Northwoods Sporting Journal, Dec 2022

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

The Hunter’s Moon

Many sportsmen count the November deer hunt as the highlight of all of their outdoor passions.

It is a special time. Frosty mornings and quiet moments in a tree stand with

a big track on fresh snow.

And, of course, the Maine deer camp is also the centerpiece of the hunt, part of the heritage and the history. These camps come in all sizes and descrip-

been hiding in the food bin for more than a year or two – knows that many of the same old topics get worked over at the card tables year after year. Among them: the best deer gun, the time of day that bucks move, tracking methods, and the Daddy of them all, when is the peak period of the allimportant rut?

In general, if you can figure out what time of the month the rut is at its peak,

Page 3

Outdoors In Maine

by V. Paul Reynolds, Ellsworth, ME There are two clear schools of thought on this subject. The conventional wisdom of highly respected wildlife biologists like Gerry Lavigne is straightforward and has nothing to do with the moon phases.

Lavigne will tell you, unequivocally, that the rut

lunar theory as articulated by well-known deer researcher Charles Alsheimer from Bath, New York. In a chapter in his book titled “Anatomy of the Rut,” Alsheimer postulates that the whitetail rut is regulated by the lunar cycle.

He theorizes that the

And, of course, the Maine deer camp is also the centerpiece of the hunt, part of the heritage and the history.

These camps come in all sizes and description and locales, many of them passed along from generation to generation...

As every mouse in the corner knows, the deer camp card table is where the world’s problems get solved – except, of course, the exact date of the deer rut. (Illustration by V. Paul Reynolds) hand warmers, a thermos of tion and locales, many of hot coffee mixed with the them passed along from anticipation of a big buck generation to generation, in the cross hairs is a deer along with unique histories hunter’s daydream. Or, for and huntin’ yarns that get the most hardy and driven carried on year after year. among the hunt fraternity, A mouse in the corner the dream is of to follow – a graying one that has

you stand the best chance of catching a buck when he is distracted with his guard down and his focus is not on danger. Since there is only educated guesswork about rut times, mixed with some well-grounded anecdotal evidence, the deer rut can be the subject of spirited debate at deer camp.

always peaks on November 15th year after year, period. This theory holds that the breeding season is guided or dependent upon the length of daylight.

The more romantic theory, if you will, is that the rut, although occurring over a period of 40 days, has a “sweet spot” that lasts about 10 days. This is the

Rutting Moon, or the Hunter’s Moon, determines the sweet spot, which begins three days after the Rutting Moon and lasts, as said earlier, about 10 days.

Unlike the Lavigne rutting theory, this lunar theory dictates a different rut peak year after year, and takes a little calculation on the (Moon cont. pg 9)

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On The Cover

Joe Is Sub-Permittee For Rankin Chew’s Moose - Pg 16 Buck Fever - Pg 33 Blackpowder Mistakes - Pg 63 The Last Frontier - Pg 18 Camps, Cottages and Land for Sale - Pg 67

Northwoods Sporting Journal The Sportin’ Journal The Outdoor Paper For “Maine Folks”

The Northwoods Sporting Journal is the Northeast’s most comprehensive and readable monthly outdoor publication. Published at the trailhead of Maine’s sprawling North Woods, the 3. Outdoors In Maine - V. Paul Reynolds Sporting Journal prides itself on being 6. Maine Tails - Jonah Paris an independent voice for the region’s 7. The Tyer’s Corner - Hugh Kelly 10. “A Hiker’s Life” - Carey Kish outdoor community for more than 28 11. The Gun Cabinet - John Floyd years. Some of our writers are seasoned 12. Cookin’ With New England’s WildCheff - Denny Corriveau and specialized outdoors people who 13.The Northwoods Bowhunter - Brian Smith will share their know-how and insights; 16. The Adventures Of Me & Joe - Bob Cram some of our contributors are simply 18. Outdoor Sporting Library - Jeremiah Wood lifelong outdoor people with interest20. Aroostook Woods & Water - Mike Maynard ing stories to tell.

22. Northwoods Sketchbook - Mark McCollough Our aim every month is to capture 24. South Of The Kennebec - Stu Bristol the essence of Northern New England’s 25. Native Fish Talk - Bob Mallard remarkable outdoor heritage by stirring 26. Ramblings From T8-R9 - Benjamin Rioux 28. “The Trail Rider” - Dan Wilson memories, portraying outdoor humor, 30. On Point - Paul Fuller and sharing experiences and outdoor 32. Warden’s Words - Kale O’Leary knowledge. We also keep our readers 33. Guns & Ammo: A Guide’s Perspective - Tom Kelly up to date with late-breaking outdoor 34. The Maine Woods - Matt LaRoche news and hard-hitting editorials about 36. View From The River - Laurie Chandler fish and wildlife issues.

37. On The Prowl - Justin Merrill Anyone who loves to hunt and 38. Maine Outdoor Adventure - Rich Yvon fish, or simply finds the Great Outdoors 39. Old Tales From The Maine Woods - Steve Pinkham a treasured place, is more than likely 41. Basic’s Of Survival - Joe Frazier to find some special connections amid 42. The Buck Hunter - Hal Blood 43. Northwoods Voyager - Gil Gilpatrick the pages of the Northwoods Sporting 44. Marsh Island Chronicles - Matthew Dunlap Journal.

www.sportingjournal.com

Main Office Phone: (207) 732-4880 E-mail: info@sportingjournal.com Fax: (207)732-4970

Contents

45. New Hampshire Outdoors - Peter St. James 46. Kineo Current - Suzanne AuClair 49. Best Bassin’ - Bill Decoteau 50. Outdoors In Vermont - Gary W. Moore 51. Maple Country Outdoors - Ben Wilcox 52. Vermont Ramblings - Dennis Jensen 53. Green Mountain Report - Bradley Carleton 55. Against The Current - Bob Romano 56. Women In The Woods - Erin Merrill 57. “Just Fishing” - Bob Leeman 58. The Singing Maine Guide - Randy Spencer 60. Question Of The Month - V. Paul Reynolds 61. The Bird Perch - Karen Holmes 62. The Back Shelf - Stu Bristol 63. Muzzleloading Afield - Al Raychard 64. Cracker Barrel - Homer Spit 65. Post-Script From Pocasset - Josh Reynolds 66. Book Review - V. Paul Reynolds

Other Great Stories & Information 8. Editorial/Letters 14. Outdoor News 41. Trading Post 66. Photo Page 67. Real Estate

Cover Photo:

Cover photo by Tim Flanigan

December 2022

Vol 29 Issue 12 is published monthly by Northwoods Publications, 57 Old County Rd. North, W. Enfield, ME 04493 Periodical Postage Paid at W. Enfield, ME. and additional mailing offices.

The Northwoods Sporting Journal (ISSN#1548-193X) Postmaster: Send address changes to: Northwoods Sporting Journal, PO Box 195, W. Enfield, ME 04493 Northwoods Publishing Group Victor Morin - Susan Morin - Diane Reynolds - V. Paul Reynolds Publishers - Victor Morin Jr. - V. Paul Reynolds Editor - V. Paul Reynolds Director of Marketing - Victor Morin Assistant Editor - Josh Reynolds Associate Editor - Donna Veino Graphic Arts Manager - Gayleen Cummings Subscription/Distribution Manager - Alicia Cram Operations Manager - Annette Boobar Webmaster - V. Paul Reynolds Sales Department; Victor Morin,Thomas Schmidt, Paul Hatin, Michael Georgia & Mike Brown Regional Advertising Manager - Jim Thorne The Northwoods Sporting Journal invites submissions of photographs and articles about the Maine outdoors.

Manuscripts should be sent with a self-addressed envelope to: NORTHWOODS SPORTING JOURNAL P.O. BOX 195, W. ENFIELD, MAINE 04493 The Northwoods Sporting Journal accepts no responsibility for unsolicited photos or manuscripts. Photos submitted without a stamped, self-addressed envelope will not be returned.

All rights reserved, 2022. Written permission must be obtained from the Northwoods Sporting Journal to reprint any part of this publication. Any errors or omissions in ads or editorial matter will be corrected in the next issue of NWSJ. The views and opinions expressed by our monthly columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication.

New Hampshire Outdoors - Pg 45 Peter St. James

On The Prowl - Pg 37 Justin Merrill

Corrections A column by Carey Kish in the October issue reported that U.S. Route 2 terminates in Bangor, Maine.

In fact, Route 2 terminates in Houlton, ME. The first Maine Game Wardens to die in the line of duty were not David Brown and Mertley Johnson as reported by V. Paul Reynolds in an article titled “Mystery Bog.” In Nov of 1886, Downeast wardens Lyman Hill and Charles Niles were shot and killed while in pursuit of a poacher. From all reports, they were the first conservation officers in Maine to die in the line of duty.

The Buck Hunter - Pg 42 Hal Blood

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 6

Maine Tails

By Jonah Paris, Scarborough, ME As I write this, the firearms deer season in Maine is less than two w e e k s a w a y. T h o u g h whitetails tend to infiltrate my thoughts year-round, the frequency of such dis-

cameras, study photos, and plan my season. I also muse over the Mystery Mount.

The Mystery Mount hangs on the wall of my living room. The rack is from a whitetail buck; a typical,

The Mystery Mount

would age the deer at 2.5 years old; certainly, the rack would not have extended past the ears. The skull cap is attached to a base, built up to a narrow, oval shape, covered in velvet cloth, and attached to a stained plaque. The black velvet, black rivets, and dark brown plaque strikes

Since I was already fascinated with fish and wildlife, Papa gave me the mount. I supposed I must have asked for it. And from that point, I had a set of antlers on my wall.

tractions increases dramatically just as the leaves begin to change. I read, and re-read, my favorite deer hunting books. I look at and run my hands over antlers from bucks of seasons past.

I scout the woods, set trail

basket-racked 6 pointer, it is neither especially large nor unique in feature. Although, the little burr on the deer’s right antler can hold a ring, so perhaps a few ambitious Mainers would dare call it a 7 pointer. I

St John Valley

me as medieval - like stag horns adorning the stone wall of a castle in the old country. From a distance, one will notice the antlers, no doubt once a shiny light tan, have faded to a dull yellow. If one looks more closely, they will see the velvet has begun to tear at the base of the antlers, and the leather covering many of the rivets is cracked. The details give away the age of the artifact.

The first time I remember seeing the mount was about twenty years ago. In those years, it hung quietly on the wall beside a coat rack in my grandparents’ garage, Nana’s red sedan parked alongside, with fishing rods leaning against the far corner. Since I was already fascinated with fish and wildlife, Papa gave me the mount. I supposed I must have asked for it.

And from that point, I had a set of antlers on my wall.

Though, another decade would pass until I shot

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December 2022

my first buck.

Through late elementary school, middle school, and high school, the antlers hung in my bedroom. The mount then found safe keeping in a closet while I was away at college. After college, I reclaimed it.

Like many sportsmen, I The Mystery Mount treasure pieces (Photo courtesy of Jonah Paris) of history. in America, and deer were According to Papa, relatively scarce across the mount belonged to New England, where did his Uncle Sam; my greatthis buck come from? Did great Uncle Sam. Like my great-great Uncle Sam great-grandfather William shoot this deer? If not, then Paris, great-great Uncle who did? Where and when?

Sam, born in 1905, lived

By December, in Chelsea, Massachusetts.

Maine’s firearms season Chelsea, a geographically will have come and gone. small, densely populated As snow begins to fly, darkcity just north of Boston, ness settles in, and winter was rich in culture, industakes a deep bite into New try, and Kayem hot dogs, England, nostalgia holds but not in deer hunting. In thick like woodsmoke. For fact, at approximately 2.5 some reason or another, the square miles, a centerfire Mystery Mount has found bullet could probably travel its way through a century’s from one side of the city worth of different Paris clear across to the other. hands to mine, where it According to Papa, greatnow hangs across the room great Uncle Sam was not from several of my deer a hunter; nobody in the racks. Even if great-great Paris family was until me.

Uncle Sam never killed that And here is where the great deer, I am sure that, like mystery lies. In a time the rest of us, he could tell when deer hunting for sport a fine tale. was still gaining traction

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Jonah Paris teaches English at a small high school in Southwestern Maine. A four-season outdoorsman, Jonah lives in Gorham, ME with his fiancée, Ashley, and beagle, Aurora. Jonah can be reached at jonaheparis@ gmail.com

December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

This month’s fly is the Tomah Joe, a gorgeous little wet fly from Washington County. This pattern was originated in the late 1800’s by Tomah Joseph, a Passamaquoddy who did some guiding in the Grand Lake Stream area as well as being the tribe’s representative in the state legislature. The fly was effective and soon copied and developed a following.

There are multiple versions of this fly, none look alike.

The version I’m showing you here is from Ray Bergman’s Trout and it’s deadly.

Mylar behind the eye and wind back to the butt and then forward again to tie off after you’ve put down two layers. Always use two layers of Mylar, the second layer will cover any gaps made when you wound the first layer. I like a silver

The Tomah Joe

dard wet fly hook. Wet fly hooks are generally made a bit heavier to make them sink. I use a Mustad 3906 or a limerick bend version numbered as Mustad 3116A that I found on Ebay.

Start your thread at the eye and wind a tight layer of thread back to the bend. Tie in some yellow hackle fibers for a tail. If you cut the butts at an angle you’ll have less of a bump to cover with thread. Tie in a peacock herl for a butt (sometimes called a tag).

Recipe for the The butt or tag should be Tomah Joe just over the barb. This will Thread - Black only take a few winds of Hook – Standard wet fly herl. Tie it off and cut away length, size 6-12 the excess herl. Now wind Tail – Yellow hackle fibers your thread back to the eye Body – Silver Mylar and take a minute to wind Butt- Peacock herl enough thread to smooth Throat – Yellow and red out the underbody. If you hackle fibers don’t smooth this body, Wing – Barred Wood duck there will be bumps in the Start by using a stan- Mylar body. Tie in some

body on this fly, Bergman tied it either silver or gold.

Some waters fish better with one color and not the other; that’s just something you’ll have to experiment with.

Tie in a throat, beard style, of yellow and red hackle fibers. Yellow high and red below, both rather long. Tie the wing in next.

This is where the substitutions probably started,

Page 7

The Tyer’s Corner

by Hugh Kelly, Detroit, ME

leading to the number of versions out there. Wood ducks were almost driven to extinction in the early twentieth century from loss of habitat. For a while, you couldn’t f i n d m a n y Wo o d duck flank feathers and even fewer barred ones. So tiers made do with what they could get. The Wood duck is thriving now; you can thank Ducks Unlimited for that. The feathers are available in most shops, so that’s what I use. Cut off two small sections of the barred flank feather (or one larger one and fold it over) for your wing. Use the pinch method to tie it on top of the hook shank, just behind the eye. Try using your middle finger and thumb instead of the index finger and thumb-this

is a Don Bastian technique that holds the wing material much straighter while you tie it in.

By the way, no one knows how old this pattern was when Tomah Joseph decided to share it. He did share it and we are the better for it. Tie up a few of these and try them out in the remote waters of this amazing state. Think about what it must have been like to fish here in the late 1800’s. I think about that all the time.

Hugh Kelly has fly fished and tied his own flies for over 40 years. He and his family live in Detroit where he ties flies, drinks Moxie and plans fishing trips. He can be reached at hkellymaine@gmail.com and writes a fly tying blog at puckerbrushflies.com

Page 8

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Mystery of Big Bog In November of 1922, Maine Game Wardens David Brown and Mertley Johnson lost their lives in the line of duty. Although there is no hard evidence, there is every reason to believe that Wardens Brown and Johnson were likely murdered

by Canadian poachers.

It was 100 years ago this month that the two wardens were last seen near Big Bog in northern Maine. Brown and Johnson were staked out in a man-made blind on the trail of suspected poachers at Big Bog. This large wetland is located in T5 R18 a few miles west of Fifth St. John Pond.

Although an extensive late fall search was conducted when the wardens failed to report in, winter conditions closed down the futile search until spring.

In the spring of 1923, the warden’s bodies were found in the bog, which is the headlands of the West Branch of the Penobscot River. Although an autopsy ruled the double deaths as “presumed drowning”, there was reportedly no water in the lungs of either of the deceased. With reason, this fueled long-lingering suspicions that the duo was murdered by the

Better Photos To the Editor: First off, I love this time of the year! Always look forward to reading the Northwoods Sporting Journal. I’m sitting here reading September 2022 “Moose of The Slash”. My hunting shack is loaded with more journals. But I do regret to inform you that….I have a complaint…the picture quality in all the magazines seem to be extremely blurry and hard to make out.

Example given, there’s a nice picture of a hunter and his dog with there Ruffed Grouse they bagged that

Canadian trappers.

Present day District Game Warden Kale O’Leary, who writes a monthly column for the Northwoods Sporting Journal, recently wrote this. After 100 years and no definitive answers, it is unlikely that anyone will know in another 100 years how both men perished. No matter what you choose to believe in this case, David Brown and Mertley Johnson died protecting Maine’s wildlife resources, and will always be remembered for this ultimate sacrifice.

O’Leary goes on:

Their story does not simply end with their mysterious deaths however, as their legacies last into current times. During

day. But you can’t tell if he’s got two or four in the picture. I’d love to be able to view the pictures with clarity! I buy the books for the stories, not the pictures.

But it would still be a nice fix. Happy Hunting Mike Page Editor’s note: We hear you Mike. In our publication we use the same quality papers that newspapers use to keep the cost down for your publication purchase.

Newsprint, unfortunately, does not always provide the best reproductive quality for some photos. In concert

the summer of 2020, while completing the Advanced Warden School, new Game Wardens Nick Johnson, Mark D’Elia, Nick Mangino, Corey Cepelak and Steve Milton along with their Cadre staff Wardens Tom McKinney and Josh Beal, placed a stone marker which will stand the test of time and always remind visitors, who come to the campsite at Big Bog, that two brave Wardens lost their lives here so many years ago.

You can visit the campsite and view the marker placed here by travelling out the Golden Road to mile 88 and then travelling approximately 8 or 10 miles in on a right-hand branch road. Big Bog sits just west of Fifth St. John Pond and is part of the North Branch of the Penobscot River.

It can be found on Delorme Gazetteer map number 48.

So this week, a full century later, we pay homage, not only to the memory of wardens Brown and Johnson, but all Maine Game Wardens who perished in the line of duty.

- VPR

Sue with our printer, we always Kennebago Fly LLC strive to do better. Thanks for your readership and Oquossoc your patience.

Editor’s note: Sorry for the omission. We will Disappointed try to mention your shop next time. Meantime, may To the Editor: we suggest a small ad in the I just read “Thank Sporting Journal as a way you, Mr. Hornberg” col- to let folks know that your umn by V. Paul Reynolds. shop does carry the small Although I agree with most Hornbergs? of the article, I was disapTrash Fish? pointed to see that you left out our shop (which To the Editor: carries NSJournal) in your Having read Suzanne places to buy the hornberg.

Although we don’t have AuClair’s column in your size 16, we do regularly Sept. 2022 issue of the journal and a letter from carry 14.

a Mr. Hartman I have a question. I agree that many dams are useful and important as barriers and habitat providers. Many are not. My question is what species of fish does Mr. Hartman believe to be trash fish? We have many species of very invasive species which have been introduced into Maine waters. Some of the worst are large and small mouth bass, northern pike, rainbow smelt, and muskies. None native to Maine.

I know that he considers Atlantic salmon unworthy of the time and money (Letters cont. pg 9)

December 2022

Letters

(Cont. from pg 8) to restore. There are many other species that run up our rivers both fresh and salt. American eels, river herring American shad, alewives, sea smelt, Atlantic and short nosed sturgeon, sea lamprey, striped bass, and sea-run brook and brown trout to name a few.

Most are important parts of their ecosystems.

Which fish are “trash” fish?

More damage is done by illegal “bait bucket” stocking than dam removal.

Dozens of cases have occurred in Maine. I think habitat improvement is very important. But illegal stocking should draw severe punishment.

So please tell me which fish are trash?

Harry Martyn Ellsworth

Down with Negativity To the Editor: I live in Rhode Island and have been getting your paper for a few years, and I think it’s great. I make it to Maine three or four times a year (mostly Rangeley) to go fishing and truly enjoy every visit. I’m writing this letter because I can’t understand why you allow some self proclaimed fishing guru Bob Mallard to constantly write negative articles about the state and all that’s wrong with the various departments. I know he’s written several books and “invented”some fish coalition. Positive articles would be so much nicer, maybe some writing classes from Bob Romano are in order.

Dennis Rhode Island

Fortin

Northwoods Sporting Journal

No Sunday Hunting

To the Editor: I am a lifelong Maine resident, avid hunter, and landowner with parcels in Farmingdale, Frenchville, and Madawaska. I am also a member of Maine Woodland Owners (formerly SWOAM). I am very opposed to Sunday hunting! If a Sunday hunting law ever passes in any form, all of my parcels will be closed to hunting.

Daniel B. Locke Farmingdale

Ethanol Boondoggle To the Editor: Thank you for your

commentary featured in the Piscataquis Observer (and the Northwoods Sporting Journal). Our Ethanol Transparency Project (ETP) has been making similar arguments over the past quarter century, but the level of corruption has steadily eroded organized resistance.

fell on Nov. 12, which put the sweet spot in midNovember, about the same as Lavigne’s date for the rut peak. This fall, however, the second full moon is 12 days earlier, Oct. 31!

So what does this mean? It really depends upon which theory you elect to go with, lunar cycle or length of day. If you opt Nicholas E. Hollis for the lunar theory and reEthanol Transparency ally want to maximize your Project (ETP) odds for catching a rutting Washington, D.C. buck in deep distraction, you might want to reconsider the date you have set (Cont. from pg 3) for your hunt week vacahunter’s part. For example, tion. If Alsheimer is right, the Rutting Moon is always the buck of your dreams the second full moon af- is more likely to make a ter the autumnal equinox. mistake in your favor from Last fall the Rutting Moon Nov. 3- Nov 13.

Moon

Page 9

One other thing. If you really want to “play the numbers,” and you have a tree stand in good deer country, be in that stand everyday at 8 a.m. on Nov. 6,7,9 and 10.

Good luck, and hunt safely!

The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide and host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network. He has authored three books. Online purchase information is available at www.sportingjournal.com. Outdoor Books.

Page 10

“A Hiker’s Life”

Northwoods Sporting Journal

by Carey Kish, Mt. Desert Island, ME Sometimes a short walk is all you want or need, perhaps an hour or so and maybe a mile, more or less, in the great outdoors.

Just enough time and distance to get the legs moving and the heart pumping, a little sun on your face and some fresh air in the lungs.

And hopefully there’s an

The 7 Lakes Alliance maintains seven trail systems in the 6,000-acre Kennebec Highlands, the largest contiguous block of conservation land in central Maine. Hike the 0.9mile loop on French Mtn. (716 feet), which rewards

December 2022

Small Mountain Hikes

For just a 150-foot highpoint, diminutive Klondike Mtn. in Lubec packs a big punch when it comes to views. The mountain is the centerpiece of the Downeast Coastal Conservancy’s 46-acre Klondike Mtn. Preserve. Klondike Mtn. Trail, an 0.6-mile loop, leads through old cow pastures and apple orchards to the summit

signed “overlook” that’s reached by a short side trail. www.nps.gov/acad.

From the Camden Hills State Park trailhead on Megunticook St. in Camden, the Mt. Battie Trail climbs steeply up the rocky nose of Mt. Battie for 0.6 miles to open ledges on the south side of the 790-foot peak. On top is an attractive 26-foot stone

good views northeasterly over South Pond to Bucks Ledge, Latham Ledge, Moody Mtn. and North Pond. www.mahoosuc.org.

For big views with minimal effort, take a drive to the top of Mt. Agamenticus, then meander around the summit area on the Big A Trail, a mile-long universally accessible nature path. En route you’ll enjoy

outcrops, where there’s a lovely look out over South Bay and Fowler’s Mill Pond. downeastcoastalconservancy.org.

Head for the west side Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island to visit Flying Mtn. (284 feet), where a 1.4-mile loop leads to wonderful views of Somes Sound, Southwest Harbor and the islands to the south. Taking the Valley Cove Fire Road to the namesake cove for a look at Eagle Cliff—at 500 feet, it’s the island’s highest.

Scamper up the peak to the

observation tower that features a fine panorama ranging from Mt. Megunticook to Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay to Ragged Mtn. www.parksandlands. com.

Mahoosuc Land Trust maintains a system of color-coded trails on Ring Hill in Greenwood at Maggie’s Nature Park, 86 acres of land donated to the town

by Maggie Ring, a lifelong resident and ardent conservationist. Ring Hill Loop Trail (1.1 miles) is the primary route on the mountainside, which features

many fine vistas, from the Gulf of Maine to Second Hill and Third Hill to Mt. Washington. There are also the ski runs, lift towers, old equipment and the former ski lodge of the long defunct Big A Ski Area. agamenticus.org.

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For just a 150-foot highpoint, diminutive Klondike Mtn. in Lubec packs a big punch when it comes to views. open ledge or a craggy summit along the way for nice vista and a chance to hang out for a spell. The AMC Maine Mountain Guide has plenty of little mountain hikes to choose from that meet just these criteria. Here are a handful of good ones to consider this winter. Enjoy!

with excellent viewpoints over the Belgrade Lakes region from atop its eastern ledges. Whittier Pond, Mt. Phillip, Long Pond and Great Pond are a few of the sights you’ll see. www.7lakesalliance.org.

