displayed at N.H Fish and Game headquarters in Concord, N.H., in April 2012. The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is an integrated art and science activity developed to teach environmental science and habitat conservation. Teachers who want to integrate these lessons into their coursework can find a curriculum guide for teaching conservation through the arts at www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ EducationProgram.htm.
Page 5
8 Years in the Wilderness By Tom Rideout
The Joy of Ice-Fishing
It seems like everywhere one goes up here in the North Country, people are complaining about this winter or, as some say, the lack of winter. I get this at the post office, supermarket, general store and on the street when meeting neighbors and friends. I usually just listen, nod in agreement and try to change the subject, as I disagree with most people because I think this is a great winter. Granted, there isn’t much snow, nor have the temperatures been so unbearable that one can’t go outside and enjoy many activities that depend on good weather conditions. To me, this has been a perfect winter, and I am hoping the good weather and lack of snow continues. Since January 1, I have been out on the pond ice fishing pretty much every day. Sometimes it is all day, while other times it is only for a few hours. I do not have a bob-house, but when it is windy
and cooler, I usually use my neighbor’s. I prefer to sit on my snowmachine or folding chair to watch my tip-ups. Last year there was a lot of slush on the pond. This occurred
Omar, waiting for a shore lunch when we got snow. The weight of the snow pushed the ice down, and water seeped up through the cracks and flowed across the ice. To the untrained eye, one only saw snow, but run your snowmo-
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bile across it and one immediately bogged down in the slush. Last winter, I was forever trying to get my snowmachine unstuck. This year is a totally different story. We had some slush accumulate along the edges of the pond, but breaking up what little
Photo- Tom Rideout
snow we had exposed it to the cold nights and it froze. These frozen avenues are what I use to access the pond. This is the second winter that the pond has been legally open to ice fishermen. I am trying to learn the pond and how best to fish it during the winter. I spend time sharing the pond with some neighbors, but even then it is only a couple who try to learn the pond. I find that day after day I have the pond all to myself, or should I say I am the only person. Though the fishing has been excellent for most of the winter, I do experience times when the action slows down and it may be fifteen or twenty minutes between flags. During these slow times, I just enjoy the scenery and look around me. No matter where one goes on the pond, all one sees is mountains. The pond is settled in a bowl surrounded by Aziscoos Mountain to the north, Mount Dustan to the west, Sturtevant Mountain to the south and Elephant Mount in the distance to the east. The mountainsides and ridges, that are visible from the pond, are scarred by the logging that is so prevalent around here. Every year, more and more clear-cuts are visible, as are new logging rights-of-way and skidder trails. But overall the hills around the pond remain relatively wooded and pleasing to the eye. It is the pond and its shoreline
March 2012
that I usually focus my attention on. The few camps that are on the pond are all located in the southwest corner and remain hidden. That is not to say one doesn’t see any camps, as there are almost always one or two visible. But for the most part, the pond is undeveloped and largely pristine. I have watched deer feed in the woods along the pond’s shoreline as well as moose. On the north shore, I have seen rabbits popping out here and there to look across the pond from the dense thickets. Usually when they see me, they scamper back to the safety of the thick underbrush. A week or so ago, I was out fishing when one of my neighbors stopped by to see how I was doing. He usually fished, but on this one day he decided he needed to finish some chores around his house. He finished his chores shortly after lunch and decided to take a ride on his snow machine. As we were sitting there talking, I spotted a coyote making its way across the pond off to the east. Pointing to the brown object crossing the ice, I said that he should try to run it down. I have an old Artic Cat Jag 340, which isn’t a fast snowmachine, but my neighbor’s machine is a 700. I have befriended an immature bald eagle while out fishing. It started showing up about three weeks ago. My neighbor thought it was a golden eagle, and when I first saw it, I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t until I got a real good close look at it that I was able to tell it was a young bald eagle. For the last few days, this bird has been sitting in a tree on the shore of the pond just up the pond from my house. When it sees me, it follows me across the pond to where I set up my tipups. Sometimes it finds a nearby tree in which to perch; other times it perches on a big rock within sight of me. When I catch a yellow perch or pickerel, I toss it towards the waiting bird. It immediately swoops down and starts tearing away at the fish. I enjoy watching it as it eats and enjoy its company. It has gotten so used to me that it has been getting as close as 20 Continued on page 7 The Outdoor Gazette
Heaviest Antlered Doe ever taken in New Hampshire
My name is Norm Bachand, I you see here, what you hear here, live in Holland, MA. . I’ll be 74 years old in May. In 1959 some of our relatives got together and purchased some land in Dorchester, NH to hunt on. Since that time we’ve built a hunting cabin and our families have grown until we now have Grandfathers, fathers, sons, Uncles and nephews all spending time there. I have a son, two son-in-laws and 5 grandsons and we all enjoy our time at the camp especially during hunting season. The famous expressions they are taught at an early age is “what feet. It has picked up a habit of selecting one of my tip-ups and sitting nearby and watching it as if waiting for it to fly up. On several occasions, the tip-up has popped, causing the eagle to jump back, but it never flies away. It will hopped off a few feet and wait for me to walk over and pull the fish in. Yesterday this happened, and I caught a fairly large pickerel, which I immediately threw towards the bird. I walked back to my snowmachine and sat down and watched as the eagle tore at the still-flopping fish. I couldn’t help but wonder if the eagle was really aware of how the tip-ups work. It was then that I realized that it was a Disney moment and I was reading too much into what was going on. It isn’t uncommon for other eagles to fly overhead, but they are afraid of my presence and will not come near. I watch as the young eagle watches the mature eagles soar overhead and again wonder if perhaps the youngster is savoring the moment before I realize that I have watched too
from previous page
many Disney cartoons. For now I have named my fishing buddy Omar. He usually eats two medium-sized fish a day before going to perch nearby, where he spends the rest of his time watching me. Yesterday while it was on a perch, I watched an unsuspecting rabbit hop around directly beneath the bird. The eagle, I assume, prefers fish over rabbit as it never made a move to try to get the rabbit. I even thought to myself at one point, “perhaps they are friends” before I shook off the notion and muttered….. that damn Disney! Tom Rideout is the former editor of NH Outdoor Gazette and was the owner of Bosebuck Mountain Camps on Aszicoos Lake in western Maine for 17 years. He has held a Master Maine Guide’s license for more than 35 years (hence the 8 years in the wilderness) He and his wife Martha operate Sturtevant Pond Camps in Magalloway, Maine and operates Pakesso Guide Service, which specializes in upland bird wing shooting . You can reach Tom at tom@sturtevantpondcamps.com
better stay here!” It’s a sacred oath that many of the women have tried to break to no avail…That morning most of the guys started off going in all different directions and I picked where I wanted to hunt. It was a good choice because that is where I ended up shooting the deer. I got to the spot I wanted and decided to sit and wait. Along came a doe and I thought maybe there was a buck following her. I looked up and saw another deer with a rack behind her and shot, it went down. I walked over and noticed it had one horn missing. I was thinking maybe I shot the other horn off but when I picked up the head the horn was underneath. One of the guys Steve heard the shot and came to see what I had shot and to help. He started to gut out the deer and while I was spreading the legs, he was looking for his male organs but they weren’t there. That’s when we saw it was a female with a rack. We heard another shot in the distance, it was my grandson Tom. He shot an 8-point buck which is the one we think who was following these two does. He said there was a doe
running in front of the buck he shot. We tagged it and started dragging it and the other horn fell off. After we got it back to camp we brought it to be checked in and registered. It weighed in at 213 lbs and had a 9 point rack. We talked to a bear guide and he told us we should go to the hatchery and see if they wanted to see it. They called the game warden and I talked to him on the phone. He said the state no longer keeps
records of them but I was told to register it in the 200 club. We had heard the record was 198 lbs. ..The deer has been one of the best eating deer we have had so far…the butcher said she had a lot of fat on her.
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Page 7
Traveling Outdoorsman By Glenn Dunning Adventure in the Arctic, Hunting Caribou With A Bow
It had been a long year since husband & wife hunting partners, Stuart and Dawna Maclaren, had booked their first-ever caribou hunt. Dawna’s dad Stan decided to join them and filled out the 1x3 guide arrangement. The outfit they had chosen was based 1,000 miles north of Montreal on Quebec’s arctic tundra and now on the first day of their hunt they watched from the back of their boat as Snow Camp, the isolated outpost that was their home for the week, faded from view behind them. It was August in the arctic, the temperature was in the 30’s and a 50 to 60 mph wind pelted their faces with rain. Their guide, Steward, expertly banked the boat against the wind and cut the engine, maneuvering the shallows as they rounded a final point before putting into shore. Any misgivings about the weather evaporated as several caribou retreated from the water’s edge as they approached. Steward had scouted this area in advance of the hunt and noted the worn, wide paths leading to multiple water crossings around this lagoon. Caribou, during the annual fall migration are constantly on the move covering 20 or more miles a day. They are expert swimmers and seem to be drawn to water crossings. This area of the tundra west of Ungava Bay constitutes the main travel corridor of the Leaf River herd which numbers in excess of 400,000 animals. Veterans of a tundra hunt know they can be thick as flies or impossibly scarce as they cross through an area roughly the size of New England. The Maclarens
would witness this feast or famine contrast and Stu’s determination to take a quality bull with his bow significantly increased the challenge. The guide had selected a slightly elevated piece of
stage of the migration, there were more bachelor groups of bulls than cows and calves. Dawna was the first to shoot capitalizing on a good bull that just kept coming, begging for a bullet. Within the next
R&L’s Stuart Maclaren with his bow killed barren ground caribou from arctic Quebec. ground just 25 yards from the hour Stan took two from a water’s edge. With such group of bulls skirting just off inclement weather conditions to the side of their vantage they sought refuge behind a point. Even as they butchered the boulder. The rock, large enough to three animals and hauled shield all four of them, offered hindquarters and horns to the relative comfort and a clear boat, caribou continued to view of the barren wind swept cross the tundra and swim the tundra directly in front of bay behind them. By late them. They settled back morning they resumed their against the rock’s cold surface perch, Stuart still hoping to simultaneously detecting the add an archery kill to their movement of multiple groups first day harvest. Then at 1:30 of animals in several direc- he nudged Steward to glass what appeared to be a better tions. They sat frozen in excite- than average bull topping the ment as the minutes passed crest of their plateau a mile while far out on the tundra’s distant. The guide acknowlred-brown moonscape more edged that this was indeed a and more caribou appeared. shooter if it kept its course They were losing count as and came within range of a upwards of 100 animals reasonable shot. Stu, archery meandered toward the water pro shop manager at R&L crossing directly behind them. Archery in Barre, Vermont As is not unusual during this has bow hunted for thirty
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March 2012
some years taking elk, wild boar and numerous whitetails. His shooting ability is automatic and he gets to hunt with the best equipment. He was glad he had his rangefinder as it was essential for determining distances in such a foreign landscape. As the big bull approached, the attributes of its antlers became more apparent. At 40 yards Stu was tempted to draw yet hesitated, as the animal nonchalantly continued to close the distance. Then, almost as if by design, the bull raised his head and stepped to the left presenting a broadside profile at 25 yards. The arrow whispered across the rest holding true into the wind and slammed the bull behind the shoulder. He bolted thirty yards and tumbled into the wet ground. He was down. In all they had seen 400 hundred or more animals that morning. some passing within 10 yards of their rock, The tundra does not always present such opportunities particularly for the die-hard archer. In fact, the group returned to this same spot the very next morning and saw only one small bull cross the area that just the day before had been littered with migrating caribou. By week’s end all three had tagged out on two animals each but it is Stu’s memory of that first day of their hunt that will one day bring him back to the tundra bow in hand. Glenn Dunning lives in Brookfield, Vermont and owns TUNDRATOUR Consultants, a travel agency specializing in North American hunting and fishing adventures. He is also a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Assoc. Glenn can be reached by phone at 802-276-3317 or via his web site at: www.tundratour.com
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Taxidermy Trails By Rodney Elmer Little Wolf
Song dog, Scavenger, Trickster, Little Wolf, Coy dog, Medicine Wolf, Hybrid, among many more, are all part of the truth and the legend that is the coyote. The animal itself is interesting enough but our relationship with it, to me, is more interesting. In advertising you use key words and ask yourself is that word good or bad. Coyote... good or bad? Bad is what I hear most from people. "They eat "OUR" game!" "Their everywhere and there's millions!" "The pack near me howls right out in the yard!" (A howling,TEXT message!) We love legends and such things we can't control this animal fits the spot perfectly. Part of our human ancestral past was, and still seems to be, to "control nature", good or bad? Stop the water (DAM) good or bad?, kill the competition (WAR) good or bad?, Tame the wild(farmer) good or bad? Their prowess as hunters seems to be envied. Wolves, it has been argued, are the only ones who can control them, yet we talk fondly of their tenacity on nature shows. Why do we build them up so? The word "bait", good or bad? We place out free food to bring them to a shootable location, blast away and with guilt, ask around after it's dead, if anyone wants the hide of our exploded, blotted specimen that must weigh at least 50 pounds. Feed them with dead cow and fume if they walk through the pasture. We curse as it runs through the
housing development because we don't have our gun and there wasn't time to drop my blade! We raise dogs to chase and harass them, but shoot the neighbor's dog for chasing deer. (Trail cam-
era)good or bad? We take pictures of them to prove they eat fawns and use them to fuel other's negative feelings and raise the roof at a deer management meeting. Our turkey hunt interrupter gets a wounding barrage of birdshot at 65 yards and at the convenient store his name is bashed and our actions justified." No big deal, there's millions." (Fur) We talk of their beauty and colors, the size of the teeth. The speed and the distance they travel. The incredible smelling and hearing abilities. How much they look like man's best friend, the dog. The cunning and brains to not repeat mistakes. We shot,poisoned, trapped and ran over them long enough that only the craftiest of individuals remain to raise crafty pups that won't come to the call they sniffed out and eluded last time
and we're surprised! Native American stories about Coyote are always good reading and his presence was intertwined in their life and death too. One spoke of the chiefs of the great nations having a meeting with god about eternal life. The
said no one should stay forever and the argument went on for days. Finally , completely frustrated coyote ran into the lodge and locked the door. A great wind blew him away and to this day he trots slinking along looking over his shoulder, hated, scrapping by on anything, anywhere. Always resurfacing in new ways and forms, able to handle the new or the old, existing beyond control, time or touchier. A cunning,quick,tricking, scavenger, with undeniable tenacity that will inherit the world completely after our departure, still wild in every way.Take him or leave him...Coyote....Good or Bad? I think...Both! He Just Is. Yeah!! I'm a little jealous. One man and the deer nations want- thing is for certain, if we really ed to live in their bodies here on looked into the mirror,we might earth forever. The great spirit see him in all of us. had made a lodge to take only one nation to worldly eternity Rodney Elmer and his wife Theresa and they must decide who it own and operate Mountain deer taxiwould be. Coyote in his wisdom dermy in Northfield,Vermont.
