The Maine Sportsman - September 2019 Digital Edition

Sportsman The Maine

September 2019 • $4.99

Hunting with .450 SMC Pistol Round Page 26

A Bullet Through the Window Page 42

Brad Varney on Wing Shooting Page 31

Canoe Hunt for Moose Page 61

Visiting the B-52 Crash Site Page 33

2 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

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Boggy Brook Outfitters

Boggy Brook Outfitters is a family-owned and operated Maine Guide Service with a main lodge and cabin, located in Ellsworth, Maine. This is a four-season operation, providing year-round adventures and lodging to their guests. Since 2006, owner Jesse Derr has offered client-tailored hunting and fishing trips, wildlife observation tours, and luxury lakefront accommodations. Nestled in a quiet cove on pristine Branch Lake, the main lodge offers luxury, log-home accommodations, exceptional sunsets, hunting, fishing, swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing and wildlife observation. The convenient location presents clients not only with a tranquil lakefront retreat, but also close proximity to explore such must-see attractions as Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, and much more. Maine Master Guide Derr and his son Christopher take pride in the exceptional services provided by Boggy Brook Outfitters to their guests from Maine and around the world. They provide fully-guided bear hunting, deer hunting, turkey hunting and moose hunting trips, as well as four-season freshwater fishing trips. Boggy Brook Outfitters offer deer hunting in all three of the available seasons in Maine (Bow, Rifle, and Muzzleloader). They

hunt over active food plots and well-traveled deer trails, and offer metal ladder tree stands, shooting houses and ground blinds. The guides work hard planting and maintaining food plots all year. Trail cameras are placed in hunting areas and food plots. Throughout the year, Boggy Brook Outfitters check over their well-established 1,500 gated acres of hunting land. Jesse and Christopher look forward to serving each client with professionalism and experience, with hunting and fishing adventures and with memories that will last a lifetime. Lifelong friendships are often created during these adventures. Boggy Brook Outfitters’ goal is not only to meet their clients’ expectations, but to always exceed them. For more information, or to contact Boggy

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4 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Editorial

Is it Time to Require a State License to Hike?

Much Revealed in Warden Service’s Annual Search and Rescue Report

Each year, the Maine Sportsman publishes a reader opinion poll in the spring, and releases the results in late summer. The final vote tallies from the 2019 poll are found on page 36 of this issue. One of the most lopsided scores again this year is found in the reader responses to Question #24: When Wardens spend time on search and rescue activities unrelated to fish or game activities, should the state’s General Fund pay for their time? YES: 88%; NO 12%. A review of available documentation demonstrates that our readers are absolutely correct in their expectations that taxpayers – not sportsmen – should help shoulder the financial responsibility of funding the Maine Warden Service. Each year, to comply with state law, the Service compiles two documents: a “Non-reimbursed Request for Assistance” report, and a “Search and Rescue Report.” Those reports tell a great deal about the important work performed by Wardens outside of hunting, fishing, ATVing or snowmobile-related responsibilities. The Service does receive some level of reimbursement from various sources, most notably funds for conducting invasive species act inspections on boats, such as for milfoil. However, as reflected in the most recent 2016 – 2017 annual report, the Service responded to 628 non-reimbursed requests for assistance from other governmental agencies that year, including 197 requests from the Maine State Police, 158 from county sheriffs and 146 from municipal police departments. More than half of those requests for assistance – 397 – were for assistance in search and rescue operations. And what outdoor activities required the greatest level of search and rescue assistance from the Wardens Service? The single largest category of search and rescue in 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 was to assist lost, injured or disabled hikers – 86 cases one year, and 93 the following year. Hiker searches costs amounted to $44,702.17. Twenty-two of those searches were the result of hikers who were traversing the Appalachian Trail. Hiking, birding and similar pastimes are generally considered “non-consumptive” activities. However, as demonstrated by the very real dollars expended when folks get lost or hurt and need help, they are indeed consumptive, and when Wardens are involved, it’s the license fees of sportsmen and sportswomen that are expended. Short of raising revenue through licensing hikers, birders and other non-hunter and non-anglers, we at the Sportsman will continue to advocate for a substantial General Fund (tax dollar) appropriation for the Maine Warden Service.

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New England’s Largest Outdoor Publication Readership

Sportsman The Maine

ISSN 0199-036 — Issue No. 564 • www.mainesportsman.com PUBLISHER: Jon Lund MANAGING EDITOR: Will Lund will@mainesportsman.com OFFICE MANAGER: Linda Lapointe linda@mainesportsman.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kristina Roderick kristina@mainesportsman.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nancy Carpenter nancy@mainesportsman.com Second class postage paid at Scarborough, ME 04074 and additional entry offices. All editorial inquiries should be emailed to will@mainesportsman.com Phone: 207-622-4242 Fax: 207-622-4255 Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Maine Sportsman, 183 State Street, Suite 101,­ Augusta, ME 04330 12-Month Subscription: $30 • 24-Month Subscription: $49

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Almanac by Will Lund........................................................ 14 Aroostook - “The County” by Bill Graves......................... 44 A Warden’s Life by Warden Lt. Bill Allen (Ret.)................ 72 Big Game Hunting by Joe Saltalamachia...................... 48 Big Woods World by Hal Blood......................................... 47 Bird of the Month, by Erika Zambello............................... 18 Capitol Report by George Smith..................................... 20 Editorial.................................................................................. 4 Freshwater Fly Fishing by William Clunie.......................... 55 Jackman by William Sheldon........................................... 57 Jottings by Jon Lund............................................................ 9 Katahdin Country by William Sheldon............................. 52 Kate’s Wild Kitchen by Kate Krukowski Gooding........... 30 Letters to the Editor.............................................................. 6 Maine Sportswoman by Christi Holmes........................... 66 Maine Wildlife by Tom Seymour....................................... 51 Maine Wildlife Quiz by Steve Vose................................... 11 Moosehead by Tom Seymour.......................................... 63 New Hampshire by Ethan Emerson.................................. 74 Off-Road Traveler by William Clunie................................ 65 Outdoor Chronicle by Ed Pineau..................................... 69 Quotable Sportsman by George Smith........................... 21 Rangeley Region by William Clunie................................. 70 Riding Shotgun by Robert Summers................................. 77 Saltwater by Barry Gibson................................................. 39 Sebago to Auburn Region by Tom Roth......................... 67 Self-Propelled Sportsman by Jim Andrews...................... 61 Shooter’s Bench by Col. J.C. Allard................................. 50 Smilin’ Sportsman: Adults & Kids by Will Lund.................. 77 Sporting Environment by David Van Wie........................ 73 Sportsman’s Journal by King Montgomery..................... 12 Southern Maine by Val Marquez..................................... 72 Trapping The Silent Places by David Miller...................... 60 Trading Post (Classifieds)................................................... 78 Trout Fishing by Tom Seymour........................................... 54 Western Maine Mountains by William Clunie.................. 26 Young Maine Sportsman by Luke Giampetruzzi............ 59

GUEST COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

ATVing in Maine by Will Lund............................................ 33 Bear Hunting in Maine by Tom Seymour......................... 22 Bullet Through the Window by Mary Smith...................... 42 Moose Hunting in Maine by Steve Vose......................... 28 Reader Opinion Poll Results.............................................. 36 Saltwater Fishing in Maine by Bob Humphrey................ 37 Shooting Sports by Brad Varney....................................... 31 Youth Writing Contest Winner Story by Delaney Woods.... 43

On the Cover: Youth Bear Day is August 24, and the hunting over bait season runs from August 26 through September 21. Read about hunting bear with a .45 caliber pistol that shoots new, powerful ammo on page 26, as well as the presence of bear in Midcoast Maine on page 24.

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Letters

6 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

To The Editor

Doesn’t like Ticks, Feral Cats To the Editor: Many thanks to Steve Vose for his very timely article on ticks (see “Tick Trouble,” July “Central Maine”) and how best to deal with them. We are grateful for his efforts. Also, thank you very much for the terrific story on feral cats by Jon Lund. I recall that David Miller wrote a very interesting and informative column about the same subject some time back. The problem of stray cats still exists, and one hopes that common sense will prevail. Apparently, it does not. Our neighbor took in stray cats and sheltered them, at our eventual expense. The cats would come onto our property and terrorize the birds at our bird feeders and water sources. We were told we “could erect fences” to protect our interests. These remarks were insulting in their ignorance! We ended up stopping feeding the birds just so we could keep the cats out of here. They not only killed the songbirds but they used our flowerbeds as litter boxes. Shooting cats in Connecticut is a felony, while laws protecting aggrieved property owners are a joke. To make matters worse, we have animal rights groups here trap cats and go through all the trouble and expense of having them sterilized or spayed, only to release them back out into the general population. So, these do-gooders can sleep at night knowing that these felines can no longer reproduce, but guess what? The damn cats resume their activities killing birds and wildlife. Unbelievable! Talk about misguided logic! Here’s the bottom-line, friends and neighbors – you drop the hammer on a stray cat

and get caught doing it, you’re going to do serious time. In the meantime, little “Tabbies” across the country will continue to wreak havoc on birds, wildlife, and property. Jim Smith – Preston, Connecticut —

Thumbs Up for New C&R Patch Club To the Editor: I would like to thank you for your magazine’s new catch and release patch club program. I believe it is great for the future of our state’s fisheries.

I am hoping you folks have so much success with the new program that one day the “One That Didn’t Get Away” club can be phased out. Joshua Bowring – Monmouth, Maine —

Catch-and-Release Grouse? To the Editor: Here’s a photo that’s very near and dear to me, since it exemplifies the meaning of a true sportsman. Last season on our annual fall grouse hunting trip up to Baker Lake area, my father (“Sparky” Wheaton, of Norridgewock) and I agreed that we would not kill any birds

on the ground. We would either make them fly, or we’d chase them into the woods. Soon we came across a bird in the road. After the initial stalk of the yearling bird, my Dad began to kick rocks and holler at it to try and rouse the bird. While standing a merely 7 or 8 feet from the immature road runner, and me grabbing for my camera, he slung his shotgun across the back of his shoulder and gave the bird one last wave of his hand. I grabbed for my camera.

In the blink of an eye, the bird was gone. During these few split seconds, I managed to fire off a number of photos, not knowing what the camera was set too, and fully knowing it was a shot in the dark. I guess it was meant to be that day, because this image was the first one to show up on my screen. We had not shot our limit for the day, but after looking at the photo on the camera screen, we both were as happy as if we’d shot our limit ten times over. Being a sportsman isn’t always about the biggest buck, or shooting your limit; it’s about respecting the beautiful things we so often take for granted. It means doing what’s right in the easy situations, but more importantly, in the tough ones. It’s gestures such as these that are going to preserve the sporting world that many of us love so much. Jonathan Wheaton – Norridgewock, Maine (Continued on page 8)

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8 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Letters to the Editor (Continued from page 6)

A Fan of Tom Roth To the Editor: My sincere thanks to Tom Roth for a fine August article in The Maine Sportsman (see Sebago to Auburn Region column, “DIF&W: Sebago Anglers Need to Kill More Togue”). I appreciate his description of the decline in Sebago salmon. It appears to me that he hit it just right. I’m very happy that he described the beliefs of a major component of Sebago salmon fishermen that all restrictions on togue harvest should be eliminated. It’s my understanding that the IF&W socalled “Regulations Committee” (that subject to check is not open to the public) put a stop on that option, and will only support a “one over” regulation. Perhaps the planned public hearing will turn that around, but I doubt it. Tom did one hell of a good job, and I appreciate it. Peter Dunn – Sebago Lake, Maine —

A Note from Nature Photo Contributor, Dave Small To the Editor: It’s been a pleasure to provide wildlife photos to the Sportsman from time to time over the years.

Snowshoe hare (Monochrome photo by Dave Small)

My interest in photography began nearly 60 years ago with a small box camera and 120 film. I used black and white film, and many shots were taken using a magnifying glass in front of the fixed lens to get a fuzzy close up of slow-moving insects – usually a whole roll of film, 12 exposures, holding the magnifying glass at different distances from the lens to see, a week later after the film was developed, which distance worked best. I had to spend almost all of the proceeds from my Grit route and Bangor Daily News paper route to buy and develop one roll of film. I couldn’t wait to head up to Allen’s Rexwww.MaineSportsman.com

all Pharmacy a week after sending my film out to see the results. Sometimes disappointing, but frequently some result would encourage me to keep trying and experimenting. It’s amazing how much photographic technology has change over the years. Still the fundamental curiosity and experimentation, seeking new and different results, has kept me engaged during all those years. The enclosed B&W – it’s now called “monochrome” – image of the snowshoe hare takes me back to a very pleasant time in my life. Thank you for allowing me the share with your readers. Dave Small – Old Town, Maine —

Thoughts on Lead Ammo To the Editor: In response to Col. Allard’s two-part series on lead ammo, let me say simply: “Great articles – I agree with him on everything!” I’ve been concerned about lead ammunition for some years now, and have tried not to shoot lead over my crops, for concern that the plants may take this heavy metal up from the ground and end up in my food. I’ve been using steel shot for woodchucks, but black birds pose a problem since I’ve never seen steel shot in #8 (or in steel it would probably have to be #6). Therefore, I try scaring them away and only shoot at them if they keep coming back. On my shooting range I collect whatever lead I can find at the backstop. Rifle rounds are rarely found, but handgun rounds, especially the ones that hit the steel gong, flatten, and drop to the ground, are much easier to reclaim. I share the Colonel’s thought that as we switch to copper and polymer projectiles, the future concern might be polymer contamination. Since I haven’t yet found copper/polymer projectiles available as a component, I haven’t been able to handload them and therefore haven’t actually shot many. The ones I refer to are what I’ll call “fluted” projectiles – these are the ones developed by Polycase for the military, and apparently without patent, as it appears most ammunition companies now offer handgun rounds with these projectiles, at least in the most popular defense calibers. Since I can’t find them as components, I currently only have them in .45 ACP, in my case marketed as Ruger ARX. I always wondered how well they would perform on deer, but since I can’t load them or get them in .454 Casull, I may never know any time soon. As Col. Allard stated, the lead issue is complex, and hopefully the market will provide better, affordable alternatives so as not to necessitate legal intervention. It is an issue we will have to (or at least should) deal with, and I’m hoping American ingenuity will once again prevail and solve this issue with a win-win solution. Bart Schairer – Hammonton, NJ —

Not a Fan of Alewives To the Editor: Maine Guide Lance Wheaton and I recently met with DIF&W Commissioner Camuso to express our extreme concerns about what is, in our opinion, a major threat to Washington County. We believe our area is at the precipice of an environmental disaster of immense proportions, due to the impact of alewives that can now reach watersheds because of the removal of blockages in the fishways at the Milltown, Woodland and Grand Falls dams along the St. Croix River, which forms the Maine/New Brunswick international boundary. I wrote a detailed letter regarding the threat to Commissioner Camuso, which is available in its entirety on The Maine Sportsman’s “readers’ opinions page” on their website, www.MaineSportsman.com/ReaderLetters Thank you for helping me share this information to protect the outstanding salmon fishery offered by the Grand Lake area. Steven J. Whitman, Master Maine Guide Princeton, Maine —

Coupla Questions To the Editor: I just received your email subscription reminder – thank you. I will renew. Coincidentally, I just learned that MDIFW no longer mails out a discount package to Outdoor Partner participants. So I’ll ask now: How does one achieve the corresponding Maine Sportsman discount? For my second and final question: I’m curious about the statement in your magazine about the new state record splake. It references “Frost Pond near Magalloway.” I know Frost Pond. It’s just above Ripogenus Dam, not Magalloway. Maybe there’s another Frost Pond at Magalloway, but I know the new record splake was caught over by Rip Dam. Brian B Burger – Moro Plantation, Maine The Editor responds: Brian – Thanks for your note. Regarding the belief that DIF&W no longer sends out written discount offers to those who pay extra for their licenses in order to qualify as “Outdoor Partners,” you are correct. To quote a spokesperson at the Information and Education office at IF&W: “We are no longer sending out the packets, but Outdoor Partners still do get the discount on the Maine Sportsman subscription. You will just have to show them a copy of your current license with the Outdoor Partner endorsement on it.” In addition to the Maine Sportsman offer, incentives are provided by Kittery Trading Post, Indian Hill Trading Post and other Maine businesses. And regarding the location of Frost Pond, you are correct again. While there are several Frost Ponds in Maine, somehow in our editing process, Ripogenus became Magalloway.

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For Finicky Trout, Try Venerable Red-and-White Dardevle Trout were rising here and there across the quiet surface of the remote pond. The tall pines lining the shore cast long shadows on the water. It would have been challenging to try to flycast from shore, so we three anglers paddled the only canoe in rotation – two in the canoe; one on shore. Some of the rises appeared to be of large trout, as the slap of a tail caused the expanding circles. The trout did not appear to be cruising just below the surface, but instead they were returning to the depths after breaking the surface of the water. Chasing rises wasn’t producing strikes, so I put on a small muddler minnow fly and just casted blind. Eventually a fish hit. The trout fought hard, but when it came to the net, it was smaller than some of the trout we saw rising. (All anglers are familiar with the phenomenon of fish shrink-

Around noon, I had another hard strike, and the fat 14-inch trout stayed hooked. Later, at the lean-to, I lent my partners additional copies of the red-and-white spoon which they trolled using sinking lines, with excellent results. age between strike and net.) Not a large trout, but thick and deep for its length. It would fit in the frying pan for supper. It was, indeed, a delicious addition to the planned meal. Spoons Legal Here We’d been unable to see what the trout were taking that afternoon, or match the hatch. That evening, I dug out a small box of lures. Fortunately for me, the law on the pond was ALO (Artificial Lures Only), rather than FFO (Fly Fishing Only). I rigged a sinking line on my fly rod and tied on a short leader and oneand-a-half-inch long red and white spoon – a daredevil, or to use the proper lure trade-name, “Dardevle Midget.” As I rigged up the spoon, I recalled an ear-

lier occasion when a red and white spoon became an important factor on another memorable occasion, a Quebec wilderness trip. Canada Experience We had finished lining our two canoes down through a rocky stretch of whitewater where the Outardes River emptied into a large lake. I was the first to assemble my spinning rod and cast a red and white spoon into the turbulent water. The small daredevil barely dipped into the churning water before a solid hit bent my fi-

berglass spinning rod in an arc. After a vigorous fight, a scrappy twopound togue came to the beach. Soon our two canoes were on the water, and we were casting. More togue lurked in the roily water, getting ready to spawn, aggressive and ready for battle. We had an exciting time, not even noticing that it was raining, until the rain turned into a downpour. Sharing Good Fortune Back on our remote Maine pond, the reaction to the Dardevle was more placid. The next morning,

we found it challenging to avoid having weeds foul the lures. I had a solid strike and hung onto the scrappy trout for a minute or so, before it shook off the treble hook. Around noon, another hard strike, and the trout stayed hooked, and I brought to net a fat 14inch trout. In the afternoon, another large trout stayed hooked for a time, then shed the hook. Back at the lean-to, I lent my partners additional copies of the red and white spoon which they trolled with sinking lines, with excellent results. The last evening, we had two trout, fourteen and fifteen inches, to fry up. We cut each trout in half and fried them to(Continued on next page)

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10 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Jottings

(Continued from page 9)

gether, tilting the pan at times and rolling the fish onto their backs to properly cook the meat. They were delicious.

Pinch the middle of a piece of the bag and cut it so that it makes a round hole to fit over the middle of the dryer tray. Place another tray on top of the first, and trim the plastic tray liner so it extends outside of the trays. Make two more tray liners. Shake up the quart jar of tomato sauce and pour it carefully over the tray liner, using a spatula to spread it evenly over the tray liner. Repeat with the rest of the quart and another half quart, until each of the three trays has about a quarter-inch layer of sauce. Run the dryer on low heat setting for up to 24 hours. The surface of the sauce should be dry to the touch. Lift the tray liner and sauce, and put it back up-

Dehydrating Food to Save Weight We had backpacked into the remote pond, and each of us provided a dinner. My contribution was tortellini with tomato sauce. Tortellini is light weight, being small shells of pasta enclosing dried vegetable portions. The tomato sauce, about a quart and a half of dense liquid, is heavy. However it is not difficult to dehydrate the sauce so that it weighs but a few ounces. I use a round warm air dehydrator and the thin plastic bags you get at the grocery store with your vegetables. Cut the bag so that it can lay flat.

If tied flies aren’t attracting fish, and if lures are allowed on the pond you’re fishing, here’s a good rescue kit to have -- a Mepps “Black Fury” spinner, an Al’s Goldfish, and a redand-white Dardevle spoon. Joan Sturmthal photo

side down, then carefully peel away the tray liner, starting at an outside edge. Repeat with the second and third tray liners. Runs the dryer on

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Warm the sauce, stirring occasionally. Tomato is acid, so avoid using an aluminum pot if possible. Add the tortellini to a pot of boiling water, stirring occasionally, following directions, usually ten minutes. Combine sauce and tortellini and serve, or serve tortellini and add sauce to each serving. Sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese to taste.

Fins & Furs

Outdoors

New Class Dates COMING SOON! Stay Tuned for Details!