If you never get enough of the outdoor tips, tales and tactics in the Sporting Journal each month, or if you missed the best of our past articles, visit our online library. You don’t need a card, a password, or even a driver’s license. Just go to the Northwoods Sporting Journal website and click on Past feature Stories....our collection of oldies but goodies is just a mouse click away!

www.sportingjournal.com

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LINCOLN PORTLAND YARMOUTH HOLDEN

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December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Teachable Moments

It was a foggy and damp morning, and the second day of the Maine October cow moose hunt. I was in the back of my truck, standing in the bed with my binoculars around my neck and blowing cow calls across the cut to my north.

My clients, a 13-year old permittee and his father the subpermittee, were in front of me, off to my left scan-

and steady. The grandfather of the permittee was along for the hunt and watching from behind our position.

Binoculars up and watching the cow, I told my hunters to give her a second to present a better shot. She was facing us head on, looking for the cow she heard moments before. A few seconds later, the moose turned broadside

The Moose Vigil (Photo by Diane Reynolds) ning the northwest corner. and I gave the young man We had just cut multiple the go sign. “Take her!” I cow tracks on our way back whispered and the 7mmout from a different spot 08 barked. The cow went and the tracks couldn’t be down hard behind a big any fresher, heading north pine log. Dad never got a into a stand of spruce in shot off. I kept glassing the the corner of the big clear- spot and saw the moose lift ing and imprinted over top its head for a moment as it of my tire tread laid down rolled onto its back and out only an hour ago. of sight. The big cow was As I made a second down. round of mouth calls, I As the adrenaline left spied movement in the my system and my clients wood line to my right. were rejoicing, smiles and A moose popped out of handshakes all around, I the tree line in the north- climbed down out the truck east corner of the cut and bed and started gathermoved into the opening as if on a string, nearly 150 yards away. I quickly got the hunters attention and got them repositioned as I glassed the moose to make sure it was a cow. I hunkered down in the bed of the truck and glanced over to my shooter to make sure he was in position, ready

ing my field dressing gear from inside the rear of my crew cab. The clients had already started on their way down to the moose in preparation of dispatching if necessary, tagging the cow and retrieval. After a few moments, I heard commotion down the road where the grandfather had the chase truck parked, 75 yards or so behind me and perpendicular to where the moose went down in the cut. As I leaned back out

Page 11

The Gun Cabinet

by John Floyd, Webster Plantation, ME went down was still on the ground. Five minutes later the confusion was cleared up. It was the same cow and she was long gone.

Mistakes happen and a lot were made that morning. How we react to mistakes and learn from them are what I call teachable moments. The hunting party should have proceeded

and that the experienced moose hunters knew that a follow up/dispatch shot is more than likely needed.

I let my clients down that morning. I should have ensured they went directly to the downed moose. I should have never taken eyes off of the situation and I should have never assumed prior experience would ensure proper proA few seconds later, the moose turned cedures and actions, no broadside and I gave the young man matter how obvious and the go sign. “Take her!” I whispered planned beforehand. At the and the 7mm-08 barked. The cow went end of the day, that is all my responsibility and my bigdown hard behind a big pine log. gest teachable moment in of the truck for the source directly to the moose to my guiding career to date. of the voices calling me, I ensure it was expired. The saw moose moving at a clip young hunter’s rifle should halfway up the cut. “Is that have been properly zeroed John is a Registered the same cow?” the hunting so that the point of impact Maine Guide, an NRA Cerparty was calling out to me. is reliable when the cross- tified Instructor and is the They were standing near hairs are placed on target; I owner of Tucker Ridge the chase truck and hadn’t later learned it was zeroed Outdoors in Webster Plangone on to the moose after high ‘for the possibility of tation, Maine. He can be all. Knowing we had mul- a long shot.’ Incorrect as- reached at john@tuckertiple cows in the area, I sumptions were made – the ridge.me or on Facebook asked if they could see the moose was down for good @tuckerridgeoutdoors cow that went down as they were a lot closer and had a better sightline than I did; I simply couldn’t take the risk of having the clients shoot another cow. As I COLLISION REPAIR SPECIALISTS watched the moose near Dennis Brawn, Jr., Properietor the edge of the cut, making her grand escape, the 26 Summer Street Ph: 207-564-8353 hunting party still could not Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 1-800-464-8353 Fax: 207-564-3426 verify that the moose that proutyab@psouth.net

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Page 12

Sporting Journal Northwoods

The Ultimate Mincemeat

Cookin’ With New England’s WildCheff

by Denny Corriveau, Kennebunkport, ME

The holiday season is a great time for spending time with those you love.

One way that I enjoy sharing love is to make something out of wild game that I can drop off to people.

The holidays should remind us to be a blessing in others’ lives. You’ll be amazed at how much this impacts those you do it for.

One of the holiday traditions you can explore is making mincemeat with your bear, moose or deer meat. I’ve used old time generational recipes that I have modernized, yet they still honor the past.

This mincemeat is truly special. I have used it to top deviled eggs, as a filling for game bird breasts that I wrap in bacon, for unique stuffed mushroom appetizers and for creating delicious stuffed holiday cookies.

If you are hesitant due

to past experiences you have had with mincemeat, trust me, this one is at a whole different level. The taste is compelling and will make you addicted.

I wish all of you a blessed season with your family and friends.

WildCheff’s Venison Mincemeat Ingredients 2 C of Venison stew meat (often neck roast meat) 2 C of uncooked apples (Macoun, McIntosh, Cortland), peeled and small diced 1/2 C of Currants (dried fruit aisle at store) 1 Tsp. of Cinnamon 3/4 C of Molasses 1 1/2 C of organic sugar 2 Tsp. of WildCheff Pie Spice Blend 1 C of beef suet or duck fat 1 bottle of pure cane root beer + water as needed Making the mincemeat On the stovetop, heat

a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Once pot is heated, add canola or sunflower oil to pan, followed by pieces of venison.

Sear the meat so it is browned on all sides.

Once this is accomplished, pour a bottle of root beer over the meat and bring to a strong simmer, and stir. Simmer for a couple of hours, adding water or beef bone broth

if needed until venison is tender. Remove from stove and cool to room temp.

In a separate pot, add the suet, diced apples, currants, sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and pie spice.

Heat pot to medium heat, add some of the venison cooking broth and simmer until suet is melted into mixture, sugar is completely melted, and apple are cooked down.

You will notice that the mixture may need a

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small amount of the braising liquid added during cooking.

The right consistency you are looking for is that the apples are cooked down, the mixture is resembling a pie filling type of consistency while maintaining some moisture/ liquid. Once this is accomplished, remove from stove to cool down.

Using a meat grinder, add the braised venison and

This mincemeat is truly special. I have used it to top deviled eggs, as a filling for game bird breasts that I wrap in bacon, for unique stuffed mushroom appetizers and for creating delicious stuffed holiday cookies.

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some liquid to your grinder, and grind the meat with a fine grind attachment.

Important Note: Be sure to add some braising liquid to the venison when you grind, or it may seize up your grinder due to the lean nature of the meat.

Place the ground meat into a large stainless mixing bowl, and then add the fruit mixture you cooked to it and stir so that all is well mixed.

I like to do this while the fruit mixture is still warm. Set aside and use to stuff your cookies. Any remaining mincemeat can be canned and given out as gifts or used at a later time.

Cookie dough ingredients 1 C of sugar 1 stick of butter, (softened) 1 egg 1 Tsp. of vanilla 2 C of all-purpose flour 1/3 C of sour cream 1/2 Tsp. of baking soda 1/2 Tsp. of salt

To make the cookie dough Using a mixer, beat butter until soft, and then add sugar, blending until creamy.

Add egg and continue mixing, Now add vanilla.

Sift flour.

Mix together the sour cream, baking soda and salt.

To the sugar mixture, add half the dry, the entire sour cream mixture, and the last of the flour. Be sure to not overmix.

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thin layer.

Making the cookies Cut rolled dough into 2-2 1/2-inch circles. Use a thin spatula to remove half the rounds to a cookie sheet covered with parchment or a silicon mat.

Place a teaspoon of mincemeat on each round and top with a second, sealing the edges gently with your finger. Don’t overfill.

Make a little slit in the top of each for steam to escape.

Bake at 350 degrees until just browning on the edges, around 20 minutes for the 2 1/2-inch size.

Let cookies cool five minutes on the cookie sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

WildCheff - Denny Corriveau is award-winning National Game Chef, Metis First Nation Chef, and the Founder of the Free-Range Culinary Institute, the only national wild game cooking school in the country. You can learn more @ www.wildcheff. com or visit him on Instagram @ thewildcheff or Facebook at @WildCheff

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

October was for the Birds!

In 1966, my Father, Doug Smith was hired as the Superindendent of the Hermon School System.

One day he came home with a mint condition 20 Gauge Belgian Browning Superposed Lightning over/under born the same

but he always lovingly repaired nicks or scratches incurred in thick coverts and orchards. Dad passed about a year ago and this family treasure and heirloom became mine. I have owned many fine shotguns over the years but none

with increasing populations thanks to the efforts of the Maine Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and ME IF&W. I volunteered many years then worked for the NWTF for 3 years raising funds to pay for research and the trap and transfer of wild turkeys all over Eastern Maine. The restoration

Page 13

The Northwoods Bowhunter

by Brian Smith, Machiasport, ME Merriams jake with a pistol Montana in 2010, one of the few states its allowed.

On October 5 th, my wife spied a large flock of turkeys in our lower field with two longbeards bring-

These family upland hunts with my grandfather and uncles were beyond exciting and Dad would always let me skip school on my birthday to hunt rabbits in the snow with our neighbors beagle.

Author with his 100th wild turkey. year as I, in 1960. He let me admire the fine craftsmanship and said, “One day this will be yours son”. He used it for over 50 years to harvest grouse, woodcock, snipe, hare and occasionally a porcupine. He didn’t enjoy pulling quills out the snouts of his faithful Brittany Spaniels and English Setter. From age six to nine, my brothers and I tagged along on exciting bird hunts all over Eastern Maine and had our own shotguns at age 10.

These family upland hunts with my grandfather and uncles were beyond exciting and Dad would always let me skip school on my birthday to hunt rabbits in the snow with our neighbors beagle. Dad also shot thousands of rounds of skeet with the Browning thus wearing much of the bluing off the receiver

compares to this 6 pound perfectly balanced wonder of a stack barrel. It has fine walnut stocks, beautiful engraving and a gold plated single selective trigger for the fixed choke barrels.

In memory of Dad, I decided to do more grouse hunting this fall even though bowhunting deer occupies most of my spare time in October. I was able to harvest a few grouse with the legacy Browning and thanked Dad for each one. Taking a speeding partridge on the wing with his prized over/under brought back fond memories of hundreds of hunts and countless harvested biddies and bog borers.

This shotgun is priceless to me and I will bird hunt with it until I’m too old to enter the woods.

October is also fall turkey season in Maine a

of our greatest game bird throughout the country is an unmitigated success story with top quality spring and fall seasons and liberal bag limits. Though the gobbling, strutting and calling of spring gobblers is very exciting, stalking or calling a mature fall gobbler can be very challenging as well.

I’ve been able to harvest many fall turkeys with shotgun, bow and even a

ing up the rear. I grabbed my Benelli Super Black Eagle 12 Gauge 3.5’ Magnum expecting a long shot and quickly used the terrain for cover and sneaked to a spot near where the birds would appear. The majority of the flock was between me and the toms but they eventually separated. The gobblers had their heads down feeding at 40 yards, so I made a gobbler yelp

with my voice and they stuck their heads up. I put the bead on the larger tom’s head and pulled the trigger.

He disappeared in the tall grass and the other tom stood looking at me. The fall bag limit in WMD 27 is one and I could only watch the other wishing that Joyce and come with me. The healthy gobbler weighed 17 lbs with ¾” spurs and an 8” beard. It was my 100th Wild Turkey taken after harvesting my first tom in New York State in 1987.

To prepare wild turkey we soak the breast meat in butter milk for 2 days then roll in seasoned flour or breadcrumbs then fry. We save the legs for various dishes in the crock pot to tenderize the tough dark meat. Nothing compares to the flavor of delicate white meat of the Ruffed Grouse (Birds cont. pg 19)

Page 14

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Outdoor News - December 2022

Edited by V. Paul Reynolds

December. A good month in Maine to black powder hunt for that elusive November buck, chase rabbits with hounds, or- for the most intrepid outdoorsman - a time to hunker down in coastal duck blinds with hot coffee and lovable old Labs.. Many outdoorsmen will get out the flytying vices, or merely sit close to the fire with family and some good outdoor catalogs. From all of us at the Northwoods Sporting Journal, a very Merry Christmas to our loyal readers and advertisers.

And may your New Year be full of health, happiness and memorable hours in New England’s Great Outdoors.

Game Warden K9 Luna and Game Warden Latti Locate Missing Etna Man

A missing 74-year-old Etna man was found safe by a game warden and his K9 after the man had spent nearly 30 hours lost in the woods.

Game Warden K9

Luna and Game Warden Michael Latti located Joseph Nolin, age 74 of Etna, at approximately a mile from his house deep in the woods at the edge of the Etna Bog. Nolin was unable to move, and was hypothermic and dehydrated after spending the night outdoors in temperatures that dipped below freezing.

K9 Luna and Warden Latti were searching the bog, and according to Latti, Luna signaled she was on to something through a change in behavior, and then she took off on a scent at the same time Latti heard a yell. Luna then stopped about two hundred yards away, and began barking, signaling she had found him at approximately 1:45 p.m. Nolin’s son later told wardens that his dad said he heard a bell (attached to Luna’s collar) then all of a sudden a black lab appeared and started to lick him and he knew he was saved.

Though unable to move, Nolin was alert and talkative and told wardens how he had gotten turned around in the woods and became lost, and walked till he couldn’t move anymore. He also said he

wouldn’t have survived another night in the woods.

Wardens gave him food, Gatorade and warmed him with blankets as they devised a way to get him one mile of the woods and to medical personnel.

Nolin had last been seen yesterday morning at approximately 8:45 a.m, prior to him leaving the area of his son’s residence on the Dunham Road in Etna to go check his game cameras that were in the

Game Wardens contacted the Maine Forest Service, then cleared an area of the bog for a Forest Service Helicopter, and Maine Forest Service Helicopter Pilot Chris Blackie deftly landed the helicopter on the floating bog near Nolin, and Nolin was loaded into the helicopter and transported to a waiting ambulance near his son’s house. Nolin was examined by emergency service personnel and released once he warmed up and was rehydrated.

expanse of woods behind his house.

When he didn’t return yesterday, his son reported him missing last night at approximately 7:00 p.m., and emergency service personnel began searching .

The Maine Warden Service was assisted in the search by Maine Search and Rescue Dogs, Etna Fire and Rescue, and Carmel Ambulance. ###

At long last, revived from the archives of the once-authoritative books on New England streamer flies and how to use them: Trolling Flies for Trout & Salmon, by Dick Stewart and Bob Leeman.

Trolling Flies for Trout and Salmon was first published in 1982 and again in 1992. There were 350 signed Limited Edition hardcover copies and several thousand hard and soft cover copies sold out with the two printings. Many fly tyers view this book as an up-to-date version of new and available streamer fly patterns and crave to have it in their library. Used copies have been selling on AmazonBooks.com for the last few years with a price tag up to $300.00 for each copy! There are 125 pages with 32 color plates of more than 90 classic streamer flies and tying recipes from a Winnipesaukee Smelt to a Barney Google and a Rangeley Centennial. Leeman and Stewart also share with readers many tips and tactics for trolling streamer flies for trout and salmon throughout New England.

“This wonderful fishing book is the gospel when it comes to streamer flies and trolling tactics. A Classic!

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- V. Paul Reynolds, Editor, Northwoods Sporting Journal

Send a check for $2 .95 SRVWDJH along with this ad, to: Bob Leeman, 22 Alan-A-Dale Rd., Brewer, ME 04412. (Price covers shipping and handling).

Maine Outdoor Publications

VT Deer Hunter’s Can Help

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is asking hunters for help gathering biological data on the state’s deer population.

Hunters who get a deer during the November 1227 regular deer season are asked to provide an incisor tooth from their deer. Tooth envelopes are available at all deer reporting stations.

Biologists are collecting middle incisor teeth from all regular season bucks to evaluate regional differences in ages and ant-

ler characteristics as well as to help estimate population size, growth rate, health, and mortality rates. Each tooth will be cross sectioned to accurately determine the deer’s age, and the results will be posted on the Fish and Wildlife website next spring.

“Knowing the ages of harvested deer is critically important, and more information allows us to make better management decisions,” said Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s deer project leader.

“To accurately estimate deer numbers, and to better assess our current management strategies, we really need to get teeth from as many bucks as possible.”

Here’s your opportunity to directly contribute to the management of deer, moose, and other wildlife species in Vermont.

What Is the Hunter Effort Survey?

This survey is like a diary, where hunters record how many hours they hunted and how many deer, moose, bears, or other wildlife they saw on each day they hunted during the various deer seasons.

How Do I Participate in the Survey?

Use the Deer Hunting Log feature in the VT Outdoors app. The app allows you to easily report this information each day in just minutes. It also allows you to track your effort and wildlife sightings each day during any of the deer hunting seasons.

Use our online webbased form to complete the survey. Anyone with a Conservation ID can complete the online survey. The online survey (News cont. pg 21)

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 16

The Adventures of Me and Joe

by Bob Cram, (Alias T.J. Coongate) Medway, ME

As me and Joe approached the counter in The Emporium, Eben Ramdown hustled over to greet us, his florid face wreathed in a smile of welcome.

“What kin I do yer fer, as the feller sez,” he beamed first at me, then at Joe. “You got any .3855s, Eben,” Joe eyed the selection of ammunition stacked in haphazard array behind the counter. “I usually load my own, but I’m low on primers right now an’ thought I’d try a box of store-bought.”

Eben leaned down behind the battered hardwood counter and rummaged around through what sounded like an assortment of pots and pans.

“Now where did I put them…oh yeah, here they are!” He straightened and plunked a worn box of Winchester ammunition on the glass top.

“Two hunnert, fifty-five grain flat nose.

Knowed I had ‘um.” He

December 2022

The Moose Hunt

leaned on the countertop in conspiratorial fashion as Joe dug for his wallet. “You gonna use this ammo on the moose hunt, Joe? Heard you finally got picked.”

Joe scowled as he counted out bills. “Didn’t git picked. I’m a sub-permittee. Ain’t never won that lottery an’ don’t expect to.” He eyed Eben in weary resignation. “Just like to send the state money each year for the lottery. Figure they need a little more.”

“That a fact? Well, then, who was it got the permit? Who you goin’ on the hunt with?”

Joe shook his head.

“Don’t know why I ever let him put my name on as sub-permittee,” he said.

“Fact is, Eben, I’ll be huntin’ with Rankin Chew.”

Joe’s quick movement put him a little off balance.

Eben sobered in an The slick grass underfoot betrayed him and both feet instant. “Rankin Chew? left the ground simultaneously. He gave a wild cry But he don’t even, that is, and as his shoulders hit the ground the I mean. Don’t he just fish?”

Winchester went off with a roar. he ended lamely.

“That and chew to- Rank has even fired a gun. a moose. Maybe you’ll be rying across the floor, one bacco,” Joe agreed reluc- But he surely likes to eat able to do most of the hunt- hand clutching a rifle by the tantly. “I don’t think ol’ moose meat and that’s why ing on your own.” muzzle. He was short and he’s been putting in for the “Joe shook his head. heavy, sporting a two-week lottery all these years.

“I dunno… the way he was growth of beard. One cheek “It may work out to talking yesterday…” bulged with a heavy load of The elusive Northwoods Sporting Journal’s your advantage, Joe,” I said At that moment the chewing tobacco. moose Marty. thoughtfully. “Maybe Rank door slammed open and “Found it!” he said He has wandered into the northwoods. doesn’t even want to shoot Rankin Chew came hur(Me & Joe cont. pg 17) Find Marty somewhere in the Northwoods Sporting

HELP US FIND

Journal (Hint: he will be located in one of our ads) Send us the page number he’s on and you could be a WINNER! Win a FREE Northwoods Sporting Journal Marty Hat. We will draw one winner from all correct entries submitted each month. We will announce the winner in the next issue.

PLEASE MAIL THIS FORM TO: Northwoods Sporting Journal P.O. Box 195, West Enfield, ME 04493

Name

Shown actual size

Anthonty Mazzeo (Marty was found on pg 20)

Address City

Marty

State

Phone I found Marty on page

Zip

Entries must be postmarked by 12/12/22 to be eligible for this issue.

If you just can’t get enough of reading our Me & Joe Adventures, check out the All Outdoor section of our new Northwoods Sporting Journal website:www.sportingjournal.com You’ll find an ample supply of Me & Joe stories to keep you checking for a long time.

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Me & Joe

(Cont. from pg 17) triumphantly, edging up to the counter beside Joe. He sent an unerring stream of tobacco juice into Eban’s old spittoon and then reverently laid a battered Marlin lever-action rifle on the counter. “It’s my brother Plug’s gun. You remember him, what was drownt on Allagash Falls.”

Joe eyed the rifle with trepidation. All trace of bluing was gone from the rusty metal surfaces. The wood was shrunken and pulled away from the steel, both front and rear stocks showing distinct cracking.

“Uh, didn’t the rifle go over the falls with Plug,” Joe asked uncertainly.

“Shore did! But they dredged up the rifle agin when they was draggin’ for the body! I dried ‘er all up.

The barrel was bent from the rocks, but I put ‘er in a vice an’ straightened it out agin. Dang gun been sittin’ in the wood shed for ten year or more. Jist happened to remember it. Now I got me my own gun for to shoot my moose with!”

“Well, you see, Rank, “I glanced at Joe. “You can’t get a hunting license nowadays unless you’ve completed a hunter safety course or unless you’ve had one before. And there isn’t

time between now and the hunt to take a course, so…”

“Oh, I got me a license!”

Me and Joe looked at each other in dismay.

“Had one once back in 1973. Plug, he wanted me to tag a deer for ‘im, so I bought me a license.

Trouble is ol’ Plug, he never did git a deer, so it was kind of a waste of money, But I jist showed them that old license down to the town office an’ they sold me a bran’ new one.”

The beat up rifle was chambered in the ancient .45-90 loading, an, as luck would have it, Eben Ramdown was able to dig up a box of this ammunition as well. That afternoon me and Joe took Rankin Chew out to a gravel pit outside of town to try and sight in the old gun.

Joe set up a target about 25 yards away and put a couple of life preservers across the hood of his jeep for a shooting rest.

He jacked a cartridge into the Marlin’s chamber and showed Rankin how to rest it across the life vests and how to line up the sights.

“Now you aim slow an’ careful, Rank,” he admonished. “Take yer time an’ squeeze that trigger easy.”

As Rankin eagerly peered along the barrel, Joe

jerked his head at me and we eased around back of the Jeep.

“Figger it’s best that Rank fire that first shot by himself,” Joe muttered.

“With that barrel bein’ bent a couple of times, no tellin’ what might happen.”

I agreed, and quickly covered my ears.

Presently there came a roar like a howitzer and I smelled the distinctive rotten egg odor of black powder.

“Wonder how old them shells of Eben’s were,” Joe muttered as we peered cautiously around the jeep’s cab. To our horror, we saw Rankin lying on his back moaning and gasping.

We carefully raised his shoulders and I saw with some relief that the rifle was lying beside him, seemingly intact.

“What happened, Rank?” I cried. “Are you all right?”

He choked and coughed a few more times then gasped out, “Kicked hard! Made me (gasp! Choke!) swallow my danged chaw!”

Joe picked up the rifle and looked at Rankin ruefully. “I should have told yer, Rank. These ol’ .4590s kick like a mule. You got ter hold it tight to yer shoulder.”

Page 17

Rankin pulled a plug of Days Work from his pocket and bit off a massive chew. “Don’t matter. I’ll hol’ ‘er close after this.” He worked the tobacco well into his left cheek. “Say, where’d I hit the target?”

The upshot of it was he hadn’t even touched the paper. We worked with him and the rifle for some time, fiddling with the sights and correcting his hold. But the gun was erratic. One shot might hit on the paper and the next strike the gravel bank below or above the target.

“Face it, Rank,” Joe said disgustedly. “That barrel bein’ bent a few times didn’t help. She just ain’t gonna line up. Look, I got a .30-40 Krag that shoots good. Why don’t you borry that?”

“Nosir! I mean to shoot my moose with my brother’s gun. Set my mind to it. I guess she shoots good enough fer a moose at close range. A moose,” he confided gravely, “is a large animal.”

There was no changing his mind and we made arrangements to pick him up the following Monday, the opening day of the moose hunt.

Driving back to town me and Joe discussed the upcoming expedition.

“I don’t know what

you’re going to do,” I said.

“He’d bent on using that worthless old gun and all that will happen is he’ll either muff his shot or wound the moose and maybe have it get away.”

“Nope, he won’t,” Joe replied, a look of grim determination on his face.