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March 2012
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March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
Mass Meanderings By David Willette
Trout fishing in the Bay State
Now that all the guns are clean and put away it’s time to start thinking about fishing. And at this end of the state, the number one fish on everyone’s mind is trout. In Massachusetts they stock over a half million trout throughout the state with over one hundred thousand of these beauties ending up here in the western district. According to Andrew Madden the fisheries manager for the western district over half of these trout are in the 12”-14” range with some of these weighing more than one and a half pounds. Most of these fish are rainbows with some browns, brookies and even some, (about 1000), tiger trout mixed in. A tiger trout is a cross between a female brown and a male brook trout. The next biggest group of fish is in the 9”-12” range followed by the 6 “-9” classes. Every year the state throws in some “specialty” fish. These fish are 18” and over and are very fat. Some of these fish even break the 20” mark and weigh more than four pounds. Occasionally they stock a couple of salmon too. One was caught last year in Windsor Pond that tipped the scales at 15 pounds. Sometimes these fish are caught through the ice as well. There are three hatcheries that supply the trout for the western district. They are in Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. Of the three, the Mclaughlin Hatchery in Belchertown is the biggest and when it comes to growing fish, size does matter. According to the fisheries manager, the 12”-14” trout that come out of this hatchery are 1 1/2 years old, whereas in the other two hatcheries this same size trout takes 2 1/2 years to grow this size. All trout are fed the same feed, the same number of times per day. The fish in the Mclaughlin Hatchery have a bigger holding pond to grow faster. So I guess the adage “bigger water, bigger fish” is true even at the hatchery level. The fishing regulations have changed significantly over the past 30 years with the two most prominent changes being the The Outdoor Gazette
stopping of the traditional opening day and the drastic change in creel limits. Years ago opening day of trout fishing was always the second
Saturday in April, to coincide with school vacation week. Now, fishing season is open year round in this state, and only the creel limits change from September 10th to April 1st, on all but the major rivers and ponds. Typically most people don’t fish year round though. I can’t remember the last time I saw someone fishing or even talking about fishing after Oct. 1st. Once in a great while you’ll see someone out there on a beautiful winter day. After April 1st the creel limit increases from three to eight trout on all the smaller rivers and ponds. On the major rivers and lakes, as defined by the “abstracts“, the limit is three fish year round. When I first started fishing forty plus years ago the limit on trout was twelve fish a day, any size. Over the years the state has adjusted this from the original twelve, to six of the twelve have to be less than ten inches. Then the limit went to six fish per day any size, then to three fish any size to the present creel limits. The state has changed its philosophy on creel limits from an “inches based”, to a “poundage based” system. And it really is for the better. The state calls it “maximizing the sportsman’s dollars”. After one has filled his/her limit, you can still fish and practice catch and release. There is more
fun in catching fish than keeping them anyway. Now three trout may not sound like a lot of fish but when you’re catching three 14”, (or better), trout that weigh 1 1/2 pounds a piece, that’s almost five pounds of
trout. After you catch your three trout in a major river or lake, you’re still legal to catch five more
March 2012
trout from a smaller brook or pond. Some of these trout are also in the 12”-14” range. It’s not like the state puts only the big fish in the biggest waters. Yes, the biggest waters get almost all large fish, but the smaller rivers and ponds get at least 30% of their fish in the 12”-14” range as well. If you’re lucky and fish in a smaller river you can catch eight 14” trout in a day. That’s almost ten pounds of trout. These trout are stocked on a weekly basis from April 1, to at least Memorial Day. There are also some fall stockings too. The major rivers and lakes get stocked twice weekly, while the smaller bodies of water get stocked just once a week. Next month I’ll discuss where to go, and what to use to catch these trout in the western district. David Willette is a free-lance outdoor writer who lives in Western Massachusetts. He can be contacted through www.coyotewars.com
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Riverbank Tales by Bill Thompson
Trout town USA
Scattered across America there are numerous small towns that are famous as destinations for fly fisherman. These are towns where no one looks twice at you when you walk into the super market wearing your waders. Cars parked on the streets are most likely to sport a TU decal or maybe a license plate the reads FLYCAST or MAYFLY. Most likely the town will have more than one fly shop and one or more may be owned by a famous fly fishing celebrity. Most important there will be a couple of well known trout streams near by. Perhaps the most famous fishing town in America is Roscoe, New York. The town even calls itself “Trout Town USA”. Roscoe lays claim to being the birth place of American dry fly fishing. Theodore Gordon fished the local streams and created the Catskill style dry fly; the Gordon Quill or Quill Gordon as the pro-
totype. Many notable fly fisherman followed in Gordon’s foot steps; Rube Cross, A. E.
Hendrickson, the Dette family and Elise and Harry Darbee to name but a few. The rivers that flow in the vicinity of Roscoe are legendary. The Beaverkill River, Willowemoc Creek and the East and West Branch of the Delaware River are as popular fishing destinations
The North Country Angler has been in the “Valley” for over thirty years. We are a full service fly shop offering quality fly fishing gear and guiding. Bill and Janet’s 10 Year Anniversary as owners
today as they were in the time of Gordon. Roscoe has several fly shops; however the most famous and historic would be Dette Trout
Flies and Kuttner’s. Both of these shops have linage to the historic past of the area. Far be from me to take the title of “Trout Town USA” from Roscoe; however it is safe to say that the western part of the country has some very famous fishing towns. Jackson, Hole, Wyoming comes to mind almost immediately. Jackson is probably best known for being the southern gateway to Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. The Snake River is the largest river in the Jackson area and probably gets the most attention by visiting anglers. Other near by rivers include: the Gros Ventre, Hoback and, my favorite, Flat Creek. Jack Dennis’s Outdoor Shop is the best know fly shop in town, but there is plenty of competition from the likes of High Country Flies, Snake River Outfitters and the Orvis Shop. West Yellowstone, Montana,
located near the northwest gate of Yellowstone Park is another contender for the best known “Trout Town” in America. Local fly shops include: Craig Mathews’ Blue Ribbon Flies, Bud Lilly’s Trout Shop, Jacklin’s Fly Shop, Arrick’s Fly Shop and Eagle’s tackle Shop. The Madison River is the major local river, but than there is “The Park” and all of the rivers within its boarders and, who could forget, the near by Henry’s Fork. There are dozens of notable Fish Towns in the west, far too many to name but a sampling would include: Missoula, Craig and Bozeman Montana, Glenwood, Steamboat Springs and Breckenridge Colorado and Sun Valley and Last Chance in Idaho. There are many other states that offer great fishing and with notable trout towns of there own. Which leads to the question, are there any trout towns in New England? The state of Maine has several wonderful fish towns. Greenville is a premier destination for anglers from all over the world. The town sets on the shore of Moosehead Lake; the largest lake in New England. The town has traditionally been the jumping off point for anglers heading into Maine’s northern woods. Near by rivers include the East and West Outlets of the Kennebec River, the Moose River and the Roach River. In addition to the rivers there are forty trout ponds within a half hours drive from town. As for fly shops there are none better Continued next page
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March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
Three New State Record Fish Caught in 2011 The waters of Vermont continue to prove just how productive they can be for the trophy angler. In 2011, three new state records were established for burbot, pumpkinseed sunfish and white sucker. In February 2011, Patrick Woodward caught the first state record fish of the year, a 5.63-pound Burbot from Lake Champlain. In April, Brian Cadoret caught a 5.32-pound white sucker, only to have that record broken days later by Drew Price, who caught and entered a 6.34-pound fish. Both fish were caught from the same location – a small brook flowing into Lake Dunmore. A similar situation occurred later in the summer of 2011, when the pumpkinseed sunfish record was bro-
ken twice in a short period. In August, Sylvia Beaudoin entered a 1.01-pound pumpkinseed, besting the previous record of 0.98-pounds set in 2010. However, Sylvia’s record lasted only a week, until Michael Peet caught a pumpkinseed weighing in at 1.02-pounds. Both sunfish were caught in Lake Champlain. These are just the latest records to be set in a decade marked by record breaking fish catches in Vermont. Of the 33 fish species eligible for state record consideration, 15 records have been set since 2001, with five of them coming since 2010. No other state in the region can boast this many new state record fish over the same time period. Many other large fish were caught that didn’t break previous records.
“The new Master Angler Program we started in 2010 has really been a showcase for the phenomenal fishing we have all across the state,” said department fisheries biologist Shawn Good. “There really are some exceptional fish being caught by anglers all over Vermont.” Good pointed to a Master Angler entry from 2011 for a yellow perch exceeding the 2-pound mark as evidence. “This is the first time in over 30 years that the catch of yellow perch over 2 pounds has been officially recorded by the department.” The fish, weighing 2.08-pounds was caught through the ice on Caspian Lake by Dylan Smith in February 2011. The forecast for 2012 looks just as promising – a new potential state
than the Maine Guide Fly Shop; a must visit when in town. Grand Lake Stream is another famous Maine trout town although it may be better known for its salmon and small mouth bass fishing than trout. Grand Lake is famous for the “Grand Laker” canoe and the guides who use them. The very first streamer fly may have been invented here. The fly known as the Rooster’s Regret tied by Alonzo Bacon, a local guide, is often credited with the honor of tying the first streamer. There are numerous lodges and cabins in the area, however Weatherby’s is no doubt the most well known. Ted Williams, who often fished Grand Lake Stream, always stayed at Weatherby’s. Grand Lake Stream is not heavily populated and there is only one place that I know of to buy flies. The Pine Tree Store is a landmark in Maine and has always carried a selection of locally tied flies. Rangeley Maine is equally well known as a fishing destination of world class renown. The area is often referred to as “The Land of Legends” and with good reason. The story of Carrie Stevens and the Gray Ghost fly is perhaps the most endearing story ever to come out of Maine; well at least to fly fishermen. The rivers are
storied in the annuals of fishing literature. The Kennebago, Magalloway, Rapid and Cupsuptic are music to a fly fisherman’s ear. The Rangeley Region Sport Shop is the best known fly shop in the area and has been in town since 1945. When it comes to New Hampshire one town stands out above all others and that would be Pittsburg. Located in the northern tier of the state, better known as the Connecticut Lakes Region, Pittsburg has a lot to offer visiting anglers. The Connecticut River offers some great fishing for trout and landlocked salmon and than there are the Connecticut Lakes themselves. Indian Stream and Perry Stream are also pretty good trout streams as well. There are several well know fishing and hunting lodges in the area. Two of my favorites are Lopstick Lodge and Tall Timber. I have stayed at both of these lodges and highly recommend both. These two fine establishments offer quality lodging and Tall Timber offers fine dining as well. Both lodges have excellent guide services and have small tackle shops on site. When it comes to local flies Young’s Store is hard to beat. Young’s does have a large selection of spin tackle also. Young’s is also the
only grocery store in the area, and they won’t mind if you come in wearing your waders. Errol might also qualify as a fishing town of note, although it is rather small. Errol does have the Androscoggin River and is quite close to Rangeley. You could also factor in L. L. Cote as the largest hunting and fishing retailer in northern New Hampshire. The town does have a certain charm and I have never been thrown out of any place for wearing waders. There is one other town in New Hampshire that could be considered a fishing town. I would like to make the case for my town North Conway. North Conway was just selected as one of the best ski towns in America. Great ski towns are very often great fishing towns. Jackson, Wyoming, Sun Valley, Idaho, Steamboat Spring, Breckenridge, Colorado are all great ski destinations. Mountains make for great ski hills as well as great trout streams.
record burbot was caught in Lake Champlain just last week, weighing in at 8.81-pounds, more than three pounds heavier than the record burbot submitted a year ago. The new record will not be officially recognized until the appropriate paperwork has been filed by the angler and reviewed by department officials. These new state records are a testament to the great quality and diversity of fishing opportunities available to anglers in Vermont, so get out there and fish with your family and friends. You never know…you could set the next state record! For more information on Vermont’s state record fish or to download a record fish entry form, visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com/ Fishing_frmRecords.cfm.
from previous page North Conway does have its fair share of trout water; the Saco and the Ellis to name a couple. And in addition there are dozens of small trout streams to boot. There are hundreds of hotels and campgrounds that cater to outdoorsmen. I hesitate to mention it, but there is at least one decent fly shop in town. I say this in all modesty, of course. I am not sure how the other shops in town feel about waders, but you are more than welcome in our establishment dressed for the stream.