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Maine Wildlife:

Landlocked Salmon by Tom Seymour

No game fish imparts such a thrill on the end of the line as does a landlocked salmon, Salmo salar. These battlers know all the tricks, and when they aren’t making line-sizzling runs or leaping clear of the water, they run toward the boat in an effort to gain slack line and thereby shake the hook. Maine can boast of thriving populations of many salmonids. Our native brook trout, really a char but managed the same as a trout, is near and dear to the hearts of countless Mainers. Togue have their diehard fans, and even arctic char have a small but dedicated following. And our two non-native salmonids, brown trout and rainbow trout, have carved permanent places in the hearts of anglers throughout the state. But nothing stirs the blood like a landlocked salmon. Why should this be so? What makes salmon different from all the other salmonids? Well for one thing, salmon are cooperative – at least much of the time. Even on days when trout refuse to bite, salmon will happily smash a lure, bait or fly. What’s more, when salmon fishing really heats up in spring, choice of lures and streamer flies isn’t as important as just getting out there and presenting something. The fish are there, they are biting and success seems inevitable. Besides all that, salmon give such a spirited fight that it’s little wonder so many anglers rank them as their favorite game fish. I think it fair to say that salmon run on high-voltage electricity, while other fish operate on regular household current. No Difference Maine’s landlocked salmon have attained weights of over 20 pounds, as witnessed by the 22½- pound specimen taken from Sebago Lake in 1907. Today, a 5- or 6-pound landlocked salmon rates as a trophy fish. But bigger ones are out there, and every so often someone catches a far bigger individual. Landlocked salmon live in both lakes and rivers, although the bulk of the population inhabit lakes. In cases where natural reproduction is low or non-existent, supplementary stocking helps sustain numbers.

Even Moosehead Lake sees annual supplemental stocking of landlocked salmon. Landlocks were introduced to Moosehead in 1896 and quickly attained double-digit weights. But even today, Moosehead Lake’s salmon population depends as much and more on stocked fish than those born in the lake. Because landlocked salmon are found in so many lakes throughout Maine, thanks to stocking, and because they have found such favor in the hearts of unending generations of anglers, many people quite naturally believe that landlocked salmon are a separate species. But the truth is, Maine’s plentiful landlocked salmon and the endangered Atlantic salmon differ from one another only in size. Also, landlocked salmon are not officially recognized as being a separate species, either by the American Game Fish Association or by the American Fisheries Society. So in effect, to catch a landlocked salmon is to catch an Atlantic salmon. All the same – it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around that. Smelt Connection The status of landlocked salmon in our lakes depends almost solely upon their main food source – rainbow smelt. Thus, when smelt numbers plummet, salmon must vie with each other for what forage fish remain. As a consequence, fisheries biologists reduce stocking numbers to reset the balance. And when the smelt population takes a bump up, salmon follow suit, not only in numbers but also in overall condition. A lake full of exceedingly fat, healthy salmon is a lake with a healthy smelt population. None of this is to say that salmon will only bite on smelt or smelt imitations, because that just isn’t so. Much of my lake trolling for salmon involves the use of golden shiners. When shiners are fished behind a dodger or other flashing device, they are happily inhaled by salmon. But that’s akin to someone who seldom eats vegetables sitting down to a plate of green beans – it isn’t the norm, but it happens. Smelt, when available, still make the best salmon bait. In the off season, anglers

typically resort to frozen smelt, but today, preserved smelt serve the same purpose, except that preserved smelt have a fresh, bright look while frozen smelt appear pallid and lifeless. This salmon-smelt connection doesn’t just apply to larger lakes, but in smaller lakes and ponds as well. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife has recently begun a new salmon fishery in a lake not far from me. This was established mostly for the ice-fishing fraternity, but some carryover fish are always present. And so it was a pleasant surprise when, trolling for brown trout, I hooked an especially lively fish. It was a landlocked salmon, and it made my day. Slasher Salmon Salmon often act differently from other salmonids. For instance, instead of simply grabbing a forage fish, salmon will often use the “slash-and-wait” approach. This stems from salmon feeding on schools of smelt. Salmon will run at a pod of smelt and slash and otherwise injure as many as possible. Then the salmon drops back down and gobbles up the wounded smelt at its leisure. This habit translates to that familiar, “tap-tap-tap” that we so often experience when trolling. Salmon will follow a bait or lure for a long distance, sometimes up to 100 yards, nipping but not taking. But when the salmon finally decides to slam the supposed prey for real, it does so with a vengeance. Often in spring, anglers will spot dead or injured smelt floating on the surface, evidence of the subsurface carnage occurring below. This signals the angler to take a tight grip on the rod, since a strike must surely occur. On still days in spring, anglers can even use their noses to detect salmon’s presence. When salmon begin slashing into smelt, a distinct “fishy” aroma permeates the air. This, too, alerts the angler to prepare for a strike. Landlocked salmon will always remain the king of game fish in the hearts of anglers everywhere.

www.MaineSportsman.com

12 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Landing School Those of us who live in Kennebunkport know a trick or two (or three) to avoid most of the heavy summer traffic that pours through Dock Square when lots of tourists descend on our idyllic side of the Kennebunk River and the ocean. For years, one of those escape routes took us by something called the Landing School. I just figured it was a private institution of learning in the traditional sense, and didn’t give it much mind. Then one day while driving by I glanced at the school and saw boats! And I love boats..! In fact, one of my early mantras was born from words spoken by the inimitable Rat when he took his friend Mole on the latter’s first boat ride in Kenneth Grahame’s wonderful Wind in the Willows: “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing, as simply messing around in boats.” The history of the Kennebunks, located along

The Landing School in Arundel offers its students training in four disciplines – 1) Wooden Boat-Building; 2) Composite Boat-Building; 3) Yacht Design; and 4) Marine Systems. The author loves boats so much that he’s considering applying for admission as a “non-traditional” student.

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In 1883, the schooner “Lavinia Campbell” was completed at the David Clark shipyard adjacent to the South Congregational Church UCC in Kennebunkport. This now is where the Landing School students christen and launch their small boats, after the church minister blesses the boats. Photo credit: Brick Store Museum, Kennebunk

the Kennebunk River, is one of serious shipbuilding that spanned the late 1700s and the 1800s. Sailing vessels of up to 200 feet were constructed at a score of shipyards and floated downriver to be fitted with hardware, sails, and other seafaring necessities. Sailing ships eventually gave way to stream-driven boats in

The Landing School in Arundel now is a modern facility. Back in 1978 when the institution was started, however, boats were built in a fixed-up barn. www.MaineSportsman.com

and the village of Kennebunkport.) There are four primary areas of boat-building and related disciplines offered at the LS: 1) Wooden Boat-building; 2) Composite Boat building; 3) Yacht Design; and 4) Marine Systems. Wooden Boat- Building teaches how boats once exclusively were made, and students build a small craft in their first semester, and then a larger power or sailboat in the next term. The best way to learn, after all, is hands-on and by actually doing. Instruction can lead to a diploma or a degree, depending on level and type of study. Until a few years ago, the woods used in boat construction mostly were imported, but now woods from Maine and other New England sources are used wherever practicable, significantly reducing the LS carbon footprint. Composite BoatBuilding allows students to work with a number of

the latter part of the 19th century, and the shipbuilders closed shop. The newer boats also were too large to be floated down the narrow – and relatively shallow – Kennebunk River. But now, since 1978, the Landing School, situated a football field away from the river, carries on the shipbuilding legacy of our villages.

Student learning wooden boat building do it the old-fashioned way and build a small craft -- a Yankee tender or skiff, for example -- and then make a larger power or sailboat in the second semester.

A Unique Place The Landing School (LS), located in Arundel, is a community technical college that offers boat-building and related programs that prepare students for entry-level jobs in the marine industry. (Interestingly, “Arundel” was the early colonial name for what now are the Kennebunks – the town of Kennebunk

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Composite boat-building begins with a mold made by students, who work with a number of space-age materials to construct boats that can last for a very long time.

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Yacht design is done mostly at the computer, but students also need knowledge of boat design, and a large dose of imagination laced with tendencies toward innovation. (Continued from page 12)

space-age materials such as fiberglass, aramids (think Kevlar-type materials as an example), gel coats, and coatings. The composite course generally is in two parts that stress the planning and production of composite-based marine products. In addition to small student teams actually building boats, they also construct the appropriate mold and plug as part of the curriculum. Though a number of composite materials are used in the instruction, the use of polystyrene is emphasized. This material is heavily-used in today’s marine industry products. Marine Systems comprises a wide gamut of professional systems that, basically, keep boats running and operating as they are designed to do. This includes studying topics such as gasoline, diesel and electric propulsion systems, and high-resolution electronics that cover a wide range of applications. As part of the studies, students actually work on project boats, some

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This model ship sporting an innovative trimaran-style hull was built at the Maine Maritime Academy, and the Landing School has built a full-size test version as a “greener” lobster boat. The craft was made with small carbon footprint, and will save a lot of fuel due to its design.

brought in by the public, which provides to practice the skills learned and developed in the classroom and on the shop floor. After completion of studies and actual work, students are prepared to enter the workforce to effectively work on common marine systems. Yacht Design takes parts of book-learned technical skills, doses of individual imagination, and state-of-the art computers, and students design boats. This truly is another example of “messing around in boats,” but in a more serious way. By the end of the courses of study, LS grads have a fine portfolio of designs that become part of their résumé. And they are equipped to design boats that are innovative, made from various natural and synthetic materials, and are efficient on the water.

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Other Courses In addition to the programs mentioned above, the LS offers courses in General Education, including Technical Mathematics, Technical Communications, Project

Two Yankee tenders are admired by students that built them and their guests for the ceremonial christening of the craft in the dead of winter. In warmer climes, the Champagne bottle is used outside where the launching takes place on the green at Kennebunkport’s South Congregational Church UCC.

Planning and Management in the Marine Industry, and Marina and Boatyard Management. Several practical Short Courses periodically are offered, and they include Marine Surveying, the Captain’s Course, and various Boot Camps. The latter consist of one to several days of concentrated study in subjects relevant to the marine industry. According to the LS, Boot Camps in electrical systems and wooden boat-building have been particularly popular subjects. Diplomas & Degrees In 1987, The Landing School became the first school of its type to be accredited by The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which is listed by the United States Department of Education as a nationally-recognized accrediting agency. The Landing School is incorporated in the State of Maine. It is governed by a Board of Trustees and is managed by a staff and faculty. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution. Students can earn di-

New boats traditionally are christened by women, and this young lady winds up the champagne to deliver a worthy blow to the bow of this Yankee Tender.

plomas and Associate degrees, and can use Landing School credits toward achieving a Bachelors Degree: A one-year diploma may be earned after a student successfully completes two academic semesters for a total of eight-months of study. The diploma does not require extra general education course. The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Marine Industry Technology (MIT) degree requires students choose two one-year technical programs. This degree provides graduates with a broader range of opportunities in the MIT plus an understanding of business practices within the industry. There also are Bachelor’s Degree options for those LS students that achieve an Associate Degree, and move on to study at partner institutions including Southern New Hampshire University. Maine Maritime Academy and the Landing School also work together in degree granting

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I watched these gorgeous runabouts being built at the Landing School, and they currently are for sale to the public, complete with motors and trailers. I want to mess around in one of these!

for small craft design and small craft systems. The Landing School is active in the community too. For example, student boats are launched at the South Congregational Church UCC in Kennebunkport into the Kennebunk River from the expansive Church Green. In return, twice a year Landing School students rake the green, keeping it looking clean and smart. I’ve had the pleasure of touring the Landing School several times, and I’m always impressed with the level of instruction and the enthusiasm exuded by the students as they work singly or in teams to build boats and learn how to design them, too. The marine industry always is looking for new people to employ, and one of the first places they look is the Landing School. For my next career, perhaps I will consider training and employment in the marine industry. It would be nice to get benefits and pay while messing around in boats.

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The Landing School works with the South Congregational Church in Kennebunkport: The church lets the school christen and launch boats on the church green, and the students clean up the green in spring and fall -- a good deal for both. www.MaineSportsman.com

Almanac

14 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Compiled and Edited by — Will Lund —

“Snapshots in Time”

Excerpts from the Annals of Maine’s Sporting Past Submitted by Bill Pierce, of the Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc, Maine What follows is a story that occurred circa 1884 but was later put to pen by Daniel Heywood15 years later. It shares a lively account of some “misadventures” experienced by two of the best woodsmen and guides to

ever to walk the woods of Western Maine: Cornelius Richardson and John J. Wilbur. These men were legends in their day, but even the best can have bad luck, or a bad day, or both.

Enjoy this story from the December 12, 1899 edition of the Phillips Phonograph.

THRILLING EXPERIENCES

Events of a Day and Night in the Backwoods – Bear, Dog and Man Act in Novel Drama (Special correspondence to the Phillips Phonograph December 12, 1899)

It was some time ago that John J. Wilber and Cornelius Richardson found themselves on North Mountain early in the morning, late in November. A third member of their party was a grey and white bulldog, weighing about forty pounds, whose under jaw projected about half an inch beyond the upper, with bloodshot eyes. Cornelius, his owner, claimed the dog knew no such thing as fear. They had been led hither by a moose whose trail they had followed two days. A sudden thaw had melted the little snow there was until the trail was lost. The supply of food being well-nigh spent, with the extraordinary increase in their appetites by the exertion, it was evident that nothing short of the moose itself was sufficient to meet it. This destroyed their interest in the hunt and brought about a decision to strike for home on the early morning of which this story begins. They shouldered their packs, which contained each a light blanket, axe, and enough pulverized hard tack and pork for one meal, and setting a compass to get the bearings, took a bee line for the head of Kennebago Lake. About eleven o’clock they came to the stream known as the Big Inlet. Here John J. shot a partridge and here they decided to have a lunch. Then they crossed the stream and continued their journey. Later, John J. succeeded in mowing down another partridge with the shotgun, which he carried with one barrel loaded with fine shot, the other with a round ball. Thus far, Corneil had remained in the background, but he suddenly came to the front and distinguished himself by shooting a large horned owl, which, edible or not, he insisted upon carrying. He began to criticize John J.’s way of leading and took the lead www.MaineSportsman.com

himself and in course of an hour they came upon a large stream which neither of them recognized for a time, but upon consulting the compasses and comparing notes they agreed that it was the Big Inlet again, and that they had circled a little. Darkness came on early, and selecting a favorable location to put in the night they began preparing wood. When boughs had been gathered and a bright fire kindled, John J. proceeded to a brook nearby to dress the partridge. Hither also went Cornelius with his owl. While they worked, Cornelius made a suggestion: “Now I’ll eat the partridge and you the owl, or you can take the owl and I’ll eat the partridge.” After thinking a long time, John J. replied that he would eat his own game and that Corneil could do the same. While Cornell was frying them together in the pan over the fire, shading his face from the heat with his hat, a large lump of snow became dislodged overhead and fell with a great splash in the pan, upsetting it birds and all into the fire. When they had been rescued, neither Corneil nor John J. could tell one from the other. But both being hungry, they

each took a bird and devoured it, each confidentially believing that he was eating the partridge. It became evident, however, a short time after supper, that John J. had eaten the owl. He began to show signs of nocturnal tendencies, staying wide awake. Corneil, rolled in his blanket, slept soundly. At last John J., becoming weary, secured a comfortable position near the fire and with his blanket around him began to court sleep. In the morning, the sky was clear after snowing about an inch and it became colder. They again took up the journey for home. They were proceeding finely when they came upon the fresh trail of a cub bear, one weighing forty or fifty pounds. Cornelius turned his bulldog loose, and soon his outcry told that he had started it. They hurried on and soon came upon them: the cub having taken refuge in a deep narrow fissure in a ledge, the dog stood by it, barking. After examining the nature of the place, it was discovered that there was no possible way of getting at the cub, other than through the same opening by which it had entered. The dog refused to enter. Therefore, Corneil lying down upon his stomach, with his rifle in front, crawled forward until his body was wholly within the cave, the bulldog meanwhile standing near him, barking savagely. Nothing could be seen of the cub —only darkness, and despairing of getting it out, Corneil for luck discharged his rifle into the blackness beyond. This was too much for the dog and losing all sensibilities of caution, it dashed in over Corneil, seizing the cub by an ear, and came leading it out over his owner’s prostrate form. (Continued on next page)

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Somewhere in the middle of Cornell’s back, the cub discovered that he was being led to destruction, and accordingly entered a vigorous protest, in which dog and bear mingled in a way destructive in the extreme, to hide and clothing. The cub soon dashed back into the interior, taking off Corneil’s hat as it did so. The dog, now blinded with fury, made a dive into Corneil’s hair, which was of the same color as the bear, and was only prevented from taking a second mouthful of it by Corneil’s loud and emphatic commands to desist. The dog’s attention instantly reverted to the real cub, and in a twinkling he had it again on Corneil’s back, endeavoring with all his might to throttle and drag it out. Corneil’s homespun frock and shirt providing insufficient protection against the claws of the combatants, he decided he would be a battle ground for them no longer. Accordingly, he arched his back, raising dog and cub, now fairly knotted together, and nailed to his back, and sprang up and backwards onto his feet out into the open. The dog, losing his hold, fell to the ground, but the cub mounted to his shoulders from whence it sprang into a tree, and the next moment was raked fore and aft with both shot and ball from John J.’s gun. This practically ended the events of the day worth mentioning, and stands only to show how full of interesting incidents a woodsman’s life sometimes is. We have been compelled by lack of space here to crowd it even worse than it was crowded upon them on that eventful night and day.—D. E. Heywood

Sam Cushing Awarded First Catch-and-Release Patch Sam Cushing of Belfast, a strong advocate of the Sportsman’s new “Maine Catchand-Release Club” for trophy fish that are caught, measured, photographed and released, received the Club’s ceremonial Patch #1 on July 29, 2019.

Maine Sportsman editor Will Lund (left) presented the oversized version of the patch to Cushing, in recognition of the kayak-angler’s 22.25-inch largemouth bass, caught and photographed beside a ruler on May 4, 2019. Additional applications are already coming into the Sportsman offices in Augusta, and we will feature those for which we have space on our pages (see, for example, Patch #2 -- a qualifying muskellunge, on page ____).

Knots to Know: The Trilene Knot by Bill Graves

Named after Berkley’s Trilene monofilament, the Trilene knot is the perfect choice for tying on bait hooks, plugs and lures, especially when using 4- to 14-pound monofilament or with 4- to 20-pound test fluorocarbon. More dependable than the widely-used clinch knot, when properly tied the Trilene knot test at almost 100% of line strength. Simply insert 4-to 6-inches of line through the hook eye, swivel or split ring, then reinsert the mono through the eye again, forming a small double loop.

Hold this double loop open and steady between the thumb and the index finger of the “off” hand (left for most folks), then, using the master hand, take five turns around the standing line with the tag end.

CERMINARA LANDSCAPING

(Continued on next page)

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16 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 15)

Now insert the tag end through the double loop.

To tighten the knot, moisten it with saliva and pull the standing line slowly and steadily.

end,” says Bob as he studies the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer. “We’ll park there and look for a trail.” With no trail in sight, we grab our gear and GPS into the pond. We are here because this is a State Heritage Fish water, designated so by law, and protected from stocking and the use of live fish as bait. Approximately 582 of Maine’s self-sustaining brook trout lakes and ponds are protected under the State Heritage Fish law. Our objective today is to hang an informational sign on this pond, as we have on nearly 175 other ponds already. Goal – Awareness The goal of this project is to make anglers aware of where they are, the status of the water, threats to these fish, and laws in place to protect them. Because this particular pond has no trail, we’ll post the sign facing the water so that anyone who finds their way in will see it from the surface of the pond.

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Protecting Maine’s State Heritage Fish by Emily Bastian, Chair

Native Fish Coalition, Maine Chapter Maine is the last stronghold for wild native lake- and pond-dwelling brook trout in the United States, accounting for roughly 90% of the remaining intact populations. The number one threat to these native salmonids is non-native fish introductions, including baitfish.

A Day in Emily’s Life We’ve been driving for an hour now, over nameless dirt roads, grass growing from a strip down the middle, alders raking the sides of my truck. I downshift as we approach a huge rut, and ask my friend for a mileage check. “In another half mile you’ll hit a dead www.MaineSportsman.com

Meet the Newest Wardens: Game Warden Pilot Chris Hilton

This informational sign project was initiated by the Maine chapter of Native Fish Coalition (NFC) with support from Sportsmans Alliance of Maine, and Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Our aim is to help protect these irreplaceable natural resources from nonnative fish introductions, resulting from the illegal use of live fish as bait. Many volunteers and organizations have supported this project, and the work is ongoing. The project was funded in large part by Maine’s Outdoor Heritage Fund. Productive Day After posting the sign, we pump up our float tubes, slide out onto the pond and catch and release a dozen small wild native brook trout. We then hike back to the truck, tired but satisfied with a productive day on the water. On the drive back to our campsite, we see a cow moose and her yearling calf on the side of the road in the waning light. To volunteer for the State Heritage Fish sign project, please visit NativeFishCoalition.org/shf, or email us at ME@NativeFishCoalition.org.