“What I’m gonna have to do is hunt right along with him. They’s a goodsized bull workin’ over near Mires Bog. If we come on it, I’ll stand right behint him, off ter one side. I’ll try to shoot at the same time he does. That ought ter do the trick.”

Just before dawn on Monday morning we eased along the edge of the marsh. Tendrils of fog rose from the wet earth and the meandering waterways of the bog. The ground underfoot was treacherous and slippery and more than once I almost fell headlong into a puddle or patch of wet grass. How Rankin kept his balance I had no idea. Maybe it was just that he was closer to the ground.

We settled into a clump of scrub willow and Joe started calling.

I’d heard him call moose dozens of times but it still gave me goose bumps to hear that quavering bleat of a cow moose coming from a human being. No moose (Me & Joe cont. pg 35)

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 18

Outdoor Sporting Library

The Last Frontier

by Jeremiah Wood, Ashland, ME

The extreme limit of settled land, beyond which lies wilderness. That’s the dictionary definition of a frontier, but the word embodies much more than that. The history of the United States is defined by frontiers, a steady westward moving line that attracted the brave, adventurous and desperate, looking for a better life. The frontier didn’t only provide opportunity, it shaped those who lived there, and it helped define our culture.

But what happens when the frontier goes away? As settlement pushed into the American West, eventually those once wild frontier lands became private property, fenced and tamed. What of

the mountain men, the free grazers, the trappers and the buffalo hunters? They became a dying breed, and the frontier they experienced is only found in history books.

Most people don’t need to blaze trail, live off the land and discover new country. We’re generally happy with the conveniences modern society offers.

But having the opportunity to dream of such things – to know that if we wanted to make the sacrifices, we could experience them – that’s food for the soul, an important part of what being American is.

Although the West was settled and most wild country has long been civilized, there’s still a massive

December 2022

frontier in our country that draws the adventurous in spirit – Alaska. Despite more than 150 years of exploration and settlement, this land has an almost unimaginably large expanse of wilderness that’s un-

settled, and is likely to remain that way.

In the b o o k “ Yu kon: The Last Frontier” historian Melody Webb documents the history of human activity within t h e Yu k o n River basin in Alaska and Canada within the context of frontiers and their impact on society and culture.

She describes the first contact between Russians and Alaska natives, the early fur trade, gold exploration, establishment of towns and villages, and the enduring

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How do you put a value on the frontier, and what happens when it goes away? A certain percentage of society is always going to seek frontiers.

It’s in our DNA. They are

Despite more than 150 years of exploration and settlement, this land has an almost unimaginably large expanse of wilderness that’s unsettled, and is likely to remain that way.

the risk takers, the brave.

The ones who venture into that river valley reportedly full of hostile natives or dangerous animals. Their independent mindset is refreshing and motivating.

It brings with it the ability to accomplish great things.

The frontier mindset has gotten a bad rap in recent years. Modern thought has characterized the frontiersman as an almost evil force, stealing land from its original occupants and robbing it of its natural resources. To some extent, that’s true. But on the other hand, they were also people who were brave enough to take risks, learned to live off the land, and took advantage of the opportunities in front of them. Perhaps most important, they paved the way for others to live better lives.

Is the Yukon, or Alaska in general, still a frontier? In the true sense of the word, I’m not sure.

Lands have been carved out and the obvious places (Frontier cont. pg 27)

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Birds

Page 19

BEST SHOT!

(Cont. from pg 13) but Wild Turkey meat prepared properly is not far behind. Pursuing grouse and fall turkeys is exciting and challenging!

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He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Maine Bowhunters Association and Sportsmans Alliance of Maine Institure for Legislative Action. He can be reached at bowhunter@ mgemaine.com.

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 20

Aroostook Woods & Water

Fruits of Our Heritage

meat at the end of the day; so turn your butcher loose

by Mike Maynard, and hand him the cut-list Perham, ME of his dreams. Ask for larger, thicker cuts, and I’m stuck in a food of both trout and grouse. then find a recipe to do rut; bear with me here. His gun of choice was althem justice. Unleash your If you are old enough, or ways his Winchester model culinary imagination. I said simply a fan of outdoor 42 chambered for .410 and something last month about writers of the past, many he never shot anything else. tomahawk venison steaks; He loved raising and of you will remember Art I wasn’t kidding. Burger Flick. He was the quintes- working with his dogs. should be the last thing on sential fly tyer, fly fisher- Where he found the time your cut-list, not the first. man, bird dog breeder, bird to run the preeminent flyNone (well, maybe a I love to experience new and inventive ways of couple) of Camp’s recipes cooking the fruits of our heritage. There is so much more we call for anything extravacan do with our wild game. No more ½” venison steaks that gant, like a bag full of saffron threads (which none turn into instant shoe leather. of us can afford anyway). hunter, during the middle fishing Inn of the day, the entire fishing world who What you don’t have in of the 20th century. All who Westkill Tavern, on the didn’t think Flick’s book your pantry can all be found knew him said he was the banks of the Schoharie, is was an instant classic, was at the local supermarket at epitome of grace, civility, a mystery. Everybody who Flick’s very own mentor, reasonable prices. It’s how conservation, and stream was anybody in the outdoor Preston Jennings; but that’s we put these ingredients ethics; and he only needed world at the time stayed at a whole column by itself. together that’s memorable, a scant 6 flies in his entire the tavern and drank at the Camp himself was the and it ain’t that hard. Trust arsenal. Though he’s far bar. Flick also served as author of several books on me, if I can cook these more well known for his the tavern’s only bartender; hunting and fishing, as well recipes, so can all of you. tying and fishing exploits, the stories that must have as a now almost forgotten it may be said that he loved been told after a downing a cookbook called, “Game Woodcock Augusta shooting birds even more. couple of his famous High Cookery in America and -as given to Ray Camp by He made his home in New Balls would have been epic Europe”. the late John Burns.

York, and he tramped the indeed. Imagine, sitting at I love to experience coverts of the Catskills and the bar and having George new and inventive ways 4 Woodcock (or Grouse) the Adirondacks all his life. LaBranche or Burton Spill- of cooking the fruits of our 3/4C. Browned bread He also made several trips er plop down beside you heritage. There is so much crumbs to northern and western and ask you how your day more we can do with our ½(+)C. Blueberry preMaine, in the day, in search had gone?! wild game. No more ½” serves venison steaks that turn 1oz. Cognac into instant shoe leather. 1C. White wine (dry) Most deer don’t yield a 1/3C. Butter significant poundage of 2 Pinches of chervil (No, One of Flick’s frequent guests, who went on to become a lifelong friend, was outdoor columnist, Raymond Camp. Camp wrote the outdoor section of the New York Times for decades, and was the driving force behind getting Flick to finally write his masterpiece, “Art Flick’s New Streamside Guide”.

The only person in the

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not a gerbil) 1 Pinch Tarragon 1C. Heavy cream 1 lg. Shallot -diced fine 1 stalk Celery -diced fine S&P to taste Start by rubbing the Woodcock inside and out with a generous helping of salt and pepper. In a small mixing bowl add the ¾ cup of breadcrumbs, the blueberries, and the cognac.

Stir gently until the berries and breadcrumbs have combined well, then stir in 2 T. of the heavy cream and 2 T. of the white wine. This should give the dressing the proper consistency of a traditional stuffing, if not… adjust and adapt. Now, stuff the cavity of the bird with this mixture (Camp used to sew his birds shut with a heavy needle and cooking twine, but I’ve never done this). Put birds off to the side. In a small saucepan melt the 1/3C. of butter.

In another saucepan, add wine (less the 2 T.) the shallot, celery, tarragon, and chervil. Steep this for a goodly 10 minutes over a low flame, strain out the solids and put the remaining liquid to one side. Roll the birds in the melted butter until thoroughly coated, then place them in a shallow roasting pan. Place the birds in a 400° oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes reduce the oven to 300° and begin basting, alternately with the herb-wine mixture, and then with butter. When you’ve used these up, use pan drippings.

Don’t skip the basting part.

After 25 minutes, give a minute or two on either side, in the 300° oven, the birds should be nice and (Fruits cont. pg 27)

December 2022

News

(Cont.from pg 14) will only accept data entries for the Regular November Season (11/12 11/27) until December 20.

COMPLETE YOUR SURVEY ONLINE How Will the Survey Information Be Used?

This information helps the department evaluate how hunting pressure and the numbers of these animals varies throughout the season and around the state. This helps estimate population sizes in each region of the state, which guides management decisions. Remember if more hunters complete the survey, population estimates will be more reliable, and management will be more effective.

NH Snowsled Registration

Northwoods Sporting Journal

New Hampshire’s trails.

All New Hampshire laws and regulations regarding the operation of snowmobiles will be enforced, including speed limits, safety equipment, carrying signed landowner permission letters, compliant exhaust systems relative to noise and decibel levels, and youth operation standards.

“This weekend is one of the highlights of the winter for many resident and non-resident riders,” said NH Fish and Game Law Enforcement Captain Michael Eastman, who coordinates snowmobile and off-highway recreational vehicle enforcement, registration, and safety education for the Department.

“It’s a great opportunity for residents and visitors alike to explore some of the most beautiful parts of the state that can be most easily accessed by snowmobile in the winter.”

Open Snowmobile Registration Weekend is an annual event held each March, and New Hampshire resident snowmobile enthusiasts should look to other New England states and Canadian provinces for similar Open Snowmobile Registration weekends in January and February of 2023.

For information on snowmobiling, including rules and regulations in New Hampshire, visit www.ride.nh.gov Learn more about New Hampshire’s extensive trail system at www.nhtrails.org.

Become familiar with local snowmobile clubs and services at www.nhsa.com

The foliage has passed peak in much of the Granite State, which means it’s time for snowmobile enthusiasts nationwide to start planning for New Hampshire’s Open Snowmobile Registration weekend. From Friday, March 3 through Sunday, March 5, 2023, riders from throughout New England, as well as those from all around the U.S. and Canada, will have the opportunity to explore the over 7,000 miles of picturesque trails New Hampshire has to offer snowmobilers.

During the three-day Open Snowmobile RegNH Moose istration Weekend, sleds Season Tally legally registered to ride in New Hampshire’s other states and provinces 2022 moose hunting seawill be able to operate on son closed this past Sunday

with hunters harvesting a total of 27 moose, 23 bulls and 4 cows, according to Henry Jones, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Moose Project Leader.

Hunters achieved a 63% success rate during the nine-day season. Forty-three people received permits to take part in the hunt, including 41 lottery permit holders, 1 through a permit auctioned by the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire, and 1 Dream Hunt participant sponsored by the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation. In 2021, the overall moose hunter success rate was 73%, while the average success rate over the past five years has been 72%.

Several large bulls were taken this season, including one that had a 65-inch antler spread and weighed 850 pounds dressed. The moose was

Page 21

taken by permittee Elise McNaughton and sub-permittee Brent Rheinhardt.

Elise was also the youngest participating hunter this year.

A highlight for check station personnel was the story of a father and son team, Scott and Nathan Messenger of Newbury, NH. The Messengers were focused on taking a bull and ensuring that the animal was properly handled to safeguard the high quality meat and minimize waste. After many hours of scouting, they found an area with an abundance of moose and good access.

During the first few days of the season, they chose not to hunt on several occasions because the temperatures were too warm for their animal processing standards.

On October 19, conditions were in the Messengers favor. The moose (News cont. pg 48)

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Page 22

December 2022

Playing Possum

Northwoods Sketchbook

by Mark McCollough, Hampden, ME It was a dark and stormy night (my college English professor would wrap my knuckles for this prose), when I was driving home on the backroads of my hometown of Hampden, Maine. A cat-like, gray creature ambled across the road at the dim edge of my approaching headlight beams. What could it be? I slowed to a stop to discover an opossum crouched at the edge of the road smirking with a wide, toothy grin.

For many southern readers, this is a common sight, but here in central Maine the Virginia opossum is a new mammal in our neighborhood.

The opossum is North America’s only marsupial.

They give birth to tiny bee-sized young that are raised in their mother’s pouch. Originating from South America, the opossum entered North America

after the formation of the Isthmus of Panama about 2.8 million years ago. One could say that they have been traveling north ever since.

Their official common name, Virginia opossum, belies a more southerly distribution. In the 1800s, opossums were found only as far north as New York and not at all in New England. By the 1920s, they established populations in

extreme southern Maine sometime in the 1990s.

Until recently they have been considered a denizen of southern Maine only. In the last few years they have increasingly become part

Opossums are marching north in other parts of their range. In the last 50 years, opossums colonized much of Wisconsin and Michigan and southern Ontario.

Scientists ascribe this range expansion to a warmFor many southern readers, this is ing climate and increasinga common sight, but here in central ly urbanized landscape. At Maine the Virginia opossum is a new first glance, opossums are mammal in our neighborhood. not well-suited for northConnecticut. Twenty years of the road-kill carnage ern climes. Their naked later populations flourished on Interstate 95 between tails, ears, and feet are in Massachusetts, Rhode Brunswick and Augusta. A susceptible to frostbite.

Island, southern Vermont few, like my toothy friend, However, opossums are and New Hampshire. Ralph were recently observed in adaptable, tough creatures.

Palmer made no mention the Bangor area. A check These omnivores will eat of them in Maine in his of the iNaturalist website almost anything they en1937 treatise The Mam- showed northerly observa- counter; amphibians, mice, mals of Maine. Mammalo- tions from Dexter to Madi- grass, invertebrates, seeds, gists believe they occupied son to Rumford, Maine. nuts, carrion, and fruits.

They lack the ability to dig for food under deep snow, but are adept at scavenging birdseed, garbage, and compost bins. Northern

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opossums have decreased appendage size, larger bodies, and a warmer coat than their southern cousins.

What they lack in warm clothing, they make up for in behavioral adaptations to the cold. They occupy underground burrows during subzero temperatures and will camp out under your porch snuggled up next to the warm foundation.

Opossums do not hibernate and need to eat to keep warm and survive winter conditions. Opossumologists say that during the four winter months they need 35 to 50 foraging days with temperatures above freezing and relatively minimal snow cover. University of Maine undergraduate Sara Griffin wrote a splendid honors (Possum cont. pg 23)

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Possum (Cont. from pg 22) thesis on the possibility of opossums expanding their range into central Maine.

She found that although the winter temperatures are warming it is unlikely that opossums can survive most winters in my hometown.

But with increasing temperature trends and more winter precipitation falling as rain rather than snow, it may be just a matter of time until conditions here are favorable. Currently, stable populations have yet to be established north of Augusta.

Opossums are a fascinating addition to our biota. Like humans, they have an opposable digit (although on the hind feet) that along with the help of their prehensile tail allows them to climb trees and even hang upside down from their branches. They are mostly nocturnal, but will feed during the day especially during periods of food shortage. They are prolific with average litter sizes of 6 to 9 youngsters and can have up to three litters each summer in ideal conditions. Once weaned the “joeys” are carried on the mothers back. When threatened, adults faint or “play dead.” Thus, they are vulnerable to predators and rely on hollow trees, brush pile, woodchuck burrows, and their climbing abilities to escape predators. They only live for a year or two.

Opossums are fastidious groomers and eat large numbers of deer ticks that they pick up as they wander the woods.

Maine’s natural world is changing with a warming climate. Gray foxes breed in central Maine and are

now regular visitors to my backyard. Turkey vultures were not here 30 years ago, but now are common. Tufted titmice and cardinals are now common songbirds in Hampden.

Although these are curious and welcome additions to our biodiversity, I worry about what we are losing on the other end. How long will the north Maine woods support iconic species like the pine marten, Canada lynx, gray jays, and moose?

Maine has always been the

meeting ground between the plants and animals of the south and north, but the scales seem to be tipping in favor of those who can tolerate hotter summers and less snowy winters.

Page 23

Merry Christmas! & Happy New Year!

Mark McCollough is a retired wildlife biologists who observes the comings and goings of critters from his porch in Hamden, Maine. He can be contacted at markmccollough25@ gmail.com

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South Of the Kennebec

Northwoods Sporting Journal

by Stu Bristol, Lyman, ME I’m surprised at the number of avid hunters who have never tried eating a partridge (grouse), rabbit, gray squirrel or pheasant.

Asking around at a recent meeting, I heard many excuses for getting out of the woods right after the last deer season; some even stay home after taking a

through the forest, I prefer the use of dogs but, like many of us, simply cannot afford the time and money they require. That’s why I have friends with great dogs. A dog trained to be steady to wing and shot takes many hours of training and daily conditioning.

We cannot, in good faith

Second Upland Seasons

organizations that we hunters do so for “sport.” There may be a few but I have never encountered a hunter who simply kills and leaves the animal on the ground which, in Maine is illegal and comes with a hefty fine. Like minded hunters see methods of harvesting a bird or animal both as a source of food and a challenge. Our viewpoint of “challenge” is simply different.

Employing the use

For most hunters, once a deer is added to the freezer, their time in the forest comes to an end. The boat is put into storage for the winter and hunting gear is cleaned and packed away and ice fishing gear takes center stage. deer early in the season.

Still others had no idea that grouse, squirrel rabbit and pheasant seasons run through the end of December and some into late winter.

For most hunters, once a deer is added to the freezer, their time in the forest comes to an end. The boat is put into storage for the winter and hunting gear is cleaned and packed away and ice fishing gear takes center stage.

After years of following a trained pointing dog

just buy a bird dog and expect it to hunt. A hunter who is killing game for food should respect the methods of others who add the challenge and satisfaction of using a trained hunting dog and vice-versa.

Those who prefer other methods should respect their wishes.

The challenges are all present regardless if you shoot a ground bird, deer, bear, flying bird or a squirrel perched on a limb.

For years I beat back the arguments by anti-hunting

Katahdin

December 2022

of a bird dog or falcon for hunting grouse takes many hours of training and conditioning. Please look at the NAVDA (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association) website, http:// www.navhda.org. or the show I have been involved with, www.birddogsafield. com. The dog, the trainer and the hunter have a very special relationship.

Here in the Northeast many hunters grew up walking or driving the gravel roads looking for partridge. Growing up I walked many a gravel road or cover hunting partridge with a single-shot .22 rifle.

Only after hunting with

more, Maine offers plenty of action. Ruffed grouse (partridge) season continues through December 31 as does the season for pheasant and gray squirrel.

While I don’t personally hunt coyotes for any more than predator control to help the deer population, there is a liberal season, day and night (permit required for nights) and the cold weather offers coyote hunters prime fur pelts.

Pheasant hunting is generally on a game farm stocked basis and hunting pheasant in Cumberland and York Counties require an additional permit.

Paul and Susan Fuller with Gray squirrel Dillon. (Photo by Stu Bristol) too often are the they cause a deer to run target of seasoned huntbefore shooting to make ers wishing to introduce the sport more challenging, their boys or girls into or, as I noted, the squirrel the consumptive sports. perched on a limb.

Again, too often the tail It has also been point- is cut off for a bicycle and ed out to me by bird dog the meat wasted. (illegal) I experts and biologists that grew up on squirrel meat most of the birds found and although I hunt them feeding alongside gravel anymore, they are perfectly road are the young of the acceptable tablefare. year and the most expendSome keep their able, leaving the adult boats in the water up to breeders to inhabit deeper the freeze-up and many of covers. us recognize there is life For that small minor- in the forest after the deer ity of hunters who crave seasons.

good friends Paul and Susan Fuller did I come to realize the challenges and reward of using a pointing dog. Either way it takes planning and fine-tuned execution to get within range and make a clean kill.

Regardless of method, so long as no laws are being broken and bag limits are not exceeded. For those hollering “poor ethics” should ask themselves if

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Stu Bristol is a Master Maine Guide and Outdoor Writer. His columns and features have been published nationwide for nearly 60 years. Inducted into NE Wild Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame in 2019.

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December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Dams: Mostly Bad

ever, offer limited if any economic or public safety benefits, especially in the northeast where older dams are no longer serving the purpose they were built for. Referred to as “deadbeat dams,” at best, these structures have a positive impact on some forms of recreation, and for some, but not all, quality of life.

The debate as to whether dams are good or bad isn’t going to be resolved anytime soon. In fact, there were recently two pieces about dams in as many months in this very publication. When it comes to natural resource management, dams are one of the most controversial and hotly debated topics.

Whether you think dams are good or bad depends very much on what’s most important to you: Economics, public safety, recreation, aesthetics, or conservation. For some it’s not black-and-white, but a matter of weighted priorities that looks at everything on a case by case basis before deciding if a given dam is good or bad.

Some dams have a positive economic impact as they generate electricity and/or help manage water for irrigation. But here in the northeast, irrigation is not a huge issue, and most water used in farming is pulled from ground and natural surface surfaces.

While many dams are used to generate electricity, when it comes to the big picture their impact is often overstated. According to a federal government website, hydropower accounts for just over 30% of all “renewable” electricity in the United States. This

includes hydro, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal.

However, renewable electricity accounts for only slightly more than 6% of all electricity when nonrenewable sources such as natural gas, nuclear energy, and coal are factored in.

Some dams provide a buffer for rainwater and snowmelt in the impoundment above. Most impoundments in Maine are drawn down in the fall to make room for spring snowmelt and rain. But as we have seen, in many cases the impoundments are not drawn down enough to eliminate floods, just delay them and possibly make them less severe.

Many dams, how-

Page 25

Native Fish Talk

by Bob Mallard, Skowhegan, ME what you like to do. Lake and pond fishers benefit from impoundments created by dams, but moving water anglers are negatively affected by the loss of river and stream habitat.

naturally in the location. In some cases, native species are displaced by the construction of dams.

Dams pose a significant threat to diadromous fish such as river herring,

While many dams are used to generate electricity, when it comes to the big picture their impact is often overstated. According to a federal government website, hydropower accounts for just over 30% of all “renewable” electricity in the United States.

Many dams support various forms of recreation, including boating and angling both above and below the structure.

Whether the impact is good or bad depends on what you like to do. If you are a motorboater, the impoundments created by dams provide additional opportunity. If, however, you are a downriver boater, dams result in a loss of opportunity.

Anglers are affected by dams as well. But again, whether the impact is good or bad depends on

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However, tailwaters below dams can provide fishing for coldwater fish species where none existed before.

The one thing that is not debatable is the environmental impact of dams.

Dams are bad for native ecosystems. They replace what is naturally there with something purely manufactured, and both above and below the structure. While some forms of wildlife benefit by dams, it is usually at the expense of what occurs

shad, smelt, lamprey, eels, striped bass, and Atlantic salmon. In the case of Atlantic salmon, they are the biggest threat. Even species such as landlocked salmon, brook trout, suckers, and landlocked smelt can be negatively impacted by dams as they prevent them from reaching critically important spawning habitat and thermal refuge.

While figuratively correct, implying that dams (Dams cont. pg 27)

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 26

Ramblings From T8-R9

by Benjamin Rioux, Millinocket Lake

With the hunting season in full swing and the Holidays fast approaching, another season we know and love is upon us as well – pie season! To be fair, those of you who visit us every year know that pie season never really ends

Apple UpsideDown Pie

1 c. chopped pecans ½ c. packed light brown sugar 1 (15oz) pkg. refrigerated pie crusts, divided (or your favorite pie crust recipe)

To be fair, those of you who visit us every year know that pie season never really ends at Libby Camps. Regardless, no dessert rings in the holidays quite like fresh baked apple pie. at Libby Camps. Regardless, no dessert rings in the holidays quite like fresh baked apple pie. While the traditional apple pie will always be near and dear to our hearts, this month we thought we might share a few variations that are sure to be a hit with your families this holiday season.

Enjoy!

4 med. Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1-in chunks 2 lg. Jonagold apples, peeled and cut into 1-in chunks ¼ c sugar 2 T flour 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground nutmeg Prehead oven to 375

Camp Chef Favorites

degrees. Stir together first three ingredients, spread into bottom of 9-inch pie plate. Fit 1 pie crust over pecan mixture in pie plate, allowing excess curst to hang over sides. Stir together remaining incedients, spoon mixture into crust packing tightly and mounding in center. Place remaining pie crust over filling; press crusts together, fold edges under and crimp. Place pie on an aluminum foil-jelly roll pan. Cut 4-5 slits on top of pie for steam to escape.

Bake at 375 on lower rack 1 hour until juices are thick and bubbly, crust is golden brown, and apples are tender when pierced. Shield pie with aluminum foil after 50 minutes if necessary to prevent excessive browning. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a serving plate over the top of the pie; invert pie onto serving plate. Remove pie plate and replace and remaining pecans in pie plate on top of the pie. Cool

Completely before cutting (about 1 hour).

Apple Pecan Cheesecake

1 ½ c. graham cracker crumbs ¼ stick butter, melted 1 ½ c. plus 2 T. packed brown sugar, divided 4 – 8 oz. pkgs. Cream cheese, softened 1 tsp. vanilla 1 c. sour cream

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4 eggs 4 c. chopped peeled apples ¾ c. chopped pecans 1 tsp. cinnamon Heat over to 325 degrees. Line 9x13 inch pan with foil. Mix crumbs, butter, and 2 T. sugar; press into bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, 1 c. sugar and vanilla with mixer until (Favorites cont. pg 27)

December 2022

Frontier

(Cont. from pg 18) settled. The wild country is still there, but all the land is owned by someone, mostly the Federal Government.

Conditions are still harsh and dangerous, but modern conveniences and technology make the experience altogether different.