Originally from Maine, Bill Thompson, with his wife Janet, lives in Freedom and owns North Country Angler fly shop in North Conway. He has been fly fishing for more than 30 years and is a licensed NH Fishing Guide. He has fished all over New England, in Canada and out West, but claims the Saco as his “home river.” He also writes a column for a local paper as well as articles in national fly fishing magazines. Bill’s email is bill@northcountryangler.com.
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The Outdoor Gazette
March 2012
Page 13
Lock, Stock and Smoking Barrel You Can’t beat a woman who shoots
That’s one of my favorite bumper stockers: “You can’t beat a woman who shoots.” On the one hand, it salutes women who participate in the shooting sports; but on the other hand, it shows how firearms ownership can protect women from abuse. Women have always played a role in shooting. Just look at the history of Annie Oakley, and you’ll see how important a role women can play in exhibition and competition shooting. Women have competed in Olympic shooting events and have been involved in hunting, skeet and trap shooting, and collecting for almost as long as there have been guns. One of the “deep dark secrets” in the gun world is the fact that many women can outshoot most men. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard, “I took her out to shoot for the first time and she outshot me.” Many women do tend to be natural shots, and take to shooting
almost instinctively. Every summer I take a group of folks from our local repertory theater, the
Suzette Stevens of Vermont.... taking aim
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Weathervane Theatre, out for a day of shooting. The group is a mix of young men and women who typically have little or no shooting experience. Although it’s the guys who always step up and make the most noise, it’s almost always the girls who actually hit
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what they’re shooting at. This past summer I had the group try to hit exploding targets from a distance of 100 yards. The guys must have expended something like 500 rounds without a single hit. I had two girls in my group, both very inexperienced shooters. Each one was able to hit their target within 2 or 3 shots; in fact one of the girls nailed hers on the first shot. The guys all had this sort of “Huh?” look on their faces. One of my wife’s friends has always been notoriously anti-gun. “Why do you need those things?” was one of her favorite questions. Recently she asked me if she could try shooting some of my handguns. She’s now the proud owner of a new Sig pistol, has taken handgun shooting classes, and practices regularly at her local range. More and more women seem to be slowly accepting the fact that a gun can be a very effective means of protecting one’s self and family from harm. There has been a steady increase in the sale of firearms, and especially handguns, to women. There are now even magazines that are dedicated entirely to women and guns. This has not gone unnoticed in the gun industry, and manufacturers are constantly trying to come up with new ways to attract women to their product lines. For several years now, Smith & Wesson has offered a line of “Ladysmith” handguns. Other gun makers are producing smaller and lighter guns, as well as a more recent influx of pink guns, to try to grab a piece of this growing market. Yes, there really are now pink guns on the market. There are little single shot pink rifles for young girls, shotguns in just darling pink camouflage patterns, and a slew of pistols and revolvers that are pink enough to turn a grown man green. If nothing else, this splash of pinks certainly makes most gun shops more colorful. Given the latest
craze with Zombie targets and Zombie ammunition, can pink Zombies be far behind? I see a lot of women who are looking for their first gun. Too often, the first advice I have to give is to ask them to forget all the advice they’ve already gotten from their resident “gun experts.” Sometimes they’ve been told that nothing less than a .44 Magnum will do, or that they need the biggest and highest capacity semiautomatic pistol they can fit in their hands. They ask to see guns that are totally inappropriate for them; guns that they would never be able to even load, let alone shoot. Since the majority of new, women shooters want a semi-automatic, that’s what I’ll first let them handle. My opening question is always the same; “Can you pull the slide back?” You must be able to “rack” the slide back in order to load the first round into the gun’s chamber. If you can’t rack the slide, you can’t chamber the first round. If you can’t chamber that first round, you have nothing but a very expensive paperweight. In all my many years of selling guns, I have found that only a very small percentage of women have enough wrist strength to comfortably operate the slide of any semi-automatic pistol. The exception to this would be .22’s, but most buyers looking for a self-defense handgun are looking for something bigger. A .22 handgun can, in fact, be an effective self defense weapon, but it requires skilled shot placement. There also lots of really small .380 pistols on the market right now and many women find these appealing. The problem here is that because of their small size, these little guns can be very difficult to hold and shoot. Their little slides have limited grasping area, and can be almost impossible for some women to use. Also, given their small size and light weight, these tiny .380’s can produce surprisingly heavy Continued next page
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March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
A Waterfowler's Perspective By Brian Bouchard
Haste doesn’t always make waste
Sometimes you make a hasty decision that hind sight proves to be a foolish one. This duck season was filled with more good decisions than bad ones. In my travels for my day job I met a farmer that owns several farms. This happens quite often. After some conversation about the farms locations and the potential that these farms might hold waterfowl the farmer mentioned one in particular that was known to be frequented by ducks and geese. I discovered that he was interested in leasing the hunting rights to the farm. In my usual haste I said I would lease it and agreed to the price. After pulling together the paperwork and sending off the check a majority of folks I talked to seemed to think I was a bit crazy. The fact that it was May, and I had not hunted or scouted the farm, I too was a bit concerned about my quick decision. A few months later I decided to
recoil. Invariably, I wind up moving my women customers over to the revolver section and show them small .38 Special revolvers. Most of these guns are very light, have small grips that women can use easily, and are simple to operate. If you can squeeze the trigger, you can shoot one of these guns. The .38 Special is certainly an adequate short range defense cartridge, and recoil is usually manageable. The majority of my women clientele, who are looking for self-defense handguns, do wind up getting some sort of small revolver … and most do very well with them. And no, most of these guns are not pink. Let me give my male readers a word of warning here. If you decide to teach your significant other how to shoot, do not be surprised if the love of your life cleans your clock out on the range. Women seem to approach shooting with few preconceptions and none of the ego pressure that many male shooters seem to endure. They just don’t seem to care if they’re the best shot on their block, and that means they shoot relaxed. No pressure no cares. Even my dear wife Sandy, who claims to be The Outdoor Gazette
take my dogs for a walk on the property. Less than 20 minutes into our trek I saw what appeared to be several 100 Canada Geese working the field. I was starting to get the feeling that my hasty decision was a good one. As I prepared to take a photo on my phone to send off to fellow hunting buddies and those that thought I was crazy ( my wife ) I turned to notice 50 or so ducks working the sky. I couldn’t snap photos and send them via my phone fast enough. When opening day of goose season hit we were ready to go. Although we didn’t pile them up as I had expected we did a number on the population. We did however see 100?s of geese. Several more hunts proved to be as successful for the geese. I was a bit disappointed that we weren’t getting the ducks to work our spread like I thought they would. We had fly by’s but no feet in your face stuff. from previous page the worst shot in the modern world, has … on very rare occasions when I wasn’t feeling well or was otherwise distracted … outshot me. I remember one time when I was trying out an old Colt 44/40 single action revolver. The gun was made in 1902 and was still in good shooting condition, but I was having an awful time keeping it on the target at 50 feet. Sandy asked if she could shoot it. Sure, why not? She proceeded to place all six shots right in the middle of the paper. So here was this woman, admittedly the worst shot in the modern world, making me look bad with my own gun. She was such a good wife; I’ll really miss her. Just remember, for better or worse, “You can’t beat a woman who shoots!” And that just about sums it all up. Stan Holz lives in Whitefield, NH and, with his wife Sandy, has owned and operated Village Gun Store there since 1974. He invites everyone to stop and visit. Aside from his interest in firearms and shooting, Stan is also involved in amateur astronomy, photography, ham radio and scuba diving. He can be contacted by emailing him at saholz@myfairpoint.net.
After about the fourth hunt for Taking our 1 black allowed each geese I stumbled into the other with the rest being Mallards. field on the farm and discovered In the end we were picking out the honey hole. A small puddle just the green heads. One hunt in particular I went alone on a weekday. A hasty decision to sneak out at 6 am set up with a dozen decoys tossed out into the puddle Texas rigging style. I covered the ground blind with corn from previous hunts. I was ready to go at 615 just waiting for legal shooting to arrive at 628. At 645 they started to come. By 715 I had limited out on 4 green heads. It only took 5 shots. 3 shots at the first pass that took 2 greenies. 1 shot the that was holding 50 plus mallards second pass that took the third & black ducks with a few woodies drake. The fifth and final shot on the sprinkled in for fun. I decided to go back the next morning and third pass I had my limit of green work the puddle with a hunting heads. I waited for a black duck buddy. A sort of two man stealth for a bit but decided to pick up approach. Which consisted of 18 and get home before my day job or so decoys, 2 ground blinds hid- started. I will say that my hasty den close in the corn. After sever- decision to lease the field proved al hunts we did our best to thin this time that haste doesn’t always out the Mallard population. make waste.