Game Warden Pilot Chris Hilton grew up and went to school in Yarmouth, a small coastal community in southern Maine. When he was a young child, his parents always had him engaged in outdoor activities. Childhood experiences included camping, hunting, fishing and snowmobiling in northern Maine. As he grew older, his interest for the outdoors and resources in the State of Maine also grew. He attended the Bryant Pond Conservation Camp when he was in grade school, and from that point he knew he wanted to work in the outdoors. Hilton attended Unity College to further his education. From there he knew he wanted to work as a law enforcement officer protecting natural resources. While attending college, Hilton started gaining law enforcement experience in the summer working as a parttime police officer in Old Orchard Beach. Hilton graduated Unity College and went to work with the Maine Marine Patrol in 2007 and attended the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in 2008. He worked with Maine Marine Patrol for 10 great years and enjoyed working with and helping those in the commercial fishing industry. Hilton also began flying, and was soon hooked. In 2017, he transferred from the Department of Marine Resources to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and is now a Game Warden Pilot based at Stobie Air Base in Greenville. As a Game Warden Pilot, Hilton now concentrates on law enforcement, telemetry, fish stocking, and search-and-rescue from the air. —

Pine Tree Gun Club Hosts Conservation Camp in Willimantic The Big Pine Gun Club Youth Foundation sponsored its first-ever Conservation (Continued on next page)

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Camp the week of June 24, 2019 at the Big Pine Gun Club in Willimantic.

Fifteen campers, aged 12-17, participated in the week-long camp. Campers learned to safely handle, load, unload, and shoot rifles, shotguns, crossbows, and standard archery equipment. They also practiced survival skills in the Maine woods, and reviewed basic first aid. All campers successfully completed the intensive program, earning certifications in NRA Rifle, NRA Shotgun, and Maine Hunter Safety for Firearms, Archery, and Crossbow. All of the participating volunteer instructors were certified NRA instructors or State of Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Hunter Safety instructors. Over 30 volunteers assisted with the camp providing instruction, supervision, demonstrations, and food preparation.

For more information about the Big Pine Gun Club and Big Pine Gun Club Youth Foundation, visit their website at www.bigpinegunclub.org. —

To Attract More Birds, Plant More Native Plants by Nick Lund, Maine Audubon

The number one thing you can do to support birds is to plant native plants. The importance of native plants cannot

be overstated, though it can be underlined: the number one thing you can do to support birds is to plant native plants. It can also be all-capsed, in hopes of distinguishing it from the rest of the text on this page, drawing your eye and causing you to actually read and remember it: THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT BIRDS IS TO PLANT NATIVE PLANTS. OK, so if your eyes are still here, let me explain why native plants are so important. Emerging research, driven by Doug Tallamy, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, points to a simple but fundamentally-important finding – many species of insects can only live on certain plants, and large numbers of insects are critical to the survival of birds. Birds need insects, even the birds that we don’t think of as insect-eaters. Prof. Tallamy has found that 96% of all terrestrial birds in the U.S. rely on insects for their diet or to feed their young. Even Northern Cardinals, our regular feeder visitors and whose bills are specially evolved to crush seeds, get at least half their diet from insects. And between 60 and 80 percent of a hummingbird’s diet is dependent on spiders, not nectar. The majority of local birds rely on insects to feed their young. Caterpillars—fat, nutritious, and easy to catch—are far and away the most important. A single pair of Blackcapped Chickadees must catch at least 7,500 caterpillars per year in order to raise a clutch of young. Where do all these caterpillars come from? They all grow and feed on plants. But plants do a good job of defending themselves from being eaten, mostly through filling their leaves with distasteful chemicals. Insects have evolved tolerance or workarounds to many of these chemicals, but typically only to a single family or species of plant. The result of this evolutionary warfare is that many insects are reliant on the existence of particular native plants. The popular example is the Monarch Butterfly, which is completely dependent on a few species of milkweed, and is absent from large areas of its traditional territory for lack of host plants. When non-native species arrive, their natural plant defenses are unknown to native insects and wholly effective. Gingko trees are popular in cities and yards, but Tallamy and his team have found that they support literally zero species of caterpillar. They are “wildlife dead zones.” Oaks, on other hand, support more than 500 species of caterpillar, Black Cherry supports 450, native viburnum support more than 100, and so on. (By the way, I should point out that these caterpillars are not pest insects, but rather moths and butterflies that don’t bother humans.) So plant native plants, if you can find them. Most nurseries do not put an emphasis on native plants, focusing instead on showy non-natives or cultivars. Maine Audubon is expanding our project to grow and sell native plants to support native birds, and the Maine-based Wild Seed Project has infor-

mation about what plants will work in your garden and seeds to help you get started. Get gardening! —

Why is a Splake Called a Splake? The word is a combination of “specked” and “lake,” since the fish itself is a cross-bred combination of a brook trout (which, down south, is called a “speckled” trout), and a Lake Trout, a/k/a a togue. And now you know! —

Stylish Dry Bags, and Dry Pockets! Sometimes, those of us participating in outdoor sports in and around the water need to keep a whole lot of things dry. For that, Gill (gillfishing.com) produces some good-looking, fully waterproof dufflebags, like this new 10-liter capacity “Race Team Bag Mini.”

Gill says the bag is made of puncture-resistant waterproof tarpaulin fabric, and is stitch-free (the company fastens the bag’s panels together using something called “high frequency welding”). There are other times, however, that you only need to keep one thing dry, and that’s your smart phone, so you can call home, take photos and ask Siri how to tie a Trilene knot.

To that end, a company called AFTCO recently introduced “Overboard Submersible Shorts,” which will be available for about $99 starting in January, 2020. As you can see from the photo, they look like regular, stylish sports shorts, but with a big difference – a waterproof, phone-sized (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

18 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Almanac

(Continued from page 17)

pocket on the side. Not only is it immune to an occasional splashing wave, according to the company – you can actually submerge yourself, your shorts and your phone, with impunity. The secret is a roll-top pocket, which is a design concept familiar to kayakers and others who use “dry bags” aboard to keep valuables dry. Now why didn’t we think of that? —

Bird of the Month Black Guillemot by Erika Zambello

Standing at the rocky tip of Pemaquid Point, I shaded my eyes against the fading sun. The picturesque lighthouse may have been at my back, but birds along the shoreline held my complete attention. The landscape featured preening Common Eider, feeding Common Terns, and diving Northern Gannet. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a black, football-shaped bird slip beneath the waves. Could it be a Black Guillemot? About the size of a crow, Guillemots are inky black during the breeding season, with one lone, white wing standing out as they bob on the surface. As one of nature’s many “gotcha!” species, guillemots living in the Arctic flip during the winter to become pure white seabirds, with

only black bills and black wingtips remaining of their once midnight plumage. For the Atlantic populations, they merely become a bit dirty looking. As I watched from Pemaquid, the guillemot dove and surfaced, then dove and surfaced again, intent on feeding along the sea floor. They’re not particularly picky eaters, vacuuming up fish as well as whatever crabs and marine invertebrates they can find. While my guillemot was spending only ten or so seconds beneath the waves, scientists have timed some birds remaining underwater for more than two minutes. Scientists estimate that there are between 100,000 and 200,000 breeding Black Guillemots in North America. Luckily, because they feed in the shallows, they are not susceptible to ingesting the same amount of marine pollution that affects related birds, like puffins. However, studies have shown that both their very bodies and their eggs can accumulate residues from oil, pesticides, and mercury; if a crude spill occurs in their waters, the oiling of their feathers can quickly kill them. To spot your own Black Guillemots, head to Maine’s coastline with a good pair of binoculars or spotting scope. While their dark bodies may blend in with the ocean, the bright white wing is an identification mark nearly impossible to miss. —

Book Review: Squaretail – the Definitive Guide to Brook Trout and Where to Find Them by Bob Mallard Stackpole Books; 230 pp. Review by Will Lund

This is a top-notch, well-written, well-illustrated, wide-ranging book about brook trout. Mallard, who calls himself “an unapologetic brook trout fisherman,” takes the reader throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia and Quebec

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to describe native brookie waters, then on to non-native water (out West), public lands (Maine, Vermont, New York and other locations) and to additional fisheries, including the Appalachian Trail, Labrador, and areas that hold searun brook trout. Mallard’s writing is infused with evidence of his strong conservation ethic and his fierce – some might even say combative – defense of native brookie waters and tributaries. But it’s his love of the species that shines through: “It’s not size, numbers or degree of difficulty,” he asserts. “It’s much bigger than that, and something you can’t understand until you have found it.” This quality hardcover book features hundreds of large-format color photographs, most of them taken by the author or his wife Diana. Mallard covers the history of the fish, its habitats, and an angler’s gear and tackle options, before telling of his ambitious East Coast and cross-county journeys to locate, catch, and release brook trout, pursuing the fish by wading, canoeing, float-tubing and drift-boating. Mainers and visitors to our state will appreciate the fact that the majority of Mallard’s identified locations are within this state’s borders, including fabled waters of the Magalloway River, the Cupsuptic River, Dennys River (for sea-run trout), the Kennebago and Pierce Pond. He also introduces readers to the trout found in the East Branch Penobscot River, the centerpiece of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Bottom line? By the time you finish this book, if you are not excited about brook trout – including the importance of conserving the resource and protecting the species’ native waters – then it’s time to check your pulse.

¶

10-year-old Preston Randall of Casco, ME proudly displays the largemouth bass he caught with his stepdad, Kendall Curit, on Thomas Pond July 11, 2019.

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September 2019 Sunrise/Sunset Portland, ME DATE 1 Sun 2 Mon 3 Tue 4 Wed 5 Thu 6 Fri 7 Sat 8 Sun 9 Mon 10 Tue 11 Wed 12 Thu 13 Fri 14 Sat 15 Sun

RISE 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:06 7:07 7:08 7:09 7:11 7:12 7:13 7:14 7:15 7:16 7:17 7:18

SET 8:18 8:17 8:15 8:13 8:11 8:09 8:08 8:06 8:04 8:02 8:00 7:59 7:57 7:55 7:53

DATE 16 Mon 17 Tue 18 Wed 19 Thu 20 Fri 21 Sat 22 Sun 23 Mon 24 Tue 25 Wed 26 Thu 27 Fri 28 Sat 29 Sun 30 Mon

RISE 7:19 7:21 7:22 7:23 7:24 7:25 7:26 7:27 7:29 7:30 7:31 7:32 7:33 7:34 7:35

SET 7:51 7:49 7:48 7:46 7:44 7:42 7:40 7:38 7:37 7:35 7:33 7:31 7:29 7:27 7:26

September 2019 Tides Portland, ME DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon

HIGH AM PM 12:42 1:13 1:35 2:03 2:29 2:56 3:26 3:51 4:26 4:49 5:29 5:49 6:33 6:52 7:38 7:55 8:39 8:53 9:33 9:45 10:20 10:30 11:02 11:12 11:40 11:51 — 12:16 12:27 12:49 1:02 1:20 1:36 1:52 2:12 2:25 2:50 3:03 3:33 3:46 4:22 4:36 5:16 5:32 6:17 6:33 7:21 7:39 8:25 8:43 9:23 9:42 10:17 10:37 11:08 11:31 11:58 — 12:25 12:48

LOW AM PM 6:58 7:18 7:48 8:13 8:38 9:09 9:32 10:09 10:29 11:11 11:28 — 12:16 12:31 1:22 1:36 2:26 2:38 3:22 3:32 4:10 4:18 4:52 5:00 5:30 5:39 6:04 6:15 6:36 6:49 7:08 7:24 7:40 8:00 8:14 8:38 8:51 9:21 9:34 10:09 10:22 11:02 11:15 — 12:01 12:15 1:04 1:19 2:08 2:24 3:08 3:24 4:02 4:21 4:54 5:15 5:44 6:08 6:33 7:01

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20 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

George Pays Tribute to His Dad, and also Visits the Gray Wildlife Park This past June 16 was Father’s Day, and it provided me with an opportunity to think back on my own dad and how blessed I was by him. I was inspired to write this column, dedicated to dads and grandfathers, both those who are with us and those who are in our memories. ***** First Pheasant I was so young my

head barely pushed above the tall field grass as Dad and I and our English setter leaped from the car. Carefully loading my shotgun, I looked with anticipation at the lakeside field Dad had chosen for this pheasant hunt. Jipsy, our setter, was straining at the leash. She knew her job and was anxious to get started. I was even more anxious. It was my first year hunt-

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ing. I had done lots of clay pigeon shooting at Dad’s sportsman’s club and was prepared for this day. We proceeded into the field, the dog working the edges. Jipsy quickly picked up the scent of a pheasant and proceeded out to the middle of the field. Straining to see above the field grass, shotgun at the ready, I stalked carefully beside Dad. And suddenly, it happened. Forever after, even today at the age of 70, I still vividly remember every bit of the next 30 seconds. The pheasant flushed out in front of us. I let off the safety and took careful aim, wondering why Dad had not shot yet.

And finally I shot, and the pheasant dropped to the ground. Jipsy pounded up the hill to retrieve the bird. My first pheasant! I have never forgotten it. And Dad, for the rest of his life, displayed in his den a photo of that small young boy proudly holding his first pheasant. Thanks, Dad! Catching White Perch Spring fishing would officially get underway when Dad announced at the supper table that the family would go perch fishing that evening. White perch were everywhere, and they were voracious feeders. Dad really didn’t get a chance to fish because

I was hauling the fish in so quickly, but he never seemed to mind. When we got home Dad cleaned the fish while I “helped.” It would be a long time before my help was really helpful. These are my first fishing memories. Thanks, Dad! Trapping Muskrat As a kid I really enjoyed trapping with Dad. In the early morning before high school we would head to Monmouth where my trap line wound along Wagan stream. I caught lots of muskrats, which Dad would skin, “assisted” by me. I actually made quite a lot of money selling those muskrat skins. (Continued on next page)

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The author (left) and his father Ezra Smith were constant hunting and fishing companions. (Continued from page 20)

Duck and Turkey Hunting I also enjoyed duck hunting because it featured a lot of action. One cold foggy morning, we paddled up a stream and set out our decoys. We hid behind a small stand of bushes. I cautiously peeked out of one side, and Dad the other. Some big black ducks flew in just as the sun rose behind us. “Here they come,” whispered Dad. “Get ready.” Off came my safety. Swinging the gun around, I began perspiring, even in the morning cold. “Now,” whispered Dad, as the ducks settled in amongst our decoys. I stood and aimed but waited for Dad to shoot. “Fire, son!” Dad said in a louder voice as the ducks took off. So I fired and a duck went down. Then Dad fired and another duck

Even at age 91 and confined to a wheelchair, the author’s father could pull big trout out of nearby streams and ponds.

hit the water. That was my first duck, and one I have never forgotten. Thanks, Dad! Dad and I hunted together for 53 years, a great privilege. Some of our greatest adventures, towards the end of our shared hunting experiences, were spent turkey hunting with our friend Harry Vanderweide. One time we were sitting in the dark with our turkey decoys in front of us, when a coyote jumped out of the bushes right on top of one of one of our decoys. Wheelchair Fishing Toward the end of his life, Dad was in the hospice unit at Togus. One day we were sitting outside on the deck when a dozen turkeys came up along the lawn. Dad was ready to send me home for his shotgun! I had to explain that having a gun on the Togus campus was illegal.

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“Maine has the most progressive and scientific moose management program in the United States, and Lee is the engine that drives that – he is most deserving of the award.” Peter Pekins, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of New Hampshire, presenting Maine’s Lee Kantar with the Distinguished Moose Biologist Award at the 53rd North American Moose Conference.

I did take Dad fishing on the campus stream several times. I would drive him over to the stream, which ran through the Togus campus, and wheel him up to the stream in his wheelchair, where he would fish. The first day was 85°, and I told Dad it was way too hot for the fish to be biting, but he was welcome to do some casting. And of course, on his first cast he caught a huge brook trout. Thanks, Dad! A Visit to the Maine Wildlife Park The Maine Wildlife Park in Gray is an amazing place. Operated by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the facility features dozens of wild animals, including moose, deer, and bears, along with fishers, bobcats, owls and turtles. I like the fact that these animals are not just in cages but are in habitats similar to where

The author’s granddaughter Ada insisted on seeing every single animal during a recent trip to the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.

they would live in in the wild. The deer, moose, and bears enjoy large areas within which to roam. Earlier this summer, our son Josh, his wife Kelly, and our two little granddaughters, Esme, age 2, and Ada, age 5, drove from their home in Massachusetts up to Gray where we met them to escort the girls around the Wildlife Park. Ada insisted on seeing every single animal, so we spent 2 ½ enjoyable hours at the park. There are wonderful trails taking you through the habitats to see all the wild animals. We had seen everything but the turtles and fish and were really eager to have lunch, but Ada refused to leave until she’d seen the turtles and the fish. I, of course, enjoyed every single animal too, including the gorgeous peacock. And we were within a few feet of moose, deer, and bears.

— “Whitetails [in Montana] are so plentiful these days that very little real ‘hunting’ is required to bag one. As a result, hunting skills have lapsed. Only serious hunters— say, those after a particular wily buck—need them. State wildlife managers have tried various measures to increase hunter deer harvests, such as lengthening the hunting season and increasing bag limits, with limited success. In some states, a hunter can kill a deer a day for more than 100 days. But why would they?” Report from the Property and Environment Research Center, Bozeman, Montana, June, 2019 —

It’s possible to purchase a little feed for the animals and to toss it to them. A small pond was full of ducks and geese, and Ada made a good toss of the feed into the pond, at which point the geese attacked and chased off the ducks and hogged all the feed. The park has handicapped-assessable bathrooms and lots of picnic tables where you can enjoy your meal or even host a party, and the entrance fees are very reasonable. On the Saturday that we were there, the park was full of little kids – every one of whom was smiling and having a great time. But you don’t have to be a little kid to enjoy the park. I encourage you to visit sometime soon. You can learn more about the park at their website:www.maine.gov/ ifw/wildlife-park/index. html

¶

“Deer-vehicle collisions kill upwards of 300 people and hospitalize nearly 30,000 more annually.” Same Montana report. — “A young Arctic fox has walked across the ice from Norway’s Svalbard islands to northern Canada in an epic journey, covering 3,506 km (2,176 miles) in 76 days. The fox’s journey has left scientists speechless.” Greenland’s Sermitsiaq newspaper, quoted in News from Elsewhere, July 9, 2019

www.MaineSportsman.com

22 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Yes, Virginia — There are Bears in the Midcoast Region by Tom Seymour

The big bear came by my house in the middle of the night, grunting loudly and breaking limbs and sticks. The animal was headed somewhere in a big hurry – but where? Then I remembered – a neighbor kept bees, and had a number of hives. The next day I saw that the hives had been tossed about and smashed. Most hunters head north or east come bear season. Conventional wisdom dictates that it makes little sense to hunt bear in the Midcoast region because there are so few bears. That assumption, however, is wrong. Black bears are present in Midcoast Maine in huntable numbers, and the primary reason hardly anyone hunts them is that there are so few large tracts of land open to the public. Wildlife management areas are an exception to that rule, and places such as the Frye Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Montville offer a

solid chance to connect with a bruin. Hound hunters rarely go after bear in the Midcoast region because, with the exception of a few WMAs, there isn’t enough room to run bears without coming in contact with domestic animals, houses and all the trappings of developed areas. And while no one has designated an official boundary for the Midcoast region, it is commonly accepted that Midcoast ends and Downeast begins at the Hancock County line. One successful bear hunter, Russell Arnold of Jackson, sometimes accompanies his bear-hunt-

ing friend Nelson Cole, a registered Maine guide who runs bear and also bobcat, with hounds. Russ and Nelson often hit bear sites in Hancock County. On a recent hunt, Russ made his way to a treed bear and when presented with a clear shot, took it. The bear was killed instantly, but instead of hitting the ground, it got hung in the crotch of the tree. Russ and Nelson had to make the trip back to Waldo County for a chainsaw in order to drop the tree and retrieve their bear. It made for a long day, but in the end my buddy came home with a hand-

Black bear can be found in the Midcoast Region, if you know where and how to hunt them. Seymour photo

some black bear. Bait Stands Another bear-hunting method, hunting in

conjunction with a bait stand, is well-suited to the Midcoast region. Hunting over bait brings (Continued on next page)

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woods behind my house usually has a resident bear. Some years ago one of these bears came by my house in the middle of the night, grunting loudly and breaking limbs and sticks. This jumped me out of a sound sleep as if someone had thrown a glass of cold water on me. Listening to the critter, it was immediately apparent that it was a bear, headed somewhere in a big hurry. Then it oc-

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curred to me, a non-resident property owner up the road kept bees, and had a number of hives set up around his place. So the next morning I followed the bear’s trail and finally came upon the object of the bear’s attention – my neighbor’s beehives. The hives were tossed about and smashed, and the apiary was a total shambles. Had I wished to shoot

B

feet is even better. The bear should have to work to get its reward and if the bag sits too low, the bear can just rip it off the tree and take it wherever it wants. Finally, sprinkle some honey and liquid smoke on the outside of the bag, and your bait is ready to attract bears from afar.