Through detailed history and expert story telling, Melody Webb described what might be the last true frontier in America. We can still experience a portion of what the mountain men did when they opened up the West, but in many respects, it’s been tamed.

Which leads to the question I’ve been asking myself for years…..What is the next frontier?

Fruits

Northwoods Sporting Journal

(Cont. from pg 20) tender. Remove the birds to a platter and a warm spot. Put the pan back on the stove over a low flame, add 1C. of the heavy cream (less the 2T.) and stir and scrape until a nice gravy is formed. Pour this over the birds and serve. The stuffing works well in keeping the birds moist, and the combination of the blueberries and cognac really adds to the flavor.

Yes, I know that this recipe makes for some fussy field dressing, but it’s worth it. You don’t have to cook like this every time, but give it a shot, at least once. You won’t regret it.

Mike Maynard has exceeded his word limit, by a J e re m i a h c a n b e lot. He hopes his editor will reached at jrodwood@ understand… He, Mike, not gmail.com. His new book, Paul, can be reached at “More Than Wolverine: perhamtrout@gmail.com An Alaska Wilderness Trapline” is available on Ama- the dam change from hundreds to thousands of cubic zon. feet per inch up to twice a day. Wyman Dam flows change 3-5-fold daily.

(Cont. from pg 25) As a conservationare good for wildlife is like ist sportsman, as a rule, I saying clearcuts are good for wildlife. in both cases, view dams as a negative. while some species benefit, Like most forms of water others are negatively im- and forest management, pacted, and some notably nonnative species introducso. And unlike clearcuts tions and manmade range which resemble to at least expansions, and stocking, some degree naturally oc- while some species and curring habitat alterations resource users may benefit, such as fires, blowdowns, it is almost always at the blight, and insect infesta- expense of the native flora tion, impoundments and and fauna and those who tailwaters have no natural prefer natural ecosystems.

The constant manipulation peers.

When it comes to of our natural resources what are referred to as by man has not served us “peaking dams,” such as well. Can we really say we Wyman and Harris Dams are better off than we were on the Kennebec, noth- before we started meddling ing alters the downstream with everything? aquatic landscape to as BOB MALLARD has high a degree. In the case of fly fished for forty years.

Harris Station, flows from

Dams

Favorites

(Cont. from pg 26) blended. Add sour cream; blend. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until blended. Pour over crust.

Mix remaining sugar, apples, pecans and cinnamon; spoon over batter. Bake 5055 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

Ben is an avid fly fisherman, registered Maine Guide, and the Marketing director for Libby Sporting Camps. When he’s not exploring T8-R9 in search of new water, he can be reached at ben@libbycamps.com.

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Page 27

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Page 28

“The Trail Rider”

by Dan Wilson, Bowdoinham, ME

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Scouting for the Perfect Tree

December 2022

decorate as soon as possible, then there may be people like us who find a tree early to mid December, stick it in a bucket of water, then somehow still manage to wait until crunch time to bring it inside to decorate.

Finding the perfect The author’s dad, Riley Wilson, working his way to tree comes in many shapes the perfect Christmas tree. and sizes, both in method and height. From pursuing pages to find high quality, were out muzzleloading lucky enough to have a fresh cut firs at a roadside pre-lit, and easy to install you looked for more than coating of snow on the beech nuts and buck paw- ground so your snowmoFinding the perfect tree comes in many shapes and sizes, ings/scrapes or maybe you bile is your workhorse. are heading out with your In either case, a trailer both in method and height. From pursuing fresh cut firs at eyes wide open, explor- or sleigh is a good piece a roadside lot to taking the family to a local Christmas tree ing the woods on your of equipment to add to farm to cut your own.

4-wheeler or snowmobile.. your adventure. Other tools Hopefully by the time you’ll need include: chainwhile others are getting lot to taking the family to trees, there is something to their last few days of deer a local Christmas tree farm suit everyone. My favorite you are searching for a tree, saw, bow saw (orange), or hunting in (at least with to cut your own. Or climb- method is finding a tree on the ground has a good frost at minimum a folding hand firearms). There may be a ing into the attic to bring your own property, in the in or at least is dry and saw. You may also want easy to take the 4-wheeler some rope, a lopper for few in search of the perfect down your artificial tree woods.

Perhaps when you around. Or maybe we’re boughs and branches, and Christmas tree, ready to or scrolling through weba basket for pinecones or winterberry (Ilex verticillata) stems.

These tools are also helpful in clearing up the trails from storm damage, fallen trees, and low branches. Trimming these trails helps keep them from getting too overgrown and keep the work spread out over time, plus makes the 4-wheeler or snowmobile ride a little safer and easily passable. In most cases, the trees you are cleaning up, or the Christmas tree you find, won’t need a winch to drag out to a clearing or COVERS IT ALL UPHOLSTERY from your path… but you Central Maine’s Largest Upholstery Service CANVAS never know.

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(Tree cont. pg 29)

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

APPLE PANDOWDY A very tasty version of a time-honored New England dessert.

3 cups peeled and sliced tart apples 1 ½ cups flour ½ tsp. nutmeg 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ cup sugar ¾ tsp. salt ¼ lb. (1 stick) butter ½ cup molasses ½ cup milk 1 egg Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 ½ quart baking dish. (A 9” x 13” works well.) Arrange sliced apples in the dish. Sprinkle with the nutmeg, cinnamon, and ¼ tsp. of the salt. Pour the molasses evenly over the apple mixture. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake 30 minutes.

While the apples are baking, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and the remaining ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small pan, remove from the heat and stir in the milk and egg and beat well. Add this to the flour mixture and blend. Pour this batter over the apples mixture after it has baked for the 30 minutes, and return to the oven to bake for another 30 minutes---or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve from the dish, while warm, or turn out onto a serving plate with the apples on top. Serve with whipped cream, or ice cream, to top, if you wish.

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Page 29

Tree

we like to save them for wreaths, planters, or dried for sachets.

There’s nothing like coming home from over in back (the woods) with a fresh Christmas tree. Rosey cheeks, taking off your boots, sitting by the woodstove, and having a hot cup of cocoa is a great way to recharge and celebrate a job well done.

(Cont. from pg 28) could handle it ourselves.

Let’s just say, the situation was trickier than we were prepared for and a winch would have been helpful. Word to the wise, it’s hard to tell how “perfect” a Christmas tree is from the forest floor looking up.

Stick with more Christmas tree sized trees that might just need a few branchDaniel Wilson works es taken off or the trunk in healthcare and enjoys trimmed back a little. With time outside in nature with any extra balsam boughs, his family.

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Page 30

On Point

Northwoods Sporting Journal

by Paul Fuller, Durham, N.H. October promises the upland hunter many memorable experiences and it never fails to deliver.

And, October 2022 delivered beautifully.

Susan, the dogs and I usually begin our season the second week in October at a sporting camp in Northern Maine. From there, for the past eight

month, everything is still green. That means the food plate for the ruffed grouse is huge. Grouse are simply harder to find since there is no concentration of birds due to diminished food sources. Also, trying to get a a decent on-the-wingshot, in front of a point, when all the leaves are still on the trees, is very

Although we may not see a repeat of 2020 for many years, we think the grouse numbers were up slightly from 2021. In Allagash, we had between eight to ten flushes per day in front of the dog work. years, we’ve headed for Allagash, Maine, where we rent a cabin for a week.

This year, since temperatures seem to be warming, we spent the third week in Allagash and the fourth week of October at Tim Pond Camps in Eustis, Maine.

Let me explain our interest in hunting later in the month. Early in the

difficult. We like late October hunting the best. Recently, a long-time friend and grouse guide told me he thinks November is the new October.

Switching our second week of hunting to the last week in October, was not totally successful.

The leaves were off the trees, however, everything was still green. Clover,

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wild strawberry, raspberry leaves, ferns, etc., were all very green. The food plate was still very large. However, temperatures were cooler which made it more comfortable for both the hunter and the dogs.

Regarding our 2022 grouse hunting success, here’s a report. Although we may not see a repeat of 2020 for many years, we think the grouse numbers were up slightly from 2021. In Allagash, we had between eight to ten flushes per day in front of the dog work. That means the flush was either in front of a point or while our dogs were tracking a running bird. The last week, at Tim Pond Camps, we had six to eight flushes per day in front of dog work. Slightly less than Allagash but still good when it comes to dog work.

A highpoint for Susan and me was the work our eleven year old Dena gave us the last day at Tim Pond Camps. Dena has a habit of finishing a week of hunting with a grand find of birds. Two years ago, she gave Susan a four bird find at Tim Pond Camps.

Last year in Allagash, she

Gene and Jen Barkey with dogs Lola and Clancy from Little Silver, N.J. (Photo by Matt Tinker)

gave Susan, the last day, a five bird flush. So here was her last day performance at Tim Pond Camps. And, Dena was hunting with me rather than Susan. There is a two hundred yard stretch on one of the back roads which is usually productive for us. I put Dena down and started up the two hundred

yard stretch. Within a few minutes, she found scent in the ditch to my left. She tracked bird scent about thirty yards and then established a staunch point. I slowly approached her and when I was about two feet behind Dena we had a two grouse flush from under a (Grouse cont. pg 31)

NOW OPEN

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Grouse

(Cont. from pg 30) pine tree. Like most grouse, the birds kept the pine tree between me and the birds so I had no shot. The wise old girl remained steady to the flush and waited for me to release her. A fine performance.

We then walked about fifty more yards when Dena again started working bird scent. She only went about 15 feet and stopped. I couldn’t see her but the stop of the bell told me she was on point. I took one step into the ditch and the bird blew out behind me and to the left and across the road. Probably a tactical error on my part. If I had stayed on the road and waited perhaps another minute, the bird would have become nervous and taken flight and I would have been on the road and had a nice on-the-wing shot. And, hopefully, a bird down and given the wonderful Dena a retrieve opportunity. The retrieve is the reward for a shorthair.

Thank you, Dena, for a fine performance on a difficult bird for the pointing dog.

Regarding grouse numbers in the Northeast, reports from other hunters were positive. At Tim Pond Camps, a group from New Jersey had eighteen birds

in the air on the last day of their hunt. They had two Spinone Italiano dogs which evidently performed very well. Reports from Jackman, Maine and Pittsburg, NH have also been very positive.

Hoping all our readers have also had a rewarding season.

Page 31

Josh Sevigny sent a photo of his 9 year old. He is obsessed with hunting and fishing also avid reader of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. On youth day he managed to limit out on grouse and get his first deer.

We got a bunch of great shots!

Proud Dad!

Paul and Susan Fuller host Bird Dogs Afield TV. All their episodes are available on their website which is www.birddogsafield.com

Contact: paul@birddogsafield. com

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Warden’s Words

by Game Warden Kale O’Leary, Ashland, ME When a Maine Game Warden gets up each morning, puts on his or her uniform and begins their day they often start with well thought out plan. I often have a written list of things in a notepad that need accomplishing for my day with time built in for general patrol and other calls that may come up.

During the fall firearms

season on deer, I have many times laughed at my good intentions of sticking to a plan when I am several hours into my day and my plan has taken a complete left turn! This is the story of a deer case from last fall that involved great teamwork, a little luck and a day that started with a plan that quickly went out the window.

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December 2022

The Best of Plans

I looked down at my list that morning of “todo” items in my notepad.

I had been pushing off several menial things that had now snuck up on me and needed attention. I had to bring paperwork to the District Attorney’s Office in Presque Isle, pick up some moose meat from a local butcher that was to be donated to Hunter’s For The Hungry, and then try to locate a subject in Houlton regarding a separate issue. I decided I couldn’t prolong these tasks any longer and even though it was deer season in Northern Maine, I needed to get this stuff taken care of. I grumbled to myself as I headed south on Route 1 towards Houlton.

The subject I was looking for in Houlton was nowhere to be found. I had spent a few hours searching for him when I met up with Warden Scott Martin who explained that he had been working on a case with Wardens Charles Brown and Preston Pomerleau involving a doe deer and her fawn that were shot and left in a field off the Belvedere Road in Island Falls early that morning. He had grabbed my attention with the details of case that was

the envy of any Warden, trying to piece together clues to hold an intentional violator accountable for blatant waste and disregard for wildlife. Warden Martin got a call while I was speaking with him and it was Warden Brown. He asked if Warden Martin and I could head to a residence

Warden to make contact with a lead suspect. I had a good amount of leverage to use when speaking with this suspect as witnesses and evidence now pointed squarely to this subject being involved in the shooting and waste of the doe and fawn.

I pulled into the resi-

This is the story of a deer case from last fall that involved great teamwork, a little luck and a day that started with a plan that quickly went out the window. in Staceyville as Warden Pomerleau had just struck “gold” when he located a white pickup truck, matching a description given by a witness who passed by and saw a man standing in the field where the deer had been killed early that morning. It didn’t take me long to tell Warden Brown that I was headed that way!

On the ride from Houlton to Staceyville, a million thoughts raced through my head. How my day had just taken a drastic U-turn. How would I approach this critical interview that could make or break this case for everyone involved? There is an inherent level of pressure involved in being the first

dence and got out of my truck. Wardens Brown and Pomerleau would be a few minutes behind as they were dealing with other interviews regarding this case. I approached the door when a man came outside.

After a brief and straightforward exchange, the man told me that he had killed the two deer that morning on the Belvedere Road and that he had panicked when he realized the doe did not have antlers and that he “should have called”.

It was a good feeling to help on this case and to get to the truth with this subject so quickly regarding the illegal take and wasting of two antlerless (Plans cont. pg 39)

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT!

At camp, this guy and his gundog - after a morning of chasing pa’tridge - found a comfy place to spend some time with their favorite read, the Northwoods Sporting Journal.

Where do you read your copy of the Sporting Journal? At camp, in the boat, at the ice shack? We’d love to see a photo of you with your copy of the Journal at an unusual place.

If we like it, we will publish it in the Journal. If we select your best shot for publication, we’ll send you an exclusive Sporting Journal hat created just for the occasion. Send your Jpeg photo and a short blurb to vpaulr@tds.net.

Please include your contact information, too.

www.sportingjournal.com

December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Buck Fever

Page 33

Guns & Ammo: A Guide’s Perspective

We have all heard the Well, if we didn’t care so in the manner in which we term, “Buck Fever”. Most much about getting that will hunt. We need conof us have at one time or big buck or knocking that fidence in shooting at the

by Tom Kelly, another even experienced big bear down, we would ranges we will be shooting Orient, ME it. This malady doesn’t not succumb to the fever. in the field. We also need out. Using a caliber that is just afflict deer hunters. In So, don’t care so much. to shoot off-hand if that’s ture Repeat this sequence designed for the task that fact, I have frequently seen Who cares if you make that how we hunt. Shoot sitting if that is how you hunt.

If each time you practice you have at hand, that you experienced deer hunters shot. It’s not a big deal. Ya, become victims of target that’s not going to happen. you hunt with a rest, that’s and practice a lot. These shoot well, with the correct how you should practice. If are proactive steps that ammo, will give you enorpanic when they see you are going on a guided can help deal with all mous confidence in your their first bear in the hunt, talk to your guide to that adrenaline coursing battle against buck fever. woods sneaking into a In all of these prepabait. My personal exSuddenly, a massive bull elk came rations, take a kid or new perience with this virus charging through a spruce tree 12 hunter with you. It’s good was on a handgun elk for all of us. yards to my left bugling and blowing hunt in Idaho.

The guide was snot. I came unglued!

Tom is a Registered cow calling about 20 determine how you will through your veins. The Maine Guide. He is the yards behind me. I was be shooting, including the other steps that we should owner/operator of Shamlooking straight ahead average ranges. Fumbling all take are to learn the rock Outfitters in Orient toward the location of and surprises are big con- anatomy of our prey. The Maine with his wife Ellie. the last bugle. Suddentributors to the fever. Bow best shot placement on all He is a retired police ofly, a massive bull elk hunters have long recog- big game animals is not the ficer as well as a retired came charging through nized the value of a shot same. Do your research. manager from two major a spruce tree 12 yards release routine. Firearms Good old Uncle Zeke may firearms manufacturers. to my left bugling and hunters should create their not be giving you the best He is an NRA Certified blowing snot. I came own shot release routine or info when he says “shoot Instructor as well as a unglued! I nearly fell sequence of action. This em in the neck”. Confi- Hunter Safety Instructor down in an attempt to pivot and face the bull. It is a rare big game hunter sequence should be prac- dence in the firearm we are in Maine, New Hampshire He was much more ag- who has never had a touch ticed relentlessly, including shooting also means that and Massachusetts. You verbalizing the routine over we know it will function. can reach Tom at Shamrock ile and escaped into of buck fever. and over as you practice. It It also means using enough Outfitters (207) 694-2473. cover before I could re(Photo by V. Paul Reynolds) should go something like gun.

Please visit our Facebook gain my composure. To say this: Many of the facebook Page: Shamrock Outfitters I was shaken would be an You need to become totally Find your target (aim gun experts would have and Properties and come understatement. Fortunate- familiar and comfortable small, miss small) you believe that you can visit us on East Grand Lake ly, my excellent guide was with your chosen hunting Steady your stance kill a moose with a .223. able to provide redemption arm. We need to know TO ADVERTISE Remove safety Yes, it is possible. That with another bull later in every detail of that gun or IN THIS SPACE Take a breath doesn’t mean it’s a good bow. We need to have total the week.

Visualize shot CALL idea. It’s also possible for Unfortunately, second confidence in its accuracy S q u e e z e t r i g g e r Pee Wee Herman to beat 207-732-4880 chances are not always and performance. To do (slowly release half of Mike Tyson in a fight.

It’s available. So rather than this, we need to practice OR EMAIL: your breath) just not a good idea for and have confidence in our depend on second chances, info@sportingjournal.com Maintain target pic- Pee Wee Herman to find what are some preventive own abilities as well.

Further, when we steps we can take to avoid LOOKING FOR NEW CUSTOMERS? buck fever or target panic? practice, we must practice The Northwoods Sporting Journal has been helping advertisers get their message to outdoor recreationalists for more than a quarter of a century. Between our monthly magazine and our busy website, we reach thousands of your potential customers every month!

Let us help you. Contact our sales department at 207-732-4880 or check out the advertise page on our website at www.sportingjournal.com ““We have been using the Northwoods Sporting Journal to promote our business for years.

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Page 34

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

The Maine Mud Pond Carry Upper West Branch so the next person could in an effort to keep people Woods ofandtheacross Mud Pond Carry do the same. He also told from sinking into the mud Matt LaRoche, Shirley, ME

Mud Pond Carry is an ancient portage route that connects the Penobscot River drainage with the Allagash watershed. This carry was used by Native Americans for centuries before it became the primary connection to the Allagash for loggers, sports-

to the current location on the northeast corner of arrived with his horse and Chamberlain Lake. This jumper to haul their canoe was a major undertaking and gear across the carry. and a testament to our foreBy the early 1900’s, fathers’ Yankee ingenuity.

My wife’s grandfaMud Pond Carry had become a busy transporta- ther, Helon Taylor who was tion route to the headwater a warden supervisor in that lakes of the Allagash. The shores of those lakes were well timbered with white

me that the warden service had a camp on the shore of Chamberlain Lake where Mud Brook entered the lake. I would guess that the camp was probably located where the present day Allagash Wilderness Waterway campsite named

Many of the early expeditions to the Allagash by settlers of European descent started at Moosehead Lake.

They then portaged to the West Branch of the Penobscot at Northeast Carry and across Mud Pond Carry to Chamberlain Lake…. men and canoeists.

Many of the early expeditions to the Allagash by settlers of European descent started at Moosehead Lake. They then portaged to the West Branch of the Penobscot at Northeast Carry and across Mud Pond Carry to Chamberlain Lake and points north on the Allagash. Two well documented such trips were Henry David Thoreau’s 1857 excursion and Lucius Hubbard’s 1881 trip. On Hubbard’s trip they fired shots from Umbazooksus Stream and Ansel Smith

pine and spruce trees that were being cut and floated to the booming lumber market in Bangor.

Tons of hardware were brought across Mud Pond Carry during the winter of 1902 using horses hauling sleds. The hardware included two large boilers, rails, drive mechanism and 6000 feet of 1 ½ inch cable. This material was transported to Moosehead Lake by railroad, then up the lake by steamboat during open water. During the winter this equipment was transported along the shore

area during the 1940’s told me that when he went over Mud Pond Carry there was a small dam at the outlet of Mud Pond and that you could remove a plank from the dam to give yourself a good flow of water to float your canoe and gear down Mud Brook and into Chamberlain Lake. After you paddled down the stream, you would walk back to replace the plank

Mud Brook is situated.

It is well documented that Mud Pond Carry is an arduous portage with mud up to two feet deep in places. I have never carried a canoe across the carry but I have been involved in a couple trail clearing work details. The first time I was involved with clearing this portage trail, I can remember that chunks of logs were laid in the wet spots

MAINE WOODS GUIDE SERVICE

but these logs were very slippery and created their own hazard. The second time we cleared the trail during the winter, it was hard work but much easier – with no bugs to contend with!

The Mud Pond Carry trail passes over almost entirely private land that is open to the public for recreational use. The current o w n ers have done an outstanding job of preserving the integrity of the trail it is only crossed by one logging road and has not been crossed with any skid trails. Passing over the trail is essentially the same experience that it was when Thoreau and Hubbard used the trail in the 1800’s.

The trail provides an overland connection for two of Maine’s most iconic canoe routes: the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Penobscot River Corridor.

Both these rivers are managed by the State of Maine, (Carry cont. pg 36)

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December 2022

Me & Joe

(Cont. from pg 17) ever sounded more like a moose than did Joe. Suddenly, from a thick stand of mixed cedars and black spruce, came the low rasping grunt of a bull moose. Joe waited a minute, then switched from the cow call to the deep grunt of a competing bull. For a few moments there was silence. Then the bull began to grunt rhythmically, every few seconds, and the small trees began to sway and lurch as he moved in our direction.

Whenever the bull would stop, Joe would give another grunt to get him moving again. He was nearing our hiding spot and I was getting a little nervous. The last thing we needed was a big bull moose right in our laps.

Joe grabbed Rankin

Northwoods Sporting Journal by the ear. “Lissen up, Rank,” he hissed. “Thet bull is gonna step out right over there in front of thet high gravel bank. Can’t be more’n 30 yard. You aim right behint the forward shoulder an’ squeeze ‘er off. I’ll be right back of yer.”

Rankin’s head bobbed nervously as he agreed. He spat out a last stream of tobacco juice and lifted the old Marlin to his shoulder.

As he did so, Joe eased back a pace or two just to Rankin’s left, his Winchester at port arms.

The waiting seemed to last forever, but suddenly a large bull moose stepped into the open, right where Joe had said he would. It was magnificent animal, nearly black in color with a nice spread of antlers, perhaps 48 inches wide.

The hair on his back was standing up, a sure sign of

his agitation.

It made quite a picture, with the steep gravel bank, topped with heavy boulders, just behind the moose. An ancient silver maple towered above him, a massive dead limb stretching overhead.

Rankin took careful aim, the rifle shaking in his nervous hands. At the same time Joe lifted the .38-55 to his shoulder and everything went wrong at once.

Joe’s quick movement put him a little off balance.

The slick grass underfoot betrayed him and both feet left the ground simultaneously. He gave a wild cry and as his shoulders hit the ground the Winchester went off with a roar. The elevated muzzle of the rifle sent the heavy bullet right into the dead limb of the silver maple. With a loud crack, it broke and before the moose could even raise

his head the big limb came crashing down on it.

The impact sent the bull to his knees. In the meantime, Rankin lowered his gun and stared around wildly. Joe rose up on one elbow.

“Rank!” he shouted.

“He’s getting’ up! Shoot him! Quick! Put a bullet in ‘im!”

Rankin whirled around to see the bull struggling to its feet. In one motion he threw the .45-70 to his shoulder and yanked the trigger. Flame shot from the muzzle with a deafening roar. Dirt spewed from the top of the gravel bank.

For an instant nothing happened. Then a massive boulder, dislodged by the impact of the big slug, plunged down from the edge, smashing onto the moose’s head with inexorable force. The bull gave an agonized groan and col-

Page 35 lapsed into the grass.

The three of us stared.

The bull didn’t so much as twitch. With a grunt of pain, Joe pulled himself to his feet. He clasped one hand onto Rankin’s shoulder.

“By George, Rank…

I b’lieve you got ‘im!”

Rankin stared at the dead moose for a few moments longer his mouth hanging open, tobacco juice drooling unnoticed from his chin. Then he seemed to gather himself. He nodded emphatically and sent a stream of brown liquid into the underbrush.

“Yep,” he agreed, hitching up his pants and slinging the Marlin over one shoulder. “Knowed Plug’s ol’ gun would do the trick. Thet there bull, he never stood a chance!”

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Page 36

Northwoods Sporting Journal

View From The River

by Laurie Chandler Bremen, ME The northern forest, and its lakes and ponds, are home to an abundance of birds. Traveling alone, these are the companions that share my camp at night or bring interest to an afternoon of windy paddling.

Some of them—like the osprey, kingfisher, and great blue heron—I’ve known all my life. Others are new acquaintances since the advent of my extended canoe

one to appreciate the restful beauty of this wild place.