March 2012
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Family Tracks By Brian Lang
Warm Hearts and Cold Toes
We just picked a spot on the map. We had never been there before, and the only thing important to us was its geographical location. A mid-winters reunion with a friend from college, put off for many years for one reason or another, was to finally occur, and we wanted a ski area located just about half way between my home in Vermont and his in Maine. We landed in Waterville Valley, NH, a beautiful little ski area tucked up into the White Mountains. It took us about two and a half hours of quality family time in the car to get there. According to the ski areas website, in that same amount of time you can drive to Providence, RI. I looked for and tried not to hit a moose, while my wife looked at every house for sale and daydreamed about buying the nice ones. The kids, I admit, watched a movie. But everyone arrived
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happy, which is an important first step for a weekend away. We arrived in the parking lot with a nice temperature in the
mid thirty’s and unpacked our gear while a light snow quietly fell on the ice around us. The shuttle bus was a flatbed truck with bars welded waist high in a grid pattern that kept us from tumbling
onto the asphalt. The driver actually drove kind of fast and it might not have been a bad idea to put our helmets on for the ride up to the lodge. Eager to get on the slopes, we
found our way to the base of the lift. Getting both kids and all their gear plus your own gear up high enough on the hill so you can actually start sliding downhill to something is quite a project. Who says downhill skiing isn’t exercise? Pushing a 4 year old around on skis on flat and uphill terrain is like rolling a spare tire around the yard that keeps pulling away. The lower novice trails were in great shape for a winter with little snow. Waterville boasts 100% snowmaking coverage of all 220 acres of skiable terrain. It was pretty well covered but you could tell it was thin in spots. We took several sunny cruises down the lower half of the mountain before lunch. There were some low slalom gates set up on one trail, only about a foot high, and Ben weaved down through them
March 2012
perfectly, carving his little skis’ edges into the icy turns like a miniature Bode Miller. Megan had her new poles, and skied very confidently after having lessons with the school program this winter. They would both make little turns up the snow banks and look for the small jumps along the sides. Ben would just plain old jump while gliding down the middle of the trail. At lunch time, we met our friend Jeff and his daughter Atlantis, plus his girlfriend Rebecca and her daughter Emma. Introductions were made over a table of hot chocolate, food and four more people’s worth of winter ski gear; all signs of fun. The whole group together now and the afternoon ahead of us, we headed to the top, 4,004 feet if you took a final short lift at the top. We didn’t push our luck. Fantastic views greeted us at the top and just about bullet proof ice accompanied us on the way down. The kids did great though, making perfect slow turns back and forth across the icy slope, known as “Oblivion” on the trail map, in perfect control. Ice, also known as “eastern powder” I think simply makes you a better skier if you can handle it, and then you also really appreciate the days when the mountain is endless soft, fluffy fresh snow. After a few runs to the top and a short tour of the mountain, we finished off the afternoon on the lower slopes and softer snow. Walking back to the lodge we passed the Waffle Cabin, a little hut built out in
The Outdoor Gazette
Vermont ANR Climate Change Team Looks at Lessons of Irene
WAITSFIELD, VT—What can Vermonters learn from Tropical Storm Irene, in order to help make our state stronger and better prepared for flooding in the future? Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources Climate Change Team today released “Lessons from Irene: Building Resiliency as We Rebuild,” an interdisciplinary look at Irene’s many impacts and challenges. Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, Deb Markowitz said, “Climate data shows that Vermont is experiencing more extreme rain events, and because of this we can expect to see more frequent flooding. This is why it is so important for us to learn from
intense storms and precipitation events in Vermont over the coming decades. The report illustrates the vulnerability of our river valley communities and natural resources to intensive flood disasters, begins to count the costs associated with that vulnerability, and poses some of the hard questions our state and communities will need to answer in order to build flood resiliency. The ANR Climate Change team has been working to promote both mitigation of greenPost Irene repairs continued in to the night.... photo by Jim Cobb house gas emissions and adaptaIrene so that our communities part of Vermont’s adaptation to tion to a changing climate. To see can be better prepared for future climate change, given that 1) the new report visit the ANR clifloods.” This new report points many Vermont communities are mate change website at: out that floo built along rivers and 2) climate www.anr.state.vt.us/anr/climated resiliency may be a critical change predictions call for more change/irenebythenumbers.html
front of the main lodge and emanating a heavenly aroma (which I think is purposely shot out at nose level for marketing purposes). The kids asked and asked, and were promised one at the end of the weekend, pending good behavior of course. We stayed in a hotel nearby that night. The forecast was for plummeting temperatures into the single digits. When I stepped outside in the morning to go get coffees, my nostrils froze together and my ears stung in the wind as I shuffled across the icy parking lot. It would be even colder up on the mountain. We lingered over a hot breakfast, and when we got there it was frigid and windy. The lifts serving the summit were closed due to high wind. Not to be deterred, we slowly and steadily bundled up the kids and ourselves with just about everything we brought to wear. I said “Hey Jeff, remember when we could just put our boots on at the car and walk up to the lift and ski?” He just raised his eyebrows
and nodded, struggling to remember when life was that simple. And so, complete with new Waterville stickers on the kids’ helmets, we headed out into the cold. The bonus to the cold was that it was much less crowded. We had virtually no lift lines, and our favorite slopes were bathed gloriously in sunlight. The views of the surrounding mountains in the cold winter air were fantastic. I was very proud of the kids skiing, as I could now freely ski alongside them and enjoy watching them. It really made those first years struggling to teach them worth it, and to now see them enjoying it for themselves is very rewarding. Jeff proved again to be a natural entertainer of children and led a “follow the leader” tour with the kids making snake tracks down the slopes; playfully zig zagging and trying to teach them to spin around. The tough part was the ride on the lift. Suspended up high in the air it feels like your being blown
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lodge, with a great stone fireplace and seats right in front of it just for us. I looked around at the décor, and noticed the “antique” skis hung as decorations. You must be getting a least a little older when the decorations are the equipment you used to use yourself, seemingly not so long ago. With old friends and new, we shared the thrill and chill of the White Mountains in winter. Just before heading home, while unbuckling and wrenching the boots off for good, the children got their waffles, drizzled with warm chocolate. Brian Lang lives with his wife, Michelle and two children Megan and Ben in Reading, VT. Brian grew up in VT and started enjoying his outdoor pursuits at a very young age. He is an avid hunter, fisherman, camper, and hiker and hopes to give his kids the same wholesome upbringing he enjoyed in the New England outdoors. When he's not outside, he works as an MRI Technologist. He can be reached at Bclang78@gmail.com.
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on by superman’s super cold breath. The air seeps through any crack in your armor and just makes you numb. You try and hunch your face down into your coat and watch the mini tornadoes of snow swirling by. We really could only manage a few runs at a time before heading in to warm the gang up. Hot chocolate really is the “save the day” elixir of cold weather activities with children. Sunnyside Timber Lodge was partway up the mountain in the area we were skiing. We skied right up to it, struggling to get Ben to stop mid-trail and follow us inside. Every run he would just take off on his own without waiting. I would like to say he was just so excited and eager to go make his kiddy-carved turns, and that his enthusiasm overshadowed his normally obedient demeanor. But by the end of the second day he was just not listening. Our clink-bang, click-bang of ski boots up the stairs led us to a large open beamed log cabin
from previous page
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March 2012
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I visited with the owner of Hollister's Appliance in Bennington, Vermont for about an hour, man time flys when you're talking deer hunting. I wrote his name down and took lot's of pictures of his store. The deer on the walls are very impressive. The owner, I can't find his first name for the life me. I bet his last name is Hollister though:)..anyway he is an amateur taxidermist as well. The mount with the shed antler was very unique and well done too. So if your in the Bennington area and need appliances or want to see some bone stop in at Hollister's.
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March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
The Outdoor Gazette
March 2012
Page 19
Lessons from the Great Outdoors By Martha VanderWolk
Winter Survival Training
As many of you know, I spent most of the winter teaching 6th grade at Colebrook Elementary School. On February 14, the middle-schoolers had a Winter Survival Day as part of Spirit Week. I know that most of the kids saw it as a fun day spent outdoors and out of “real” classes, but what we wanted them to learn was dead serious. Thus, it was a classic example of handson learning that was so much fun the kids didn’t even realize that they were learning anything important. We adults are every bit as guilty as kids are of thinking that you are only truly “learning” when you are sufficiently miserable and everyone is being sufficiently serious about it. Like most teachers, I have heard parents complain that their kids “play” too much in school and, therefore, can’t possibly be learning anything. But humans, like all social animals,
learn by playing, and anyone who wandered on the Colebrook playing fields on Valentine’s Day
Snowshoe race at “Colebrook Widerness Chronicle. would have just thought that it was Winter Carnival. Packs of kids on snowshoes were racing back and forth,
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throwing rubber rabbits, in a modified game of freeze tag and Giant Steps. Others were chasing each other around in circles in a cross between Duck, Duck,
Day” Photo courtesy of the Colebrook Goose and tag. Still others were in the woods building shelters among the trees, while others built fires and roasted marshmallows. Meanwhile, another group was turning their classmates into burritos and dragging them around the baseball diamond and another was “putting red Fred in the shed” on their compasses. What they were really doing was learning to use snowshoes, learning about predator/prey relationships, learning survival techniques, learning how to save a friend from hypothermia, and learning orienteering skills. The “stations” were planned and personned by folks from the Appalachian Mountain Club in Pinkham Notch NH and the NorthWoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston VT. They did a great job with the kids and, for the most part, their lessons were hands-on and participatory, and avoided being “teachy and preachy.” But even when they did tilt towards the latter end of the spectrum, just the fact that we were outside made the kids feel like it was recess rather than “learning.” It also, thankfully, was a perfect day weatherwise—sunny and warm but with enough of a breeze to remind you that it was still winter—though we could have used a lot more snow for snowshoeing, snow shelter build-
March 2012
ing and rodent tunneling. It was a little too warm for me to illustrate, rather than just explain, to one student why leaving her mittens lying in the snow as she ran off to help build a shelter was not a really good idea—though I think the thought of black and falling-off fingers did leave a lasting image. Colebrook Elementary School’s principal, Mary Jolles, is an avid outdoorswoman, and it is important to her that the kids of the North Country learn to appreciate and respect the place that they call home. In addition to organizing days like this one, she also facilitates lots of field trips and even teaches her own unit to the 7th grade each spring on fish, helping them raise trout hatchlings and release them into a local stream when they are big enough. In my many years teaching in the North Country, I have seen children’s relationships with the outdoors change. Six years ago, when I was analyzing the NECAP (the New England standardized test) results, I was delighted to see that, though for the most part getting a Colebrook kid to write more than a sentence was like pulling teeth, when the topic was something like watching a storm come across a lake, they could wax eloquent— because they knew exactly what that looks and feels like. Even that recently ago, when I taught a unit based on winter survival, the kids were engaged and excited about it, having had some close calls themselves. (When I mentioned snow dropping off a fir branch onto a fire at the firebuilding “station,” the presenter immediately made the connection to Jack London’s story, “To Build a Fire,” which we had read as part of that unit.) Over the years, I could always count on keeping the kids’ attention with stories of mountain men and pioneer settlers in the woods, because they could imagine what a life like that would be like. I shameless make references to guns and hunting because it keeps many of the most intransigent of the boys interested and engaged. When we read a story about a Continued next page The Outdoor Gazette
Use of the “Alabama Rig” Illegal in New Hampshire’s Fresh Waters
CONCORD, N.H. – Anglers should be aware that the “Alabama rig,” a type of tackle gaining popularity in the bass fishing world, is illegal to use in New Hampshire’s fresh waters, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department officials said today. The Alabama rig generated national interest following a well-publicized win by a professional bass angler in a major bass tournament last fall. Technically, the rig is not a lure, but an apparatus that allows an angler to attach and fish up to five lures on a single line, with the possibility of catching more than one fish at a time. It is basically a castable “umbrella” rig, consisting of a hard body with a line-tie, followed by five wire strands in a
fanned out design each with a snap swivel at the end. Anglers can attach a variety of lures to each swivel for a look that is
girl who lost a leg in a Seadooing accident, it was easy to have a long discussion about how the accident happened based on my students’ knowledge of snowmachines. (This is known as “scaffolding” in educational jargon.) The day after our Winter Survival Day, we read a story about the Japanese tsunami and about how some middle-schoolers had helped save the elementary schoolers because they had had tsunami-response training. I tried to get a discussion going about why we might need training in winter survival, given that extreme cold is about the most dangerous natural phenomenon we face around here. The kids could see the connection intellectually, but really only the ones who hunt (and those are fewer and fewer every year) got it. Most of the kids didn’t understand why they would need to know “that stuff ” and said that they never really leave their yards.
Apparently, most of them don’t even snowmachine, and now that the Balsams is closed, they don’t ski either. Some own snowshoes but said that they don’t go far. Even when I read them an article from the Union Leader about a groups of friends who saved a skidooer who had gone through the ice on Lake Winnipesaukee while they were just hanging out around the fire in their own yard, my kids couldn’t quite get the concept of when and why they might need to know the things they had learned the day before. Maybe it’s just the mild winters we’ve been having; at eleven, these kids might not remember a winter when it was so cold that you couldn’t breathe or the snow so deep you couldn’t find your car. But I suspect that it also has to do with the economy, one in which both parents are working as much as they can all the time for low wages and don’t have time themselves to do the out-
meant to mimic a school of baitfish. Following the tournament win using the Alabama rig, bass fishing websites, forums, and magazines abounded with stories touting the fish-catching abilities of the new tackle. The buzz has generated many inquiries to Fish and Game about the legal status of using the Alabama rig,
or similar fishing rigs, in New Hampshire freshwaters. The bottom line is that the rig’s use in New Hampshire fresh waters is not allowed. That determination is based on the following New Hampshire regulations: • RSA 207:1 I Angling: The taking of fish by line in hand, or rod in hand to which is attached a cast of artificial flies, or an artificial bait, or hooks or other devices for the attachment of bait. A person may have in use not more than 2 such lines at one time. Nothing in this title shall prohibit the use of a rodholder in a boat. • Fis 401.011 “Artificial bait” means any fishing bait constructed by humans as an imitation or substitute for natural
bait or fish forage and includes, but is not limited to spinners, spoons, poppers, plugs, jigs and plastic, rubber or other artificial imitations of natural bait. “Artificial bait” does not include “fly” as defined in RSA 207:1 VII. The words “an artificial bait” contained in New Hampshire’s statutory definition of “angling,” mean one artificial bait per line. Attaching additional spinners, spoons, poppers, plugs, jigs and plastic, rubber or other artificial imitations of natural bait is not allowed. Therefore, an Alabama rig is illegal to use in New Hampshire’s fresh waters. For more information on fishing in New Hampshire, visit www.fishnh.com.
door activities that are, often, the real reason they live here, much less take their kids out to do them. While I don’t wish danger to anyone, I do hope all of Colebrook’s 6th, 7th and 8th graders have the chance to use their winter survival skills many times in their lives.
Martha VanderWolk owns and operates Sturtevant Pond Camps in Magalloway, Maine with her husband, Tom Rideout. A lifelong educator, she currently teaches in the Sustainable Business and Communities Program at Goddard College. She can be reached at Martha@sturtevantpondcamps.com.
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March 2012
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The Trap Line By Randy Barrows
Forty three years ago
It all started Forty Three years ago. I was a young sport then, with the summer off from school, working part time on the farm. When I was not working, I was in the woods looking for wildlife or at stream fishing. On a hot summer day I pulled down an old trap that hung from the garage rafters and asked dad how it worked. HE advised the trap had been there for years and he had never tried to set it. Together we set it, with a few pinched fingers, we quickly mastered setting it. He then advised to “go find where animals are running, wire it down, and I will catch an animal”. The next morning I was at the stream behind my house, and looking for tracks. It was not long before I found these rat type tracks on the edge of the water. I set the trap, wired it down and left. I checked this trap twice a day for weeks; nothing ever was in the trap. I thought I was a failure. After two to three more weeks, I finally hit pay dirt. It was early in the morning and upon reaching the creek, I saw an animal sitting where my trap was. I had caught
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my first muskrat. Being my first, I had no idea these guys were so anti-sociable. I had to walk back home, get my .22 rifle, and dispatch the little guy.