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the bear to the hunter, rather than the other way around. This kind of hunting provides an ideal match, given the small to medium size of woodlots of Midcoast Maine. Here’s my take on bear hunting in the Midcoast area. Once you find where a bear was worked (look for scat, torn-up stumps and even dug-up ground, where a bear has been digging grubs), set up a bait stand and watch it regularly. If your site is close to home, it’s an easy matter to hit it after work every day. On the other hand, traveling to other regions to hunt bear limits time spent. So hunting near home makes all kinds of sense, if only because

you can spend more time watching your bait. Bears are bears, no matter where you find them, and that big old bear working the local blueberry fields has the same habits as bears farther north and east. For those new to baiting bear, here’s an easy way to go about it. First, obtain several burlap bags. Then buy a 50-pound bag of crushed oats from the local feed store. Crushed oats are cheaper than whole oats and the bears don’t care. And finally, pick up a jar of honey and a bottle of Wright’s Liquid Smoke. Fill a burlap bag about one-quarter way or a bit less with oats, tie the end closed, and hang it at least four feet up on a tree trunk. Five or six

B

(Continued from page 22)

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big fan of bear meat, and decided not to follow up. In another instance, two men were deer hunting in the woods behind my house. All of a sudden they smelled something foul, and were at a loss to determine the source of the unpleasant odor. They didn’t have long to wait. A bear that had just gone into hibernation under a brushpile stood up, and upon seeing the men, ran at them. The guy closest to the charging bruin shot quickly and accurately, killing the bear. Both men were shaken, and rightfully so. Surprise Bears Sometimes bears from other regions will visit the Midcoast region. Mostly males, they can appear suddenly and without warning. They, too, make fair game. So just because you live in Midcoast Maine doesn’t mean there are no bears. While this area will probably never see a tremendous boost in the black bear population, bears and bear sightings have become more common in recent years. So give it a try. Who knows but what a trophy-size bear might be in the cards for you this fall.

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Outdoor Writing Contest for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers Announcing NEOWA’s Youth Outdoor Writing Contest! Bigger Cash Prizes for 2020! New England Outdoor Writers Association (NEOWA) recently announced that submissions are now being accepted for the 2020 Youth Outdoor Writing Contest. Each New England state, including Maine, will hold its own contest, with two prizes of $125 (one for the grade 6 – 8 winner; the second for the grade — Greenbush, 9 –12 winner) for each state’s winners.Maine — State winners will then entries from other New EnFall compete Bear Huntswith Over winning Bait Deer Hunts inbeing WMDawarded 17 & 18, 23-26 gland states, withGuided overall winners an additional $150. Guidedyear, Archery Deer HuntsSportsman • Guided Moose Hunts its in Allown Zones This past The Maine offered youth writing conQuebec Spring Bear Hunts Over Bait • Spring Turkey Hunts test, but for 2020 that competition will be integrated into the NEOWA event. At Black Ghost Outfitters, lodging primitive yetofcomfortable Many Sportsman writers and staff areismembers NEOWA, and our editor, Will offering warm beds, hot food and a deep woods experience. Lund, is co-chair of the Maine contest in 2020. Entries are limited to 500 words, and the writing and editing must be (207) 837-7847 • www.blackghostoutfitters.com entirely the product of the young person submitting the entry. Deadline for submission is February 15, 2020. Full contest rules, including subject matter limitations (the categories are much broader than last year!) are found at www.MaineSportsman.com/ YouthWritingContest. Those without internet access can call Linda, Sportsman office manager at 207 622-4242, and she will send you a written copy of the rules. Winning works will be published in The Maine Sportsman, Northwoods Sporting Journal and wildlife magazines in other New England states. Maine contest co-chairs are Will Lund, will.sportster@yahoo.com and Stephen D. Carpenteri, scarpenteri@aol.com. If you are a student in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode island or Connecticut, go to www.MaineSportsman.com/YouthWritingContest to learn the names and contact information for the co-chairs in your state.

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26 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Gear and Tactics – How to Take a Big Bear with a Handgun I received a phone call the other night that really got me in a highly-charged thinking-and-planning mode. An old hunting friend called to ask if I was going to be hunting bear this fall and prompted some past hunting memories that got my mind spinning. I got the calendar out, discovered I have plenty of time for a bear hunt, and immediately went to work making plans for a hunt deep into some of Maine’s most treasured and remote wilderness. A Maine bear hunt in September will surely include mornings on the water, wrestling with some big fish, and then an afternoon of bear hunting. For years I’ve had a dream of taking a big Maine black bear with a handgun. I’ve taken black bear with my Ruger .308 Winchester rifle and a Thompson/Center Hawkin muzzleloader in .54 caliber – this time I want to drop one with a pistol in .450 SMC. .450 SMC The .450 SMC round, developed by Doubletap Ammo (doubletapammo. com) a few years ago, uses a unique case with a small rifle primer for ignition, a design that gives more room for a heavier and stronger case head while retaining the exact dimension of a .45 ACP cartridge. The wonderful thing about this fairly-new handgun cartridge is that it can be used in any .45 www.MaineSportsman.com

This is the year I will try to fulfill my dream of taking a big Maine black bear with a handgun; specifically, a Remington R1 1911 .45 ACP, customized with a six-inch match-grade barrel and paired with the fairly-new and powerful .450 SMC ammunition.

Five-inch pad from the front paw of a big bear -- probably over 300 pounds. Clunie photo

ACP handgun rated for + P ammunition. I’m going to install an aftermarket, six-inch match-grade barrel in my Remington R1 1911 .45 ACP to maximize accuracy, order the .450 SMC rounds from Doubletap Ammo and go

that bad as far as recoil goes. I also use to own a smaller Glock 29 in 10mm that was just too small for me, and it didn’t handle the heavy-hitting ammo comfortably. I prefer the Remington R1 because the extra weight

and three cubs come into my bait site one afternoon, and the mother circled my treestand several times before coming to rest at the bottom of the 20-foot ladder. I pulled out my Ruger GP 100 .357 Magnum because of

The large bear circled my treestand several times before coming to rest at the bottom of the 20-foot ladder. At that close range, my .357 seemed under-powered, so I vowed to go with the harder-hitting .45 caliber for bears from then on. to work shooting the combination on some paper targets to see what bullet weight and design proves most accurate. I’ve fired the .450 SMC in a Glock 41 and the Remington R1 before and found the round to be very accurate and not

(38 oz. compared to 26 oz.) seems to handle the recoil better, and I just shoot a 1911 better anyway. I also feel safer with a thumb safety on the 1911 – just my particular preference.

Why the .45? I had a mother bear

the close range and felt way too under powered. I vowed to “upgrade” my selection of handgun caliber that day and have decided on .45 caliber handguns only. I started using the .45 Colt because of its great power, but found most

of the handguns in that caliber were just too cumbersome and heavy. The huge single-action pistols didn’t carry well and I was slow to fire repeated shots with the clunky, old handguns. When I found out that this new .450 SMC round could be used in a regular 1911, I knew this would be a fantastic hunting pistol. I’m very familiar with the 1911 and have always liked it for the way it fits in my hand and in a holster – flat on my body. Handgun Hunting Doubletap Ammo offers several excellent selections for the .450 SMC, so I can really fine-tune my ammo selection for this particular hunt. Because I have already fired their ammo in a couple of my handguns, it will be interesting to see the improvements that take place after installing the match-grade barrels and maybe a spring kit, and tuning the trigger. Bear hunting over bait usually means shooting at very short distances – maybe 15 to 25 yards. It doesn’t seem that far with a high-powered rifle in hand, but when a hunter has the angle of the treestand and a tough animal like the black bear, things can go wrong fast. The worse thing a hunter can do when bear hunting is to misplace their shot and have the big animal run off. It does happen, but no guide has (Continued on next page)

�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 27 (Continued from page 26)

ever said, “Oh boy – my client has just wounded a bear and we get to go pull it out of the brush!” I’ll wait for the perfect shot, and practice shooting from an elevated position to make my first shot count. Also, even though some folks disagree, I’ll be practicing scent-control as best I can. Bears have exceptional scenting ability, and I believe mature boars don’t tolerate human/foreign scent like the smaller bears do. I want a HUGE bear or nothing at all. Judging the species size correctly can be another difficulty. I’ve hunted bears for many years

now, but it will still be a challenge. I’ll be looking for a bear over 300 pounds, with a huge, blocky head and fat belly that hangs to the ground – an animal with a front pad that goes over five inches in width. I’ll be relaying all of this information from the hunt in future columns, to let readers know what has worked for me – and I hope to come home with a huge furry rug this fall. But hey, no pressure on my guide, or the shooter. Even if I don’t shoot a bear, I’ll get in some fantastic fishing.

¶

Author’s Glock 29 (sold and exchanged for a Glock 41) and Doubletap Ammo at the range. Clunie photo

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28 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Mom’s Moose – Part 1 by Steve Vose The 2018 moose hunt was marked by a roller coaster ride of tragically dramatic lows mixed with the highs of success. This story starts in January of 2018, with the unfortunate news that my stepdad Lenny Lloyd of Calais had been diagnosed with bladder cancer. Though the original prognosis was good and we all remained hopeful that he would beat the cancer and fully recover, it was not meant to be. However, he fought the disease all last summer.

Moose Season Poses Challenges In June, both my Mom (Kathy Lloyd) and my Dad (Steve Vose) were pulled for the exact same week of the September moose hunt. This set up a challenging scenario, as I wanted to join both Mom and Dad for their respective hunts. Adding further complication to the task was that Mom and Dad had been picked to hunt in zones over five hours apart: For Dad’s hunt we were assigned Zone 2,

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and would be hunting near Portage Mom’s hunt was Zone 19, located in the heart of Down East This quandary forced me to eventually decide that as Dad had no additional support, I would join him for the beginning of the week and hopefully help him harvest a moose, then hunt with Mom during the end of the week, if she had not yet encountered success.

•

A Change in Plans Mom had planned to hunt the beginning of the week with her husband (my stepdad, Lenny) and a close family friend and Maine guide Tim Daley of Calais. As the months passed,

however, these initial plans rapidly changed, because Lenny’s health continued to decline. At 4 a.m. on Friday September 21st, just before the start of our moose season, I received an emotional phone call from Mom saying that Lenny, just 60 years old, had succumbed to the cancer and had passed away. My initial plan had been to leave later that same morning to join Dad in Portage and begin scouting for moose, so my truck was already packed full of camping equipment and hunting gear. However, instead of going through the laborious task of unpacking, I threw my suit jacket,

dress shoes and a tie into the truck, and immediately headed north to Calais. Somber Scene I arrived in Calais at Mom’s house early Friday morning and was met by Mom and almost a dozen other family members. To say the scene was somber would be an extreme understatement. I assisted Mom with funeral arrangements, cooked for guests, made general house repairs and generally attempted to make myself “useful”, a survival task that I think most bereaved would easily understand. An active mind and body has less time to sit quietly and (Continued on next page)

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 29 (Continued from page 28)

become overwhelmed by grief. Saturday morning, Mom’s household was joined by my wife and kids as well as my brother and his family. Kind Offer from Mom After receiving this much added emotional support, Mom pulled me aside and said that she wanted me to go and help my Dad. This offer posed a dilemma for me, since I wanted to stay and provide support to my Mom, but also wanted to help Dad on his moose hunt. At 68 years old, my Dad is still physically very capable, but disassembling a moose is not an easy task for one person to handle, and leaving him alone gave me an uneasy feeling. Upon receiving Mom’s continued encouragement, on Sunday morning I headed out to meet Dad in Portage. Deboullie Public Reserved Lands Sunday afternoon, I arrived in Portage, met Dad and headed to our camping spot in the Deboullie Public Reserved Lands. While we were on the way into our reserved campsite, a large bull moose walked across the road and slowly waltzed into a spruce thicket. A good sign, or so we thought. The next two days were dreadful for moose hunting. High winds blew scent in every conceivable direction and made calling a challenge. To further complicate matters, our inability to scout had led us to expend a considerable amount of hunting time in an area that lacked any fresh sign. Undeterred by these challenging events, Dad and I gave it our all, hunting from sunrise to sunset Monday and Tuesday. By Tuesday evening, however, Dad told me he

The author’s stepfather was was scheduled to accompany the author’s mother on the moose hunt in 2018. However, the stepfather died days before the season started. After the funeral, the author’s mother said she believed her husband, an ardent hunter, would have wanted her to go. So out came Mom’s TC Encore single shot in .308, her camo clothing and hunter-orange hat, and off the family went into the woods and clearings Down East.

had done what he came to do and moose or no moose, I needed to leave and head back to be with

Mom. Back to Calais By Wednesday after(Continued on page 32)

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30 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Maple Syrup the Secret to this Maple Moose Barbeque Homemade Maine maple syrup is a gift to treasure. This past spring, my brother’s maple syrup held a flavor I will try to define: It is the lightest of an amber color, with a sweet earthy nose. I can visualize torn bark exposing inner layers of

the tree and the decaying life around it feeding it nourishment. The viscous body allows you to taste it longer as it melts into every taste bud in your mouth. It is beyond any maple syrup I have ever tasted. I suppose it is like a good wine in that it

can garner flavor from its “terroir” (this is the set of environmental factors that affect a crops characteristics). *** This dish is in my Wild Maine Recipes cookbook, “Wild Game” section. My recipes are very versatile and can

accommodate other game! Note to readers: I am at the State of Maine Sportsman Show every year on Saturday morning. I would love it if you came by the booth with a small bottle of your maple syrup, labeled with your name, number

and email address. I will taste-test all samples and I’ll recognize the top three taste winners in this food column. Bring it on!! Bon Appetit and Happy Healthy wild game meals!

I used two different maple syrups – one from my brother, and the other from my friend, Kit. The latter tasted like it came from smaller trees, and a more intense end-of-season flavor. The combination was a winner in this dish.

Maple Moose Barbeque

• • • • • • • • • •

4 1-½ inch thick moose steaks 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ¾ cup Maine maple syrup ½ teaspoon chipotle pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons onion, minced 1 tablespoon Worchestire Sauce 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon hot dry mustard ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat grill to high or oven to 375°F Combine all ingredients except oil and moose. Marinade steaks for at least one hour, if not the day, in barbecue marinade, turning once. Grill-Place steaks on grill for 5 minutes, turn over and grill for 3 more minutes for medium rare or to your liking. Place marinade in cast iron pan on grill to warm onions, serve on top of steaks. Oven-Heat oil in cast-iron skillet on high. Sear steaks, 2 minutes on each side. Baste with marinade on both sides then place skillet in oven to finish for 10 minutes. Let rest 3 minutes before serving – keeps the juices intact. Substitute Critters: Venison, elk, beef, bear, goat and lamb. Libations: A full-bodied Pinot Noir, or a sour or citrusy beer.

¶

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 31

An Introduction to Successful Wing Shooting by Brad Varney, “Brush-Worn Grouse Hunter” The most important aspect of wing shooting is safety. The second most important aspect is to determine which eye is dominant, and to address or correct that issue. That’s because aiming a shotgun is best done with both eyes open, to maintain peripheral vision. Testing for Eye Dominance Try this simple test (this is for right-handed shooters; lefties should do the opposite): With both feet together and your toes pointing at a spot about six feet away, point your right hand at the spot. Now cover your left eye. If your finger stays on the spot, you are most likely co-dominant (i.e., your dominant eye is on the same side as your dominant hand). To double check, point your left hand at the same spot and cover your right eye with your right hand. Your hand should move to the right. If you have different results (in other words, if you are cross-dominant or equi-dominant), you need a wing shooting instructor who is well versed in eye dominance issues. Your instructor must also know how to correctly alleviate such problems. Why correct eye dominance is so important

Most shooters start with a BB gun or a rifle. That’s a problem when transitioning to wing shooting, since trying to shoot a shotgun at a moving target using rifle technique is a recipe for failure. Simply put, good wing shooting is less like rifle shooting, and more like hitting a tennis ball or pounding a nail. in wing shooting is that your right eye (when shooting right handed) serves as your rear sight. If your left eye takes over, your aim will be off by the width of your eyes. Some Points to Remember 1. Right-handed people are the least likely to have eye dominance issues. 2. Left-handed people are prone to eye dominance issues. 3. For reasons that are not understood, women seem to have more eye dominance issues than men. (I expect this fact has caused friction in some relationships, when men try to provide wing-shooting instruction to their spouse or significant other.)

A Shotgun is Not a Rifle Assuming any eye dominance problems have been rectified, let us proceed. Good wing shooting is really quite simple. The problem in this country is most shooters start with a rifle or BB gun. Trying to shoot a shotgun at a moving target using rifle technique is a recipe for failure. Furthermore, trying to correct a miss with a more deliberate aim, as you do in rifle shooting, just compounds the problem. Simply stated, good wing shooting is more like hitting a tennis ball or pounding a nail than rifle shooting. Mounting the Shotgun The first thing you

need to do is stand correctly – left foot one step forward, belly in, butt out, weight on forward leg. The forward left leg should be slightly bent. Your nose should be over the toes of your left foot. With your unloaded (always check; never assume a firearm is unloaded; remember: safety first!) shotgun in hand and standing about ten feet from a wall, lock your eyes on a small spot

above your head height. The heel of your shotgun should be slightly below your armpit, and the muzzle slightly below the spot on the wall. Now slowly mount your shotgun to your cheek by pushing the barrel slightly forward towards the spot. It is critical that you do not look at the sight or muzzle. If done correctly, your shotgun will go directly to the spot. If you look at the top of the spot, it should momentarily disappear. Likewise, if you close the left eye, it will disappear. Once you can mount your shotgun correctly to a spot on the wall without (Continued on next page)

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32 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

The author demonstrates a smooth gun mount.

Shooting Sports (Continued from page 31)

looking at your shotgun sights, you are on your way to becoming a wing shooter. Follow Through – Naturally This is the condensed version of the correct training and actual shooting method. Pretend the spot on the wall is the head of a game bird, and remember the expression for following through – “Tail, body, head: always dead.” If you come up from beneath the spot, that is the correct movement for a straight-away shot. Left to right and right to left are crossing shots. With a little imagination, you can practice almost any shot. If you

use snap caps or dummy ammo and pull the trigger as the barrel passes through the spot, you will quickly learn that follow through is built into this system, not something added on. If you have to consciously follow through, your system is faulty. The Heart is the Eyes The heart of this system is the eyes. The eyes look only at the target or head, while the muzzle must start behind (the tail). You will be using eye/hand coordination. The eyes feed your brain – the greatest computer ever made – and in turn the brain instructs muscles and hands how to move your shotgun and when to pull the trigger. You do not even have to think – your computer will do it perfectly if you look at the target.

Moose Hunting (Continued from page 29)

noon, I had the truck packed and was headed back to Calais. The 5.5 hour ride from Portage to Down East had me arriving at Mom’s only an hour and a half before Lenny’s wake on Wednesday at 6:30 pm. The somber event left not a dry eye in the house, and at the evening’s conclusion everyone was emotionally and physically drained. The Wednesday wake was followed by Lenny’s funeral on Thursday, which must have been attended by half of Down East Maine. It was certainly an overwhelming show of support for our family and also such a high honor paid to a man who had meant so much to his friends, family, co-workers and community. She Wants to Hunt! Thursday night, Mom’s house was packed with family. During dinner, Mom mentioned that she felt Lenny, an avid outdoorsman, would have wanted her to go on www.MaineSportsman.com

Brad Varney is among Maine’s best-known wing and clay shooting instructors. He’s been teaching folks how to shoot safely, accurately and naturally for more than 45 years. His most recent book, Maine-ly Wing Shooting, is a how-to guide to developing instinctive skills for shooting moving targets.

Now you are probably saying, “What about leading the target?” Leading is built into the system.

Practice pays off in the field. Here, Izzy is on point, while the author is ready for the flush.

If you must know about lead, here’s my advice – lead with your forward foot.

her moose hunt. Mom’s strength in the situation surprised me; however, I felt that if she was really interested in going, there was likely no other task that would be more cathartic. Mom’s assurance after dinner that she was deadly serious, led my brother, step brother and I to begin organizing a game plan for a hunt starting early the next morning. Because all three of us had grown up Down East, we had a fairly good lay of the land, but still we made a phone call to local Maine guide and loaded up Google Earth. While my brothers were checking maps, I helped Mom organize her hunting gear. Safety First Our biggest concern was Mom’s ability to safely and accurately discharge her firearm. While she was very familiar with her hunting rifle, I was not, and her current state of emotional distress further complicated the situation. So to ensure safety, Mom pulled out her

Good luck, and good shooting.

¶

TC Encore, single shot in .308, and walked me through every part of the operation of the firearm. I then had her practice standing up, looking through the scope, raising and lowering the firearm and bringing it into firing position, as well as carrying the firearm pointed in a safe direction. As I evaluated Mom, she appeared relaxed, collected and composed, an emotional state that’s easy to maintain when a person is not under duress. However, that calm demeanor can waver when a hunter is being stared down by a 1,000-pound wild animal. Ultimately, I felt that with the guidance and support of the three of us, my Mom would be fine, if an opportunity presented itself. Besides, I figured what were the chances that in few hours of walking dirt roads we would actually shoot a moose? My estimate was that our chances for success were about zero percent. Next month – Mom sees a bull moose, and takes a single shot.

¶

�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 33

ATV Destinations —

Greenville’s B-52 Crash Site by Will Lund Eight miles into the woods northeast of Greenville at the southeast end of Moosehead Lake is an unforgettable destination and memorial that can be reached by ATV, snowmobile and automobile. It’s the site where a B-52 Stratofortress crashed in January, 1963. The story by now is well-known: the giant aircraft was on a low-altitude training run, with nine crewmembers on board. Strong winds buffeted the plane, which engineers later determined was designed more for straight, high-altitude runs than for low flights

snapped off, and the crew had only a few seconds to react before the plane crashed into the south slope of Elephant Mountain.