Into this keen moment of sadness, there comes a shiver of fir boughs and a fleeting glimpse of gray and white. I don’t have long to wait. With not a bit of timidity in his soul, a Canada jay hops into full view. There is not much in his appearance to suggest kinship with the more striking blue jay. He is daintier,

Thoreau once encountered a trio of Canada jays, which “came flitting silently and by degrees” toward him and “hopped down the limbs inquisitively to within seven or eight feet.” trips up north.

Picture camp as evening settles in. In the waning sun, shadows stretch long in the small opening along the river. Clean from a swim, I’ve donned my warmest clothes. The work of the day is done, and hearty soup and toasted bread are close at hand. The voice of the river and snap of the campfire break the silence, and yet loneliness begins to drift near. There is no one to share the reflections of the hours past. No

gray with a light-colored belly, long tail, and black cap.

Thoreau once encountered a trio of Canada jays, which “came flitting silently and by degrees” toward him and “hopped down the limbs inquisitively to within seven or eight feet.”

My friend did the same, looking at me intently with a perky glance from time to time. I couldn’t help but be cheered by his presence.

Of all the boreal forest birds, this jay may

December 2022

A Feathered Camp Companion

be the most gregarious.

I remember one portage, along a woods road up by Long Falls Dam. With an attention-getting chatter, a Canada jay flew in, landing in a nearby spruce. For a long while, he glided from tree to tree as I pulled the canoe along, keeping perfect pace with me.

Although I’ve never heard it, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes the “whisper song” of the Canada jay as “a series of soft melodious notes interspersed with quiet clicks.” I also learned that this talented bird can mimic the calls of other species— including the northern pygmy-owl, rough-legged hawk, red-tailed hawk, broad-winged hawk, merlin, crow, blue jay, and pine grosbeak—perhaps to defend a home territory or confuse a predator.

The Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is a bird of many names. In 2018, the American Ornithological Society voted to restore the original common name, after six decades of calling the species the Gray jay.

This mischievous fellow has a host of other nicknames, including whiskey jack, camp-robber, meat-

Carry (Cont. from pg 34) Bureau of Parks and Lands to provide a remote/wilderness and traditional recreation experience. The trail is also an important part of our cultural heritage – even more so for the Wabanaki Nation.

The trail is currently

Canada jay (Photo by Chris Gill) bird, and gorby, some inspired by his bold habit of raiding camp for food. The name “whiskey jack,” however, has nothing to do with thievery. It comes from wisakedjak, the Cree word for this beloved character of native tales and culture.

Being resourceful is a requisite for surviving a rigorous northern winter. The Canada jay uses sticky saliva to store clumps of food in all kinds of clever hiding places— under bark, beneath lichen, or in bunches of conifer needles—hopefully remembering later where it is hidden. Another curious fact is that this species breeds in the bitter months of February and March, much earlier than most

birds of the boreal forest.

All in all, the Canada jay is a worthy camp companion. Symbolic of the northern forest, he is sociable, intriguing and, as one of my good friends often says, welcome at my fire anytime.

zoned “protection unusual area” by the Land Use Planning Commission which provides some level of protection for the trail.

I advocate for the current owners of the Mud Pond Carry Trail and the Bureau of Parks and Lands to sit down and negotiate a deal that protects this important resource in perpetuity for the people of the State of

Maine.

Laurie Apgar Chandler is the author of Through Woods & Waters, which provides an adventurous look at Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, and Upwards, the story of her 2015 solo self-propelled thru-paddle of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

For more information or to purchase the books, visit www.laurieachandler.com

Matt LaRoche is a retired Superintendent of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, owner of Maine Woods Guide Service and an avid outdoorsman. He can be reached at 207695-2877 or at matt.laroche2877@gmail.com . See www.mainewoodsguide.com

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Page 37

Coyotes Den Sites

It just so happens that I have found several coyotes den sites. I have even hunted close by such places. Otherwise I would not be the right person to inform you about what a typical den site would look like or where to begin your search. Even though coyotes will only use dens during pup season the areas

roads. Coyotes can expand their range into big cities if overpopulated. That’s just how adaptable they are.

Coyotes treat their den sites like whitetail deer treat their bedding areas.

It’s a place of refuge where they feel safest. The surroundings nearby these den sites are places with prey species living close by.

location has to be remote enough that no other predatory animals or humans will disturb. This is only one example.

Sometimes coyotes will choose an uprooted tree or rock outcropping deep in the woods someplace high and dry. Good drainage is very important.

Spring rains could drown

On The Prowl

by Justin Merrill, Cherryfield, ME these den sites.

To locate coyotes den sites go to areas where you have seen or heard coyotes in the past during evening close to dark and listen.

Cup your ears with your hands to magnify sounds

If you’ve never seen what a coyote den looks like then allow me to indulge. I know you’ve seen a groundhog hole or a porcupine burrow on the side of a hill.

Believe it or not many times coyotes will take over these, already dug holes, for pup rearing.

Coyotes like to make den sites near deer areas. (Photo by Bud Utecht) surrounding the dens are still preferred safety zones.

It’s these types of places in the forests where I hunt that I focus on when trying to call in coyotes using either electronic calls or mouth calls.

Since coyotes are extremely adaptable animals, they can live just about anywhere as long as there is plenty of food, water and a safe place to reside during the day. When coyotes populations are out of control it’s not uncommon to find den sites nearby houses or

Although rare, the female coyotes with pups will relocate to a different den in the event she doesn’t feel safe anymore.

If you’ve never seen what a coyote den looks like then allow me to indulge. I know you’ve seen a groundhog hole or a porcupine burrow on the side of a hill. Believe it or not many times coyotes will take over these, already dug holes, for pup rearing.

They will remodel them by digging them deeper and larger. Of course the

the pups killing them if the den is filled with rain water. There are dozens of examples of coyote dens.

The surrounding areas near den sites will be used year round. The physical den is only needed during the birthing and rearing of pups late spring. Coyotes will rest and sleep right on the open ground throughout the year. Obviously during rain and snow storms they will seek out overhead cover under blow-downs, thick canopies or any such type of cover from the storm. Ninety percent of the time where coyotes are retreating to during the daytime will be close by

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and remain still to listen closely for the tell-tale serenade. Every evening on the edge of dark coyotes are extremely vocal. Especially when the adolescent coyotes are barking, yipping and practicing their howls. If the coyotes are not run off by other predators or humans they will retreat to the same general areas come day break. The very next night they will start all over shortly before heading out for the night hunt.

I’ve lost count of how

many times I heard coyotes barking, yipping and howling nearby where I work and hunt. I’ve managed many times to have erected a deer hunting blind or stand within several hundred yards of coyotes den sites. Each evening hunt at those blinds or stands I heard coyotes vocalizing as they ventured out into the night. It’s always my goal every year to reduce the coyote density in my deer hunting area. You can bet come winter I will know where to focus my coyote hunting efforts.

Justin has his Bachelors of Science in Wildlife Biology. He is a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association (NEOWA). He has access to over 30,000 acres to hunt coyotes, turkey, deer and bear. He is the owner of the YouTube channel, “SPIKES and GILLS”. He has authored two books.

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Page 38

Maine Outdoor Adventure

Northwoods Sporting Journal

by Rich Yvon, Bradford, ME

Hunting has been a long line of tradition and typically passed down from generation to generation.

As a Maine guide, most of my guiding is done with folks who have never hunted or have gone hunting in need of more guidance. Working with our beginners is certainly

starts with taking responsibility and being accountable in our lives. Decisions based upon reason and common sense are critical elements to being successful in hunting. When I get a call from anyone, I immediately start vetting and accessing the person desiring hunting. There are

December 2022

Hunting the Beginner

this coarse does not deem them safe and competent.

There is no substitute for experience.

It always starts with safety! From a perspective of a guide, hunting in a controlled environment is most beneficial for both the beginning hunter and guide. After all the prep work is done such as safe gun handling, sighting, patterning firearms, the time comes for the actual hunt.

ments are important for a good learning environment and ethical hunt.

The ground blind offers the perfect classroom for any beginner includ-

all the latest gear for comfort and the hunt. The blind affords the hunter some creature comfort especially when a blind is equipped with a heater. Most people

ing a handicapped sport and here is why...First and foremost, any animal can be hunted from a ground blind. The blind offers easy accessibility, concealment, odor control, protection from the environment with comfort. Not everyone has

do not mind being cold or wet, no one wants to be cold and wet at the same time! 😉 Here in New England, the most common game for blind hunting is turkey, deer, bear, waterfowl, and predator hunting. Knowing the animals’ strengths and weaknesses will allow a hunter to adjust there hunting technique accordingly.

For example, turkeys and geese do not smell, but can see and hear extremely well. For those who like to enjoy a smoke in the blind, this type of hunt may be for conducive for you. If you desire deer, bear or predator hunts, this type of hunt requires much more attention to scent control.

(Beginner cont. pg 43)

Everyone is required to take a hunter’s safety course.

Obviously, just because a person takes this coarse does not deem them safe and competent. There is no substitute for experience. rewarding indeed. The life cycle of a hunt from the beginnings of gun safety to cooking the game is indeed rewarding for both guide and sport!

The start to a conservation-minded sportsman is certainly mind set. Having the proper attitude is critical to learning, growing, and practicing the sport in an ethical, safe manner.

In life, we all have the same opportunity to learn and grow. In life, the three things that we can control is our mind set, action and reactions. Safety always

many reasons why people want to start hunting in their lives. Some folks simply want to be self-reliant, some to learn more about a natural way of life or some who are just plain curious because their friends are involved in it. Whatever the case, the mind set of an individual is certainly important to a guide in taking on a client. After all, it’s a very serious responsibility to the animal, people and to themselves.

Everyone is required to take a hunter’s safety course. Obviously, just because a person takes

Picking the correct spot to kill an animal is extremely important to be an ethical hunter. Animal targets are a great way to practice picking the spot. For example, a deer or moose should be shot behind the shoulders.

A turkey, a head shot is always a quick kill and humane way to shoot a bird. Blind hunting is the perfect way to introduce hunting to any beginner from young to old. It’s a controlled environment which deems safety, relaxation, concealment, and concentration to make that clean kill shot. These ele-

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

A Couple of Bear Stories

This anonymous story was published in the Somerset Reporter, Feb. 18, 1880.

‘A young man named Oliver, in the employ of James Webster, Esq. of Orono, who is doing extensive lumber business on the waters of the Aroostook County, had a notable experience the other day with a huge black bear. Oliver, who is but 22 years of age and had never before seen a bear, was passing through the woods, when he came to a large tree, in the trunk of which there was a large hole. Thinking it might be the den of some animal he thrust his axe into the hole, and was surprised when it struck some soft substance.

He immediately cut a long pole and repeated the experiment, when without any dallying a huge black

head appeared at the out edge of the hole. It proved to be that of bear of enormous size. As bruin poked out his head and the fore part of his body young Oliver struck him a clip with his axe, taking off three of his toe nails. This surgical operation so enraged the bear that he made an angry plunge at Oliver and nearly

Plans

hours that morning. Unable to load the larger of the two deer, he fled in hopes that no one had seen or heard his act. A small shed on the property was also examined and evidence of another deer that had been killed a week previously was located. The subject eventually admitted that he had killed a third deer earlier in the season but never tagged it. He told us that he had a friend come and remove the deer from the property earlier that day in case Wardens put together

(Cont. from pg 32) deer. I did not realize at that time that we were only at the tip of the iceberg, however.

Wardens Brown and Pomerleau arrived shortly after along with a group of other Wardens. While gathering evidence and speaking with the subject we soon learned of other violations. The violator admitted that he had in fact night hunted the doe and fawn before legal shooting

his protruded he made another dash at his intended victim. But young Oliver was prepared for him, and dealt him such a blow as split open his head from the base of the brain to a point even with the base of his nose. This finished the bear, who snorted a few times and rolled dead at the feet of Oliver.

Old Tales from the Maine Woods

by Steve Pinkham Quincy, MA

feel his own hair rise upon end.’

Attacked by a Bear In this short bear story, from the Maine Sportsman, November 1902, the party, including the Rev. Mr. Clark of Little Comp-

This seemed only to enrage him the more, and as his eyes flashed fire and his protruded he made another dash at his intended victim. succeeded in getting him with his axe into the den.

The young man had by this time concluded that it was either himself or the bear, so he doffed his coat and mittens, and bracing himself struck the old fellow a terrible blow on the head.

This seemed only to enrage him the more, and as his eyes flashed fire and

Page 39

had to give it up.

“In his twenty-nine trips into Maine, Mr. Clark says that this is the second time he has had a bear come for him, the first occurring when he was hunting and ran across an old she bear with cub, which savagely rushed for him. In this case no cub was visible, nor did they find signs of its presence, but the bear rose on it hind legs, and, with a foaming mouth and wide-open jaws, made right for the hunter, whose one shot, as he could see, made a fearful wound. Probably the cunning creature crawled into a hiding place overlooked by the hunters, and died of its wounds.”

ton, Rhode Island, camped on Seboeis Grand Lake at the head of the East Branch “In addition to his moose and deer, Mr. Clark had the rare experienced to be attacked by a big black bear which he shot and badly wounded when the infuriated creature was but seven paces off. It was on the edge of a big swamp, Steve is an avid hiker, and although the entire party turned out the next day paddler and historian, havthe pieces of this case and and hunted that swamp all ing collected over 26,000 came to speak with him. day, no sign of the animal Maine Woods articles to It was a late evening could be found. and they date. as I spent several hours assisting at this location in Staceyville. I got home Steve Pinkham late that night and when my Maine Woods Historian, Author and Storyteller wife asked how my day in Houlton went, I could only 617-407-0743 laugh! steve@oldtalesofthemainewoods.com Kale O’Leary is a Maine Game Warden who www.oldtalesofthemainewoods.com patrols the Oxbow/Masardis district in Central Aroostook County. He has been a Game Warden since 2016 and lives in Ashland.

‘He was a black bear, apparently what is known as an “old ranger,” measured nine feet from the tip of his nose to the hind paws, and weighed over four hundred and fifty pounds. After he had killed the monster, young Oliver became frightened, and standing there gazing upon his carcass he says he could

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Old Tales of the Maine Woods

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 40

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 41

Basics of Survival: Clothing Base Layer.

When you are layering clothes, the first layer is called the base layer. This layer is mostly for keeping your skin dry. The base layer needs to be breathable and able to wick moisture (sweat) away from your skin. You never want to

better on your insulation layers and is a must have on your outer shell layer.

Wool is a great base layer. Regular wool has coarse fibers, which is why it is itchy and irritating.

Merino wool, however, has very fine fibers that make

In order for your base layer to work properly (keep you dry) it needs to be in contact with your skin. It should fit comfortably tight without restricting movement or blood flow. wear cotton because it absorbs moisture, but then stays wet for a long time.

It will keep you cold and wet instead of warm and dry. There are several different materials that work fine for a base layer and each have advantages and disadvantages.

In order for your base layer to work properly (keep you dry) it needs to be in contact with your skin. It should fit comfortably tight without restricting movement or blood flow. Do not buy a size smaller in order for it to fit under your other clothes, it will be too tight.

Materials are the same for men’s, women’s, or kids clothes. Designs and styles are different but the clothing works the same.

Short sleeve or even tshirt style shirts, and shorts or half length pants are fine for warmer weather, but you will want full sleeves and pants for colder weather.

You do not usually want a hood on your base layer clothes because it just gets in the way and doesn’t help you much. A hood is

it soft and comfortable. It can be used in the summer to help keep you cool as well as winter to keep you warm. Wool breathes and wicks moisture very well and it is antimicrobial so you don’t need to wash it as often if you are on a long outing. It is very durable and it will not melt if sparks from a fire get on it.

Silk is another good natural fiber option. It is durable, thin and light weight. Silk will not keep you as warm as wool so if you are doing vigorous activity (snowshoeing, etc.) and want to vent to stay cool, silk might be a better option. It is also not as thick as some other options so might be more comfortable.

Polypropylene is a synthetic material that is used often for thermal clothes. It is water resistant so it is excellent for wicking sweat away from your skin. Polypropylene is also a good insulator so it traps heat to keep you warm. It is very strong and durable, and usually very thin. The down side is polypropylene melts easily. It is essential-

ly plastic, so you can’t iron it, you can’t put it in the dryer, and some can’t be washed in hot water. Read the label carefully when you buy it. It is very flammable so never expose it to campfires or open flame.

Polyester is another synthetic material that works well for a base layer.

It is often mixed with other materials. It breathes well and wicks moisture. Polyester is strong, durable and usually very thin. It is also basically plastic so keep it away from sparks or flame.

If you are doing a sport that involves a helmet, a thin hat under the helmet helps to absorb moisture and keep your

Basics Of Survival

by Joe Frazier, Bangor, ME head and helmet padding dry.

If you are doing a lot of hiking or are in extreme cold, sock liners are a good idea. A thin pair of socks that you wear under your heavy socks. They are part of your base layer to help keep your feet dry. They also help prevent blisters by keeping your skin from rubbing inside your heavy socks and boots.

Glove liners are also a good idea. They are very thin gloves you wear inside your insulated gloves. In the military, we called them contact gloves because you never want your bare skin

to contact cold metal. They should be thin enough to do whatever you need without having to take them off.

The gloves that will work with touch screens are very handy.

Synthetic materials are usually cheaper than natural fibers. Each person has their own preference and as long as it works, use what is comfortable for you. Your base layers will be what you wear most often, so buy what you can afford but buy quality.

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 42

Blackpowder Season: The Best!

The Buck Hunter

by Hal Blood, Moose River, ME By now some of you have put your tag on a buck, doe, or both. This deer season brought more opportunity to put meat in the freezer by making doe tags separate from a buck tag. This is a change a long time in coming. It only makes sense that if you want to reduce the number

I have always enjoyed the muzzle loader season in the Big Woods. There are pro and cons, but it is a great time to be chasing and old toe dragging buck.

Toe dragging is literal at this time of the season as the buck are getting worn down from chasing does and their feet are getting

The pros of muzzle loader season are especially if you are a tracker, is that there are far fewer hunters in the woods. Most of the bucks are tired enough that catching up to one is usually a quicker task.

of deer, there must be an incentive to do it. Previously, a doe tag for many hunters was just an insurance policy in case someone didn’t shoot a buck by late in the deer season, they could get their “meat.” If you haven’t put your meat in the freezer yet, muzzle loader season is right around the corner. This year, deer season opened at the end of October putting half of the first muzzle loader season in November. That means that the rut will still hanging on and the bucks will still be searching for does.

heavy. The pros of muzzle loader season are especially if you are a tracker, is that there are far fewer hunters in the woods. Most of the bucks are tired enough that catching up to one is usually a quicker task. The bucks are feeding more as they need to get their weight back on before winter.

They also are not as careful about choosing a place to bed down or watching their back track. Of course, the number one pro is that snow is almost assured in the north country.

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cons, as being in the deer woods has no downside.

The biggest downside though is the odds of shooting a buck that field dresses over 200 pounds are slim.

The bucks, especially the old ones, are at their leanest point. Some have lost

He was the king of the mountain and had the battle scars to prove it. Both of his ears were ripped halfway through with part of them missing. I figured that buck would have been in the 275-pound range earlier in the season.

fore the buck disappeared only to have him reappear afterward giving me a better shot. Other times, I’ve waited for a better opening to shoot only to have the buck disappear for good. I think muzzle loader hunting in the big woods is the ultimate deer hunting challenge. The days are shorter and generally colder. If you’ve been hunting the whole season, you are worn down from all the miles traveled. All in all, the pros outweigh the cons and the challenge is what keeps the hard core hunter going through any of it.

The author with a 200 lb blackpowder buck.

If you are as much as fifty pounds.

Another downside of picking up your smoke pole That’s the reason that they muzzle loader hunting is this season, good luck on are spending a lot of time that you have one shot and the trail to you! feeding. They know they have to make it count. It’s have to get weight back on not a problem if you’re before the onset of winter, sitting in a stand but when Hal is a Master Maine which in many years has tracking things happen fast guide and author. He lives already begun. The heavi- and a quick running shot in Moose River Maine with est buck that I’ve shot may be the only chance you his wife Deb. Hal can be in muzzle loader season get. I’ve had times when contacted at: hal@bigdressed out at 220 pounds. I made a quick shot be- woosbucks.com

December 2022

How would you answer this question: have you ever made a mistake?

If your answer is no then I would have two replies.

The first, my most diplomatic one, would be: You are one in a million. My second reply, perhaps a more truthful one, might be that you are liar! Well, I have never asked that question of anyone, so never had to reply, either diplomatically or less so.

We all make them and, hopefully, do our best to correct them. Writers are lucky. They have editors who look the work over and make corrections. For this piece and others in this magazine the corrections are done by someone well known to you, our editor, V. Paul Reynolds. All my books were looked over carefully by editors who’s only job was just that, edit-

Beginner (Cont. from pg 38) Scent control is of body and clothing odor. A person requires showering with a soap that will kill bacteria and should be done a couple of days in advance.

In addition, hunting boots, jackets, pants, shirts socks and underwear should be washed in a no scent, no phosphate type soap. This will ensure a scent free and a no ultraviolet trace when you are hunting in or out of a blind.

The process from field to table is a natural process.

The last chapter for a hunter to learn is proper field dressing, meat preparation and storage. Taking care of an animal after the kill is vital and will depend on the environmental elements.

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Mistakes! ing.

During my teaching years my students often made mistakes as they worked on a canoe, or snowshoe or whatever.

Some of the mistakes were serious enough that the work had to be done over.

However many times it was a minor error that was the result of overlooking something or whatever. Those little mistakes often are

your mistake could hurt anyone then by all means make it right as soon as possible.

Most of my books are about building something, canoes, snowshoes and a variety of outdoor gear. Since I was building the items which were the subject at hand to be photographed, I had to be very careful of mistakes which would be published for all

Northwoods Voyager

by Gil Gilpatrick, Brunswick, ME

made the mistake of thinking that my inexperienced bow person would pull his end of the canoe to clear the problem ahead. He did not and we went over in the very cold river water. When we were finally ashore and warming up to a fire I remember telling myself, I

There is a good possibility that no one but you will know about it. I hasten to add here that if your mistake could hurt anyone then by all means make it right as soon as possible. not even noticed by others and no one but the person doing the building knows about it. My advice in this case was to not to go out of your way to point it out to anyone. There is a good possibility that no one but you will know about it. I hasten to add here that if

to see. But, for most work the little errors that crop up are of little importance and best left as is. Just keep the knowledge of them to yourself!

I remember once while canoeing in white water in the early spring.

The water was high and I

Deer, Bear and Moose, cooling and skin removal is a priority. Food preservation the last step before cooking. A good vacuum sealer is a wise investment.

Your meat will not only last longer but retain color and taste providing long er storage times and better enjoyment of the game.

ter Guide. He owns and operates Twin Maple Outdoors guide service and sporting lodge located in Bradford. He is a “Certified Yamaha G3 Guide” that runs fly and spin fishing trips with a G3 Jet boat and Stealthcraft drift boat. Rich also guides Maine Partridge, Turkey, Moose, Deer hunting and Rich is a Maine Mas- recreation adventures.

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Page 43

will not make that mistake again! I did know that it was my mistake, not my bow person’s. Sometimes mistakes like that are best passed on to prevent someone else from making the same error which could have more serious consequences than was the case

for us. It all depends on the circumstances. Think it through!

Gil Gilpatrick is a Master Maine Guide, and is the first living recipient of the Legendary Maine Guide award. He is a life member of the Maine Professional Guides Association, a founding member of the Maine Wilderness Guides Organization, and served as a member of the Advisory Board for the Licensing of Guides from 1996 to 2010. He is a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association and is the author of seven outdoorrelated books. Contact him at Gil@GilGilpatrick.com

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 44

Marsh Island Chronicles

by Matthew Dunlap, Old Town, ME This time of year, magazines of far lower stature than The Northwoods Sporting Journal fill their pages with Gift Ideas for the Sportsman. You and I know that there’s really no end of gift ideas. Any outdoorsman can always use a new multi-tool, flytying vise, laser bore-sight tool, lead-sled, clay target thrower or even a new pair of space-age moisturewicking socks. Anything will do and will be received gratefully. But; is the newest product what the holiday season is all about?

Spoiler alert; of course not. No more than the point of fishing is to get lunch, or the purpose of a compass is to keep from getting lost.

No, dear reader, the high holy season of Christmas is a time of celebration and reflection with friends and family. Aside from the big

bag of recyclable wrapping paper, perhaps the most prominent product of the holiday season are the many happy memories that follow.

Like any child, I delighted in Christmas. I was blessed to grow up in the days when the thrall of the Sears & Roebuck Christmas Wish Book would completely envelope me and my sisters for hours on end. Our father would humor us by telling us to take a pen and circle the things we wanted most; of course, to his amusement, it would take him far less time to count the things we didn’t circle. As I’ve discovered myself as a parent, the magical trance from a new toy that carries a child off to dreamland fades all too soon, and Christmas memories are made from those unforeseen and unex-

December 2022

Gifts For The Sportsman I had never shot clays before, and after a couple of misses, I broke several in a row, much to my adrenaline-fueled excitement, and my father’s understated pride.

I turned the hand-trap over, and back. “What a great day that was,” I said aloud to my father, who’s been gone now for many years. An understated gift, overshadowed by the star of the show, had grabbed me firmly by the heart many years after first receiving it.