I was happy as ever. I had, after weeks of trying, caught my first furbearer via a trap. I strung it onto my three-speed bike, and proceeded to the local hardware store in town to show Arnold, the owner. He was happy that I had caught it, but then the lecture began. I had caught my first rat, out of trapping season, without a
license, and when the fur was of no value. My happiness was fading. How could I have screwed up so bad? Arnold did offer help though, he could order a how to book for me, and if I read it, and could answer his questions, he
would help me through this getting started process. I read the book, cover to cover, memorized it. That fall, I took my test, bought a license, got three more traps from Arnold, and away I went. From that point on, I was hooked. I have set traps nearly every year since then. I have had years where I bought a new gun with the money I made, or paid my taxes. I have also had years where I did not make enough to pay for the gas I used checking traps, and certainly not enough for the time invested or for the money spent on buying more equipment. Why am I telling you all of this, you ask; hopefully to peak your interest, especially the young readers who enjoy the outdoors. If you really enjoy the outdoors, there is not a better way to spend the day outside. Sure, hunting and fishing are fun, but with trapping, you have to think like the target species. You have to think like a coon, if you were a coon, where would you go for a meal? Or a coyote, muskrat, fox, beaver and so on. Trapper numbers are dwindling at an alarming pace. There are many reasons for this. The biggest I think is the lack of available land to trap on. Are there any places you knew as a kid that were good for hunting and fishing
March 2012
that are now housing developments or malls? The second reason, the prices of fur, I have seen prices run the gamut. In the eighties we got six plus dollars for a properly prepared rat, in the last few years if you got a dollar you had a good day. If you join this sport to get rich, you will be sadly mistaken. The third reason is people who do trap are not passing on the tradition. Sooooo, if you are willing to work for nothing, other than the sheer enjoyment of being outdoors, willing to get up before daylight, check traps, go to work all day, get home and spend hours in the shed putting up fur, i.e. skinning, fleshing, stretching, etc., then welcome aboard. If you are not prepared or do not have the time to do all of this, then be honest with yourself and don’t come aboard. I have decided to write this column about trapping to peak your interest, as I said earlier. I will take you through the ins and out of trapping in the coming months, right from taking a trapper education course, if needed, to buying your first traps, preparing them, setting them, fur handling, etc. I will also keep you up to date on all state laws pertaining to trapping, and there are many. Did you know that trappers are the most heavily regulated sportsman in Vermont? Well, we are. I will also walk you through the ethics part of this sport, which is real important. One question before I close, did you ever set a mouse trap in your house for the little critter eating a hold down the center of the loaf of bread? If the answer is yes, you are already a trapper!!!!! Until next time, keep your waders patched, and your lures in the shed. See you on the trap line. Randy lives in Milton, Vermont, has trapped in Vermont for 43 years, is a hunter Ed Instructor and an Advanced Trapper Instructor for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. Randy and wife, Diane & their family, own and operate Arrowhead Trapping Supply. Randy is also a Vermont State Licensed Fur Dealer. They can be reached at Critrgitr@msn.com or 802-3557496, on facebook or at www.arrowheadtrappingsupply.com. The Outdoor Gazette
The Outdoor Gazette
March 2012
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On and off the Trail By Ken Monte
Being thankful
It’s been there for at least the five years that I have been hunting in the area. On an old beech tree, at least a mile from any road, in the town of Glastenbury, VT there is a sign that really makes me stop and think whenever I pass it. The sign is handmade from a large piece of rough pine board with a message and a picture burned into it’s surface. It says “In Memory of Richard Lee Strobel -Jan 26, 1962 - Nov 24, 1998 A Good Friend.” I never met him but he obviously made a lasting impression on whoever made the sign. Also if you look at the date he must have passed on during deer season that year. I always stop on my way by and say a little thank you in my head to all the people who have made it possible for me to enjoy my time out in the woods hunting. At first I used to only think about my Grandfather who got me interest-
ed in hunting way back when I was five. I remember following him through the woods in Pownal, VT. I was so little that I
first person I called whenever I got one. He passed on Veteran’s Day 2007. I always have a puff on a cigar and a little nip on that day in his memory. I also pour him out a share and leave the rest
Tribute to a friend in the mountains of Glastenbury Vermont had to jump from one footstep in of the cigar for him to finish. the snow to another. He never After a couple of years of passshot a deer himself but he was the ing by the sign it finally occurred to me that there are many other people throughout the years that I should be thankful for. My parents never really have understood what it is about hunting and being in the woods that I can’t live without. That hasn’t stopped BEER-BATTER BEER-BATTER FRIED FRIED FISH FISH them through the years from helping me get out there. My 66 brook father doesn’t hunt, but one year brook trout trout or or other other fresh fresh water water fish fish A ranch style barbecue recipe, cooked in the crockpot. when he couldn’t find anyone else (about (about 3/4 3/4 lb. lb. each) each) to take me out, he took me out Flour Flour 1 1/2 lbs. stew venison/bear/moose cubes himself. 22 c. flour 1/2 lbs. pork cubes c.1unsifted unsifted flour I will never forget looking 2 cups chopped onions 22 tsp. behind me and seeing him sleeptsp. baking baking powder powder 3 small green bell peppers, seeded and chopped ing, standing up, leaning against a 11 tsp. salt tsp. salt 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste tree. My first deer came on a day 22 eggs, slightly eggs, slightly beaten 1/2 cup packedbeaten brown sugar that my mother dropped me off 22 c. beer cup cider vinegar c.1/4 beer after school and was going to pick 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 me up at dark. I think that maybe 1/2 c. c. salad salad oil oil 2 teaspoons salt she was more excited than I was Oil deep Oil1for for deep frying frying teaspoon dry mustard when I told her I got one. I didn’t 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce think she was going to be able to Coat Coat fish fish with with flour; flour; set set aside. aside. In In aa large large bowl, bowl, drive home. Now that I work with combine 22 cups baking powder, salt, Combine ingredients slow cooker. Cover and cook combine cupsinflour, flour, baking powder, salt, my family at the chocolate shop oneggs, high for 6 to 8 hours, or until very tender. Shred beer and 1/2 cup oil; beat with rotary eggs, beer and 1/2 cup oil; beat with rotary even my sisters help me out. I am meat with auntil potatosmooth. masher or Dip forks;fish serveinto over buns, forever grateful to them for writbeater batter, beater until smooth. Dip fish into batter, potatoes, rice, or any pasta.
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ing schedules and working themselves so I can get some time off to hike in the summer or hunt in the fall. I’m also thankful for my many hunting partners throughout the years. Some are folks I may have only hunted with for a few years. Some are people I hope to hunt with for the rest of my life. Some I’m glad that they have moved on. Each of them have made an impression that I either love to remember or hope to soon forget. My Dad traded the use of our Datsun pickup to Gary. All he had to do was take me out hunting with him. I remember asking him how to field dress a deer. His exact response was, “you cut him open and take out everything that doesn’t look like it belongs in there anymore.” It turns out that actually, that is, pretty much exactly how it’s done. My Dad used to ask me if we had to put the truck in 4-wheel drive at all during the day. I never could bring myself to tell him about some of the places we went. Yes Dad, we definitely had to put it in 4-wheel drive. I met Ed when we were both on a deer drive together in Reading, VT. Quite a crew had gathered that day. Ed was the only guy in the group that seemed to have his act together, so one day the following year I just showed up at his house and reintroduced myself. We have been hunting together each year now for over 20 years. I consider him to be my “Brother from another Mother.” Once, when we were bowhunting in Missouri, I heard the twang of his recurve, a deer running and then the deer falling over. I yelled over to him and heard his usual response. “Down and bloody.” I got over to him in less than five minutes to find that not only did he already have the deer field dressed, he already had it trussed up ready for dragging. Continued on page 33
March 2012
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What do we need from you? A digital photo with at least 200dpi resolution at 8x10 size or original photo mailed to us for scanning. 4 headlines of 30 characters or less and the month and year you would like on the cover Want to buy one? send email to sales@theoutdoorgazette.com
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March 2012
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The Coastal Zone Captian John Curry By Captain New England’s Saltwater Variety
I’ve had the good fortune of stalking many prized game fish all over this great nation and a few exotic ports in between. There’s
tangle your gear on a reef. Slipping into a mangrove lined creek pitching live baits to root hugging snook and sea trout is
nothing like the thrill of a tarpon as it leaps skyward or the bulldog battle of a gag grouper trying to
also right up there. Not to mention my favorite form of fishing, sight casting on
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the flats for bones, permit and the occasional shark. Contrary to ones belief this type of fishing can be had right here in New England. While we obviously lack most of the warm water species that exits in our sub-tropics we have the equivalent right here in our own backyard. From Down East Maine to Narragansett Bay we have as much diversity in our saltwater game fish as anywhere I’ve been. Just replace their tarpon for our acrobatic bluefish. Black sea bass are a dead ringer for grouper when it comes to that style of fishing. I would match a striped bass any day for a snook or even a redfish. Our summer flounder or “fluke” as we call them are one of my favorite game fish to target not only for their fine eating, but they have an attitude to go with it. Picture this for a moment; you’re at the bow of my Cuda 23 with a 9 weight fly rod in hand ready to launch a silverside pattern fly when I give you the signal, its 82 degrees with a light breeze from the southwest. We’re in 3 feet of water and the sand dunes are covered in a late afternoon shade of pink and orange. Terns are working a school of baitfish just off the flat where the first break line meets and outgoing tide eddy. From my perch high up on the stern I can see four shadows moving slowly on our port side. I whisper, “teno’clock fish moving to your right cast 30 yards”. Your fly hits the water perfectly five yards in front of them. “Strip-strip-stop, wait one’s taking a look, strip again!” You’re on to a 25 pounder and she is taking the business end of your rod on a 40 yard run. After a 20 minute battle we have her boat side. A few pictures and a high-five end a perfect day of flats fishing for stripers on Cape Cod. That’s right I said Cape Cod. Minus the palm trees you wouldn’t know the difference most days. Most of us think of New England as a deep drop bottom fishing venue for such delicacies as cod, pollock and haddock. “I haven’t been deep sea fishing in years” is a common discussion when booking trips for my guiding service based out of Cape
March 2012
Cod. I tell my clients to take the words “deep” and “sea” out of their vocabulary to make a point. We most likely will be fishing a variety of species using a variety of techniques and in most cases in less than 30 feet of water. Just like our southern game fish, our northern species do run certain times of the season. We can always count on striped bass from April – October and the blues
run great from May-September. It’s not uncommon to boat 4-5 different species in one trip on my boat. So the next time you are with the family at Disney World take the time to experience some red fishing on the famed Space Coast of Florida, but if you want to experience the same thrill and in my opinion much better scenery for possibly less money than round trip plane ticket to Florida, hire a guide in New England
when the weather warms up and tell them you want to explore the variety that our coastal waters have to offer. Capt. John Curry grew up in Rehobeth, MA and summered on the Cape mainly in the Bass River area. He has over 30 years of fishing and boating on Cape Cod and Rhode Island waters. Currently living in W. Yarmouth and summers in Bourne. He runs a sportfishing business on tha Cape, visit his website www.capefishing.net. The Outdoor Gazette
2012 Trail Camera Photo Contest
Send in your trail camera pics, and for every picture that is published in The Outdoor Gazette you will get one chance to win one of three Trail Cameras. 2-Winners will be drawn Randomly and announced in the Jan. 2013 issue. Plus 1-Winner, Owner of “The Trail Cam Pic of the Year”, will be chosen by the Outdoor Gazette staff and folks on our Facebook page. The “Pic of the Year” will be on the cover of the Jan. 2013 issue! New for 2012’s contest---Do you have a picture of a trophy buck or huge bull moose you want to share, but are afraid to give up it’s location. We will post your pics anonymously, with as little info as you like. Your secret is safe with us!... HaHa!.... Really it is!
2011 Trail Camera Photo Contest , and the Winners are ;
2011 Trail Trail Camera Camera Picture Picture of of the the Year Year is is 2011 Dan Green Green from from Lyme, Lyme, New New Hampshire Hampshire Dan Random Winners Winners -- Thomas Thomas Flynn Flynn from from Holderness, Holderness, New New Hampshire Hampshire Random and Mary Mary Emery Emery from from Enfield, Enfield, New New Hampshire Hampshire and
It’s a Granite State Sweep!
2010 Contest Winners - Paul Nault of Gorham, New Hampshire for the Trail Camera Picture of the Year. Random winners - Kevin Skinner of Newport, New Hampshire Bob George of Newport, Vermont......It’s a “Newport” Sweep
Send photos to:fred@theoutdoorgazette.com with the subject line “TC Photo Contest 2011”
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March 2012
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Trail Camera Photo Contest
Dustin Bucklin - Alexan
dria, New Hampshire
pshire exandria, New Ham Al lin ck Bu in st Du
ania John Stull - Pennsylv
Mitchell Palmer - Alexan
dria, New Hampshire
Glenn Adams - Do
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March 2012
fox climb trees?