Numerous small American flags are placed each year among the wreckage, which lies strewn on the forest floor.

pivoting among mountaintops. The pilot had been ordered to perform “terrain

avoidance” maneuvers using a new type of radar. The plane flew as low as 500 feet above the trees

and granite cliffs. As a result of the winds and maneuvers, the vertical stabilizer

Only Two Ejected Safely The pilot ejected. His parachute opened and then caught in the limbs of a tree. He spent much of the night suspended in air in his flight suit in temperatures that were reportedly colder than 20 below zero. The co-pilot ejected and was killed upon impact with a tree. The navigator ejected, but his (Continued on next page)

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ATVing in Maine (Continued from page 34)

chute did not open. He landed in the snow, injured and still strapped to his ejection seat. The other crewmen aboard did not survive the crash. Sobering Scene The scene is sobering, according to one veteran who spoke to The Maine Sportsman: “As a former member of our country’s Armed Services, it was sad and somber for me to see where the plane went down and to consider what the service members from the Air Force must have gone through on their way out of the sky. Seven were killed and two survived, and they went through hell during their recoveries, with one [the co-pilot] losing a leg in the process. “I was first there in the mid-1970s before the monument was estab-

lished and before the trail to the site was improved. It was difficult to get to and hard to find, and once there it was a sobering experience for all. Everyone loves to fly but no one loves to crash. The site was inaccessible and unimproved back then. “Each time I go there, it strikes me that few civilians realize what our military goes through in training to be ready for whatever is waiting on the horizon. Even in peacetime, serving our country can be dangerous – even deadly. It’s good to remember and to remind ourselves of that fact from time to time.” Changes Over Time Although the site was difficult to access in the 1970s, a sense of patriotism and respect caused folks to become protective of the location. The timber company that (Continued on next page)

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HODGDON Tidd’s Sports Shop 154 Calais Road 207-532-6476 www.tiddssportsshop.com © 2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserve<!.™.®, and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products, Inc. or its affiliates. 1AII other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. In the USA, the products are distributed by BRP US Inc. BRP reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some mcxlels depicted may include optional equipment. BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or, in USA, call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. In Canada, call the Canadian Safety Council at (6131 739-1535 ext 227. Read the Operators Guide and watch the Safety DVD before riding. Wear appropriate protective clothing and helmet. For side-by-side vehicles, fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Never engage in stunt driving and avoid excessive speed. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Side-by-side vehicles and ATVs are recommended for drivers aged 16 and older, and passengers aged 12 and older only. For off-road use only. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Always ride responsibly and remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix.

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The B-52 crash site is northeast of Greenville, and east of Moosehead Lake and Upper Wilson Pond, off ITS 85 on Elephant Mountain. (Continued from page 34)

owned the property (as well as subsequent owners) agreed not to do any cutting in the area, so in time the trees began towered over the location like cathedral walls, increasing the sense of awe visitors now feel. Along with not cutting trees, the woodland owner joined with ATV and snowmobile clubs in making an appeal to the public to return items and artifacts removed from the site. The appeal was successful, and many engine and fuselage parts were brought back into the jagged clearing. The area has been cleared and improved for visitors and has become a memorial. A large piece of Monson slate lists the names of those who gave their lives. “The trail to the B-52 Memorial has seen major upgrades over the years,” said Christopher Keene, author of North Woods Walks. “Once just a narrow trail with no apparent start, now there’s now a well-graded footpath leading just over 300 feet to the slate memorial adjacent the gunner’s cockpit of this fallen C-3. “The trailhead is clearly marked,” Keene

continued, “as well as ITS, ATV and regular vehicle avenues of approach. An easy, although somber, hike for all ages. Beautiful scenery abounds, with giant mountains and nearby lakes.” Helped Make the Plane Better The B-52 is a 159foot long workhorse, with a 185-foot wingspan. Eight engines push its 184,000-pound weight. That weight and size put great strains on the plane. As a result of the disaster and resulting investigations, the B-52’s tail was made stiffer and stronger. This improved model of aircraft continued in service, including in recent conflicts in Afghanistan. The memorial attracts a respectful following, with some ATV and snowmobile clubs making an annual pilgrimage, complete with a memorial service and honor guards. The awe-inspiring location will continue to serve as a destination for Maine’s ATV riders, and a memorial to the flyers who gave their lives in the Cold War training exercise.

¶

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36 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

2019 Maine Sportsman Opinion Poll Results Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond to our Readers Poll, including the nearly one-third of responders who communicated online! Please look over the results, and send your comments and questions to our editor at Will@MaineSportsman.com. 1. Should Maine allow small-game hunting on Sundays? YES 59%

NO 41%

2. Should Maine create a spring bear hunt to help reduce the bear population? YES 69% NO 31% 3. Should the applications filed by landowners for preference in any-deer permit drawings be open to public inspection? YES 71% NO 29% 4. Have you removed all lead sinkers and lead split shot from your freshwater tackle boxes? YES 71% NO 29% 5. Did you hunt coyotes within the past year?

YES 21%

NO 79%

6. Should the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Land Use Planning Commission approve construction of a powerline from the Canadian Border to The Forks to supply Massachusetts with electricity? YES 16% NO 84% 7. Virtually all of Maine’s navigable rivers and streams have been channelized, bulldozed, dynamited, straightened, or otherwise altered to facilitate driving of logs, which ended in 1976. Should the state begin a program to restore our rivers to provide better habitat for fish and wildlife? YES 76% NO 24% 8. Did you hunt with a crossbow this past year?

YES 11%

NO 89%

9. Did you hunt with a muzzleloader this past year? YES 35%

NO 65%

10. It is unlawful to hunt in Maine with an autoloading rifle with a magazine with the capacity of more than five cartridges. Should it be unlawful to possess an autoloading rifle with a magazine having a capacity of more than five cartridges? YES 35% NO 65% 11. Do you believe global warming is a real environmental threat? YES 64% NO 36% 12. Do you believe global warming is caused by human activity? YES 58% NO 42% 13. Should DIF&W establish a program to improve spawning habitat for trout and salmon? YES 95% NO 5% 14. Should ice fishing be allowed on some salmon and trout waters now closed each winter, if anglers use artificial lures? YES 42% NO 58% 15. Did you hunt or fish outside of the state of Maine this past year? YES 32% NO 68% 16. Has the turkey population expanded to the point that the state should end the two-bird seasonal tag limit for the spring season, and allow the taking of one tom turkey each day? YES 54% NO 46% 17. Is the dumping of household goods and tires causing landowners to post their property? YES 93% NO 7% 18. Should buyers of auto and truck tires pay a returnable deposit, as we do on beverage bottles, which we would get back when we returned the used tires? YES 63% NO 37% 19. Pike are an exotic invasive species that has the potential to wreak havoc with our native trout and salmon. Should anglers be required to kill any pike that are caught? YES 77% NO 23% 20. Would you support a proposal to expand the instant background check of purchasers of firearms to include sales between private parties? YES 30% NO 70% www.MaineSportsman.com

21. Should income from bear bait hunting sites leased by landowners be taxed, with the revenue going to DIF&W? YES 48% NO 52% 22. Should a system be developed to allow an any-deer permit to be used in more than one Wildlife Management District? YES 56% NO 44% 23. Do you believe DIF&W wardens are spread too thin to deter poachers? YES 70% NO 30% 24. When wardens spend time on search and rescue activities unrelated to fish or game activities, should the state’s General Fund pay for their time? YES 88% NO 12% 25. Do you approve of DIF&W’s current practice of stocking brook trout in marginal, put-and-take waters where these fish cannot survive warm summer water? YES 40% NO 60% 26. Did you spend time fly-casting for trout this past year? YES 48%

NO 52%

27. Should mechanized gold mining in Maine rivers and streams be ended, to protect trout and salmon habitat? YES 86% NO 14% 28. Only 3% of all bears killed each year are harvested by trapping. To remove an emotional issue from future bear hunting debates, should the state end the recreational trapping of bears? YES 38% NO 62% 29. Should municipalities that regulate bow hunting in the expanded season zones be barred from charging fees for permits? YES 89% NO 19% 30. Should landlocked salmon be managed to promote larger fish? YES 75% NO 25% 31. Should DIF&W regulate winter-feeding of deer? YES 51%

NO 49%

32. Should nonresidents be permitted to hunt deer on opening day of the firearms season? YES 44% NO 56% 33. Were you checked by a game warden this past year? YES 28%

NO 72%

34. Should hunting with crossbows be allowed wherever hunters can use regular bows? YES 63% NO 37% 35. Do you believe that many hunters in Maine tag deer they didn’t shoot? YES 51% NO 49% 36. Should the owners of land with conservation easements be required to post online maps showing the land and the location of the public’s right of access? YES 51% NO 49% 37. Should Maine’s law permitting children of any age hunt under supervision, be modified to establish a minimum hunting age? YES 59% NO 41% 38. Should a system of tagging turkeys by telephone or online replace tagging stations? YES 64% NO 36% 39. Should the price of a Maine hunting license include the right to hunt all game animals (except moose) without additional fees? YES 82% NO 18% 40. Have you (or has anyone you know) seen a cougar in Maine? YES 28% NO 72%

�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 37

The State of Maine’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries

An Interview with Marine Resources Commissioner Pat Keliher, Part 2 by Bob Humphrey Last month we learned that the DMR “organizational chart” showing only a single full-time employee dedicated to saltwater recreational fishing, does not tell the whole story. In fact, the program benefits from other sources, including the multi-state “Atlantic states fisheries compact” and federal fisheries programs. Here, the author’s conversation with the Commissioner concludes, touching again on stripers, as well as haddock, cod, black sea bass, bonito, shad, carp and halibut. In the August issue we learned that in 2014, ASMFC’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved an amendment to their Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass requiring coastal states to implement a 25 percent harvest reduction from 2013 levels. While a proposed 24- to 26-inch slot limit received favorable comment and made far more sense biologically, Maine went instead to a 28 inch minimum length. Keliher explained why. At that time, each

Currently off the Maine coast, there is a very healthy and abundant age class of striped bass that should enter that 28-inch range this year and next, providing a more accurate and optimistic assessment of striper stocks.

Cod numbers remain below management goals, but anglers are now catching (and currently releasing) as many cod as haddock on a typical outing.

jurisdiction (state) had different regulations. This, according to the ASMFC Technical Committee, made it very difficult to assess population size, a necessary element to developing future management plans. “We still could have gone with a slot, but it would have made that process far more difficult,” said Keliher. “It

also could have resulted in periodic closures during the fishing season, which is already relatively short here in Maine.” So it only made sense to align with the other Atlantic states. Did Striper Rules Work? At first glance, those measures don’t seem to have worked, as the ASMFC is now calling

for further reductions in harvest. They claim the spawning stock biomass is currently below their threshold levels. “We need to first stabilize, then start growing bass populations,” said Keliher. But that 28-inch minimum wasn’t random, and offers some reason for optimism. The spawning stock biomass Keliher

referred to is basically fish of breeding age/size, which typically occurs around 28 inches. Keliher further noted that because off the process, assessments are generally a year behind. As anyone who has fished the coast of southern Maine in the last couple years is aware, there is a very healthy and abundant age class of stripers that should enter that 28-inch range this year and next, providing a more accurate and optimistic assessment of striper stocks. Haddock, Halibut, Cod Rebounding? Meanwhile, Maine’s other principal recreational fish resource is also showing some signs of recovery in offshore waters. Stock assessments conducted by DMR and NMFS and primary for commercial fisheries management have led to considerable liberalization of recreational limits on some species like haddock. The current limit is 12 fish per day with a 15inch minimum, but there is a proposal to increase that to 15 fish. Another species that (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

38 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Saltwater Fishing in Maine (Continued from page 37)

has really rebounded, but that Keliher feels represents an as yet under exploited opportunity, is halibut. And like the striped bass, cod numbers remain below management goals, but anecdotal evidence from state waters suggests a very healthy resource, with sport anglers now catching (and

currently releasing) as many cod as haddock on a typical outing. Sea Bass; Carp Keliher and Wilson identified several more up-and-coming or existing but under-utilized opportunities. • Black sea bass are now found all the way up to Penobscot Bay, mostly in inshore waters

• Large schools of juvenile bonito that showed up offshore last year at least suggest the potential for an entirely new fishery should they become regular visitors. • Shad, which have something of a minor cult following but represent a great recreational fishery occur in far more Maine waters than most fishermen realize, and are most often caught from shore. • Then there’s carp, which are the most popular gamefish in most European countries, but barely get mentioned in Maine. They reach 20-30 pounds, and because they are an invasive species there is no bag or size limit. And you get access to all that for $1.

Commissioner Keliher is sworn into office by Governor Janet Mills.

we should acknowledge that much of the effort to survey, assess and manage marine fisheries for commercial purposes also benefits recreational anglers. That includes a portion of the staff and resources at DMR. In at least one way they are also quite similar to the folks who manage inland fish. How much gets done ultimately boils down to funding. Keliher noted that his agency’s budget has been on a downward trend through several administrations, but he now sees positive signs and the

To Restore Fish, Must Restore Funding Recreational anglers often grumble that commercial fishermen get all the attention and most of the resource. That may be true, but

possibility of some reinvestment in the agency. I hope he’s right, because Maine’s marine resources provide a significant contribution to Maine’s economy and the enjoyment of its residents and visitors. Bob Humphrey is a registered Maine guide, and a U.S.C.G.- licensed captain who runs inshore and offshore charters for stripers, groundfish, sharks and tuna. FMI visit wwww.sportventures.net.

¶

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The Misunderstood Cusk Very few anglers target cusk specifically, but a lot of fishermen who catch them incidentally are happy to take them home to eat. I’ve penned the “Saltwater” column for Maine Sportsman for many years, but I have never devoted one to the subject of cusk. Cusk, you ask? Isn’t that a fish caught through the ice in winter on some of our larger lakes? Similar, maybe, but not exactly the same. The saltwater cusk, with the Latin name Brosme brosme (and I assure you I did not have to look that up in a reference book; I know it by heart) is a muscular bottom-dweller here in the Gulf of Maine.

It resembles a stout, thick, brownish-green eel, and has a big mouth filled with short, needle-like teeth. Three to Thirty Pounds Cusk are voracious predators, feeding on shellfish, crustaceans – such as crabs and lobsters – and small finfish along the sea floor. They have a mean temperament, generally run three to ten pounds, and often grow to 15 pounds. An angler on Capt. Tim Tower’s party boat Bunny Clark

out of Ogunquit caught a 30-pound, 1-ounce specimen back in 1988, which was an all-tackle world record at the time. The reason a lot of us don’t like cusk is that they intrude upon our quest for haddock and other more amiable deep-water food fishes. Very few anglers target cusk specifically, but a lot of fishermen who catch them incidentally are happy to take them home to eat. More on that in a minute. Cusk are deep-wa(Continued on next page)

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Capt. Scott Maguire displays a double-header of cusk taken on Jeffreys Ledge. Barry Gibson photo

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Saltwater Fishing (Continued from page 39)

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As mentioned, cusk are voracious – and will very often swallow the hook. Therefore, a pistol-grip Baker Hook-Out or a pair of heavy needle-nose pliers is a must. In fact, most anglers who catch a deeply-hooked cusk find that familiarity with a half-dozen or so cuss words is also helpful. Despite their temperament, cusk are actually very good eating. They are a pain to fillet, as their skin is slippery and tough, but a knife sharpened to a razor’s edge will do the trick. My advice (and I’ve filleted loads of cusk) is simply to go slowly. Firm, White Meat The flesh is white, surprisingly mild, and firmer than cod or haddock, and the fillets can be baked, broiled, sautéed, or chunked and deep-fried as Cusk McNuggets. On the flip side, many people use it as the basis for an old-fashioned fish chowder. My good friend Bob Damrell of Georgetown, who accompanied me on a deep-sea trip in mid-July of this year and who caught a couple of nice cusk, emailed me and said “Marijke (his wife) and I have come to the conclusion that cusk makes a tasty chowder. The prep is simple – cut the head off and gut the fish, and just ‘half bake’ it by parboiling it first. The tough skin peels away, and the meat falls off the bone. We use the water, and spices, to add to the chowder stock. It makes good use of an under-utilized fish.” Another good friend, Dennis Blackman of Boothbay, was also along for the aforementioned trip. He boxed several cusk, and then mused to all of us, “I wonder how cusk would be smoked?” I emailed him a couple days after the trip, and asked him if he had tried smoking it. “I was too tired when I got home, so I threw that ugly S.O.B. (Continued on next page)

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in the freezer!” was his response. I’ll follow up with Dennis to see how the smoking went, assuming he’ll attempt it, and will report back to readers. Stay tuned! 2019 Groundfish Regs Finally Out In another apparent example of “We really don’t care about recreational fishermen,” the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) posted the 2019 rec groundfish regulations on July 5th, more than two months after they were supposed to be implemented on May 1st. That’s nothing short of disgraceful, especially since the new regs in-

creased the haddock daily bag limit from 12 to 15 cod, and that could have started May 1st. It would have made a big difference for the party and charter boats, but by their action (inaction?), NMFS basically stated they did not think the rules were that important. On the positive side, there will be a two-week period from September 15th to the end of the month where anglers can keep one cod per day – minimum length 21 inches. I’ll have more about this issue in a future column. In the meantime, enjoy your late-September grilled cod steaks!

¶

Kaylee Mcatavey of Lebanon, ME landed this 32.5-inch striper using a tube and sand worm while trolling the York River on July 19, 2019. Photo courtesy of Keith and Shirley Mcatavey

Justin Petelle of Wells landed and released this beautiful striper on July 7, 2019 while shore fishing off the rocks. It measured just over 40 inches. After a long fight, Petelle struggled to reach the water, climbing over seaweed and barnacle-covered rocks while dealing with the big surf. “But it was all worth it when I finally got to hold the fish,” he reported, adding that following a quick photo, “it swam off strong.”

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42 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

— Guest Column —

A Thanksgiving Day Bullet Through the Window by Mary Smith*, Central Maine *This story is true, written by a homeowner who lives with her family – a family of hunters – in Central Maine. She has opted to maintain anonymity, but wants to tell her tale in order to encourage safe hunting during the upcoming firearms season for white tail deer. Every year when Thanksgiving Day approaches, the chatter about getting a deer peaks for the year. That’s because the end of November means there are just a few precious days left before regular rifle hunting season ends. If you don’t have your deer before Thanksgiving, the pressure is on. If you know a hunter, I’m sure you’ve experienced this. Yeah, there is still muzzle-loading season, but for many hunters, the end of rifle season is the end of deer season for the year. For many years now, I’ve been saying goodbye to my husband and kids who go out in the wee hours of the morning on Thanksgiving Day (at least the ones who haven’t been lucky enough to shoot a deer earlier in the season), while I work on getting the turkey in the oven and prep for the extended family to come over. Sometimes dinner has been later than planned if someone was in the right place at the right time, and in that case, congratulations are shared. A Break from Tradition For Thanksgiving 2018, we broke from tradition and went www.MaineSportsman.com

Warden Lefebvre said it was a good thing we weren’t home at the time -- the bullet struck our house and broke the window just a foot or two away from my son’s bed.

The slug passed through the window in my son’s bedroom, a foot or two from his bed,

somewhere else for Thanksgiving, giving me a much-needed break from all the cooking and cleaning. That decision, in part, was because our family was fortunate enough to have already shot a deer. The pressure was off to fill the freezer for the coming year and help with those grocery bills. We arrived home from our Thanksgiving Day visit after a long drive. My 12-year old son was ready to get into bed, but he came running out of his bedroom, exclaiming that something’s happened to his room. My husband was the first one in. There was broken glass and wood all over the floor. He wondered if someone had hit the window with a hard snowball or possibly

After shattering the window and frame, the expended round landed on the window sill.

had even broken in. I came in next, followed by the other kids. The kids all looked at each other and insisted they hadn’t done anything. The hole in the window was way too small for someone to have broken in. Slug on the Sill When I went over to the window, I looked down on the sill and saw a gold or brass object. It took a second before realizing that it was a rifle slug. My husband and I knew right away that it was a hunting-related incident. We called the local police, and were immediately transferred to the game warden in our area. The game warden was on assignment that evening, but whispered

over the phone that he’d be out first thing in the morning to take a look. Meanwhile, we did our best to cover the window, and my son retired to the living room couch to get some sleep that night. Wardens Investigate The next day, we met Game Warden Joey Lefebvre. He looked at the window, collected the bullet in a small evidence bag, and proceeded to walk the woods and field behind the house. A few hours later, another warden pulled in the driveway and walked out back. They stayed out back of our house for what seemed like several hours. Then they checked in with is and prepared to leave. They didn’t say what they’d found, but said they’d be back again

the next day. They came back the next day, and the next day after that. In total, I think there were four or five wardens and one tracking dog in the woods at one time. We could see they were being very thorough – tying pink ribbons on some trees, and green on others. Suspects Identified On Day 4, Warden Lefebvre announced they knew who was involved in the incident. He explained that a group of hunters was hunting together during the Thanksgiving holiday, jumped and shot at a deer in the woods directly behind our house. I guess it was their one last attempt to bag an elusive whitetail before the season ended. Warden Lefebvre said it was a good thing we weren’t home at the time. The bullet struck our house just a foot or two away from my son’s bed. He also said it’s amazing that the hunters didn’t shoot each other. Amazing Detective Work We were completely shocked that the game wardens were able to put the pieces together. When we first called the police and then were transferred to the Warden Service, we didn’t think they’d be able to find out what happened. But, that’s what you do when you find a bullet hole in your house; call the police, right? That’s not something you ever expect to come home to. While the matter (Continued on next page)

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2019 Maine Sportsman Youth Writing Contest Winner: Maine Senior Category

Opening Day, 2018 by Delaney Woods – 9th Grade – Dirigo High School

My love of the outdoors began when I was just a baby. From the time I was born and every year after that, my family has spent vacations in the North Maine Woods with my Great Grandfather, who was a Maine Guide. He taught me a lot about a little bit of everything in life, especially hunting and fishing. In fact, I started going out into the woods with my Dad, brother and Great Grandfather when they went hunting, watching and learning before I could even carry a gun. All I Could See Were Antlers On October 24, 2018, opening day, I shot my first buck while hunting with my dad. I was standing on the side of a ledge, and we were getting ready to head home for lunch. I took one last wishful look down an open trail, and all I saw were antlers coming our way. They were the biggest antlers I had seen on any deer. As the deer kept slowly walking towards us, picking its head up and down to eat, I got my ri-

Hunting with my dad, I looked down a trail and saw antlers coming our way – the biggest antlers I’d ever seen on any deer. I got my rifle in position to take a shot.