What I’ve learned over many Christmas seasons are that the greatest gifts aren’t new toys, or useful gear, or thoughtfully selected books. The greatest gifts are the unexpected, evocative memories that sneak up on you unexpectedly, and take you back to a moment of joy.

That’s my shopping tip for the sportsman in your life. Merry Christmas.

shooting.

It was while sorting through some gear in the storage area over my garage recently that I reached into a bucket to see what was all tangled together that I found a familiar wooden handle and pulled the old hand-trap out. It was still perfectly serviceable, al-

pected surprises that follow childhood.

As it was for me, as a young man, when that long, narrow package with my name on it emerged from far under the tree.

I still have my first shotgun, an H & R Topper in sixteen-gauge, and it still accompanies me a few

“There’s nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.”—Erma Bombeck times in the field every fall, and it’s just as dead reliable now as it was when I first handled it nearly forty-five Christmases ago.

That long package was the first of a series of four mysteriously wrapped gifts, which had to be in a certain order; next came two boxes of shells, then the case of clay pigeons, and finally a handheld spring-loaded clay pigeon thrower for skeet and trap

though years of neglect had left a layer of rust on the steel. I was immediately swept back to that sunny Christmas afternoon, as my mother prepared a sumptuous meal and everyone else was cleaning up wrapping paper and reading their new books, and my ever-patient father and I went out to one of the farm fields, and he threw clays for me as I shot my new gun for the first time.

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Knowing the Source of Information

Another deer season is on the cusp of becoming history. The archery season will close on December 15, 2022 (it closes December 8 in WMU A) The firearms

to a close on December 15 in WMUs B-M but a week earlier on December 8 in WMU A. A few months ago, I saw an article on the web

The author's son with a nice New Hampshire Moose. season ends on December entitled “The Ten Worst 4, 2022 (but closed No- Deer Hunting States In vember 27, 2022 in WMU America” in a publication A) And for the Fall Archery called WideOpenSpaces. I Season faithful chasing should have just moved on turkeys, that pursuit comes to more productive ven-

tures, but I wanted to know, “Are we one of the states”?

While mentality telling myself not to, I jumped in to find out.

It said, “Using data from the National Deer Association’s Whitetail Report, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the worst states in America for deer hunting. While no one category makes a state bad, there are tends that help direct your efforts to areas with excellent whitetail hunting. The following states exhibit low harvest numbers, large numbers of yearling bucks, low numbers of mature bucks, heavy hunter density, consistently adverse weather, or all of the above.

Those states in order from number 10 to number 1 were : Florida, South Caro-

New Hampshire Outdoors

Page 45

by Peter St. James, Warner, N.H. lina, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Maine, Vermont, New Jersey and The Worst Deer Hunting State in America according to WideOpenSpaces is : New York”. When I saw New

It said that New Hampshire “ranks fifth lowest in antlerless deer harvested per square mile, is amongst the coldest and snowiest states in the U.S., and 49 percent of the harvested bucks were only a

Hampshire come in at number six, I wanted to know why? Plus, I have family and friends in Maine and Vermont that wanted to know why Maine was the fourth worst state for deer hunting and Vermont the third worst state for deer hunting!

year and a half old”. We can talk about deer harvested per square mile and the cold and the snow, but where did they get the 49 percent figure? According to NH Fish and Game, the YMF (Yearling Male Fraction) is the percentage (Source cont. pg 67)

It bothers me when people take disparate pieces of information and then make a list of whatever, and “it’s supposed to be accepted as gospel”.

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Page 46

Kineo Currents

Northwoods Sporting Journal

by Suzanne AuClair, Rockwood, ME At this writing, the end of 2022, I can’t help but sit back and reflect on the past year and think about the new one. I usually don’t plan too far ahead and instead take things as they come, but as I get older this quiet thinking

winter.

The quality of inland fisheries management continues to be one of the best in the country.

Augusta politics allows fisheries and wildlife biologists to be the best in the U.S.

2023 Wish List

This Top Ten Wish List has come from years of living and writing from this part of the state and from time spent with other people in the field. In it, I know that Maine’s inland fisheries is in excellent hands, with internationally recognized work on brook trout, lake trout, landlocked salmon, lake whitefish, Atlantic salmon, and Arctic charr. The quality of our

These traditions of excellent science and management continue, but risk being cut short by political influence when their work isn’t supported in Augusta. has grown into a tradition, especially as the calendar is turning over. Part of this is an accounting of personal life and part of it is an accounting of what I’ve written about, which tells a lot about what’s caught my attention enough to make a record of it from around the region. As a result, here is a Top Ten Wish List for 2023, followed by the 2022 attention grabbers that helped form it.

Regulations for our fish and game remain strong.

The Moosehead Lake Region/North Woods continues its stronghold for wild brook trout.

I — and any other sportsman — have the chance to keep finding secret places without it showing up on a tourism map.

My DNA keeps understanding the outdoors, of being in the adventure.

That known inland 2023 Top Ten Wish List: spawning areas catch a Moose catch a break break and regulations allow on the winter tick loads. them to be left alone during Tick pods have a bum spawning seasons, so the year, with a long, deep fish can do their thing.

fish culture and hatchery system is high, the result of excellent science and sound regulation. We have the distinction of having generations of biologists trained under the teachings of Dr. Harry Everhart, who literally co-wrote the nation’s first textbook on freshwater fisheries and its management — right here in Maine. Generations blazed a trail for understanding fish in their natural environment — in meticulous science and record keeping — right here in Maine. This continues today. The work that Tim Obrey and staff are doing here in the Moosehead Lake Region today is trail-

blazing in its own right. It is exciting to see. Maine is extremely fortunate to have the quality of this leadership continue into the future. Biologists and wardens laid a highly respected management and protection foundation — right here in Maine. These traditions of excellent science and management continue, but risk being cut short by political influence when their work isn’t supported in Augusta.

These last years have been the years of living dangerously for moose.

Winter tick loads have been off the chart. This year 86 percent of the moose calves tracked for monitoring in the Moosehead area died coming out winter. A pregnant cow moose, which had lived and been monitored for years, turned up dead this spring, drained from tick infestation. That’s a loss of two generations.

She was so malnourished that, even is she had given birth, it’s believed the calf could not have survived.

This May, while up in the St. John River area, I saw three carcasses of young-of-the-year moose that had died, literally collapsed in the middle of logging roads. Lee Kantar,

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the state’s moose expert, has been leading groundbreaking work about this.

Because of our high moose populations, the tick problem is being watched closely internationally. Wildlife biologist Scott McLellan, here in the Moosehead region, has been boots on the ground in the field, collecting data. This new cycle of ticks, warming weather which keeps them active, and Maine’s moose population is being worked on, without any easy answers. One good report is that it appears most adult moose, in good condition, can withstand the effect of these minuscule predators.

The last word goes to generations of Maine fisheries biologists, who came up with the following recommendations based on years of field work: don’t pollute; avoid silting waters; keep overhanging vegetation as protective cover for trout; stocking is a management tool, not the whole program; grow raised fish until they’re large enough to stock in certain waters, for better survival rates and better returns on the sportsman’s dollar; natural reproduction is the best; maintain seasonal fishing over yearround fishing because it’s better for the fish and, as a result, the fisherman.

Suzanne AuClair has been writing about the Moosehead Lake Region for the past 28 years. She produced the state anthology, “The Origins, Formation & History of Maine’s Inland Fisheries Division.” She and is an award-winning member of the New England Outdoor Writers Assn.

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News

(Cont. from pg 21) were “holed up” in an area of softwood cover. While shifting their spot, the Messenger’s paths accidentally crossed that of two small bulls, placing the hunters 25 yards upwind and in the wide open. Neither of these bulls was a moose they wanted to take, so they froze and relied on their pre-hunt efforts to minimize their human scent.

Northwoods Sporting Journal Shortly thereafter, a larger bull stepped in front of the smaller ones. They remained patient and eventually the larger bull stepped away from the other two and was cleanly harvested.

The Messenger crew field dressed the moose and dragged it 500 yards by hand with a total of four people using a sled and harness system.

When they arrived at the registration check station 1.5 hours after their

harvest, biologists were impressed with how fresh the moose was: rigor mortis had not yet set in. It was a 2.5-year-old bull that weighed 575 pounds dressed.

Drowning Victim Recovered by Wardens

Maine Game Warden Divers recovered the body of a missing 31-year-old Vinalhaven man in early

October.

Owen Adair, age 31 of Vinalhaven, was last seen by his family on Thursday, October 13. His family reported him missing yesterday after finding his ATV near Folly Pond in Vinalhaven, and then finding his boots and an aluminum canoe with some of his personal items in it along the pond shoreline.

The Maine Warden Service dive team began searching Folly Pond early this morning with a camera-equipped submersible ROV (remotely operated vehicle), and located a body with the ROV late this morning. Warden Service divers then recovered Adair in about ten feet of water at approximately 12:15 p.m.

Adair was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Augusta.

The Maine Warden Service was assisted by Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Vinalhaven Fire and Rescue, and the Vinalhaven Water District in the search and recovery.

NH Blackpowder Season

Over 20,000 muzzleloader hunters are expected to take to New Hampshire’s woodlands during the upcoming muzzleloader deer season, which runs from October 29 to November 8. Muzzleloaders are single-barrel, single-shot firearms which require that the projectile be loaded through a muzzle each time before firing. Muzzleloaders harken back to pioneer

December 2022 days, but have become an increasingly popular sporting firearm in recent years.

“Deer hunting is very popular in New Hampshire,” said Becky Fuda, Deer Project Leader at the NH Fish and Game Department. “People enjoy the opportunity to spend time in the field with friends and family. They also appreciate the high-quality food value of venison, which is a naturally fed, free-range source of lean protein for thousands of New Hampshire families. Last year hunters harvested approximately 12,550 deer in our state. If you assume that each deer provides about 40 pounds of venison, and that each venison meal weighs approximately 1 pound that amounts to more than half a million meals of venison enjoyed each year.”

Fuda also noted that, “New Hampshire’s 11-day muzzleloader season is favored by hunters because of its early timing, milder weather, and the high level of buck activity that happens leading up to the peak of the deer breeding period in mid- to late November.”

In New Hampshire, muzzleloader hunters are given 11 days prior to the opening day of the regular firearms season to hunt deer. Hunters must obtain a regular hunting license ($32 for residents; $113 for nonresidents) and a muzzleloader license ($16 for residents; $41 for nonresidents).

“Hunters are reminded to maintain safety as their first priority,” said Fuda. They are also urged to treat private landowners with respect, courtesy, (News cont. pg 67)

December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Cold Water Angling in New England

Best Bassin’

by Bill Decoteau, Hampden, MA

Savvy bass anglers thrive on cold, open water, be it after the ice melts in the spring or before the ice forms in the winter. Mark Burgess of YouTube’s Big East Bass Fishing channel, is one of those savvy pro’s!

“Once a body of water has completed its ‘Turn-Over’ transition, water temperatures continue to drop.

Cooler nights and shorter days push the thermometer readings lower and lower.

When the water temperature reach 40 degrees and below before freezing, this is what I refer to as ‘Cold Water Angling in New England.”

When it comes to specific type of Cold-Water structure and cover, the former Bassmaster Elite Professional Angler suggests the following. Rivers; current breaks, slack water, back eddies and deeper pools. Lakes; steep contour drop offs, bluff walls, rock piles and super shallow. “The bass are in a lethargic state during the cold-water period. While they can still be enticed

Page 49

with artificial baits, their strike zone is much smaller.

Therefore, an angler’s presentation requires accurate casts, much slower action and retrieval speed.”

The Massachusetts

of water based upon information pre-loaded within the system. For example contour lines close together indicate deep water areas plus tapering points. While creek channels, submerged

Pro is adamant when it comes to preparation before launching his Reynold’s Marine Skeeter Boat.

“Today’s Electronic sonars are an angler’s road map to success. The ability for pre-mapping areas utilizing Lake Master Charts, allows anglers to select specific locations on a body

humps, grass flats along with additional data provide confidence areas. Assisting anglers with target areas, thus spending quality time on the water!”

Big East Bass Fishing Pro Tip: It’s imperative to utilize side imaging on both sides of your boat. Set distance to 100-150 feet,

when an interesting target is revealed set a way point and then transfer your way point to your bow unit.

Example: Hummingbird Mega 360, identify structure/target located with side imaging, if your unit has Live Sonar start fishing! Live Sonar is an excellent bonus tool during cold water periods.

According to Mark Burgess when it comes to cold water tackle anglers should consider Spinning rods with a medium to medium/light action and 6’8” to 7’2” lengths. “Quality spinning reels with smooth drag systems in size 2500 are a ‘Must Have’ option!

During the Cold-Water period water clarity is super clear, this is when it’s of upmost importance to utilize fluorocarbon line, because its invisible under water. I spool my 2500 series spinning reels with yellow 12 lb. braid backing, then tie it to a 6-10 lb. fluorocarbon leader.”

As for casting equip-

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ment Burgess says it depends on the technique an angler is doing. The Big East Bass Fishing show host stated during the coldwater period he has a 7’7” Med./Hvy. Flipping Rod and his reel is spooled with 20lb. fluorocarbon line more often than not tied to a 1/2 oz. Green Pumpkin jig with a Green Pumpkin/ Orange chunk.

When it comes to Cold Water Baits, Burgess smiled replying with a chuckle, “Well, in the last three weeks of cold water angling, I have placed 2nd with a Buzzbait and Green Pumpkin Creature bait, won the next event with a Green Pumpkin/Orange Jig and in the 3rd event my partner and I finished in the Top-10 with a Grn./ Pumpkin OrangeJig. Let me just say you have to be able to change with the conditions. And, never rule out shallow water!

“There is a variety of ‘Cold Water’ baits that (Angling cont. pg 69)

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Gifts for The Sportsman or Sportswoman

Outdoors In Vermont

by Gary W. Moore, Bradford, VT What do you get that hunter, angler, hiker or x-c skier that they will actually use is often a difficult decision, especially if the gift giver does not participate in the sport?

Let me make a few suggestions. First of all, a gift certificate for a hunting or fishing license will definitely be appreciated and needed unless they have a lifetime license.

For something really special, a trip to one of the countless fishing lodges will show how much you care. They range from two days to weeks and may be close by or in distant places. Don’t simply pick one from an advertisement.

Rely on a reputable travel agent and the experiences of those who have used the outfitter or lodge.

Does the angler fly fish or want to? There are many good fly-fishing schools in northern New England that will provide valuable instruction. Orvis in Manchester, Vermont

December 2022

sporting goods store is a safe bet and your favorite outdoorsman can then purchase what he or she wants.

Delorme Gazatteers for Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine or New York make excellent gifts and help with the planning for future adventures during those long winter nights.

Lightweight binoculars can make being on the water, in the field or on a mountain more enjoyable

Outing Club for the simple reason I hike their trails and want to help pay for the maintenance. Each also has programs and events that I enjoy and often find educational.

December Hunting With Less Competition.

Muzzleloader season is December 3-11 this year.

A legal buck may be taken anywhere in the state and hunters with a permit may take an antler less deer in

region. The season conand L.L. Bean in Freeport, tinues through March 12.

Maine are two of the bigI head for the big wooded gest and most famous, but swamps in Essex County there are others close by. which hold good populaAsk at the local tackle shop tions of snowshoes or to for information.

Groton State Forest in the A hunting trip is a southern end of the Northvery special gift, but be east Kingdom. wary and rely on a good Raccoons are plentitravel agent and the advice ful in the farming areas of someone who has been and the season is open until there and used the particuDecember 31. Most farmlar outfitter. ers welcome coon hunters Hunting and fishing as a lot of corn is lost to the nocturnal animals.

A hunting trip is a very special gift, but be wary A good test for your and rely on a good travel agent and the advice of hunting skills is the coyote. someone who has been there and used the Once virtually unknown in particular outfitter. the region, coyotes now are gear is very specialized and many makes and mod- the WMU for which it was found statewide. There is no closed season and many and highly personal. If you els today are quite inexpen- issued.

Partridge are the most hunters work the swamps do not hunt or fish, it is a sive for their quality.

Don’t forget, a good popular and the most popu- and edges of fields at dawn good idea to ask a hunting or fishing partner of quality compass and a lous upland bird we have. or dusk. the person for whom you headlamp should be in ev- During December few hunt Syndicated columnist are buying a gift to help eryone’s possession when for the partridge so those that do have no competi- Gary W. Moore is a life long you. The partner will know afield.

For those who hike, a tion. Partridge can be found resident of Vermont and a exactly what the hunter or angler wants as desires membership to one of the throughout the state and former Commissioner of for gear are what we sport hiking organizations is a the season is open through Fish and Game. He has often talk about when with good gift. I am a member of December 31. The leaves been a magazine freelancer friends with whom we hunt the Appalachian Mountain are off the trees and thus and syndicated newspaper Club, the Green Mountain the elusive birds are easier columnist for 45 years. He and fish.

A gift certificate at a Club and the Dartmouth to see. The same is true for may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud. gray squirrels.

Don’t overlook snow- com or at Box 454, Bradshoe hares which are found ford, VT 05033. copyright throughout the wooded 2022 Gary W. Moore

Vermont

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December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December Muzzleloader Season

For an aspiring deer hunter, growing up in VT in the 90’s was a pretty bleak.

Men I knew and respected as hunters would go years between killing a deer.

and I raced up to our sugarbush. There was about 6” of wet snow and I worked my way onto the south end of the hill on the edge of some hemlock and spruces while

hand! I eased forward and rested my hand on a tree, steadying the crosshairs on the deer. Smoke filled the air and I saw the deer

My first deer was a 112 pound buck that had already shed it antlers in early December.

My affection for muzzleloaders started there and hasn’t waned since.

My son and father with his VT buck killed in emerge from behind the December 2021. I hope my son and daughters smoke and go down! will want to take as many hunting adventures My first deer was a with me as my father and I have.

112 pound buck that had A big buck was anything my dad hunted through the already shed it antlers in over a 4 point. I distinctly thick stuff hoping to bump early December. My afremember by dad and uncle something my way. Sud- fection for muzzleloaders joking about who’s spike denly a deer appeared not started there and hasn’t horn had more mass when 50 yards away staring at waned since. they each happened to get me broadside. The moment I enjoy hunting all lucky on opening morning, I had dreamed of for years seasons, but if I could pick but both being proud to was here, and I couldn’t one weapon to hunt with have filled their buck tag. come close to holding the for the rest of my life it I had been tagging crosshairs on the deer off would be the muzzleloader. along on hunts with my dad since I was a small boy and probably around Do not go Ice Fishing 8 or 9 began hunting on until you first stop my own. My opportuniat Vermont Field ties to shoot a buck during the VT rifle season totaled Sports! exactly zero. Youth seasons Why? Because they have a had not been introduced, so complete inventory of ice when VT created a muzzlefishing supplies for the novice loader lottery doe tag in the fisherman to the expert angler.

December muzzleloader season my dad bought two • Ice Fishing Lures • Clothing by O knight muzzleloaders that •Ice Fishing Boots by Korkers and Striker we shared between the •Combo Ice Fishing reels and rods O three of us. I was 12 when •MarCum Technologies Sonar and Video I drew a doe tag, and the VISIT US at idea of being able to shoot 1458 Route 7 South Middlebury, VT 05753 any deer I saw was beyond 802-388-3572 exciting.

After school my dad vtfieldsports@comcast.net www.vtfieldsports.com R

R

Page 51

Maple Country Outdoors

by Ben Wilcox, Essex, VT

Muzzleloader seasons vary have been chased around from state to state giving for months. I have howa die hard hunter early ever, encountered the three season, rut, or late season largest racked deer I’ve options if you’re willing laid eyes on in VT during to travel. Personally, hunt- December muzzleloader ing in December on snow, season.

A combination of facis only rivaled by the first 10 days of November. I’ve tors make killing a huge found over the years that in buck in December more VT I have the best chance feasible. The first is that the of killing a big buck dur- big bucks still are moving ing the late season. On the during daylight looking for surface, it would not seem the last does and will wanto make sense as many der into new areas. In fact, bucks have already been this past year I missed a killed and the survivors (Muzzleloader cont. pg 54)

Page 52

Vermont Ramblings

Northwoods Sporting Journal

by Dennis Jensen, Vermont There’s no place like home There was a great parcel of land that I once managed to get permission to hunt on. This was back around 1980 or so. Well, for 25 years that property was a Godsend, but it took me some four or five years to figure out just where the bucks liked to roam.

How good was the 750 acres? During the

1990s, I shot nine bucks in 10 years, a pretty awesome accomplishment, if

Hunting Out Back

Then, one day the ax just fell. A rich, nasty man from out of state bought the land and tossed the nine guys off the property for good.

I was lost for the next couple of years, but I made

I didn’t travel 300 yards and I cut no fewer than seven sets of tracks, including one dragger in the snow, showing tracks that were very impressive. I could not believe what had transpired.

I do say so myself. It was the finest piece of land I ever hunted in Vermont.

December 2022

shot just one buck. The one strange fact of all this was, I never took any interest in hunting on the 21 acres of property that I owned. I don’t know why this was.

I guess I just decided it wasn’t worth effort.

the most of trying to get on new property. And over the next five years, I believe I

Well, one November, perhaps 12 years ago, I jumped into my truck and drove about a mile from my place to an unposted stretch of land that, at least from scouting, looked promising. I should say here that I never killed a buck or a doe on that property. Anyway, I set out just before the light of day and went a good half-mile along some old logging roads. A fresh snow of maybe an inch or two had fallen and, over that half-mile walk I never cut a single deer track.

Disgusted, I returned home, grabbed a cup of coffee and figured, what the hell, let’s take a look out behind the house and see what we might see. I didn’t travel 300 yards and I cut no fewer than seven sets of tracks, including one dragger in the snow, showing tracks that were

very impressive. I could not believe what had transpired.

Since that time, my son and I have taken two bucks and five does off that little, 21 acre of land. This is not to say that the place is overrun with deer; it is not. And it is often very difficult to spot any bucks coming through.

While it is a tough little plot of land to hunt during the November rifle season with few bucks ever observed, come the December muzzleloader season, it seems like the doe traffic heats up. Why this is so is something of a mystery but it may be due to the fact that these doe were undisturbed during the rifle season and so are comfortable passing through.

I have tagged a fair number of does over the past seven or eight years and, naturally, will focus on my property during this month’s nine-day muzzleloader season.

So, I have come to embrace the words of the great philosopher, Dorothy, from “The wizard of Oz.” — “There’s no place like home.”

Dennis Jensen is the outdoor editor of the Rutland Herald and the Barre Times Argus and a freelance writer.

December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Aiden’s Journey

This is a story about how a young man, diagnosed with cancer in the late summer, found his strength and spirit through his love of sports and deer hunting with his father.

Young Aiden Benoure was

groin hurt and he began sweating. His skin turned pale. The school texted Rob to pick him up. They came home and Aiden said, “I need to take a nap.” Aiden never napped. He slept for seven hours. Rob’s

an ultrasound, and Rob felt as though his world was crashing down around him when the doctor said the word “Cancer.” Rob’s first thought was “I’m gonna’ have to bury my kid!” But young Aiden had other plans. The staff referred Aiden to the hospital in Plattsburgh, NY, which late at night is a formidable drive. It was going to be

Green Mountain Report

by Bradley Carleton, Charlotte, VT sport, and spending time in nature.

Within a month of the diagnosis, it appeared that through treatment, and an ardent desire to enjoy life, the cancer was gone.

Aiden, who has a caustic

This is where Rob and I speculated that the remarkable recovery was attributed to Aiden’s passion for life, sport, and spending time in nature.

just 13 years old and in his fourth year of pursuing whitetails as a Youth hunter. Aiden loves his football and racing minis at Devils Bowl in Middlebury. But on August 2, Aiden felt “something not quite right” at school. His

girlfriend, Sarah Bonnett, who lives with him, and is a radiation therapist, said that they needed to take him to the UVM Medical Center Immediate Care Facility called Fanny Allen in Colchester. When they checked in, they ran

along night. But according to Rob, Aiden was “cool, calm and collected” and emphatically stated that he intended to return to school in three weeks to play football. Now Aiden is one of those big country dudes – at 14, he is now five foot nine and 180lbs with a size twelve shoe. His plan was to play football and come October pursue his passion for hunting with his dad on Youth Weekend. This is where Rob and I speculated that the remarkable recovery was attributed to Aiden’s passion for life,

sense of humor, returned to school and when his buddies asked what happened, he casually said “I had my nut cut off.” By Youth Weekend, Rob had arranged to take his son up to a camp that a fellow worker offered. Aiden had just acquired a Ruger .243 from the previous Christmas and Rob put a Leupold scope on it and at the last minute, they proceeded to sight in the rifle at LaBerge’s pit in Charlotte. On the second day of Youth Weekend the father/son team had spent quite a few hours in

a double seat tree stand and decided to take a break and get a bite to eat. When they returned, it all started to unfold, as destiny often does.

When three deer crossed in front of the stand, Rob carefully instructed his son to put the crosshairs “below the shoulder and just a bit behind it.” Aiden pulled the trigger on a nice doe at 130 yards. When the doe dropped, Aiden spoke up enthusiastically “Deer going down!” Together with the jubilant help of the (Aiden cont. pg 59)

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Page 54

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Muzzleloader standing broadside at 60 the rut. This makes getting

thicket and shot at the buck tired and run down from

(Cont. from pg 51)

Merry Christmas! & Happy New Year!

very large buck that had recently moved in from who knows where. He spent the week between rifle and muzzleloader season chasing all of our local does around the neighborhood.