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Glen Adams and Kevin Folgers, Rollinsford, NH - Two Eagles in differen stages of maturity fight t over the spoils of winter.
Mitchell Palmer - Alexan
exandria, NH Mitchell Palmer - Al
dria, NH
Anonymous - New
The Outdoor Gazette
John Stull - Pennsylvania
Hampshire
March 2012
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Behind the Sights By Charlie Chalk
To clean and protect
Hunting season is a faded memory and most target shooters await the dawning of warmer weather, so out guns rest in some dark recess. Those guns are now experiencing some oxidation if not properly cleaned and protected. Makes you want to go and check them, doesn’t it? Over the years of doing this sport, I have seen a lot of improperly cleaned and not protected guns. Commonly, there were obvious signs of rust. I have salvaged the bore of more than one rifle, but some are probably a little harder to clean, due to the rust pits that will catch dirt. Fortunately many have been lucky, with minor damage done to the accuracy of the gun, but why risk this? Over the years, I have tried many chemicals and rust preventers. Some work; some don't. Most of my guns are used year round and face some severe con-
ditions such as multiple nights outside in rain and humidity. No matter how long the day has been, my Father always taught me to take care of my guns first,
then make supper. This guideline has served me well, and preserved my guns. So what really works? I will give you a few of my favorites. I
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believe you must begin with a truly clean barrel. Clean means no trace of dirt and all acids neutralized. In this area, I believe nothing work better than hot water and soap. If you are one of the "barrel flushers", I would still
follow up the flush with a chemical wipe. You can really see if you are cleaning properly when no more staining occurs on a chemical patch. "Number 13" by Thompson/Center seem to work well, is cheap and was designed for muzzleloaders. Use the cleaner until you can pull a perfectly clean patch. The breech plug will require a good cleaning to prevent rust in the threaded position. Some traditional guns such as Thompson/Center and Lyman, use a breech that is smaller than the bore. If you are unsure that you are reaching the bottom of the breech, just measure the depth of the bore with your ramrod, then lay it outside the barrel. The smaller breech will require a smaller cleaning tool. I use a modern rifle slotted jag to hold a patch. I insert it in the breech and twist to wipe this area clean. Other tools you might find handy are bronze or plastic bore brushes for muzzleloaders. I use them to knock out powder residue before using any solution. It seems to speed things up. If you shoot an inline and use sabots,
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the bronze brushes are almost a must to remove any plastic fouling from the bore. When using a brush, check the threads on the rod to make sure they will tightly hold the brush. If you pull the brush out of the rod while it is down the barrel, you have a serious problem that you will need a gunsmith to correct! After the bore is clean, you will want to add a rust protector. In a non-scientific test I thought I would see what would provide the best rust protection. Taking steel wool pads, I washed the oil out of them with brake cleaner. Then I placed the pads outside and sprayed half of each pad with every aerosol lubricant in my shop. These included "WD-40, Birchwood Casey "Sheath", "PB Blaster" and one liquid oil, "Break Free". Another pad was left completely unprotected. It took about a week for any serious rust to appear, except on the unprotected pad. The first to show rust was PB Blaster. This is not a gun product, just a mechanic’s penetrate. In a few days the next product, WD 40 failed. This was no surprise me as it is often used only for water displacement (WD). The Sheath gave the longest performance; in fact I finally gave up waiting for rust to appear. The Break Free showed spotty rust, but I felt this was an unfair test because it is not an aerosol. What does this show? Well, if you take reasonable care of your guns, most products will prevent rust, but I would stick to those specifically made for guns, and even better, for blackpowder guns. There is one product that I could not test with the steel wool, but I have used it for protection and it is perhaps one of the best. That is Sentry Solutions “TufCloth”. I use the Marine cloth and wipe my guns prior to field Continued next page
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March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
Thoughts on the out-of-doors by Gary W. Moore Fisheries biologists are conducting creel surveys on Norton Pond and South Bay of Lake Memphremagog this winter. The purpose of the surveys is to estimate the fishing pressure and total harvest of northern pike on these two waters, which are known for producing trophy-sized pike. Many of us are sick of winter by the time March arrives. Luckily, the days are getting longer and warmer. The month is better known for maple sugaring than for hunting or fishing. A visit to a sugar house for a taste of new maple syrup and a raised doughnut when sweet smelling steam is rising from the pan is a treat I look forward to. March may be a transition month for sportsmen, but there are still hunting and fishing opportunities available. Avid rabbit hunters will be out with their beagles pursuing snowshoe hare until the season ends March 11. The melodious barking of beagles bounding after a fleeing snowshoe is music to the ears of many a hunter. It is always a challenge to get in front of the hare who often runs in large circles attempting to elude the dogs. Shots have to be quick and accurate if one is to bring home the game. Coyotes are legal year round and March is a good time to set up before dawn or at dusk. Some of my friends use bait quite successfully while others rely on calling. Either way, stealth and camouflage are a must. Coyotes have keen senses and can be a real challenge to hunt. Hunting the wild canids is a test of wits, yours against theirs. Those hunters who learn the ropes often get hooked and consider coyotes their favorite quarry. The end of the rabbit hunting time. The product leaves a dry film that really protects. The best part is the cloth lasts indefinity if you follow the directions. Best yet, they are only about $9. and they can protect all your firearms. Sentry Solutions carry a full line of gun care products and is down in Wilton, NH. You can find them online or at most gun shops or call (800) 546-8049. Your guns are an investment. You may use them once a year or The Outdoor Gazette
season does not mean you need to put away the shotgun. Three days later, on March 14, the crow season opens. Crow hunting is a good way to practice your wing shooting. The
March is when I concentrate on perch and often can fill a bucket while getting some much needed sun and fresh air. A meal of freshly caught perch is a nice reward for a few hours on the ice. I always freeze
Twenty pound northern pike caught by David Reen of Eden in Norton Pond.
autumn waterfowl and upland bird seasons have been over for months and it will be many more before they reopen. Good shooting takes practice and crow hunting provides an opportunity to hone our skills. Camouflage is a must and and an owl decoy a big help. Most farmers welcome crow hunters as they consider the big black birds a nuisance and a destroyer of freshly planted corn. Hard water anglers can still fish for trout, salmon and bass through March 15 on most lakes. There is generally plenty of ice the first part of the month and much more daylight to enjoy. The second half of the month one has to be careful to check the depth of the ice and its consistency. Warm weather, sunny days and inflows to the lakes and ponds often make for unsafe conditions. If you do find good ice, you are likely to have plenty of action. Late
any extra perch I catch for cooking later in the year. There will be open water along much of the Connecticut and the mouths of many of its tributaries that anglers can try. Pay close attention to the digest of Fish & Wildlife Regulations as Connecticut River regulations are set by New Hampshire and cover the river, setbacks and tributaries upstream to the first highway bridge on either side of the river. Trout may be taken January 1 through October 15. In several cases such as the Waits River in Bradford and the Passumpsic in Barnet you can take trout under New Hampshire regulations nearly a mile up river into Vermont. A warm March day is also a good time to do some exploring to see
how the deer have faired. I don my snowshoes or cross country skis depending on the conditions and terrain and move silently through the woods always vigilant for movement. When you do see deer, swing wide around them to avoid forcing them to run and use up dwindling fat reserves. Often, I will backtrack a bit and then begin to work my way around. Late March is a good time to look for sheds as the snow begins to melt. Those you don’t find will soon be gnawed on by squirrels, mice, hedgehogs and other critters. Nature recycles well. As I write this mid February, I have no way to predict what the month will bring for weather and thus how much snow and ice there will be come March. If it is anything like the three previous months and February so far, there will be little snow and unseasonably warm temperatures. That means March ice will soften and become unsafe sooner than usual and the snow will not impede the movement of deer. One thing I am sure of is that steam will rise from sugar houses all over the state and delicious maple syrup will be made. Most sugar makers welcome visitors and I urge those who have the time to do so. You will gain an understanding of why the amber liquid is so expensive. Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore is a life long resident of Vermont and a former Commissioner of Fish and Game. He may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@myfairpoint.net or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
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monthly; but they deserve the best care you can give them. Clean and protect them and they will serve you well. Charlie Chalk is an outdoor writer and has a background as a professional Firefighter and is a member of the American Mountain Men, an organization that emulates the life of the fur trappers of the 1800's and their survival on the land.
March 2012
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March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
New Hampshire First: Apprentice Hunting Licenses CONCORD, N.H. — Have you ever had a friend who you know would enjoy hunting if they only had a chance to try it? Or perhaps you’re a non-hunter who has always wanted to go along on a hunt to see what it’s all about. Now you can have your chance. A new law takes effect January 1, 2012, that allows people who are interested in trying hunting or bowhunting an opportunity to do so under the guidance of an experienced hunter without having to take a Hunter Education course first. It’s called the New Hampshire Apprentice Hunting License. Here’s how it works: The licensed apprentice hunter is allowed to hunt only when accompanied by a properly licensed hunter who is 18 years of age or older. “Accompanied” means maintaining actual physical direction and control — keeping the apprentice within sight and hearing at all times (without use of electronic devices). The apprentice hunting license is the same price as a regular resident or nonresident hunting license (click here for license
The Outdoor Gazette
Become Available January 1
prices). It can be purchased only at N.H. Fish and Game headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive in
“Take a friend – Make a hunter”
Concord, N.H., or by mail (visit www.wildnh.com/Licensing/lice nse_forms.htm). You can purchase an Apprentice Hunting License only once in your lifetime. It is valid
from the date of purchase ular New Hampshire hunting through the end of the calendar license. Register for Hunter year. It may not be used to hunt Education at www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunt er_ed.htm. “The Apprentice Hunting License is an exciting new opportunity for sharing the hunting experience,” said Steve Weber, Chief of the N.H. Fish and Game Wildlife Division. “Like our successful youth hunting program, in which youngsters go afield under the supervision of an adult mentor, this program is a great way to provide a positive first-time experience for older new hunters who never had the chance to go hunting as a youth.” In instituting the program, New Hampshire follows the lead of approximately thirty states that have established some kind of apprentice hunting program over the past five years. Want to know more? Fish and moose and does not apply to the Game has put together some three-day small game license. Frequently Asked Questions If you want to hunt in a future about the new Apprentice year, you must first complete a Hunting License, at hunter education or bowhunter www.huntnh.com/Hunting/appr education course, then buy a reg- entice_FAQs.htm.
March 2012
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How to choose a trail camera
very tough decision. How much money do I spend? What feaI have been using trail cameras tures do I look for? for well over 10 years now. It has Can I use a camera for home been very exciting seeing all the security? Here are some impornewest advances in technology tant things to consider. since putting out my first camera. There are now over 20 man#1 Trigger Speed ufactures of trail cameras on the market. Wow! How does anyone Trigger speed is typically highknow what camera is best for lighted most in trail camera marthem? keting wars because it is cruBy Brian Chadwick
Depending on what you use your camera for, scouting that big buck, birdwatching, or maybe home security, it can be a
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cial.Trigger speed is simply the length of time that elapses between the PIR sensor detecting motion and the camera
recording a image. The end Also great for home security. result could be a missed opportunity. This should be a no #5 Theft brainer! This seems to be one of the biggest topics that we have been #2 Detection Zone hearing from those that have had Detection zone doesn't get their cameras stolen or know nearly the attention that trigger someone that has. There are speed gets, and that's unfortu- many ways of protecting your nate. Detection zone is heavily investment with the use of secuunder-rated. The detection zone rity boxes, cable locks, chains, is the cone-shaped area in which etc. movement is detected by the PIR I am very excited about a very sensor. Detection zones can vary NEW product available for your from long and narrow to short trail camera. It is a trail camera and wide, and any combination stand. in between. Regardless of how STIC N PIC. Stic n Pic is a fast your camera trigger speed is, trail camera mounting system a photo will not be taken if the that gives you the freedom to animal does not enter your cam- mount your camera ANYera's detection zone! WHERE. You do not have to have a tree to mount your camera on. In many situations the #3 Recovery Rate tree ( along with all your other Recovery time is the amount of accessories, security boxes, time a camera takes to capture a cables etc,) gives your camera photo, store that photo to mem- away to possible theft, You might ory and then re-arm itself for the as well put a sign out , indicating next photo opportunity. Some where your camera is. cameras will only take a picture I have been able to hide and
every 30 to 60 seconds. If you disquise my cameras where no want to see everything that is one can find them. There is also walking down a game trail, you a great tree mount that can be need a camera that recovers put up in a tree, and still be quickly. The best recovery time, pointed down to capture great RECONYX trail cameras recov- pictures. er in just 1/2 second. My saying is " If they can't see it, They can't steal it ! Brian will be presenting many brands #4 Flash of cameras along with the Stic n’ Pic Does the camera use a incan- Trail Camera stand at the upcoming descent flash or infrared? TWIN STATE BIG GAME and Incandescent will give you color OUTDOOR SHOW, March 24th night photos, but is also subject and 25th in Lebanon NH . to spooking game. Infrared is color daytime and black and Brian Chadwick is the owner of " white at night and gives off a Chadwick's Trail Cams", a division of very faint glow. A new technolo- Chadwick's Digital out of Orange, VT. gy is the "Black Lens". This Visit his website at www.chadwickmakes the camera virtually strailcams.com or you can reach him at undetectable when the flash goes cell 802-793-8398 or work 802off. What a great theft deterant! 479-2767.