Delaney Woods’ opening day buck was large enough -- at 202 pounds -- to gain her entry into Maine’s exclusive Biggest Bucks Club. Woods is 15 years old and she’s a freshman at Dirigo High School in Dixfield.

fle in the right position to take a shot. Shaking with Excitement My first shot hit the buck and knocked it down. The excitement began as I looked at my Dad, who still hadn’t seen the buck I had just put

Bullet Through the Window (Continued from page 42)

is still in the investigative stages, my son has calmed down and settled back into his bedroom. A piece of plywood currently covers the window that used to look out to the playground in the backyard. We will get the window repaired. We are very grateful for the work of Warden Lefebvre and the other game

down. We hurried off the face of the ledge to get to where the deer was lying. My dad got more excited the closer we got. U n fortunately, the first shot did not kill the deer, so I finished it off with a second shot. As I stood there shak-

ing with excitement, recognizing how proud my dad was, I looked at the deer on the ground. I realized the deer was mine. I had watched my dad and brother get their deer many years in a row, but this one was mine. I had shot my first buck, and it was the biggest one I had

wardens. Sometimes I hear stories about hunters who had a bad experience with the wardens, but I know first-hand that the ones I encountered are hard-working. It would have been very easy to dismiss this incident and say, “Well, we’ll write up a report, but there’s no telling who did this.” As we look back on this day, it’s a good reminder for all hunters to remember the basics that are taught in hunter’s safety class: Make sure you know your target – and what’s beyond it – before you take that shot. Having to pass up on a trophy buck

ever seen. So after many years of anticipation, hard work, learning and practicing, it all paid off on October 27. I definitely had some buck fever going on – I was shaking from head to toe with tears of joy in my eyes, as was my Dad. Veteran’s Bracelet Brought Good Luck When I harvested my deer, I was carrying my Great Grandfather’s bracelet that he had on his wrist when he was in WWII. It is a special possession that I keep with me for good luck, as he is no longer with us. This year that bracelet brought me the best luck possible, as my first buck was an 8-point and weighed in at 202 pounds, allowing me to become part of Maine’s Biggest Buck Club. I am looking forward to making many more memories with my family, doing what I love, in the place I love. My Great Grandfather’s teachings will guide me through life, and will one day be passed down to my future children. I will never forget Opening Day of 2018.

¶

is a lot easier to live with than accidently shooting someone. Editor’s Note: In July, 2019, two of the hunters involved in the incident were found to have committed the infraction of “driving deer.” Each was fined $100. The outcome for other defendants, at least one of whom may have been facing charges of discharging a firearm near a dwelling and reckless conduct with a firearm, is not known at press time.

¶

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44 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

This Month’s Options include Feathers, Fins and Fur When I think back a couple of decades or so, September cast-and-blast options were lean. Many outdoorsmen used the time to switch out their summer fishing tackle for fall hunting gear, and get the house, yard and vehicles ready for an early Aroostook winter. For the last few seasons however I have to keep separate piles of equipment in each corner of the den. Each day, I face the daily quandary of selecting a sport – do I load the truck for: • Late season bass casting? • Early season native goose gunning? or • Enjoying a day of

It’s a tough life, but someone has to make the difficult decisions – bass, geese, salmon or trout?

During the last two hours before dusk, the author enjoys terrific topwater action along the shoreline and around the Islands on Baskahegan Lake. All photos: Bill Graves

early fall fly fishing? Baskahegan Bass It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to make the hard decisions.

I’d suggest Aroostook anglers head south to Brookton and the always-consistent bronzeback fishing of Baskahe-

gan Lake. During September, the kaleidoscopic colors of shoreline foliage only serve to enhance the ac-

Aroostook County

robatic, aerobatic action. I was late in life before a friend introduced me to bass fishing, more than 35 years old. Baskahegan was the waterway, and my smallmouth gear consisted of a 6 ½ foot spinning rod and reel I employed for trout, and a handful of size 7 floating Rapalas in colors I used for salmon and brookies. I caught over a dozen smallies that afternoon, and it turns out the fish weren’t the only ones hooked! In subsequent years, I’ve never had a bad trip, regardless of time of year. Thanks to the lake’s large size, it’s never crowded, (Continued on next page)

— The Crown of Maine —

When Mike Moreau is not busy promoting The Maine Sportsman, he gets a little fishing in. Here, he holds a 34-inch, 13-pound muskie, caught in July in the far northwest corner of Maine.

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On a 6-foot lightweight spinning rod and small reel, 3-4-pound bronzebacks are a handful. September bass really like a spinnerbait or a wacky-rigged 5” Senko worm. (Continued from page 44)

and bass are everywhere. I’d suggest Heddon torpedoes, Rebel skirted Pop-Rs and the Arbogast frog-colored Hula Popper for hard baits, and a RatL-Trap shallow running lure for below-surface action. Other proven lures include soft plastics such as 4 or 5-inch Senko worms on a wacky rig, and a 3-inch grub on a single-blade gold Colorado spinner-skirted or bare. (By the way, my Rapalas still catch bass, especially the bright orange and perch hues.) Baskahegan’s one downfall is its rough launch area and very shallow depth – you’d better have a low trailer, and even then you still may have to back your trailer and vehicle into the lake! Consider a stable canoe of at least 18 feet, and steer clear of heavy boats and those longer than 16 feet. Use Route 1 for close access to the launch site near Sucker Brook. Start casting right off at Mainland Cove, just north of the ramp; explore Outlet Cove, Winter Harbor; and trek across the lake to toss baits around Long Island and the trio of nearby coves in the southeast corner.

Top Wolters of Madawaska Lake experiences early fall bass casting and gets steady results on shallow-running rattle baits like the one that fooled this hefty smallie.

Many anglers forget that fall fly fishing can just as good as the ice-out action. This female is about to be released to join the spawning frenzy in the Fish River thoroughfares.

Guides are starting to bring customers to The County for goose hunting, with the result that some fields and waterways are getting a bit crowded. I suggest sportsmen hunt during the week, if possible, and that they travel farther north, such as to the St. John Valley, which sees lighter pressure. Check out Delorme’s Atlas Map 45, C- 3 and C-4, and D-3 D-4. It’s a big waterway – there are plenty of 1- to 2-pound smallies and in the fall features wonderful fishing weather. Valley Honkers Early season goose hunting seems to get better and better each September; the population and range just keep expanding. It’s gotten to the point where guides from southern and cen-

tral Maine are bringing gunning clients to the Crown of Maine to enjoy the consistent action. With the local waterfowlers also taking full advantage of this native bird opportunity, some regions between Houlton and Caribou can become a bit crowded. There are plenty of fields and waterways, but a limited number of flocks – it’s not like October, when the migratory honkers arrive in force. With this in mind, I

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suggest sportsmen attempt to hunt weekdays rather than weekends, and that they travel farther north; for example, the St. John Valley gets notably lighter pressure. There are plenty of geese and huntable agrifields around Fort Kent, Frenchville and Madawaska to investigate, but an often-overlooked area is the vast open farm land and multiple lakes and ponds around St. Agatha. The expansive

surface of Long Lake attracts and holds plenty of geese, and there are dozens of ponds and small lakes between the villages of Carriveau Mill on the west and Cleveland on the east shoreline. Cut grain, pea fields and mowed clover pastures are plentiful this month and these are close, easy feeding fields that are just a short flight from roost waters. Early season Canadas aren’t foolish, but they’re not as wary as late-season migrators that have been shot at regularly during their flight. A bit of scouting will help establish a regular feeding time and current favored (Continued on next page)

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Native geese are beginning to change from family groups to small flocks like this bunch on an Aroostook pond. Smart early-season hunters will monitor their feeding patterns and then set up an ambush.

With just the native birds around this month, the action can be a bit slow, but a six-goose limit makes the action top rate when the honkers do decoy. This half dozen were culled from one flock by Lee Shaw, Buddy Horr and Roger Shaw.

The County (Continued from page 45)

location. Then it’s a matter of getting permission to hunt, and setting out a morning or afternoon decoy spread to entice hungry honkers. It’s possible to attract geese this month with as few as a dozen decoys. Full-body styles on motion stakes are very realistic, but a mixture of

shells, silhouettes and socks will work. Minimal calling is best for native birds, and use a flag to attract distant, passing flocks. Peruse the Gazetteer, Map 68, C-3 and C-4 to locate likely fields, waterways and the main approach roads, Route 161 and 162. Several second-

ary roads, farm roads and field two-tracks spiderweb among the hundreds of likely goose hunting plots. Salmon and Trout Fishing With the fly casting season quickly winding down, most anglers yearn for at least one last outing. Once spring trolling action fades, the Fish River Lakes become mostly boating and swimming play grounds, with the odd downrigger or lead core fishermen doing some deep dredging.

Single-hook streamers in vivid colors cast along spawning runs trigger the already aggressive brookies and salmon to strike.

With autumn’s cooler nights, shorter days and spawning season getting underway, actually casting a fly rather than trolling can produce fast action for trout and salmon on the thoroughfares connecting each of these six sister lakes. Although many stretches require a canoe or medium-size boat as a casting platform, several long runs may be easily accessed with only chest waders. Two prime wading pools include the water

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downstream of the Route 161 bridge on the Cross/ Mud connector, and another long section of the Square/Eagle thoroughfare. Spawning fish tend to be fairly aggressive and protective of their lies, so colorful size 4- to 8- single hook streamers work well – a red and white Ouananiche Sunset and the venerable Mickey Finn remain high on my list. If you plan properly, it’s possible to hunt geese in the morning and drive twenty minutes or so and be fishing in the early afternoon. In the alternative, fish early and hunt the late shift. DeLorme’s Atlas and Gazetteer, Map 68, D-3 and E-1 display the duo of thoroughfares I’ve mentioned, but don’t overlook the others and their inlets and outlets. These many September outdoor options are very different than the bland “change over” month of years ago. They may just kill me, but what a way to go!

¶

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 47

The Wind Can Be Your Friend by Hal Blood Most deer hunters spend too much time trying to figure out how to hunt the wind. Some hunters don’t go into certain pieces of woods because the wind is blowing the wrong direction, and other hunters spend their time trying hunt into the wind all the time. The wind might be more of a concern when hunting the back forty, but in the Big Woods the wind direction is almost irrelevant to the way you should hunt. It might the most concerning to a stand hunter on the ground but other than that, you don’t need to worry about it too much, unless you know you’re close to a buck and then you want to check wind direction at that time. If you are in a tree stand, the wind will take your scent above the deer, where it will dissipate rapidly. I have been within spitting distance of deer many times on a windy day, without them knowing I was ever around. I have shot many bucks lying in their beds at close range as well. Whenever I set up stands for hunters, whether it was for deer or bear, I just put them east of where I expected the animals to come from. The prevailing winds come from the west, and yes – sometimes around a storm it will blow out of the east – but the odds are those winds will be blustery. Big Woods The Big Woods hold fewer deer and they are usually spread out, so the odds of them smelling

you are fairly low when it’s windy. Another factor of the wind here is that it can blow in four different directions within a couple of minutes. I believe on those days, even if a deer caught your scent, they would not know where it came from. When the wind swirls, it scatters you scent before it can get very far from you. The days a deer is more likely to smell you are actually the days when there is no wind. On these days, the thermals will carry your scent a long way, as there is nothing to break it up. If you are in a stand on these kinds of days, your scent will just keep radiating out from you. At least if you are still hunting or tracking on a calm day, by moving along, you scent doesn’t have a chance to move ahead of you. Make the Wind Your Friend Instead of worrying about the direction of the wind all the time, just hunt as you normally would. Wind is actually the great equalizer for a deer hunter. Wind takes away all of a deer senses. As I said, a deer’s sense of smell is affected by them not being able to catch your scent. Wind creates sound by rustling leaves and making trees creak. This helps cover any sound you make when walking in the leaves. The wind also puts the woods in motion by making trees sway back and forth, and any leaves left on the trees will flicker around. This motion

makes it harder for a deer to see movement, so you just may walk up on one close enough for a shot before the animal even knows you’re around. When I head into the woods on a windy day in search of a big old buck track, I am as excited as a kid on Christmas morning knowing that if I find the track I want, my odds of shooting the buck are high. Embrace the Wind Embrace the wind as if it were your best friend and you be a far more successful deer hunter than if you are constantly in fear of the wind ruining your hunt. The only time I check the wind direction when I’m deer hunting is when I’m tracking a buck and feel like it’s close. Other than that, I forget about it. I have shot many bucks in the wind that I don’t think that I would have shot otherwise. I shot my heaviest Maine buck at 19 yards while he was lying in his bed and the wind was rattling the dead maple leaves in an old chopping. My favorite example, though, is when I shot a 10-pointer many years ago. I was still-hunting along on a windy day, when I heard a deer running towards me in the leaves. When the buck sailed over a blowdown about 30 yards in front of me, I dropped him in his tracks. I stood there watching him to make sure he wasn’t going to get up, when I heard another deer coming towards me. A doe jumped the blow-

The author’s heaviest Maine deer -- a 260-lb. “hog buck.”

down ten feet from the buck, and ran right up to me. Then she stopped and looked back toward the buck. The doe was almost standing on my feet, and her head was a foot from my chest. She stood there for a least a minute, before taking a few bounds and stopping again.

A few minutes later, a limb fell from a tree, and she ran off. That doe never smelled me or knew that I was around, even though she couldn’t have been any closer to me! If you’re hunting in the Big Woods, the wind is your friend.

¶

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48 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Keep it Simple for Deer-Hunting Sucess He’s wearing the newest and best camouflage on the market. He’s all “teched up.” This deer hunter has the best of everything. Yet, he’s still not successful. Sure, if I had money to spare, I’d have the best of everything, too. Money may buy you “the next best thing on the market,” but it won’t buy you success.

For sustained whitetail success, the author says “Get back to basics” – use the wind to your advantage, scout, practice scent control and learn to move very slowly through the woods. Does the hunter mentioned above sound familiar? Everyone knows hunters who always have the newest toys. However, all the toys won’t guarantee the sighting of an adult buck in the woods.

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learned from chasing deer over the last 40 years, it’s that there’s not a product on the market that completely eliminates human odor. Trust me – for years, I tried every new product on the market in hopes it’d be the answer to my prayers. I chewed chlorophyll gum and took chlorophyll tablets for weeks on end until my bowel movements resembled those of the game I was chasing. I’ve worn carbon suits. I’ve washed everything in special soaps,

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even pumped ozone through my clothes and around my stand. Bottom line? If the wind is wrong, the deer always have the advantage. Even when the wind is right, we don’t always win. Checking wind direction, wind speed, cloud cover and other information available in today’s weather forecasts, is an absolute must for deer hunters wishing to be successful season after season. Playing the wind correctly doesn’t guarantee success. Hunters must pattern deer movements in order to fully take advantage of wind currents, staying down(Continued on next page)

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 49 (Continued from page 48)

wind of their quarry. Hunters should use this information to plan entrance and exit strategies from each stand to lessen the chance of being winded. Having a good idea of where doe groups bed, feed and travel regularly is the best way to use wind to our advantage. However, as the saying goes, “The best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry.” Basically this means we can make meticulously plans; however, deer will likely change patterns or not move that day, and our plans don’t end up working. It happens. Still, a solid plan of attack is a must if we’re to achieve the hunting success we desire. There’s no substitute for scouting. Spending time in the woods, watching fields in the summer, looking for bedding areas, learning where the best food sources are, how deer get to food and how they leave to go back to bed, are all things a successful hunter will know far ahead of time. Hunters relying on trail cameras alone to do their scouting, are missing vital information. Sure, trail cameras will tell you what’s around, maybe travel direction and time, but they’ll never replace time spent on the ground in the woods.

hunting has taught me Are these extremes we can never be too clean. 100% necessary for sucAs I mentioned earlier, cess? No. However, doing not every deer hunter is everything we can to rewilling to go to extremes duce human odor will abin order to kill a deer. solutely increase success Truth be told, the majorrates when we combine ity of deer hunters likely that with playing the don’t believe they need to wind intelligently and take extreme measures purposefully. In many in order to be successful. cases, even when a deer What type of extremes catches my scent, it’s not am I talking about? Well, strong enough to cause how about shaving your any alarm. It’s likely entire body in order to faint enough that a deer eliminate growing areas thinks I’m farther away for odor-causing bactethan I actually am. ria? Deer aren’t known to And what about have the best eyesight clothes? For years, I had when it comes to seeing three separate sets of detail. However, they do clothing I kept for huntsee movement amazingly ing. I’d wear one pair of well. The best camo patpants and a shirt in my terns in the world will not vehicle. I wore one set cover a hunter who can’t of camo for walking part sit still. Hunters must way into my stand and I learn to move slowly would change into my fiwhen searching for deer. nal camouflage clothing My father used to tell when I was at or nearly me to move my head as to my stand. I even keep slowly as possible when my truck ultra clean searching the woods for during deer season, using my quarry or when makozone and baking soda to ing any movement at all. eliminate as many odors Especially when I’m sitas possible. Heck, I even ting on the ground, it can have a room in my house, take me well over a minattached to my own bathute just to pick my binocroom, just for deer seaulars up to my eyes from son. No dogs, no food my chest. odors from cooking, and Is this overkill? Not no cologne or perfume in my book. Having good from guests. camo is important; howTROPHY DEER, BEAR & MOOSE HUNTS

The author believes in reducing human odor as much as possible. Even if a buck like this one scents the hunter, the smell is not strong cnough to cause the whitetail to become alarmed -- the deer may think the hunter is still far away.

ever, quick movements and behaving like a bobblehead doll while waiting for deer to come by is a recipe for disaster. “Old time hunting techniques” have worked since man began hunting deer. Native Americans didn’t have camouflage clothing, antibacterial soap, binoculars, trail

cameras or tree stands, yet they were successful hunters! Technology is good, but solid plans and purposeful work trump technology every time in the deer woods. It’s not about having the best gear – it’s about being smart and purposeful when we hunt.

¶

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50 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

The 10-Bore: Remnant of a Bygone Era Firearms stir emotions among shooters. Sometimes a new and promising design sweeps the shooting scene. Other times, a particular caliber or cartridge grabs the limelight. Sometimes the people we associate with particular firearms stir the deepest emotions. Seeing an old Savage Model 99 may call up memories of seasons stalking deer with Uncle Bill. Just taking Grandpa’s old shotgun out of the cabinet always brings to mind the sights and sounds of the time he tagged a double on partridge back in October of

Advocates of the 10-gauge call it “a chunk of a gun,” but all that weight soaks up recoil, allowing a hunter to sling large payloads of pellets skyward and scarcely feel a thing. Perhaps most important, they say, it’s “specialized and different.”