The first day I had to hunt I eased into a dark spruce

yards. Unfortunately, a horizontal log just in front of me got in to way and the difference in height between scope with raised mounts and the bore cost me a giant deer (that log was not in the scope view I swear!). Secondly, when you encounter a bedded buck they are often quite

close to them a little easier, and often they will bound from their bed and stop giving you a nice shot instead of hightailing it out of there like they probably would have in November.

Bucks also sometimes get lazy and bed down in locations that are less advantageous than I normally would expect. Third, is the bucks will sometimes head for the best feeding locations before dark so if you can hunt near a really good food source in the evening, you may get an opportunity at a quality deer. Just keep in mind, we are not talking about the midwest, where big mature bucks are pouring out into fields before dark. The food sources shift regularly in the late season and depending on the area could be beechnuts, acorns, apples, timber cuttings, food plots or a field.

My last piece of advice is to take good care of your muzzleloader by always keeping it clean and use a quality bullet. I like the Barnes TMZ/TEZ. Good luck to all of you that get out with a muzzleloader in December.

Ben Wilcox is owner of Maple Country Anglers, located in Northwest Vermont. He is a current member of the USA Fly Fishing Team. He is a registered Maine Guide and graduate of the University of Maine.

He also owns a large Maple Sugaring Business, Amber Ridge Maple. These occupations allow him to be in the woods or water nearly every day of the year. He can be reached at maplecountryanglers@ gmail.com

December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 55

Looking Back

The long-handled net leans in the corner of the porch. Our fly rods lie snug in their tubes, the reels in their cases. The old Grumman is chained to the spruce tree. The outboard winterized. The generator has been stored for winter, water drained from the cabin’s pipes. Sheets hang from the windows.

It’s been said that we forget the days when black flies and mosquitoes suck our blood, and no-see-ums drive us to distraction.

Soon to fade from memory are the hours tramping over deadfalls and through bogs, the wind howling over slumped shoulders, sweat dripping down the small of our backs. Seated here by the woodstove it’s not the cold, damp hours when my back ached or the arthritic cramp in my fingers when the temperature falls below fifty degrees that I remember. Like the warm glow from a campfire, what comes to mind is the memory of those few fish caught and the big one that always seems to get away.

It’s been a good season. After a year of drought, spring rains brought the big fish back to the river. One morning in early June it seemed like every hookedjawed desperado wanted a piece of the soft-hackled streamer I stripped across a well-known run on the Magalloway River, fish flashing each time the streamer made the perilous journey across the pool. After a number of short strikes, I managed three brook trout—the largest seventeen inches.

Late afternoons in July were set aside for the exploration of the many brooks and streamlets that

Against The Current

comprise the headwaters of the Rangeley Region’s more famous rivers. Unlike the early season, with its crowds of anglers and carnival-like atmosphere, fish-

brothers of the angle broke through the alders. They watched as I took three fish on successive casts.

After reeling in, I wished them good luck, suggesting shotgun echoed through the hills as I huddled under layers of fleece and the hood of a Gore-Tex rain jacket.

On the day before the day before the last day of the season, I’d released few small fish when the biggest

ing these little rills is a solitary activity, and although the fish may be small, they are truly some of the most stunningly beautiful, and often times, hard-fighting fish you’ll have the pleasure to encounter in surroundings that remain as pristine as when a young Johnny Danforth and Fred Barker explored the forest surrounding Parmachenee Lake.

During the third week of August, a passing storm concentrated its rainfall over our cabin. Before it stopped, I made my way to a favorite pool where I found the stream running as high as I’d ever seen. Over the course of two hours, I took sixteen native char, more than one measuring seventeen inches against the net, all part of a pod stacked up while greedily taking whatever food the engorged current provided.

I was experiencing similar results the next morning when three fellow

Like the warm glow from a campfire, what comes to mind is the memory of those few fish caught and the big one that always seems to get away. they try a #20 wet fly. One of the twenty-somethings commented, “We expected you to growl or at least give us a dirty look when we appeared.”

Now, I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage, Sometimes, you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you. To be honest, in my case the bear almost always tramps away with a full stomach. Nevertheless, I wasn’t about to let on that my success was the exception to this rule. Instead, I replied, “Must be going soft in my old age.”

Clouds held the sun prisoner during the last week of September. Periodic squalls swept down the Boundary Mountains spitting rain while a bitter wind sneered at those anglers fool enough to challenge its dominion.

The occasional sound of a

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brute of the season rose through a rapid. I saw the marabou feather dangling from the brook trout’s jaw, felt its power as it muscled forward, and wanted to cry when my rod sprang back, the line swaying lifeless in the current.

Later that afternoon, the wind died and the rain stopped. The dismal shroud of clouds finally parted, the sun set free. Alongside the stream, moisture glistened like diamonds sprinkled across the branches of the spruce-and-balsam growing tightly alongside the

by Bob Romano, Rangeley, ME river while waves of brilliant gold, lemon, burnt orange, and scarlet appeared to sweep across the mist-covered hills. Like a pretty girl’s smile or an old man’s hearty laugh, the sight brightened my spirit.

Trish and I left our cabin early the next morning. The temperature had fallen to thirty-two degrees. Fog was as thick as a bowl of Nova Scotia clam chowder. A covey of grouse broke from the surrounding spruce trees as we turned up the twotrack. The ferns along the logging roads were coated with frost. Another fishing season had passed.

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 56

One Down; One to Go

Women In The Woods I was relieved to see my name on the list of people who had received doe tags in the lottery. Dad, Hubs and I all got them, which meant plenty of opportunities for us to punch our tags. We were also in the zone that we normally

December 2022

by Erin Merrill, Portland, ME

tine’ myself, I packed up and headed north.

My watch read 32 degrees when Dad and I sneaked into the woods.

At a fork in the trail, Dad waited for me to get into my stand before he continued on. I flicked off my

ment. There was doe. I grabbed the gun and realized that I was sitting too close to the door to swivel around and get a quick shot off. I lifted the barrel of the gun over my head, keeping

gan turning to walk away.

I put the crosshairs on her shoulder and squeezed. A puff of smoke and her white belly lay facing me. It was 7:31 a.m. Rifle season has been underway for about an hour. One tag was filled.

Many of us love this time of year and I am a fan of being able to continue my hunting and be able to continue spending time in the woods. With one deer in the freezer, the pressure is off a bit and I can focus on getting a big buck. Wish me luck!

The author with her opening day doe two lights skirt the side the butt tight against my of the field and disappear. chest. My body was in line Another blow from a deer with the doorpost, forcing me to lean ahead and off to my right.

The sun was start- twist to get the gun out the ing to clear the trees but window.

The doe knew somethe birds and squirrels were still relatively quiet. thing was wrong. She I scanned the woods and paused and stomped. She field looking for move- walked towards me and be-

Erin is a member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association and the New England Outdoor Writers Association. She is a senior writer for Drury Outdoors’ DeerCast. You can read about Erin’s adventures and contact her at www.andastrongcupofcoffee.com

calmed down when I saw two headlamps at the far end of the field. The neighbors. Usually, they hunt away from our property line but apparently not this year. I watched the

The doe knew something was wrong.

She paused and stomped.

She walked towards me and began turning to walk away.

hunt in.

There were so many doe on our trail cameras that it seemed likely that we could be successful.

But, as opening day got closer and closer, illness struck my household and I was the last person standing without a tissue or cough drops in my pocket.

In my attempt to ‘quaran-

headlamp and watched his light disappear around the corner. For all I know, the deer watched us split up but when Dad started off, there was an eruption in the woods and all I could hear was a deer blowing.

It ran parallel to my stand but I could tell that it didn’t completely run off.

Things had barely

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December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 57

The Story of “Trolling Flies” The book by Dick Stewart and Bob Leeman, “Trolling Flies for Trout and Salmon”, was first published in 1982 and continues to be republished and sold and distributed even today---in New England and beyond. Someone said,

“This little soft-covered edition has become somewhat of a classic in the annals of fly tying enthusiasts and history buffs.

The authors continue to receive comments and calls from folks whot own, or had owned, a copy, although tattered and torn, but legendary; and often will refer to others who have mentioned their handme-down copies of the book from father-to-son or daughter, swapped, loaned, and even sold at a pretty fair price.

Someone said, Amazon has original hardcover copies, some signed by the authors, for as much as $200 to $300 dollars, more or less, depending on condition.

The book not only has content of “original” streamer flies, in color, but many patterns were assembled by individual, creative tyers, many who

were, or are, legendary in the trade.

The history chapters in the handy softcover go on to explain the how, when, and where’s of each fly fashioned, and chronicled.

“AN IDEA” Going back in the late 1970’s this writer had a flyshop in Brewe r, M a i n e , named Bob L e e m a n ’s Trout Shop.

It started slow and boomeranged soon after those m e m o rable days of Atlantic Salmon flooding into our northeast river drainages.

But most notably in the Penobscot River’s Bangor Salmon Pool, right at the backdoor of the famed Bangor Salmon Pool Club on the foaming river shores of the big waterway. And right, almost directly on the crest of the fishing spot,--stood Leeman’s Flyshop.

It was during those incredible years in time that my friend, being a salesman for the Universal Vise and Fly Tyer Distributing Company in Massachusetts, and being both fly tyers as well, originated the idea of writing and creating the book that eventually turned out to be “Trolling Flies for Trout and Salmon.”

Dick Stewart, being a salesman for fly tying materials, was a cinch to gather information from the many “sport” shops in New England and beyond--many who knew of, and

some creators themselves, of old and new streamer fly type creations from past and present in their areas.

This writer, being a scribe and outdoor columnist for several newspapers and magazines, agreed to begin formulating the chapters. As time went along, and between sales calls, lunches, and meetings, Dick and this writer finally had formulated

“Just Fishing”

by Bob Leeman, Bangor, ME Dick Stewart, being quite an entrepreneur, went on to create and edit American Angler Magazine, and several other books in the fly fishing industry.

Bob Leeman sold his fly shop many years ago, and has written two more books on fishing. He once

DOORS on WVOM-FM, Bangor, ME, Sundays 7-8 pm, and writes a monthly column for The Nortwhoods Sporting Journal magazine.

Bob Leeman is a Master Maine Guide, outdoor writer, naturalist, book The book not only has content of author, and a co-host of “original” streamer flies, in color, but MAINE OUTDOORS radio program on Sunday many patterns were assembled by evenings from 7-8pm. His individual, creative tyers, many who three books, “Fly Fishing were, or are, legendary in the trade.

Maine Rivers, Brooks, and what we thought would be wrote outdoor columns Streams”, Trolling Flies for a book that would be not for seven weekly Maine Trout and Salmon”, and only a “how to” publica- newspapers, and produced “Salesman Angler”---are tion, but an historical of- and directed a series of all available, in soft cover fering as well. fishing films for WLBZ TV, only at several bookstores Stewart met and inter- Bangor, Maine. He is pres- and fly shops, or directly viewed my good friend and ently a co-host with V. Paul from him. For information, very talented artist, Larry Reynolds on a weekly radio see ad in this publication or Largay, and after reviewing program, MAINE OUT- call 207-217-2550. his outdoor oriented works, was thrilled to have him as our illustrator. (Larry died a few years ago as the result of a horrible auto accident.)

The original edition of the book was first published by the Stephen Greene Press in Brattleboro, Vermont, and later

by Mountain Pond PubGuns • Ammo • Supplies lishing Company of North Conway, New Hampshire.

Today it is republished as finelinegun@aol.com needed by Maine Outdoor Ralph & Mary Sleeper Publications, Ellsworth, 590 Plains Road, Poland 207-998-2374 Maine.

As mentioned, many of the flies featured in color plates are “original” and offered to the books publishers to be photographed in their own creative form.

Some originals were obtained, and only a few had to be copied to exact likenesses and sizes. Those flies were stated as so.

The Sebago Region

Fine Line Gun Shop

Page 58

The Singing Maine Guide

Northwoods Sporting Journal

by Randy Spencer, Grand Lake Stream, ME I’d made every mistake in the deer hunting book before I met Bill. Bill turned 91 last May, but the previous November, when Bill was still only 90, he tagged out with a ten point buck that he’d shot at just under 200 yards. He got that deer out of the woods himself with the help of his 1987 four wheeler, but he pulled into my drive later that day to ask if I’d be available to help him with the skinning and butchering part. I leapt at the chance.

The reason I’m always eager to help Bill is entirely selfish. With very little prodding, Bill will drop nuggets of hardearned wisdom while we’re busy with our hands, and in this case our knives.

“I use to track ‘em, chase ‘em, hound ‘em all day long till they got so exasperated they’d make a mistake. Those days are

over.” That’s what he uttered while we were cutting away tallow from the rib cage.

These days, Bill waits for deer. He’s got time now. As of two years ago, the love of his life went among the dearly departed, and though he misses her

Practice Makes Permanent

shooting stick to rest his rifle on. There, he can daydream of his sweetheart, or of the many, many stately bucks he’s taken in his long life. And of those, many have a story that seems to ferment, enrich, and grow with time.

Like the time before cellphones when he stayed out all night on purpose but had no way of notifying his wife. For any Gen Z folks

More times that not, he caught up with and bagged his quarry, possibly, one would think from hearing the stories, because the buck just surrendered.

Bill was that dogged in his deer hunting at an earlier age. That’s why he doesn’t have to “track ‘em, chase ‘em, or hound ‘em” now.

He’s earned the more relaxed method he now employs, and says with a grin

“I use to track ‘em, chase ‘em, hound ‘em all day long till they got so exasperated they’d make a mistake.

Those days are over.” desperately, he finds the wherewithal to keep going because, “that’s what she’d want me to do.”

Waiting means spending long hours at a spot of his choosing depending on what the wind is doing. Even so, he takes care not to go out there, as he says, “smelling like Aqua Velva.” He’s given up climbing tree stands or sitting in blinds. Instead, he’s seated comfortably in a camo lawn chair with a

December 2022

reading this, the majority of Bill’s life was before cellphones. The only reason his spouse didn’t call in the authorities was that Bill had pulled this stunt several times before. She knew the reason was always the same: he’d been on the trail of a deep woods buck, and he knew from the hoof prints and dew claws that it was a dandy. Well, he wasn’t ready to give up on this deer, so, Bill hunkered down with his beef jerky, his sterno, and space blanket, only to be on his feet and walking at first light.

that his success rate hasn’t suffered much for it.

As we skinned last year’s buck in Bill’s garage where it hung from a crossbeam, he talked about things he used to do that almost always resulted in failure. For example, when blue jeans came into vogue, he began to wear them hunting. In cold weather, he’d simply wear a union suit under them. But for some reason, deer could pick him out whether he was on the ground or in a stand. Then, he began to read about whitetail deer

(Bill’s a zealous reader) and learned that they see colors differently than we do. It’s not that they are color blind per se, but that they see in 2d rather than 3d like us, and that some colors really stand out for them. Among them: blue!

Bill’s batting average improved after that.

Also after learning about cover scents. He’d been using store-bought products, some of which were made in Arkansas or Missouri.

That’s when he got the notion to make his own. He gathered up cedar, spruce, apples, fir sap, dead ferns, oak leaves, and water from a local stream. He wrapped the solids in cheese cloth and boiled this mixture in the stream water. He then strained the contents into a spray bottle. Bill now smelled exactly like the habitat he was hunting.

Bill lets a lot of deer pass. He tends to get a nice buck every other year, and that meat easily lasts him through the interim. This will be the “off” year, so if he doesn’t need the meat, he won’t shoot.

(Practice cont. pg 59)

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Aiden

(cont. from pg 53) farmhands, father and son walked out of the fields.

Winners.

The VT F&W is asking hunters for help gathering biological data on the state’s deer population.

Hunters who get a deer during the November 1227 regular deer season are asked to provide an incisor tooth from their deer. Tooth envelopes are available at all deer reporting stations.

Biologists are collecting middle incisor teeth from all regular season bucks to evaluate regional differences in ages and antler characteristics as well as to help estimate population size, growth rate, health, and mortality rates.

Each tooth will be cross sectioned to accurately determine the deer’s age, and the results will be posted on the F&W website next spring. “Knowing the ages of harvested deer is critically important, and more information allows us to make better man-

Practice

(Cont. from pg 58) The great classical cellist, Pablo Casals was once asked in an interview why he still practiced his instrument when he was in his 90’s. I wouldn’t dream of asking Bill why he still hunts at the age of 91.

I’m pretty sure his answer would be that same as Pablo’s: “because I think I’m making progress.”

Randy Spencer is an author and a working Maine guide. Reach him at randy31@earthlink. net or via www.randyspencer.com

agement decisions,” said Nick Fortin, Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s deer project leader. “To accurately estimate deer numbers, and to better assess our current management strategies, we really need to get teeth from as many bucks as possible.”

Just as deer hunters are focusing on the mountains and fields across the

state, avid duck hunters will be praying for more northern cold fronts to sweep down into our region. The first half of the waterfowl season was abysmal for many hunters. Yes, that first few days of each Opener brought in some good “summer ducks” and then the first wave of migrators, but with another year of excep-

Page 59

tionally low water, many swamps were inaccessible by boat. Canoes, kayaks and sneakboats were the order of the day. Between the strangely warm weather and the low water, I suspect that the best duck hunting is going to occur on the last few days of the season which ends December 18 in the Lake Champlain and CT River Zones. This

is about two weeks earlier than the last several years.

The call I’m hearing at this writing is “where are the whistlers?”

Bradley Carleton is the founder and Executive Director of www.sacredhunter.org which teaches the public respect and empathy through hunting and fishing.

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Page 60

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December Question Of The Month

December 2022

Ever Been Lost in a Big, Bad Bog?

By V. Paul Reynolds

For me, Maine bogs have always held an allure. It may be the deer hunter in me. The buck of my dreams is always seen in a bog, ghosting its way silently on the mossy ground, weaving slowly between gnarled old cedar trees and grey, weathered deadfall. There is a dusting

up if you are not careful.

Orson Bog just north of Brownville Junction is a case in point. Many Novembers ago, as a young deer hunter, Orson Bog and I became acquainted. Wary but fascinated, I hunted the edges of Orson Bog and a few bucks met their demise during my visits.

eventually, through some creative compass work, the bog, with darkness coming on, lost its grip on me.

Over the years, a num-

became hopelessly stuck in the mud.. Bogs merit respect from all interlopers.

Bogs all seem to have distinct features peculiar to

ground bordering on quicksand that could virtually swallow up a hunter daring enough to traverse its interior. Horror stories, many

Whether you are a deer hunter or not, if you have an affinity for natural wild places, a bog can be both inviting and intimidating. Inviting for the mystery of it; intimidating because it can swallow you up if you are not careful. of snow underfoot. The air has warmed creating a rising mist. Antler tips can be seen intermittently through the tree openings as the fantasy monarch moves like a cat amid the gauzy, shifting layers of fog.

Whether you are a deer hunter or not, if you have an affinity for natural wild places, a bog can be both inviting and intimidating. Inviting for the mystery of it; intimidating because it can swallow you

Deer feel safe in these dark, moss-covered lowlands. For obvious reasons, many hunters won’t stay on the track when the quarry takes them into seemingly forbidden places. But it’s quiet going underfoot, for the hunted and the hunter.

Once in the late afternoon I ventured too deeply into the bog and - though not really lost - found myself boxed in by standing water.

Spitting snow and fading light had me worried, but

For a hunter, a Maine bog can be both inviting and intimidating.

(Illustration by V. Paul Reynolds)

ber of hunters have become lost or disappeared altogether in Maine bogs. In May of 2013 three people perished in Windsor Bog after their Jeep Wrangler

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themselves. Another of my favorites is Horseshoe Bog, which is part of the Scutaze Stream drainage. Not far from there, One Thousand Acre Bog has shared its solitude with me and some moose hunters that I have guided. Yes, these bogs hold many personal memories, some of which have been shared and some that have not.

Michigan has some infamous bogs, too. Outdoor writer Betty Sodders has written about the fabled Gogomain, a 25-mile square cedar swamp at the east end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Betty writes: “Historically, the swamp became infamous from reports of marauding slasher bears to unstable

most likely exaggerated, caused folks to avoid the big swamp.”

According to Betty, the big swamp is home to upwards of 1,200 wolves who take their share of Michigan whitetails. Does that make you wonder how hungry Maine coyotes find fertile hunting ground in our cedar bogs that are often wintering ground for whitetail deer?

The Great Heath in Washington County is Maine’s most high-profile bog. This protected ecoreserve comprises 5,681 acres. Geologically, it is a unique area. Called a “peatland, the Great Heath combines what is known (Question cont. pg 67)

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Winter Birds

Page 61

The Bird Perch

by Karen Holmes, Cooper, ME are hidden under pieces of bark, moss or snow. If you watch them, you can observe their interesting behavior.

The individual birds will fly off in different directions with their peanuts or seeds. This is so they

December is the month of Christmas Bird Counts/CBC. They are volunteer efforts to count all the species and numbers of birds within a predetermined area or circle on a single day every year. The CBC continues to provide much data to use for looking for changes in bird populations. I volunteer every year as I know the value of such surveys.

Sites that provide easy numbers of birds to view are always bird feeding stations. I look out my kitchen window from my comfortable rocking chair to watch my feeders. And when I look out on a subzero day in December when usually snow is swirling around, I contemplate how birds survive. I stock all my feeders with peanuts, nyjer, cracked corn, white proso millet, hulled and blackoil sunflower seeds, and suet.

Winter birds eat as much as twenty times more food in order to maintain necessary body weight. Their biological systems will keep them warm and insulated from the cold. They grew more feathers and can fluff them up often to trap warm air

around their bodies. Shivering also generates heat.

Many birds arrive as “groupies”, small flocks.

In winter more eyes find more food and spot predators faster. I have flocks of Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Red and White Breasted Nuthatches, Slate-colored Juncos. Many of them take food to hoard and cache to eat on especially stormy days. Shelled peanuts are very popular. The jays and chickadees hold pieces with their feet and use their bills so they can easily eat the bite-sized bits.

But I especially enjoy the tiny acrobats named Redbreasted Nuthatches. Their blaring, sharp, tin-hornlike calls announce their arrival when they spot me filling the peanut feeders. They

are not afraid of me and come to take peanuts right out of my hands.

The word “nuthatch” comes from an old English name “nuthack”. Female Red-breasted Nuthatches have a lighter red breast and gray cap. The males sport more black caps and redder breasts. I always admire these adept climbers who easily go up and down branches and tree trunks. Woodpeckers, creepers, and warblers have to climb up and peer into bark crevices above and beside them. But Nuthatches can also peer into crevices below them. This is an advantage and also minimizes competition for food. Redbreasted Nuthatches are so adept at food storage. They create numerous caches under the bark and in holes of trees. Usually these caches

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be interesting to see if large numbers will be found during this year’s CBC in areas south of Maine.

Karen Holmes is a retired teacher and now writes for various publications. From her 74 acre

In winter more eyes find more food and spot predators faster. I have flocks of Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Red and White Breasted Nuthatches, Slate-colored Juncos. can avoid having the others locate and steal their hidden caches. Here in Cooper, Maine we enjoy having both Red and WhiteBreasted Nuthatches. The Reds are more common in our coniferous forests.

Year round they are found in southern Canada and the northern United States.

But when food is scarce in the winter, they will “irrupt” or move southward in large migrations. It will

home in Cooper, Maine she volunteers for various wildlife surveys. From doing such surveys for over 40 years, she can see how bird communities and populations are changing due to climate change and habitat losses. She feels lucky to have been able to experience in more than 70 years of her life the more diverse and numerous bird populations compared to what exists now.

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Page 62

THE BACK SHELF

Northwoods Sporting Journal

From the files of the Northwoods Sporting Journal The best hunting and fishing columns going back 25 years!

By their very nature backshelf articles, resurrected from our archives, may contain information or facts that have been altered or changed by the passage of time.

By Stu Bristol The last month of the year down here in southern Maine is never boring. We have a couple weeks of muzzleloader season for deer, the grouse season is open through the end of the month even if most of the dog activity is lost due

for. Collecting these delicacies, mind you, may not be for the faint of heart as the ice bends and cracks even though you are in a shanty less than 20 feet from shore. Last year my friend Pete Santini, owner of Fishing Finatics Tackle Shop in Everett, Massa-

Christmas Smelt

Unless you’ve been living in a cave all your life, you probably know all about coastal smelt fishing and the commercial camps in Bowdoinham, Dresden and Richmond, each on brackish coastal rivers.

My favorite has always been River Bend camps in Bowdoinham, not only because they are some of the first camps to pen for the year but they have larger camps to accommodate four husky anglers

Unless you’ve been living in a cave all your life, you probably know all about coastal smelt fishing and the commercial camps in Bowdoinham, Dresden and Richmond, each on brackish coastal rivers. to snowfall. Still hunters can find plenty of action by sneaking through the softwood covers. The birds will flush with a bit of coaxing if you were trained on bird dogs and refuse to shoot roosted food.

Most of the ponds that have not yet frozen over are still open to fishing with limited creel limits or catch and release but, for many of us, the first buckets of coastal smelt in time for Christmas dinner is the prize we’ve been waiting

chusetts were all alone and probably the first anglers to venture into the camps at Bowdoinham.