March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
2011 New Hampshire 200 lb buck club entries
F&W issues annual report on its 86 wildlife management areas
WAITSFIELD, VT – The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has issued its annual report on the conservation practices used during 2011 at the 86 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) around the state. The eight-page report is on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) under “Items of Special Interest.” “Hunters, anglers and trappers can be credited with generously providing most of the funding for purchasing and managing Vermont’s Wildlife Management Areas that are enjoyed by countless visitors,” said Vermont Fish & Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Berry. “These special places have been acquired for conservation of important fish and wildlife values and will be managed for those values in perpetuity.” Ranging in size from 10,826acre Steam Mill Brook WMA in Walden, Stannard, Wheelock, and Danville to a few that are less than 100 acres, Vermont’s WMAs provide more than 130,000 acres of habitat for fish and wildlife as well as places for hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife watching, and hiking. Maps and descriptions of most of the WMAs are available under “Maps” on the website. The WMAs all provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, and some have unique habitats that could have been lost to development if The Outdoor Gazette
March 2012
they were not set aside for public ownership. Bird Mountain WMA in West Rutland, for example, was purchased in the 1970s, in part, because it historically was a nesting site for peregrine falcons. Later, when Fish & Wildlife helped return peregrines to Vermont, the falcons chose Bird Mountain as one of their first
places to nest. Dead Creek WMA in Addison, Panton and Bridport has almost 3,000 acres of habitat, much of it as wetlands that provide nesting and resting areas for migrating water birds. In the fall, sections of Dead Creek WMA offer excellent hunting opportunities for Canada geese and snow geese. “You can learn about Vermont’s Wildlife Management Areas by visiting our website,” said Berry, “and then get out and enjoy them. Vermont’s wildlife resources help make our state a special place to live, and these areas are prime spots to engage our wildlife in a variety of ways.” Page 27
Tails from the Trail By Allan Tschorn
The First Race
Not many would consider distance sled dog races a spectator sport. With the introduction of GPS tracking technology, the internet, blogs, YouTube and social media such as Facebook, following these races can be very exciting. You won’t have the media coverage that NASCAR or the NBA have, and there is no half time show like the NFL, but you won’t have the commercials to contend with either. Let me share with you some perspective on following distance mushing, and then I will share with you my only race experience. It is mid February, and many have crossed the finish line at the 1,000 mile International Dog Sled Race known as the Yukon Quest Race (www.yukonquest.com). This year there was the closest contest in Yukon Quest history (and the second closest finish in the history of distance mushing ) with musher Hugh Neff crossing the finish line in 9 days, 16 hours and 5 minutes and second place finisher Allen Moore only 26 seconds behind him. Yes, a 1,000 mile race over almost 10 days and a near photo finish – Call me a dog geek if you like. That’s some pretty exciting racing right there. The better known Iditarod (www.iditarod.com) will begin on March 3. For many mushers, the race season is a culmination of weeks and months of hard work, dedication and training. Though I am not focused on the competitive side of mushing, I do have a tremendous respect and admiration for those who do. Maintaining a kennel of sled dogs is a huge commitment in time, money and mental focus. Racing those dogs in a
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committed and competitive manner ratchets that up exponentially. To add fuel to my obsession of mushing itself, some of these participants are people I have met or
er achievers than yourself is both enlightening and a valued learning experience. Additionally, it gives depth and enhanced meaning to following these individuals in races in future years. You somehow feel you have been gifted with a higher
The Race is on... Photo courtesy Allan Tschorn
know. As with most hobbies, passions or pastimes, it is always helpful, interesting and informative to meet and gather with people who are more addicted, connected and fanatic about the activity than you are. For us, this opportunity comes at the Northern New England Sled Dog and Trade Show held at the Hopkinton Fair Ground in Contoocook, New Hampshire each fall. It is a week-end long affair blessed with some of the racing world’s characters of Iditarod, Yukon Quest and Can-Am notoriety. To rub elbows with much high-
vested interest in these race participants after interacting with them for the weekend. This year’s Yukon Quest champion was a keynote speaker at the trade show two years ago. A lesser known, but more local distance race is the Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race in Fort Kent, Maine (http://www.canam-crown.net) beginning the same weekend as the Iditarod. Attracting participants from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont as well as some lower New England States and Ontario and Quebec, it is a qualifier for the Yukon Quest and Iditarod. Dog sledding is a primitive sport using today’s technologies, and following these races is not unlike the days gone by, pre- network television, when our parents or grandparents huddled around the radio listening to political or athletic contests. For the next several weeks my browser tabs will include the current race (Iditarod & Can-Am), Iditarod Insider (a subscription video feed of the race events), YouTube and Facebook to try to keep abreast of the most current standings. The websites of the races will include musher profiles and his-
March 2012
tory and will include a GPS tracking feature in which you can track specific participants of interest. The drama unfolds as you follow check point logs to reveal who is into the checkpoint and at what time, how long they have laid over (if they did) and if they have had to drop any dogs or not. Continued drama unfolds as mushers leap frog one another and strategically plan their mandatory lay-over’s at a checkpoint, a mandatory item for the sled bag forgotten, a musher or handler forgets a nuanced rule and is penalized with a time delay, or a musher scratches the race or withdraws changing the entire dynamic of the race. Fore warning – following these races can be as addicting as the sport itself. The one race I have participated in did not have GPS tracking or even a Facebook presence. Here is my personal account. A Mushers First Race by Allan Tschorn on Monday, March 21, 2011 at 5:52pm When people see you have sled dogs, commonly one of the first questions is “Do you race?” My reply has always been “no”. Life is too competitive, and dog sledding is way too much fun to mix the two. Until now. And that is not to imply that my calling has taken me to a life of a competitive musher. Last year I completed my first 25-mile sled dog race hosted by North Country Mushers (www.northcountrymushers.com) at Groveton, NH. My results – the coveted Red
Training day run. Photo Allan Tschorn Lantern Award. I have never thought I wanted to get seriously involved in competitive sled racing, and I am sticking with that plan. The events leading up to my participation in this event occurred rather serendipitously The Outdoor Gazette
Pictures Gone Wild Our reader submitted photos The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says Vermont’s wild turkeys appear to be surviving the winter well because of easy mobility, warm temperatures, snow free areas, and access to foods. These East Montpelier turkeys were sunning themselves late in the afternoon before going to roost... photo by John Hall New columnist for the Gazette, Todd Mead from the Adirondacks of New York. Todd’s “Anchor Points” debuts in the April issue....photo courtesy of Todd Mead
Main ingredients for fish chowder, courtesy of Sturtevant Pond - Photo by Tom Rideout
The Great Benson Fishing Derby was held February 25 & 26, at Lake Bomoseen. Vermont. “Big Fish” & “Big Cash” Over $10,000 in cash prizes. Sponsored by the Fair Haven Rotary Club. Pictured in photo is Jeff Larson, President of the Fair Haven Rotary Club.
The Outdoor Gazette
“ Water Roots” Photo by David John
John Burke (Member of Castleton Lions Club) in front of the Prize Board. They gave away $3400 in door prizes and money.
March 2012
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March 2012
The Outdoor Gazette
Searching for Natures Treasures By David John The Pros and Cons of a Mild Winter
A winter to remember as “the winter that wasn’t.” I remember many Valentines Day nor’easters that dropped two feet or more of snow. Today is February 10, and I just read that in Canaan VT there were three male blue birds checking out birdhouses. All winter long I have had deer and turkeys in the backyard, and all of them looked in good shape. The snow depth never went over 10 inches. Yes, we measured snow this winter in inches, not feet. There is a line drawn in the sand by many people; some like it some don’t. I would think it would be the homeowners, the rabbit hunters, the loggers and ice fishermen and the maple syrup producers (maybe) who won’t mind it. But the sporting camps, snow machine sales and service shops, the restaurants and motels as well as the stores
are the ones which are losing revenue. Myself, I love it. No snow to speak of while getting
Since the “antlering” bug has infected the author he has not had the time for other winter outdoor sports.... Photo by Fred Allard
firewood, bringing it home and splitting and stacking it.
Antlers for Sale! Call David John 603-381-000 or 207-486-9352
You sell what?
257 257 Wilson’s Wilson’s Mills Mills Rd. Rd. Errol Errol NH NH 03579 03579
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The downside of this so-called mild winter is the constant ice around buildings and drive-
ways. If this mild weather continues and we keep missing the snowstorms, the snow we now have will go very fast, leaving bare ground way too early. Bare ground early means the top couple of inches of ground will thaw every time the temperature gets above freezing, making the roads and driveways as greasy as ice and freezing at night, leaving ruts in the morning. And this will go well into April. The deer and turkeys are moving around in the woods with no effort. You could not have asked for a better winter than this year for the ice fishermen and the rabbit
March 2012
hunter. Usually, this time of year, the snow depth on the ice is so deep and heavy that, when you drill a hole, it is like tapping a well, with water flooding the area...And, no snow shoveling to set traps. I have talked with rabbit hunters and they have limited out every hunt. The woods are covered with rabbit tracks no matter where I antler. Years ago, I ran beagles for a number of years and enjoyed it. I hunted with Danny Glover and his boys, Dana and Doug. A lot of times, Danny’s wife would meet us at a designated spot and have a fire going for burgers and hot dogs. It was not unusual to stand around for lunch and have the rabbit run right beside us with the dog hot on the track. When I first started antlering over 25 years ago, I got so hooked I gave up ice fishing and rabbit hunting. They say that in life what goes around comes around. We shall see. I have all my ice traps, chisel and everything to ice fish except an auger, which I gave up. With this little snow cover we have, it won’t take but only a few hot days and it will be gone. With the deer roaming the area here in Wilsons Mills, going to and from their feeding areas in backyards, they get very used to people. One evening I went out to lock up the hens, and there were two deer around the bird feeders, not 30 feet away. They just watched me lock the door and go back inside the house without moving. Continued next page
The Outdoor Gazette
Another day, while splitting wood with the splitter, I turned to get wood and there were three watching me. They stayed close by for over an hour. In October, I had a large branch from an apple tree break off, and I threw it at the edge of the woods. It is just now that they stop and munch on it. I don’t have any idea how far away the deer come from, but it must be a long ways. With all the folks who feed the deer in Wilsons Mills and Magalloway, the deer count is in the high hundreds. Here comes March, the month that’s neither winter nor spring. A month that, on a whim, can bring any type of weather. Days that can be downright warm, or hellish cold. Going tramping the woodlands now, one is not sure how to dress. Too warm too soon in March wrecks havoc on the logging roads, and then the gates get closed. I have driven in the roads early in the morning when the temps have been in the teens with no problem, but coming out after lunch when the temps got into the fifties, it was tough going. Sometime at the end of March, I change over from the snowmachine to the 4wheeler. Snowshoeing this winter wasn’t the best; the snow was deep enough that you needed them but not deep enough to cover all the stumps, rocks and blow downs. Most of the winter, it was easy going in the woodlands, but getting into my places, I found the logging roads iced over in many places. Sometimes rough ice was drivable, but other places had glare ice. Glare ice from one side of the road to the other is a trap. You might be able to
get in a mile or so, but eventually you get in a jam. You should wait for a wet snow or a melt to venture into these places. What about the coming winters and milder weather? What destructive disease, virus or insect pest will it bring to the North Country? There are some insects of damage not that far away knocking on our door. The long-horned beetle, which brings shivers down the spine of maple orchard owners; the ash tree borer, and the insect that kills hemlock stands. All waiting to come north. How will that happen? Maybe out-of-staters bringing in their own firewood, logging trucks coming loaded from downstate to our mills up here. But they will come. The tick made it and is thriving. I am waiting for the first possum to come to the North Country. The farthest I have heard of, and that was quite a while ago, was a possum reported in Plymouth So as March is neither here nor there, for me it is the longest month, a waiting month. I look at the garden waiting, the smelting equipment waiting and thinking of fiddleheading. And speaking of smelting, what’s up with the smelt runs? Aziscohos Lake has a good smelt population in it. Years back the run was good for a week or two. Now, after three or four days, it is over. Last season, we got limits, but four days later, it shut down. The smelt used to run heavy just at dark. Now they trickle in at dark and don’t come good until eleven or midnight. Things sure do change. Well, most things change, and I am glad I don’t. Although I noticed hillsides I always climb up must
be heaving more each year because they now are steeper, and the roads I hike must be longer than they used to be. There must be something wrong with the air we breathe, because now I breathe a lot harder when I hike. Some thing they put in the metal on the new snowshoes makes them drag more. Even around the home, things change. They are making the newsprint smaller because I have to hold the newspaper closer. People talk a lot softer than they used to too, making me say, “Huh?” all the time. Yes, things change. At the end of March, the bears will be up and around walking the cuttings. At the end of March, one will see old stumps and blow downs ripped apart and flat rocks turned over by the hungry bear. And once again we do battle. Human vs. bear over birdfeeders, garbage cans, barbeque grills, beehives and corn patches. It won’t be long before the outdoorsman will be hearing of camping and fishing expos, planning to fish the mouth of brooks for salmon and brookies come ice-out,
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thinking of boating instead of snow machining, and the sporting camps will be gearing up for fishing season. In the meantime, we all wait during the long month of March. There will be some out during March doing their things as we wait. The tree-tappers will be tapping, hauling and boiling. I can’t wait for fresh taffy. The month of March will give us the full worm moon. The pussywillows will burst out with their catkins; the coltsfoot and skunk cabbage will be out amongst the snow. And the dooryard chickadees will be singing their spring song. And of course, the March wind will come blowing in with the promise of renewal. The frozen earth will thaw, and it will start over for another season: open brooks, plants shooting up, the blue bird and woodcock will come early. We will be looking for the familiar V in the sky as we hear the ever so faint cry of the geese coming back North. David John roams the hills year-round, bringing home the moose antler and other nature’s treasures. You can email him at DavidJohn1943@gmail .com.