The Gold Stalker by Browning is one of the very few shotguns that are still available in 10-gauge. Each year, fewer and fewer companies offer shotguns in this venerable old gauge. Photo courtesy Browning Arms

’72. Finally owning that war trophy means that Dad is gone and we’re now the ones to tell the

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every book and magazine article he could latch onto, he was not a hunter. However, over the years his advice and ideas formed the genesis of more “Shooter’s Bench” columns than I can name. Dave was a big man, standing six-foot five inches and going something close to 360 pounds, and he believed in big guns. He once owned a .458 Winchester Magnum, not in anticipation of an African dangerous-game safari, but just for plinking at the range. When speaking of shotguns, Dave would turn into an advocate for the now rare and unappreciated 10-gauge. Deep Roots Market and subsistence hunters of the 19th century drove manufacturers to turn out large, heavy shotguns in 10-, 8-, and even 4-gauge for long-range use against flocks of migrating waterfowl. Stories abound of even larger bored weapons, resembling artillery more than firearms, that were strapped to boats, rafts or blinds and that when set off would down birds by the dozens and perhaps hundreds. Moving to stop the slaughter and bring some (Continued on next page)

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 51 (Continued from page 50)

conservation and wildlife management practices into play, in 1918 the U.S. Congress outlawed any bore larger than 10-gauge for use in hunting migrating ducks and geese. The 10-gauge became the government’s line in the marsh. Popularity with hunters caused most makers to produce at least one 10-gauge model right up until World War II halted most civilian arms production. When civilian production resumed in 1945, Browning, Remington and Winchester all found sufficient reason to keep offering the 10-gauge. Not so long ago, the great estuaries of the east coast – the Chesapeake in Virginia, New Jersey’s Barnegat Bay, Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds in North Carolina, and Merrymeeting and Cobscook Bays in Maine – echoed with the boom of 10-gauge guns. To the west, among the Horicon Marshes in Wisconsin and even out

to San Francisco Bay, the 10-gauge held a certain popular sway. As with all other gauges after WWII, the making of side-by-side shotguns died out or shifted overseas, where the 10-gauge never achieved any meaningful popular status. Post-war manufacturers limited their 10-gauge models to semi-automatic and slide-action frames. Overriding Advancements Dave Watson championed the 10-gauge for the same reason I often speak for the 16-gauge – namely, it does the job, holds a long tradition, and not everyone carries one. However, good reasons exist for the decline of the 10-gauge. According to Cartridges of the World, “two things have worked to nearly eliminate any sporting benefit offered by the 10-gauge for migratory bird hunting. First was the introduction of the 3½ -inch 12-gauge shell, which has a higher pressure standard than the 10-gauge.

Second was the adoption of mandatory non-toxic loads (originally only steel was available) for hunting migratory species.” The authors of Cartridges of the World further state, “There is nothing the 10 can do with steel shot that the higher pressure 12-gauge loading cannot do better.” Given those facts, none should be surprised at the drop-off in available 10-gauge guns. Production could not wait for alternatives to steel shot to emerge. Both 10-gauge guns and matching ammunition grow more difficult to find. Wanting to know more about that, I reached out to a group of hardcore waterfowlers. These guys hunt the Central Flyway from the Texas Gulf Coast through Oklahoma and Nebraska to the Dakotas. Of the 20 or so regulars in the group, all use a 12-gauge. When I asked my friend Steve Johnson what he thought of the 10-gauge, he answered,

“Not much. Most of them kick like a mule. Ammo is much more expensive, and [they offer] no real advantage over modern 12-gauge ammo.” Conflicting opinions do exist. Phil Bourjaily wrote for Field & Stream in December of 2016, “Ten gauges tend to pattern large pellets very well …. Besides patterning, 10 gauges have weight on their side. At a time when waterfowl guns keep getting lighter, which I believe is a mistake, shooting a 10-gauge is an act of protest.” Outlook Cloudy Bourjaily wrapped up his comments about the 10-gauge by saying in part, “Mine weighs nine pounds, ten ounces with its 24-inch barrel. It’s a chunk of a gun, but surprisingly easy to shoot and handle in a layout blind. All that weight soaks up recoil, too, and that’s in a pump. Get a hold of a 10 gauge semiauto and you can sling large payloads of pellets skyward and scarcely feel a thing. And, honestly,

it’s enjoyable sometimes to shoot something specialized and different.” Dave Watson certainly would have taken Phil Bourjaily’s words to heart by shooting the 10-gauge with gusto. I wish I could have the opportunity to shoot with Dave once again and see him bear down on a distant target, but I remain skeptical about the future of the 10-gauge. The best days for choosing a 10-bore came to a close when Ronald Reagan sat in the Oval Office. I’ll stick with my well-loved Browning BPS 12-gauge pump gun with its 26-inch barrel for upland hunting, 24inch slug barrel for deer hunting and a slender 30inch barrel for waterfowl. Arming that barrel with 2¾-inch Bismuth shells gets me all the ducks I deserve. Besides, I hate to ask the retrievers Rose or Finley to swim all that far on a raw November day in Maine.

¶

MAINE WILDLIFE QUIZ: Landlocked Salmon by Steve Vose

The Landlocked Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) is a freshwater form of the sea-run Atlantic salmon. A fish species native to Maine waters, the landlocked salmon originally inhabited only the St. Croix, Penobscot, and the Presumpscot River basins. Today, landlocked salmon inhabit over 300 lakes and nearly 50 rivers and streams throughout Maine. Though the salmon is a native species, only 49 Maine lakes support natural reproduction of the fish. The remaining lakes require regular stocking efforts by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) to remain viable landlocked salmon fisheries. Every year, MDIFW’s eight hatcheries produce more than 1 million salmonids – brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, splake, rainbow trout, and landlocked salmon – at a combined weight of 375,000 pounds. Questions 1. Are landlocked salmon an introduced species in the state of Maine? 2. How many lakes, streams and rivers for Landlocked Salmon inhabit in the state of Maine?

Maine anglers normally catch landlocked salmon that average 17 inches long and weigh 1-1/4 pounds. Occasionally a lucky angler will land a fish exceeding 5 or 6 pounds. The current state of Maine record landlocked salmon was a 22 pound, 8 ounce behemoth pulled out of Sebago Lake by Edward Blakeley in 1907. Landlocked salmon possess a vibrant silvery coloration, overlaid with small black spots predominantly distributed above the lateral line. A forked tail distinguishes it

from trout species. Landlocked salmon will feed on a variety of bait fish for sustenance, but their preferred prey species is the rainbow smelt. Landlocked salmon spawn from mid-October to late November. Female Landlocked Salmon deposit eggs in gravel where the male fertilizes the eggs, covers them with gravel and leaves them to incubate and hatch in the early spring. After hatching, young landlocked salmon swim free of the gravel and begin searching for food. Young salmon spend approximately two years in the stream in which they were hatched, before migrating to a lake. With luck, stream-dwelling fry will avoid predators, eventually growing-up and living between one year and ten years. The oldest landlocked salmon on record in Maine was 13 years old.

3. How many Maine lakes support natural salmon reproduction?

6. What is the prey species preferred by the landlocked salmon?

4. What is the average size landlocked salmon that anglers catch in Maine?

7. When do landlocked salmon spawn?

5. What is the current State of Maine record landlocked salmon?

8. What was the oldest Maine Landlocked Salmon on record?

Answers on Page 56

www.MaineSportsman.com

52 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Do-It-Yourself Gourmet Dehydrated Meals Satisfy Back-Country Appetites Although no one actually said it, the “What’s for dinner?” question rang loud and clear. Four dedicated fly fishermen, Parker Capwell, Brian Vandal, Lou Zambello and I had motored a tad over eight miles from the boat ramp at the northern entrance to Baxter State Park to the Little East campsite located at the outlet of Webster Stream. I had put myself in charge of organizing the meals for this three-day expedition. Knowing I had a group of hungry anglers to please, I pulled out all the stops. “How’s lasagna sound?” I queried, throwing a small zip lock bag at each outstretched hungry hand. We filled two pots with the dried bits of noodle, meat and cheese, covered them with water and simmered them for

Possible menus include casseroles, pastas, chilies, soups and stews. I often make a breakfast casserole that contains eggs, cheese and sausage. I’ve even managed to dehydrate home fries.

Fresh made lasagna out of the oven, next to the dehydrated version. Notice a few pieces missing from the fresh dish -- it’s always good to test the product before spreading it out on dehydrator trays and removing the moisture. Once re-hydrated, the meal will taste as good as the original. Bill Sheldon photo

15 minutes. Once we opened the pot up for serving, the magic of water, steam and heat had turned what looked like potato

chips into an old world Italian delicacy. Who says back country travelers have to exist on granola bars, ramen noodles and trail mix?

Backpack Gourmet It was a decade ago that I asked myself that same question. After some research, I made two of the better gear

investments ever. First, the fine folks at Cabelas sold me a 10-tray dehydrator, and I scooped up Backpack Gourmet by Linda Frederick Yaffe off the Kittery Trading Post bookshelf. The subtitle? “Good Hot Grub You Can Make at Home, Dehydrate, and Pack for Quick, Easy and Healthy Eating on the Trail.” Sums up the contents of this “How-to” book nicely. My reason for jumping into making my own dehydrated meals came down to weight. When I hike in Baxter State Park – or elsewhere, for that matter – my pack rarely weighs more than 38 pounds fully loaded. Taking all the moisture out of food means it not only compacts well, but weighs very little. Packing light and eating (Continued on next page)

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I’d recommend getting a high-quality dehydrator with a good fan. While heat is important, it’s the circulated air that helps evenly dry the moisture out of the food. (Continued from page 52)

well on the trail make for a better trip. Dehydrating Tips Many types of foods respond well to dehydrating. Yaffe’s book has multiple casseroles, pastas, chilies, soups and stews to choose from. I often use a breakfast casserole that contains eggs, cheese and sausage. I’ve even managed to dehydrate home fries. From a financial viewpoint home, dehydrated meals cost less than commercially available freeze-dried backpack meals. Often, I’ll make my 10 x 13 pan of lasagna, eat half for the nightly meal (giving Mrs. Sheldon the night off from cooking), and dehydrate the other half for an upcoming trip. Most any dehydrator will work, but I’d recommend getting one with a good fan. While heat is important, it’s circulated air that helps evenly dry the moisture out of the food. Quality zip-lock bags work well for storing the finished product. I prefer to let the dehydrated food cool before putting it in the plastic bags. Recently I acquired a vacuum sealer and have had good results. I then store the bags in a cool, dry place out of the sun. How long will dehydrated food last? I personally have used food that’s almost a year old. With that said, I usually do my trip dehydrating a week or two ahead of time. Remember, I’m preparing food for a back packing trip, not for the end of the world. It’s easy to re-hydrate meals. Just put in a pan, cover with water and simmer until ready. Books with dehydrating recipes will give suggested times.

I’ve discovered if I let the pot sit covered for fifteen to twenty minutes before turning on the stove I can save some fuel, if that’s an issue. Of the three lasagna recipes in Yaffe’s book, I’ve taken a liking to “Lazy Lasagna.” Another advantage to homemade trail food involves cooking to one’s taste buds, allergies or medical issues. I don’t care for onions, so I leave them out. I’ve included this sample recipe from Backpack Gourmet: Lazy Lasagna 1. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add: 1 tablespoon olive oil When the oil is hot, add, stirring for three minutes: 1 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced Add and cook, stirring, five minutes longer: 1 pound ground beef, turkey, crumbled tofu, or venison 2. Reduce heat to low and add: 5 cups spaghetti sauce ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Simmer for five min-

utes, stirring occasionally. 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 10-by-13 casserole dish. 4. Have ready: 9 sheets of uncooked oven ready lasagna noodles 5. Finely grate: 8 ounces (1 cup) mozzarella cheese 8 ounces (1 cup) parmesan cheese 6. Layer the ingredients in the casserole dish in the following order: ¼ of the sauce 3 of the sheets of noodles 1/3 of the grated mozzarella 1/3 of the grated parmesan. Repeat, using all the ingredients and topping the casserole with the last ¼ of the sauce. 7. Cover and bake for 30-minutes; then uncover and bake 10-minutes longer. Let stand outside the oven for 10 minutes.

it go a few hours longer, rotating my shelves and turning the lasagna pieces over, it’s hard to over dehydrate. I then like to let it cool before packaging.) 10. To rehydrate, cover with water just above level of food in pot, boil, stir and serve. More Options One of my most-requested dehydrated products, apple chips, requires simply peeling apples, cutting them into thin slices, spraying with lemon juice, lightly sprinkling cinnamon and sugar to taste before leaving in the dehydrator for five or six hours. The house will smell great while producing a great-tasting, healthy snack for the trail. The internet abounds with details about which foods dehydrate the best, not to mention countless recipes. I often test new recipes out on unsuspecting family and friends.

Preparing my own back country menu has added an inexpensive, interesting and tasty element to my East Coast wanderings.

¶

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Here, Steve Carter uses a couple of backpacking stoves to re-hydrate one of Bill Sheldon’s homecooked meals. The days of hikers living on trail mix and Ramen noodles are long gone. These lightweight, easy-to-make meals taste great on the trail. Bill Sheldon photo

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54 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Don’t Miss Last Hurrah for Trolling Septembers usually provide a grand and productive finish to the trolling season. Over the last several years, we have experienced warm Septembers, with cool temperatures not arriving until late in the month. But it doesn’t take but a few chilly nights to put trout, salmon and togue on the move. Perhaps, though, this September will see colder temperatures early on. It’s happened before, and will happen again. In that case, most of the month could see sizzling action on trolled baits, lures and flies. And even if water temperatures don’t bring salmonids near the surface, the fish will still sense the season’s change and respond accordingly, trying to put on bulk before things slow down with the onset of truly cold conditions. To see this played out in real time, visit any shallow, weedy pond. Huge schools of baitfish will be in evidence. Just shred a slice of bread, crush it and throw it out. Baitfish will swarm all over it. So if even baitfish sense the change of seasons, you can bet that salmonids do, too. In fact, I have taken brown trout by surface trolling on La-

Don’t put your trolling gear away just yet, says the author, as he guides anglers through September’s fishing options, including pursuit of togue, brown trout, rainbows and landlocked salmon.

Salmon lures for September, L to R -- Carlson Spoon, Carlson Spoon, Orange Mooselook Wobbler, Orange-and-Yellow Mooselook Wobbler, Mooselook Wabler.

bor Day. While people at lakeside camps grilled hot dogs and hamburgers and smoke from their fires tantalized my taste buds, I set up my trolling pattern and took trout on orange-and-gold Flash King wobblers. In-Between Month September, being part summer and part autumn, requires trolling tactics suitable for both seasons. Early on, downriggers and leadcore lines remain the order of the day, while the tail-end of the month sees trollers breaking out fly rods and sinking fly lines. Of course, togue remain in relatively deep water, but not so deep

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as in July or August. My local togue lake sees fish hovering at the 40-foot mark by mid-September. Take Browns on Bright Colors But whether early or late, here’s something that will drive brown trout wild. Use bright-colored lures – notably, lures with at least some orange. That’s why my old Flash Kings did so well – they were half-gold and half-orange. Flash Kings are gone, but other manufacturers offer lures in combinations of orange and other bright colors. Why do trout go for bright colors now? It’s hard to say, but perhaps they take their cue from nature. After all, trout acquire their brilliant spawning colors now. Even the trees and shrubs proclaim fall when their leaves turn brilliant shades of orange, red and purple. It’s a season for bright colors, and we anglers can take this as a strong suggestion to follow suit by us-

Salmon in net, a September prize.

ing brightly colored offerings. So check out Mooselook Wobblers, DB Smelt, Northeast Trollers spoons and the offerings of any other companies that produce lures in dazzling shades of orange. Brown trout and brook trout will respond well to these showy lures. Rainbow Trout It’s not only brown and brook trout that put on the feedbag in September. Rainbow trout do likewise, and if you live within traveling distance of a lake or pond that holds rainbows, September can stand as a bangup month for the raspberry-striped battlers. For rainbow trout, try trolling with a fly rod and sinking fly line. Either use one of the wobbling lures referenced above, or try a brightly-colored bucktail fished about 16 inches behind a silver-color dodger. My favorite fly for this combination, the venerable Warden’s Wor-

ry, makes a great choice. But Gray Ghost with a red body does well too. Any bucktail in shades of orange, red or yellow will do the trick. Get out as early as possible in the morning and look for fish between 15 and 30 feet down. Rocky bottoms as well as gravel bars make good choices to probe, since baitfish congregate around such structure, and when that occurs, rainbow trout hang on the periphery. For those who have never taken a rainbow trout, know that they fight like salmon, leaping, making fast runs, fighting hard up to the last minute. And in fall, rainbows become supercharged. Also, where you take one rainbow, chances are that others are patrolling the area. So upon locating a hotspot, work it hard, reversing direction if necessary, changing speed and doing anything else in your bag of tricks to entice a bite. Salmon Landlocked salmon become quite active in late September. Cool water temperatures make deep trolling unnecessary. However, conditions may still require trolling at depths of 10 – 20 feet. We can use downriggers set shallow or lead-core line with only a few colors out. Even our fly rods and sinking lines come into play now. While salmon will surely respond to colorful offerings, I find that silver reigns as top salmon-slayer in September. To that end, nothing (Continued on page 56)

�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 55

Fly Rod of My Dreams Performs Like a Charm As I slid the canoe into the remote pond and drifted toward my favorite spot on the smooth water, I caught a slight scent of fish in the air. I noticed the bushes I bumped on the shoreline dropped a very large mix of flies into the bottom of the canoe. I had been successfully fishing the pond with grasshoppers tied with yellow and orange foam during August, so I decided to continue with this fly, and quickly tied one on with a loop knot to give it some action on the water. On my very first cast, I hooked into a healthy 14-inch brook trout that got me foolishly thinking today would be one of those days with a high fish-catch rate. As I continued the day I realized just the opposite – I didn’t hook into another fish for the rest of the morning, and left just after lunch with a sore shoulder from casting around the pond like a crazed swordsman in a duel with flying insects. Believe it or not, I consider that beautiful day on the water a complete success. My goal that day was more than simply catching a few brook trout on a fly. That’s because I had a hot little Thomas and Thomas Aeros 905-4 (9-foot, four-piece, fiveweight) in my hands, and the reason I was on the pond was to find out just how much the gorgeous piece of artwork could impress me. All About T N T The Thomas and Thomas Fly Rod Company (ThomasAndThomas. com) started building fine

Fishing the small pond gave me an opportunity to try out the Thomas and Thomas 5-weight fly rod, entirely American-built by a small company in Greenfield, Massachusetts. I was very, very impressed. fly rods in 1969, right here in the USA. They don’t outsource any of their work either – they never have, and never will. Everything is done within the walls of their factory in Greenfield, Massachusetts. I visited the factory and had the pleasure of a complete tour by T&T’s Marketing Representative, John Carpenter. I asked Mr. Carpenter just how T&T can assure the consumer that they are getting the best rod on the market. Mr. Carpenter said, “We make our own rod blanks right here in our factory; this way, we completely control the action

of the rod in a highly-consistent manner. Almost all other rod builders import their blanks and can never be sure, from one batch to the next, if the rod will perform exactly like the last batch.” During my career, I guided fly fishers out of a shop, and therefore had the opportunity to play with a number of “bignamed” fly rods during that time. One of my most unexpected discoveries while working at the shop taught me a huge lesson when it comes to purchasing a fly rod – don’t ever think a hefty price tag and big name will guarantee quality perfor-

mance in a fly rod. I found that the most expensive rod in the shop performed very well in a five-weight only. However, the rest of the rods from the big-named company in other weight classes were – in my humble opinion – expensive junk, because each separate batch of rod blanks had varying characteristics that made them perform in an inconsistent manner. Fiberglass Folly For a number of years now, I have been searching for the ultimate dry fly rod for fishing for

smaller brook trout in remote ponds and streams. I thought a fiberglass fly rod with a super-slow action might be the ticket to gently lay the tiniest dry fly on the surface of the water without disturbing finicky brook trout. I fished with a great fiberglass rod, and found that I really liked the gentle presentation offered by the slow action. However, every time I tried to hook a fish, the sloppy fiberglass wouldn’t provide a proper hookset. I must have missed a dozen fish the first day I tried the glass rod, and I gave up on it after few frustrating days on the water.

“The Rod You’ll Eventually Own” T&T’s Aeros rods, (Continued on next page)

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56 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Freshwater Fly Fishing (Continued from page 55)

built with a medium + action, allow for the most accurate and gentle presentation I have ever witnessed. I used RIO Product’s (RioProducts.com) “Trout LT WF” in a fiveweight line with this rod from T&T, and found that I could cast much farther and more accurately than with any other rod I’ve ever used. With a very little bit of effort on my part, the rod seemed to load itself and really shoot the line out rapidly. I actually had to lighten up my casting stroke to avoid whipping the line way out across

the pond. After a few adjustments, I was amazed at the consistent, highly-accurate and gentle presentations, unlike any I’ve seen in my life as a fly-fishing devotee. This is the rod that I feel will follow me to my grave – an artist’s tool for painting the many fishing scenes in my senior years on the water. The rod supplies gentle accuracy for presenting dry flies, while also providing enough “beef” to aggressively push heavier streamers for going subsurface. Yes, I am in “fly

Trout Fishing (Continued from page 54)

beats a frozen or preserved smelt, trolled alone or in conjunction with a dodger. Mostly, a lone smelt will work just fine. September trolling differs from ice-out trolling in that smelt, instead of prowling shorelines in large schools, form near-solid blocs of fish in 20 – 40 feet of water. And like rainbow trout holding near bait schools, salmon and also togue hover near these balls of young-of-the-year smelt.