Pete closes up shop and heads for the Galapogos Islands to guide marlin anglers and will return in March or April. His mom, like most old country Italian cooks really yearns for a meal of fresh smelt next to the main dish on the Christmas day feast. For the past several years it was my job to be sure Pete didn’t let his mom down.

and more important, they use flat-top wood stoves instead of skimpy little burners or kerosene heaters that give me a headache.

Everyone, and I mean everyone has their own special methods for catching saltwater smelt. Some are content to use the heavy tarred lines furnished with the camps but I think it’s safe to claim that those who bring their own lines will go home with more fish.

The variety and description of those homemade lines

is diverse as the anglers themselves. Most common are the anglers who simply bring 8-10 hand rods, either home made or store-bought. These rods are very limber and the line used is in the 4-6 pound test range. The rods are either propped up with a chunk of firewood or sitting in a store-bought rod holder either on the bucket or a standing frame.

I created lines using the large size ice fishing reels. I welded a C-clamp to a stove bolt and load the reel with about 50 yards of braided Dacron with another 20 feet of Maxima 4-pound quality leader material. I prefer a number 6 trout hook and have a back-up size of number 8. I snell the hooks myself with about six inches of leader and make a loop at the end for easy attachment to the Dacron via a snap swivel.

At the terminal end of the Dacron line I use a 1-ounce barrel sinker or pyramid sinker. The hook or hooks are attached along the line with loop connections.

As with any type of fishing, I feel it’s important to change bait often. Some of the camps provide a dozen seaworms with the price of camp rental but I bring along or buy at least four or five dozen worms and I use them all before the six-hour tide is done.

It doesn’t always work out to my liking but I try to rent the camp on an incoming tide that reaches high around or just after dark.

Daytime tides are usually less productive although after the holidays that may be the only time you can find a camp free. Throughout January and February,

December 2022

weekends are the busy times and you may need to book at least a week or two in advance.

In December I usually get to be the first on because I keep calling the camps when I think the ice is beginning to catch. As I mentioned, you may get your feet wet due to thin ice but I’ve never actually gone through before. Came close a couple of times but those days were at the tail end of the season, in late February or March when I had to walk a plank to get to the camp and the shanty was being held on the ice by two or more corners.

There is always something to do outside, especially in December, after the bustle of deer season winds down. If I haven’t taken a deer I will head out with the muzzleloader and this year I drew an any-deer permit so I will fill the freezer with doe meat if it comes to that.

There is rabbit hunting but the cottontails are now off limits and the hare’s are getting thinned out by the coyotes and foxes, but a good beagle can usually find you some.

I eagerly await the opening of ice fishing season January 1 but headed up the coast for a taste of rainbow smelt in time for Christmas dinner is a great diversion until the ice gets thick enough for me to use.

Stu Bristol is a Master Maine Hunting, Fishing and Tidewater Guide and outdoor writer. His features have been published nationwide for nearly 40 years. He can be reached at www.stubristol.com

December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Keep Your Powder Dry

Sometimes we take things for granted, or just neglect to do things which in the pursuit of whitetails with a muzzleloader can prove a major mistake.

I dare say most muzzleloader hunters these days hunt with in-lines and load

And, how long before a substitute fails or performs with less than maximum effort depends on the severity in weather extremes and temperature. It can be a week, a month or an entire season. It varies and not set in stone.

are nothing unusual. Then there is the habit many of us have of transporting our muzzleloaders from a warm house or camp to cold outside temperatures and then back into a warm truck or dwelling day-afterday. All this can affect a propellants reliability and potency. In the end the one way to insure a reliable

Page 63

Muzzleloading Afield

by Al Raychard, Lyman, ME

try securing it in a safe place at the same temperature instead of taking it into a warm environment. This will prevent condensation from building and affecting the propellant. This isn’t always possible so an

completely unnecessary.

My only answer is based on personal experience having hunted with muzzleloaders for a few decades now, maybe it is, maybe it’s not. Do you really want to find out when the moment

And, how long before a substitute fails or performs with less than maximum effort depends on the severity in weather extremes and temperature. It can be a week, a month or an entire season.

ignition with maximum results is to keep your powder dry. Doing so can be a pain in the rear end but unless you’re willing to take a gamble it’s just part of hunting with a muzzleKeeping your powder dry will prevent loader in extreme weather disappointing surprises when the conditions. long-awaited buck steps in to your crosshairs.

There are a couple (Photo by V. Paul Reynolds) ways to do this, and which up with one of the available Maine weather condi- is best is up to you. At this blackpowder substitutes. tions are notorious for be- time of year try keeping There are good reasons for ing pretty harsh during the your muzzleloader at the that. Whether it’s one of December muzzleloader same relative temperatures the Pyrodex types, Triple season. Rain, sleet, snow at all times. If you’re hunt7, Blackhorn 209 or some- and low and high variations ing in 32-degrees all day, or thing else, for the most in outside temperatures whatever the temperature part today’s substitutes are less dirty, slightly more powerful and consistent.

There are pros and cons of each individual brand, of course, but I doubt hunting with a muzzleloader would not be as popular today if the in-line and substitute propellants had not come along.

Although some makers claim their products to be impervious to dampness, or non-hygroscopic as the wording goes, and as good as most substitutes are compared to blackpowder under the right conditions and over time all are susceptible to prolonged foul weather conditions and especially extreme variations in temperature.

alternative is to discharge the gun at the end of each day. Many inline models have removal breech plugs.

If that’s the case remove the plug, powder or pellets and projectile. Either way you’ll start off with a fresh load the next day or next time out.

This sounds like a pain, a waste of propellant and bullets, and to some

to pull the trigger comes along?

Al Raychard and his wife Diane live on 43+/acres in Lyman, Maine that offers good deer and turkey hunting which they both enjoy. If the property had a trout stream it would be true paradise. Al can be reached at alraychard@ sacoriver.net

Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 64

December 2022

Cracker Barrel

by Homer Spit

When you hunt the same land every fall for more than 50 years, you see remarkable changes.

If you are a hunter whose very heritage is irrevocably linked to unfettered access to wooded areas, posted land is a slap in the face. It is true, as my wife reminds me, people who own private land have every right

like dandelions in springtime, and 2) Most of the land that isn’t consumed by new dwellings is posted: No Trespassing.

Yes, it’s not a new problem. Back in the 1990s, when I was the Information & Education Officer for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Game Warden Dave

Today, there are, not one, but two full time game wardens who coordinate IF&Ws Landowner Relations Program.

Are they doing any good? to keep you out, to keep it for themselves. And for the record, I believe in private property rights and would never agitate for public confiscation of private land, even to safeguard our priceless hunting heritage.

But we have a problem, Houston! In Hancock County, where I live and hunt, two things are happening at an unprecedented pace: 1) Single family dwellings are popping up in my old hunting haunts

Peppard was in charge of landowner relations. He actually went around knocking on doors of landowners who posted. To his credit, he convinced some of them to substitute Hunting By Permission Only signs, which were provided at no charge to these landowners.

The signs contained a space for the landowner’s name and phone number.

A few of these signs are still around, though faded, but I have yet to find one that contained either

Posted!

the landowner’s name or phone number, which does little to help the hunter looking for legally accessible land to hunt.

Today, there are, not one, but two full time game wardens who coordinate IF&Ws Landowner Relations Program. Are they doing any good? Perhaps, but, from where I stand, the problem must be out pacing their capacity to keep up.

Game Wardens advise that “posting your property with signs that say “Hunting by Permission Only” with your name and telephone number is much more preferable to the public than posting No Trespassing signs — and the setup can benefit you, too. Allowing use by permission puts you in direct contact with people using your land. And those people who are willing to reach out and ask for permission are usually also more inclined to help you by reporting acts of abuse

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and trespass by others.” sions of taxpayer dollars.

Not only are the ByThis is an old refrain.

Permission- Only signs as What we have not seen rare as real moose in Free- is a convincing case that port, the most of the new generic No Trespassing signs have an aggressive, threatening tone. An old cutting that I have hunted for years, has a new sign that announces: “ Warning: No

IF&W’s Landowner Relations Program is truly bearing fruit. How is this money being used? IF&W has never said. Do landowner relations wardens still knock on doors like Warden Peppard did in the early days of landowner relations programs? There may well be some significant successes in the realm of getting posted land unposted that we haven’t heard about. If there is some good news, those of us hunters who have become discouraged, who find it increasingly difficult to find unposted land would sure like to know.

Trespassing – Surveillance Cameras- live feed.” A neighboring blueberry barren that borders a swamp I have long hunted has a new sign message from a well-known Downeast blueberry processor. It is not sweet like the berries.

It almost hisses at you: No Trespassing- Violators Will Be Prosecuted!

Recently in a glowing Bangor Daily News op-ed endorsement of Governor Mills, by Matt Dunlap, he reported that the governor has “expanded IF&Ws cruHomer Spit lives on cial Landowner Relations a Maine lake. He likes to Program” with large infu- keep a low profile.

December 2022

Northwoods Sporting Journal

New Doe Permit System – Mid Season I’m writing this column on November 9th. We are 10 days into the Maine regular firearms season for deer and there have been over 19,000 deer tagged so far. That’s impressive. I don’t have the breakdown of tagged deer by sex. My local tagging station is located in WMD 16, which has a lot of doe permits. If the results at that station are any measure, the new doe permit system is having its desired effect.

Granted, the roll out of the new system was a gong show. Way too many people weren’t aware of the fact that, if they received a permit in the usual lottery, then they were required to pay 12 bucks before the season and actually purchase the permit that they had won. I won’t blame IF&W for that.They were clear about it and sent out

reminder emails to all of us doe permit winners days before the deadline to purchase.

More critically, for those who wanted to purchase one of the many thousands of permits available after the initial permit draw – that system crashed before it ever got off the ground. If you tried, you know what I’m talking about. IF&W thought that they were ready for all the internet traffic as people queued up to buy permits. They weren’t ready. The system busted on the first go around. To IF&W’s credit, they owned the mistake, worked to fix the glitch and attempt number two went smoothly by most accounts.

One big surprise for me was looking at how many permits were avail-

Page 65

Post-Script From Pocasset

by Josh Reynolds, Wayne, ME hunter with a doe permit can harvest a doe AND STILL take a buck! For me, this is the biggest, most significant change to Maine’s deer hunting/ management in my lifetime. I’d like to predict how this will all shake out at the end of this season but I’d probably be wrong if I did. The con-

in the central, central western, coastal and southern parts of Maine). We still have big challenges in the big woods with coyotes, dwindling deer wintering areas (yards) and with access to land all over the able to purchase after the State. Still, the new system initial drawing. There improves everyone’s acwere thousands available cess to doe permits and for in WMDs all over the state. those us who were reluctant For me, this is the biggest, most to fill a doe tag early and significant change to Maine’s deer effectively end our hunting season, now we can fill hunting/management in my lifetime. the freezer with some tasty I wrongly assumed that ventional wisdom is that meat and still go after that most people who want a there will be a record doe buck of a lifetime! permit would put in at the harvest helping the State drawing, evidently not. with its deer management Josh Reynolds is the And even more surprising goals – perhaps.

Assistant Editor of The From my seat, lookis that when the system did Journal. He can be reached get up and running, people ing back over the last 40 at jreyn207@gmail.com.. gobbled up all those “left or so years of deer hunting except this coming week over” permits very quickly. in Maine, I think there has because he will be at the Not much has been never been a better chance Skulker Camp on Seboeis said about the fact that for a hunter to have success Lake avoiding email like with this new system any at harvesting a deer (at least the plague.

Northwoods Sporting Journal Offers A FREE DIGITAL COPY to All Active Duty Military Personnel Worldwide!

E CTIV A O Y ET FRE ILITAR M

In these troubled and divisive times for our country, we at the Northwoods Sporting Journal remain proud to be Americans. We still stand for the National Anthem and thank our lucky stars that we live in the land of the free.

And we still salute our military men and women, who have served and continue to serve their country, here at home and in faraway lands. To them we owe our gratitude and appreciation for what they do, and for safeguarding our American way of life, which we value deeply.

As a way of saying thank you, we make the digital versions of the Northwoods Sporting Journal past and current - available online to service people around the world. If you have a loved one or friend now serving on active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, or anywhere else, please let them know that they have free access to our digital magazines at: www.sportingjournal.com

Page 66

Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Book Review:Fly Fishing the Hex Hatch

By V. Paul Reynolds A Hex, or if your Latin is good, a Hexagenia limbata, is a bomber-size Mayfly (sometimes called a Green Drake) that shows up on Maine trout ponds in mid-summer, usually early July. For a trout, they are a turkey dinner with all the fixin’s - a chance to get the most amount of food for the least amount of effort.

To a trout-loving fly fisherman, a Hex hatch is an adrenaline rush- a sight to behold. In fact, like a solar eclipse or an expanse of northern lights in the winter sky, a true Hex hatch on a trout pond counts as one of those special moments in nature.

So it is only fitting then that someone with a special love of trout angling, as well as a deep curiosity and infatuation with the this iconic Mayfly, finally rolled up his sleeves and wrote a book on the subject:

Fly Fishing the Hex Hatch by Leighton Wass, North Country Press, $24.95.

Wass grew up in Southwest Harbor, Maine.

He taught high school biology in Vermont for 33 years. He is 80 and has been fly fishing since long before he was shaving. He fishes all the northern New England states but has a special place in his fishing heart for Maine. He lives in Adamant, Vermont.

The Hex mayfly is the star of Wass’s book and he explains in patient detail and good humor all of the distinctions in a way that even I can understand.

Insofar as I know, Wass is plowing new ground in a field populated with books about fly fishing tactics and insect identification.

This 310- page book, with its 250-plus photos and illustrations, is a mustread for experienced fly Topics addressed include of a Hex Hatch, how to be anglers and novices alike. how to predict the timing prepared for an evening of

fishing, the author’s top five Hex flies, the Hex mayfly’s life cycle, and the confusion surrounding common names. In addition, the 160 Hex ponds and lakes named in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are the most ever listed, and an index allows readers to pinpoint pages where specific bodies of water are discussed Fly Fishing the Hex Hatch has voice, humor, heart and a breeziness that I found engaging. It’s a comprehensive, instructive book and a fun read for the novice angler or the stream-seasoned veteran.

Wass knows his stuff. His book is a winner!

Wass has been an outdoor freelance writer since the 1970s, but this is his first book which shares all the hows, whens and wheres that he has learned about this revered mayfly hatch. It will become a fly angler’s reference for years to come.

Signed copies are available directly from the author. Send $24.00 plus $4.00 postage to Leighton Wass, 1255 Adamant Rd., Adamant, VT 05640 The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide and host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network. He has authored three books.Online purchase information is available at www.sportingjournal.com, Outdoor Books.

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December 2022

Source

(Cont. from pg 45) of harvested adult males that are yearlings (age 1.5).

“The YMF reflects the average annual mortality rate of all adult males in the population by estimating the percentage lost to all causes on an annual basis (about half of our annual all-cause mortality is from the hunting seasons). In any given year, a high YMF may also reflect good fawn production 2 years previous and/or good fawn survival the previous winter. New Hampshire has a relatively low annual mortality rate when compared with many other Northeastern states, and this is why we maintain good age structure in the

Question

(Cont. from pg 60) as coastal plateau bogs and inland raised bogs.

It is home for some rare wild plants, not the least of which includes: Bog Bedstraw, Canada Mountain Ricegrass, and Jacob’s Ladder. Much of this famous heath is bordered by eskers, not unlike the Whale’s Back on Route 9, not far from the Middle Branch of the Union River, itself a bog of sorts.

On a black rainy night in November in the 1950s, my deer-hunter father got lost overnight in this area.

Disoriented, he eventually figured out his location by the sight of car headlights off in the distance bobbing across this famous highway esker. After spending a long night in an overturned canoe that he found beside the river, Dad paddled his way down river and found his way back.

The borrowed canoe?

I asked him that question.

He returned it in time to its rightful owner. At least,

male population”.

Based on 2021 statewide biological check station data, 41.9 percent of harvested adult (age 1.5+) males were yearlings.

When incorporating that figure in with the previous four years (2020-2017), that puts the YMF figure for the last five years at 43.8 percent. See my confusion?

It bothers me when people take disparate pieces of information and then make a list of whatever, and “it’s supposed to be accepted as gospel”. It seems that Wide Open Spaces is a brand of the company Wide Open Media, based out of Austin, MN, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Publishers Clearing that’s how the story goes.

Mane bogs are special. They do hold stories.

The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine guide and host of a weekly radio program, “Maine Outdoors,” heard at 7 p.m. Sundays on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network. He has authored three books; online purchase information is available at www.maineoutdoorpublications.com

Northwoods Sporting Journal House LLC. I don’t need a creative design shop in Minnesota to tell me about deer hunting in New Hampshire, Maine or Vermont. Here are my four true resources about deer hunting…

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department The Northwoods Sporting Journal And with Christmas just around the corner, those four have some great gift giving ideas. Just sayin’. Hunt Local-Buy Local.

Makes sense.

Peter St. James is a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association, Outdoor Writers Association of America, a licensed NH Fishing Guide, Director of the NH Wildlife Federation and has a radio show on WNTK-99.7FM. Reach him at: stjames. peter@gmail.com

News (Cont. from pg 48) and appreciation. “We are heavily dependent on the generosity of private landowners for hunting access

in our state. We owe it to private landowners and our peers to treat private land with great respect. Without private land access, many hunters would be severely restricted in their hunting options.”

Hunters should remember to take proper care when handling wild game to minimize possible exposure to wildlife diseases.

First and foremost, hunters should avoid shooting or handling any animal that appears sick. For more tips on safe handling of wild game please visit: https:// wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/safe-handling-wildgame.html

REAL ESTATE

This 57 acre property is listing for $1,380,000 contact James Stoneton, listing agent 207-745-5500

Maine sporting camps Long Lake Camps offers 12 cabins with each on the water and having its own dock. All the cabins have their own kitchen, living room, 1 to 3 bedrooms, porches and bathroom. In addition to the rental cabins there is a lodge/recreation hall, dining hall with fully equipped commercial kitchen, a cap store and office, coin operated laundry, year-round 3-bedroom home, year round 1 bedroom home and two large commercial garages. The camps are situate on 57 acre of land with 4000 feet of water frontage and on a wholly owned peninsula. All buildings are well maintained and modern. All equipment, supplies, boats, motors, tractors for running the business are included.

Bargain camp in the woods on a lease

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Page 67

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 68

December 2022

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Residential

175 Spring Street, Dexter, ME 04930 #3448-Embden; Convenient and economical living in this 5 room, 1+ bedroom ranch.

Great location and close to shopping and outdoor fun. Nice yard w/several out-buildings including two heavy duty newly covered Quonset style structures. Paved driveway, spacious yard and automatic generator. $149,900 (MLS#1546648)

#4395-Madison; 3BR home with many updates.

D o w n t o w n shopping is just around the corner.

3BRs upstairs, eatin kitchen, bathroom, and living room downstairs.

This property awaits its new owners to make it their own. Newly painted exterior, newer roof, and improvements made throughout the interior.

Conveniently located. $124,999 (MLS#1545824)

#8455-Embden; Beautiful surveyed 10.741 acre, wooded parcel with a small unnamed brook.

Driveway, power and a septic tank are in. Also, preparations were also made for a foundation. Great head start for your new home or camp. $75,000 (MLS#1547313)

#4396-Solon; Tw o b u i l d i n g s .

One to live in or rent and the other for storage, or maybe run a small business. 2BR, 1.5 bath mobile is well cared for and handy to in-town shopping. Close to the river for those who love to fish or use the ATV trails. 2 acres. $135,000 (MLS#1547193)

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL Our Past. Your Future

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

December 2022

Angling

(Cont. from pg 49) work well within New England waters. These include jerkbaits, crankbaits including flat sided crankbaits, blade baits, hair jigs as well as soft plastic dropshot baits. I highly recommend anglers concentrate on using all natural colors, including translucent color jerkbaits,” says Burgess.

Big East Bass Fishing Pro Tip: #1 Fish Slow, and then Fish Slower. #2 Use the lightest line you can get away with. #3 Bass strike zone is small, allow your bait to sit still within the strike zone longer.

Thinking I had finished my interview with Mark Burgess and Big East Bass Fishing? Mark said, “Now for the most important aspect of Cold-Water

207-265-4000 259 Main Street, Kingfield, ME www.csmrealestate.com

Angling in New England…

Safety!

Always fish with someone and never go out alone. Before starting up your outboard, be sure to connect the ‘Kill Switch’ and then verify you and your partner have your life vests on and secured. Dress warm in layers, quality rain gear provides excellent warmth and will break the cold wind. Wear gloves and a warm wool hat, plus

bring along a towel to dry your face and hands. Packing a bag with extra clothes is a wise move especially if you get wet. And, last of all go slow, fish slow and enjoy your time on the water.”

Stay in touch with Mark Burgess and Big East Bass Fishing on YouTube as well as Facebook. Mark may also be located at the New England Fishing Expo in Boxboro MA. January 27th-29th, 2023.

Page 69

God Bless and Best Bassin Billy “Hawkeye” Decoteau is an outdoor journalist. His activities include; emceeing The Bass University weekend educational seminar programs, as well as emceeing benefit tournaments such as the Annual Ike Foundation Pro-Am, Fishing For Freedom, and working with the USO.

janet@csmrealestate.com

Enjoy Maine's Vacation-land!

FREEMAN: Twp Rt 145. 2 bd furnished camp in a great area for hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. $79,000 "Tate" Aylward - 207-794-2460 Peter Phinney - 207-794-5466 Kirk Ritchie - 207-290-1554

REAL ESTATE

5 Lake Street, P.O. Box 66, Lincoln, ME 207-794-2460

Email: cwa@cwalakestreet.com

Grand Falls- This cabin was landed on this lot two years ago and ready to finish off and use. This 41 acre lot sits high on a hill with great views on Lord Brook Rd. ATV and snowsled from this location. Take a look. $79,000

Springfield- Remote.

Well wooded acreage. Direct ATV & snow mobile access right on McGinley Rd. Clean northern Maine air, wildlife outside the front door and the chance to feel free. Call today for a look at this traditional Maine cabin. $59,900

Lee- New cabin is well insulated & should heat easily with electric baseboard. Good sized wooded lot offers privacy on Old Steamboat Rd. Close to ATV & snowmobile trails. Year round access, electricity, near many lakes & ponds. $65,000

Lakeville- Gorgeous piece of land, heavily wooded & near the end of the Spaulding Pond Rd with lakes all around. The cabin is small but sturdy. The privy and fire pit make it comfortable. Definitely well worth a look. $49,000

T 3 R 1 - A b ra n d new cabin, fully insulated, knotty pine interior, wired for a generator. The privy is oversized with a covered porch, skylight and attached woodshed. Right on Sylvan Way with deeded access to Bill Green Pond. Offering owner financing! $79,000

Winn - This cute cabin is insulated with a knotty interior. The lot is heavily wooded and gorgeous. Situated on North Rd; a paved, year round, secondary road. With a little fire pit sitting just off the cabin’s screen porch. $59,000

Lee- Well wooded. Remote. Critters everywhere. Add in the good, clean air of Northern Maine and you’ve got yourself a “keeper”. This smashin’ little lot right off Mallet’s Mill Rd shouldn’t last long- call today for a guided tour. $69,900 Enfield- This large lot is part of a larger parcel, owner would consider selling larger piece.

Not far from Cold Stream Pond & Cold Stream. Public road of Caribou Rd & short distance to electricity. Make this your camp/home. $34,000 Lee- This nice 10 acre lot is on a year round road with electricity. The lot is nicely wooded right on North Road. Come take a look. $21,900 Lee- Undoubtedly the most spectacular views available in Maine, at this time. 83+/- acres with views of lakes & Mt. Katahdin with a long, well-built road ending at the crest of the hill.

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Northwoods Sporting Journal

Page 70

P.O. Box 628 Main Street Machias, ME 04654

SUNRISE REALTY

Office Tel. & Fax: (207) 255-3039 Email: anitaj@midmaine.com Website: www.sunlist.com Anita Johnson

HARRINGTON: This 4-bedroom 2 baths home sits on almost 4 acres. If you like to garden, there is plenty of space for it as there is a nice front yard and a larger back yard. Home has a nice kitchen, dining area and living room with a one bedroom and one bath downstairs. If you can’t do stairs there is a chair lift to help you.

There is also a laundry room on the first floor. Upstairs you have three bedroom and a bath. Master bedroom has a walk-in closet.

There is also an old barn in very poor condition and a two-car garage. Home is on the Wilson District Road and is about 1 mile from route 1. Home sits in a very good neighborhood and the price has been reduced to a very good price at only $169,000.00.

BERRY TWP: This two-room log cabin is on the Balsam Knoll Road in Berry TWP which is off the 19 road. The camp is on lease land and the owners put in new windows and doors. The camp has frontage on Round Lake so if you enjoy fishing or just going for a boat ride this is the place. There are bunk beds in the bedroom and a wood stove in the kitchen/ living area. There is a screened in porch that you can sit in and just enjoy the view. The price has just been reduced to a super low price at only $50,000.00.

December 2022

ST. JOHN VALLEY REALTY CO. 8 East Main Street Fort Kent, ME 04743

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SELLERS LANE BUYERS ROAD

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