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The Outdoor Gazette
Box 162 RR#1 Doyles, NL A0N 1J0
March 2012
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Guided by the Light or is That a Train Coming? Spare the spare rod
I was recently overcome by an avalanche of fly rods while looking for a misplaced frog gig. Whoever said, “You can never have too much of a good thing,” has not peeked into my guestroom closet. That got me thinking about fly rod evolution - or is it revolution? Some cite an illustration of an angler from Thebes (ancient Greece) circa 1400 B.C. using a 6foot twig, horsehair line and a fly made from wool and a rooster neck feather as the earliest record of fly fishing. Unfortunately, there are no confirming photos. Apparently they were lost in the drug store film department. The next major advance came from Scotland or northern England in the mid-1600s when merchants began specializing in fishing tackle. Tree branches were shaved into rods and used with a line of equal length. The line was flopped out and the fly followed by the rod tip much like modern high-
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stick nymphing. Not too exciting but it worked. This was before the advent of the reel so distance casting would have been impossible.
Various types of wood were employed including shaved greenheart, lancewood, hazel, willow and hickory. I guess anglers used whatever was at hand. You can still purchase a greenheart rod from Clan Fishing Rods, Ltd (clanrods.com). Or, I'll sell you a
By Tony Lolli
rod of whatever it is that's growing out back for less than half of what the Brits are charging. In the mid 1850’s, Samuel Phillippe from Easton, PA, created the biggest innovation in fly fish-
ing: the fly rod made of six bamboo strips. Not satisfied with Phillippe’s method, other rod makers created rods from four and eight strips, but the 6-strip had staying power and is the standard seen today. There was one exception. Robert W. Crompton, of St. Paul, MN, developed a 5-strip model that, although too stiff, was superior in strength. This strength came from the fact that there was a flat side opposite each joint, unlike the six-strip model that had a joint opposed by another joint. Some time after WWII, fiberglass became fodder for fly rods. It wasn’t the hollow rod we know today, but, a solid blank, square or round in cross section. This solid form was necessary because fiberglass had a much lower modulus than bamboo and would not recover as quickly because it was too flexible. Not much danger of breaking one of these. Many are still in use as tomato stakes or for poking cats out of trees. In the 1950’s, the Fenwick Company developed a thinwalled, hollow rod that flexed more like the traditional bamboo rods. They did this by laying up longitudinal lengths of glass fibers, wrapping them around a form and heating them in an oven until the glue turned the fibers into a solid wall. This is the same process used these days for modern rod blanks. At one point, a space-saving telescoping rod was developed. Poachers favored these or telescoping steel rods because they could be hidden in a pant leg. I suppose
March 2012
the illegally caught fish would go in the other pant leg. In the early 1970’s, graphite came out of the aerospace field and into fly rod technology. The Orvis Company was a leader in this technology. This worked out well because prime bamboo was becoming difficult to find and Orvis wanted to maintain its reputation for quality. In fact, Leigh Perkins, the Orvis owner at that time nearly went to jail because we were prohibited from importing anything from the Commies. The only exception was for materials that were "remanufactured." Perkins got a chemist to testify that the heat-treating process, done in France, before importation, chemically changed the bamboo. The G-men agreed and Perkins went on his happy way. Long about this same time, boron, another aerospace material, found its way to fly fishing. In those days I belonged to the same fly fishing club as Don Phillips, an aerospace engineer and inventor of the boron rod. Don would show up with his latest boron model and wave it under everybody’s nose. He’d demonstrate the strength of boron by throwing it down and stepping on the tip. My fishing partner, Bill, suggested Don would catch more fish if he could manage to keep hold of the rod. Don indignantly explained that the rod was indestructible. Bill took this as a challenge and he attempted, unsuccessfully, to bend the rod into a 720 degree circle. In the long run, boron faded away while graphite did not, but I don’t think it was Bill’s fault. Since then, other materials have been introduced. Titanium is one of the latest, introduced by ADG in 1999. Apparently today’s end game is to see who can make the lightest, fastest action rod. In order to capture a different market segment, some manufacturers are heading in a different direction claiming their new fiberglass rods have the closest action to quality bamboo rods, so here we go around again. Tony Lolli is from Cabot, VT. His book, Go-To Flies: 101 Pattern the Pros Use When All Else Fails is available online from Amazon and Barnes&Noble. The Outdoor Gazette
Image Wild By Alan Briere Point and Shoot Cameras
It seems that almost everything has a camera in it these days. Our cell phones, blackberry electronic devices, key chains, it’s bewildering. While these devices have their place in the photo world, the point and shoot camera in all its
current variety has grown up and is a popular tool for sportsmen. The point and shoot camera that stunned us all in its simplicity meant that we didn’t have to focus and a flash was built in and fired automatically when needed. Today’s point and shoot devices range is size from a fat credit card to cameras about half the size of a regular DSLR (digital single lens reflex). The primary difference in features is that most P&S cameras do not have interchangeable lenses. That is because the modern P&S cameras have very good quality lenses with a wide range of focal lengths from wide angle to long telephoto. The Nikon model I use will zoom out to 500mm which is ten times the standard focal length. It also comes with a variety of menu choices that have predetermined settings that handle everything from sports events requiring fast shutter speeds to landscapes and macro photography. These cameras are computers with a lens. The built in computers are far more powerful than those computers most of us in our middle years learned to type on in high school. It is critical that you familiarize yourself with these menu items in order to effectively utilize them when the time comes. So take a moment and go in the other room and get the manual for the camera out from under the slightly short leg of the table, you’re going to need it. Keep it with your camera or at least close by. Now when a TV commercial interrupts NCIS try playing with the different settings. My camera for instance, has a pet portrait set-
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ting. I have literally thousands of photos of my dogs and I instinctively know how I like the images to appear. For a newcomer to photography or the sportsman that received a new camera for Christmas or a birthday, it is very important to know how the camera sees the world without you modifying the image. Remember that the programs in the camera are based on literally hundreds of thousands of images in order to satisfy the majority of photographic challenges with which you will be faced. These computer cameras can be scary. I think it’s safe to say that the majority of my students in photo classes haven’t cracked open the camera manual other than the one page Quick-Start guide. They set the camera on full program where the camera makes all the decisions. Once I introduce them to the other features that sit at their fingertips, they are thrilled. They feel a sense of overwhelming joy. For instance most of the cameras offer you the ability to adjust your exposure up or down in order to lighten or darken the image. I will admit that I only started with digital cameras about four years ago. A friend loaned me one of his and when he saw some
of the photos of my Brittany Gypsy, he was astonished. He said; “How do you get pictures like that in two days with a camera I’ve had for five years with no success”? I do have an advantage. I’ve been photographing the outdoor world for about forty years. I’ve made all the mistakes more than once and you have to run home to a couple of basic rules. Remember that if you are using a long telephoto setting like 400mm it magnifies the image eight times. This also magnifies
any shakiness that may come from resting the camera on the window ledge of a car that still has the motor running, or even from your pulse. That means you have to use some stabilizing device to ensure sharply focused images. If you are making that leap to buying a new P&S, keep a couple of things in mind. The manufacturers are loading the cameras with mega pixels. Pixels are the building blocks of a digital image. Currently you can find cameras with 12, 15, 18 mega pixel images and even more. These computer files are huge. When you consider that a photo that covers two pages in a magazine can really be achieved with a file size of 5-8 mega pixels. Each of these
what you are trying to emphasize in you image. 35, 100, 200, 500mm, etc. Digital cameras also display digital zoom. Digital
zoom primarily enlarges individual pixels and may lessen the sharpness of the image, just like the selection of a fast film speed used to. I have included a few images with this column that were all made with P&S digital cameras. It takes some extra time up front to learn the idiosyncrasies of the modern photo tools, but the results can be dramatic. The rooster pheasant images in my birding column found elsewhere in this issue were also made with a point and shoot camera. Oh, by the way. images will take up the amount of Remember to get a shim of wood memory you have set your cam- to replace the camera manual’s era for. That means you will need former position and function a huge amount of memory in under that table leg. your computer or on a separate stand-alone hard drive just to store all the image information Alan Briere is an award winning phoyou will be transferring off your tographer and outdoor writer and the camera. You will also find that outdoor photography instructor for the most P&S digital cameras will NH Becoming an Outdoors Woman show you both an optical zoom program. Alan lives in Acworth, NH and a digital zoom. Optical zoom with four lovely ladies: his wife, Cheryl, is your primary consideration. It’s and their Brittanys, Gypsy, Penny and just like changing lenses. You Millie. His email is alanbriere@sugarselect a focal length based on river.net.
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The Gazette’s Book Review GUN DOG CHRONICLES By Joe Arnette Silver Quill Press, 2001 189 pages, $22.95 ISBN: 0-89272-530-3 By Colonel J.C. Allard Nearly everyone loves a good dog story – think Lassie, Come Home or Old Yeller. Stories of sporting dogs are among the best – think Big Red or Irish Red. Now think of 26 fine sporting dog stories compiled into one volume. Respected columnist for Gun Dog magazine, Joe Arnette of Kennebunk, ME, has woven 26 reflections into a volume that is both a joy to read and a welcome addition to the panoply of dog related literature. Though ten years old now, this book has lost none of its appeal nor the powerful way it illustrates, 26 times, the majesty of our relationship with dogs. Published by Silver Quill Press, an imprint of Down East Books
in Camden, ME, Gun Dog Chronicles weaves together Arnette’s prose with pencil sketches by Ross Young and a scene-setting introduction by Joel Vance. The result is a whole worth much more than the sum of its parts. Not a guide book like John and Amy Dahl’s The 10-Minute Retriever, or a training manual like Richard Wolter’s classic Game Dog, Gun Dog Chronicles
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is an emotional, somewhat romantic celebration of the complex relationship between hunters and hunting dogs. It captures the spiritual nature of our relationships with these offspring of wolves. It is the depth of that spiritual relationship that transcends whatever pragmatic association we may have with dogs – be it hunting, guarding our property, or pulling our sleds. Arnette divides his stories into three parts, replicating the three phases of a dog’s life: The Early Years, when the bonds between man and dog are formed and when the young dog learns to blend that which is instinct and that which is training; The Middle Years, when the dog’s performance is at its best and its talents the most productive; and finally, the Last Years, when the bonds between man and dog are strongest and the relationship holds its deepest meaning. This is also the period when any dog owner faces impending loss and comes to comprehend decline, as well as the time when the hunter values his companion the most. Arnette binds all three sections together with a unifying epilog that, as he says, “brings a degree of symmetry.” Trained as a wildlife biologist, Arnette writes with the spare, direct language of
a scientist, his stories filled with sentiment without seeming sentimental. Stories such as “Warm Puppies,” “Homestead Ghost,” and “A Fair Trade” unfold with an abiding sense of the author’s love for all dogs, a special collection of creatures indeed. In Arnett’s words, “The association between man and dog is unique, without parallel over the spectrum of our history.” It may take a bit of effort to locate a copy of Gun Dog Chronicles, but it remains available to those who look, and once found, putting it down proves the challenge. In his concluding paragraphs, Arnette writes of “Perfect Mornings” and he recalls “another morning not that long past, a morning that was a gift whose minutes and hours flowed together into an extraordinary whole.” For anyone who knows the love of a dog or has admired a sporting dog at work, Joe Arnette has woven 26 tales into one extraordinary whole. Col. J.C. Allard lives in Pittsfield, NH about 20 miles north by east of Concord. “We're in the shadow of the Belknap mountains here, but we can see Mt. Washington on a clear day”.
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Please allow 2 - 4 weeks for delivery. Mail or photocopy this form and send to: NHASTC Record Book Roscoe Blaisdell, President 22 Schribner Road Raymond, NH 03077
March 2012
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