Thomas and Thomas’ Aeros 905, in a five-weight, gives the author all he desires in a rod for catching brook trout in remote ponds and streams. William Clunie photo

rod heaven.” As T&T says on their website, “This is

On extra-chilly days, though, salmon will accept trolled streamer flies, the same as in spring. But now, shoreline trolling won’t necessarily prove the best method. Salmon are widely scattered, and can be found all around lakes and ponds, even out in the middle. So if trolling with streamers, especially tandem streamers, establish a grid pattern and troll at a bit faster speed than usual. Togue Smelt and even shiners work well in September. Use smelt alone and with shin-

ers, fish them behind a dodger. If selecting shiners, use smaller rather than large ones, since small baitfish predominate now. Also, fish shiners behind a dodger or even a set of lake trolls. Togue, depending upon the water, should be around 40 feet down now. A fish locator makes finding groups of togue easy. And that’s all there is to it. Trout, salmon and togue await anglers in September. Good luck.

¶

Wildlife Quiz Answers: Landlocked Salmon

1. No, landlocked salmon are a fish species native to the State of Maine.

2. Landlocked salmon inhabit over 300 lakes and nearly 50 rivers and streams throughout Maine. 3. Only 49 Maine lakes support natural salmon reproduction.

¶

the rod you will eventually own.”

(Quiz on Page 51)

4. Maine anglers normally catch landlocked salmon averaging 17 inches long and weighing 1-1/4 pounds.

6. Landlocked salmon will feed on a variety of bait fish for sustenance, but their preferred prey species is the rainbow smelt.

5. The current state of Maine record landlocked salmon is a 22 pound, 8 ounce behemoth pulled out of Sebago Lake by Edward Blakeley in 1907.

7. Landlocked salmon spawn from mid-October to late November.

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Fall Fishing Perfect Medicine for Trout Bums! “Bill, keep that false cast from hitting the water,” offered Lou Zambello, our Maine Sportsman Fresh Water Fly fishing columnist. “Slapping the water just puts the big fish down.” It seems over the last few years, I’ve developed a lot of bad habits. I knew Zambello was correct. I’ve just gotten sloppy, and figured that when others start noticing, it’s time to start paying attention and clean up my act. I slap the water especially hard and often when slinging streamers. With the September fishing season upon us, I know success will depend on applying what I’ve learned over the years, as

opposed to forgetting it all. I blame my sloppy streamer fishing on striped bass. Seems they don’t mind my offering punching the water after each false cast. When I switch to trout and salmon, apparently those bad habits follow me streamside. Fall Fishing Fall fishing in the Jackman Region really rocks, as the dog days of summer retreat into the rear view mirror. Many anglers take advantage of small, remote ponds that see fish moving away from those deep spring holes and start searching for pre-spawn feeding opportunities.

Experts tell me the dropping temperatures during the fall cool the lake waters and get the lake to turn. For a simpleton like me, cooling waters merely make salmonids more active. Find cool, moving water and a healthy alewife run, and things will start looking up. Scan the water surface for that tell-tale dorsal fin cruising near the surface in search of an easy meal. Trout instinctively start to gather around inlets in anticipation of the October spawn. While I’m a big streamer fan, don’t overlook a dry fly dropped gently on the water as the sun drops below the tree line. This

tactic has put plenty of fillets in the frying pan. “Classic” Flies I inherited two boxes of flies from an old friend. He was an ardent fly fisher in the 1960s and 1970s, so I took special note of his – now my – fly selection. To go with his fiberglass fly rod was an assortment of wet flies. And wet flies … and more

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Jackman Region (Continued from page 57)

my eyesight isn’t good enough to see a fly that small floating at a distance. The fiberglass rod also caught my eye. They say what goes out of style usually comes back 30 years later. After reading a few articles in national fly fishing magazines,

it’s clear to me that glass rods are making quite a comeback. Is it time to dig out the old gear? So where should a trout bum with an old “glass” rod and a handful of wet flies try wetting a line? To start with, moving water catches my fancy.

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Moving water that’s close to a lake really helps. Baitfish heading out of lakes into moving water attract hungry salmonids. All of this action attracts Sheldon. Moose River The Moose River has multiple sections, as it connects a series of lakes that all harbor brook trout and salmon. There’s a short, boney section between Attean Pond and Big Wood Pond (See DeLorme Atlas Map 39 and 40). Fish from the lakes start migrating towards moving water. Next, the Moose River connects Big Wood Pond to Long Pond. Don’t overlook Heald Stream and Sandy Stream on the way to the Moose. These tributaries all have a connection to the larger lakes. A very popular

The Kennebec River gave up this handsome brown trout using the tried-and-true tactic of casting streamers to the slack water along the bank of the river. This method requires a skilled oarsman piloting the boat. Trophy salmonids utilize the slack current along the banks to conserve energy while looking for an easy meal. Bill Sheldon photo

stretch of the Moose River connects Long Pond to Little Brassua Lake. The Demo Road Bridge serves as a good starting point to work both east and west. For three miles, the Moose River runs from the dam at Brassua Lake and spills into Moosehead Lake. Anglers work

this section hard looking for a bragging-size salmon or brookie on furlough from the big lake. Bank Slapping Years ago I fished the Kennebec River with Bob Mallard, and he would berate me (as only the soft-spoken Mallard (Continued on next page)

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The Young Maine Sportsman Visits Alaska – Part 1 I recently took my second-ever trip to Alaska, and it was again an incredible experience. In some ways, Alaska is like Maine – just more extreme. Don’t get me wrong – Maine is also an incredible place that has qualities Alaska doesn’t have, but sometimes it’s fun to do something different. Pink Salmon After a long plane ride that seemed to take forever, we landed in Cordova, Alaska and then flew out by bush plane to get the cabin we would stay at for eight days. We had access to a bay in Prince William Sound full of halibut, as well as streams full of salmon and Dolly Varden trout. The tough part was choosing among the options each day. It was July, and the pink salmon and a few chum salmon were in. The chum salmon were pretty close to the end of their cycle and were not much fun to catch, but the smaller pink salmon were bright silver. They fought hard, and were much better table fare by far. There were always new schools of salmon

coming in, but they were hard to attract. They circled the bay before heading into the rivers, and they jumped up everywhere throughout the rivers and the bay. The salmon spend so much time jumping that a shotgun would have been more effective at taking them than a fly rod. Brown Bears With runs of salmon like this, we were not the only ones after the fish – there were plenty of bears around. For the most part, the bears minded their own business. I saw brown bears on four separate occasions, and in each case they were not aggressive but acted shy. One explanation was that they had so many fish to feed on that they really didn’t need to have anything to do with us. However, out of respect for the huge animals, I didn’t leave the boat much. Trouble with River Otters We were surrounded my an incredible amount of wildlife, including wolves, bears, moose, sea otters, river otters, swans and all kinds of other wa-

Jackman Region (Continued from page 58)

could do) to cast my streamers right along the shore. With our drift boat bobbing down the middle of the river, we would slap the banks hard trying to elicit a strike. It wasn’t until this year that I fully realized why Mallard insisted on my fly literally hitting the shoreline. While wading Webster Stream this spring, I needed to go upstream in a heavy current. I decided to hug one of the banks, which had a fairly steep drop off. However, for about 18 inches along the

terfowl. We had more trouble with the river otters than anything. When we threw our salmon carcasses in the bay, they would sink to the bottom and that would usually be the last we saw of the scraps. But no – not this time! One of the river otters dove down and grabbed five salmon carcasses and dragged them inside the dock. It was hot, and soon the carcasses stunk to high heaven. We had to take one of the boards off the dock and pressure-wash everything to get rid of the smell. Trouble with Blackbirds So then we threw fish bones on the shore. That attracted blackbirds. These birds were smaller than Maine crows, but they make up for it by being twice as loud. There were about 50 of them, and they squawked all night. In the summer in Alaska it doesn’t really get dark for very long, so it was already hard enough to get to sleep, and the noise of the blackbirds definitely didn’t help. Looking back, the sit-

On his recent trip to the remote bays and rivers of Alaska, the author found the salmon to be plentiful and large.

uation seems kinda funny, but at the time it was very unpleasant. Challenge to Catch Dolly Varden In addition to the salmon, there were lots of awesome fishing opportunities like halibut, cod, steelhead, grayling, cutthroat and Dolly Varden. We fished for the Dolly Varden a lot. The salmon fishing was almost like shooting fish in a barrel – there were so many that you could catch what you wanted and then head back to camp. But I spent plenty of time fishing for the trout.

edge, the current slacked off substantially. And, I mean it made a HUGE difference. The light went on. Salmonids could easily hold along the river bank and grab passing food sources without expending much energy. That’s why experts like Mallard and Zambello really emphasize working the shoreline right to the very edge. I caught my largest brook trout in Cold Stream just a few football fields away from the Kennebec River. And, of course, when it came to “grip and grin” time, the slippery trophy gave one mighty heave of his tail and swam away. I have a great photo of me holding nothing but air. I’m told the Cold Stream area, with its

They were mostly Dolly Varden. They look like brook trout, just different colored – similar to arctic char. They were challenging to catch because they loved the chase your fly or lure all the way to the boat and then turn away. I figured out if you slow down, speed up or even stop the fly, varying the speed results in strikes. The salmon and trout fishing was awesome, but I really enjoyed fishing for halibut. I will write about halibut fishing in the October column – be sure to check it out.

¶

multiple ponds and tributaries, provides the lion’s share of the brook trout that eventually settle in the Kennebec River. The Pine Tree State has purchased much of the land east of Route 201 that includes the Cold Stream drainage. The up side results in good access to some great fishing. As always, there’s a downside, as no one is really sure what effect increased usage might have on this fragile fishery. Anglers don’t have to wait for bureaucrats to figure it out. Careful use and slipping a few fish back into the water will help keep this area producing wild-born native brookies for decades to come.

¶

www.MaineSportsman.com

60 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Maine Marten Trapping Marten may be trapped with size 1 and 1-½ foothold traps. Long spring, jump and coil spring types of trap are all suitable, although the 1-½ coil spring is more powerful than needed and seldom used. Their use in Maine since the development of body grip traps is almost unheard of. Marten today are taken by the use of 120 and 155 size body grip traps. These two are sufficient in size for marten and very effective. The use of body grip traps allow a three-day or five-day trap check depending if one is trapping in an organized or in a unorganized township, while foothold traps require a 24-hour check. In addition, the requirement of center-swiveled foothold traps and non-entanglement regulations all but eliminates the use of the smaller sized foothold traps for marten.

Maine trappers are required to use an exclusion device when using body grip traps on land. This is to eliminate any possibility of catching the threatened Canadian Lynx.

American Marten

The Broad Impact of the Canada Lynx In recent years, Maine trappers have been required to use an exclusion device when using body grip traps on land. This is to eliminate any possibility of catching the threatened Canadian Lynx. This also applies when setting body grip traps for fisher in a

BEAR TRAPPERS

These three examples show entrance holes outlined with tape on the two end devices. The three devices display two different wire meshes that are allowed, with the right-hand one being configured with a plastic newspaper box attached to house the bait and trap.

larger-sized exclusion device. We will address fisher next month. If the exclusion device is used, you are currently restricted by law to a body grip trap not to exceed an inside spread of 5 inches. The exclusion device also has specific measurements that shall not be exceeded. These two trap sizes were the standard when trapping marten in the

past (before the lynx were classified as threatened). In the past, they could be set on the ground in a box; later they had to be set above the ground at least four feet in a tree or on a pole, along with other related restrictions. Good Use for Plastic Newspaper Delivery Boxes Back then, boxes were frequently made of wood, or the common plastic

newspaper boxes were modified for use. In a short few years, trappers were required to go from trapping on the ground, to trapping a minimum of four feet off the ground, to the requirement to use the exclusion device for body grip traps when set out of water. This was all due to the Canadian Lynx. The negotiations between the State of Maine and the U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife over the threatened lynx that would allow Maine to continue trapping resulted in many restrictions, one of which made use of the exclusion device mandatory. Its design eliminates the ability of a lynx accessing or being caught in the trap. This is required because under the agreements reached, a very specific small number of lynx are allowed to be taken over a period of years. If that number is reached, then all trapping will cease. The exclusion device has resulted in a lower harvest of marten (as well (Continued on page 62)

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Plan Now for Off-Road Moose Hunt The water level was low on the Moose River, west of Jackman, last October. Miles of exposed beaches and mud banks lined the water’s edge. From Camel Rips to Holeb Falls, moose tracks of varying age appeared on the soft surfaces and open areas revealed by the low water. The freshest moose prints wandered in and out of the huge patches of red osier bushes that rimmed the upper banks of the waterway. And the tops of those bright, redstemmed plants had been heavily browsed by the big ungulates. As our two canoes traveled downstream, we paused often at the freshest sets of splayed tracks to examine them and spray synthetic moose urine on nearby brush. The canoes were heavily-loaded, but we paddled and poled quietly along rather than use the motors we had stored in our gear. It was the eve of the October moose season’s opening day in Zone 8. Our plan was to hunt this remote, roadless area by

When moose hunting from a 20-foot canoe, the designated shooter sits in the bow with rifle at the ready; the second permit-holder occupies a seat at mid-ships, and assists in calling; and the stern paddler is in charge of navigation and propulsion.

Low-water gear transport on the Moose River.

canoe. My two companions were experienced deer hunters but novices in the moose business. Part of our preparation had been making sure they understood what they were signing up for. Fine Print on the Guide Contract About 10 years ago, two friends and I decided we would begin moose hunting in a different way. We wanted to get off the roads and do a more

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traditional hunt that was both challenging and respectful of the animal. Our method is to use canoes to reach remote areas and set up a base camp. From there we travel by canoe and on foot to do our hunting. When the hunt is successful, we skin and quarter the moose where it falls, and transport the quarters by canoe back to civilization. This type of hunting is not for everybody. Ca-

noe hunters see far fewer moose than other hunters do. Spotting moose in October is partly a numbers game – the more miles traveled; the more moose seen. Hunters using the road system can easily travel a hundred miles a day by truck. They can effortlessly commute from camp to a remote site, and quickly transfer from one hot-spot to another. They can even be picky about what size animal they want to shoot.

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Off-road hunters might travel only a few miles during an entire day in the canoe or on foot – and usually very slowly. There’s no guarantee of seeing a moose, and waiting for a trophy bull is foolhardy. Canoe hunting is more of a traditional sustenance hunt than a search for a trophy bull. We almost never see other hunters – or for that matter, other humans – during these hunts. If we’re lucky, we don’t even hear a motor for days at a time. It takes a certain kind of hunter to decide it’s a good idea to punch their once-in-a-lifetime moose permit for this. Not Leaving Things Up to Chance Of course, just choosing a random river and banging down through in a canoe on opening morning is never the plan. Only certain waterways retain moose after the summer season. Pre-season scouting reveals areas that still hold nutritious water plants, or attractive shoreline browse. The red (Continued on next page)

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Self-Propelled (Continued from page 61)

osier bushes along some shorelines are moose candy in October. Tracks are easy to find during scouting on wet shorelines. Fresh trails near browse and within sight of the water are all a hunter needs. Bull-only permit holders will find their prey still close to late-September rubs and alder thrashes. The rut’s not over yet in October. Sometimes natural hunting stands can be located ahead of the season near waterways. An open ledge or ridge that looks out over a low-lying area can serve as a calling spot. A mock rub, some moose urine or even a decoy moose might help draw the real thing to the opening. These preparations are no secrets to experienced deer hunters. The same tactics apply when searching for moose. Canoe Hunting for Big Animals Moose hunting requires big canoes. An

ideal candidate is a twenty-foot tripping model like the Old Town Tripper XL. They are big enough to transport huge gear caches to and from base camp – with a side-mounted outboard as an option. And with a capacity of over 1,600 pounds, the two permitted hunters and a stern paddler can easily occupy one boat while hunting. The designated shooter sits in the bow with her rifle at the ready. Binoculars are a big help. The other permit-holder occupies a seat at midships, again with binoculars, and assists in calling with an electronic game call. The stern paddler is in charge of navigation and propulsion. We create more comfortable spaces for the two hunters by attaching wide boards to the gunnels and adding padded canoe seats with back supports. This provides more leg room and easier sitting for long sessions in the boat. The elevated

Trapping Silent Places (Continued from page 60)

as fisher). This is because many marten refuse to enter the device, or cannot locate the entrance easily, causing them to lose interest in the set. In addition, the construction of the exclusion devices created yet another expense to the trapper in a market where fur prices were dropping dramatically due to international market demands and fluctuations. Many Maine trappers (and some from out of state) who once traveled to the geographical areas where marten were found and stayed for several weeks to trap exclusively for marten, no longer do. The Exclusion Device The exclusion device used for marten must be constructed to have an opening of 4 x 4 inches or less. This entrance hole may be placed on the end or on the side of the device, and the trap must be set a minimum of 18 inches back from the closest edge of the entrance hole. The exclusion device many be made of wood, plastic or wire mesh. If using a wire mesh, it cannot exceed 1 ½ by 1 ½ inches, or 1 inch by 2 inch openings (side by side). www.MaineSportsman.com

seating also helps with visibility. PFDs are mandatory equipment, and the canoe occupants wear them at all times. Finding a model that permits easily mounting and shooting a rifle is an essential prehunt requirement. In the stern, wooden paddles allow the quietest strokes. By feathering the blade and using an underwater recovery, almost completely silent progress is possible. Day Two Success From the stern seat on Tuesday morning of last year’s hunt, I watched the perfect scenario unfold. We were making our way upstream and rounding a sharp turn in the river when the bull crashed down off the high bank and into the water. Bill Page, the bow shooter that morning, immediately covered the big animal with his .444 caliber Marlin Guide’s Gun. As the bull crossed the river ahead of us, Bill delivered the perfect oneshot conclusion to months of preparation.

¶

The designated marksman gets a comfortable seat in the bow.

Tiffany Mauri and Bill Page -- successful 2018 canoe-hunters.

The wire mesh must be 16 gauge or less (heavier/thicker). The slots for the trap springs to extend outside of the device cannot exceed 7 ½ inches in width and no more than 1 ½ inches high. These measurements ensure that a lynx is not able to reach the trap. The back portion of the trap must be constructed so that it is secured in place to withstand heavy pulling by an animal. If the device is made with a wire mesh front and a wood or plastic box at the back, the wire must wrap around two opposite sides of the box and be securely fastened. There must be at least one attachment point for each side where a joint or panels come together. The trap when set within the device must be securely anchored outside of the exclusion device. In addition, the requirement of “no visible bait from above” still applies to this type of set. If constructed completely of wire mesh, a covering of fir or spruce tips woven into the mesh is commonly used. To save time setting up a trap line, some trappers cover the baited area with duct tape or cloth. Many trappers have found that instead of a 4x4 inch square entrance hole, a circular hole of 4 inches in a wood end piece seems to allow the marten to more

readily access the exclusion device. The device may be set on the ground, elevated on a pole or in a tree with no requirement as to its height above the ground. As noted previously in “The Silent Places,” the required use of exclusion devices has affected the ability to trap most land furbearers. It has eliminated the take of raccoons, bobcat and opossum with body grip traps, which were preferred for those who run long trap lines where the 3- or 5-day trap set check was most beneficial. Bait and Lure The bait most often used by trappers for marten is beaver meat. Others use tainted fish and a few use mackerel. Whatever is used, the desired effect is that an odor attractive to the animal remains effective in the extreme cold of winter. The bait, along with a strong lure containing a skunk base, is most attractive to the marten. In addition, a lure with a strong beaver castor odor is also found attractive. These two lures are also attractive to the weasel (ermine) which are commonly caught in the smaller body grip traps used for marten.

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 63

Last Fling for Moosehead Region Salmon Both Moosehead Lake and Lake Hebron offer feisty landlocked salmon in September, and they’re found in shallower water than during the mid-summer heat. Just get out early in the morning, advises the author, before September winds come up and start pushing smaller boats around. Each September, lakes in the Moosehead region see a flurry of activity, as anglers take advantage of the approaching end of open-water fishing for landlocked salmon. The reason for this is twofold. First, many of us hate to see the season end, and so try to get as much time on the water as possible while we still can. And second, salmon, enervated by the nowcool water, bite well. In fact, some of the season’s biggest salmon fall to anglers during the last few weeks of open-water season. Those who live to troll for salmon with fly rods and streamer flies have one more chance at success in September. The only difference between late-season streamer fishing and springtime fishing is that – as opposed to early season fishing – anglers in September get to enjoy their sport during one of the most comfortable months, weatherand temperature-wise, of the year. And as a bonus, blackflies are a thing of the past. For those using standard lake-trolling gear, downriggers and leadcore lines continue to work their wonders. The difference now, however, is that fish, instead of being 40 – 50 feet deep, will hit lures and baits fished only 10 – 20 feet down.

Majestic Moosehead Moosehead Lake al-

ways presents a picture of wild majesty, but in September, with cerulean skies and gin-clear air, that picture becomes even more pronounced. And a salmon leaping clear of the water, frozen in time, makes a sight not soon forgotten. It is with these thoughts in mind that we plumb Moosehead Lake’s cooling waters in September for the king of game fish, landlocked salmon. On a more prosaic note, salmon are on the move, cruising the entire lake in search of baitfish, mostly smelt. So while a fish may take quite close to shore, chances are equally as good in the middle of the lake. Also, while it is possible to locate loose groups of salmon, fish now are mostly spread out, singly. Given this, it makes sense to set out two rods instead of depending upon just one. The more lines in the water the better. Besides that, using two different lures or bait makes all kinds of sense because salmon, being capricious in their tastes, will probably favor one offering over another. And using two different lures or baits allows us to ferret out whatever works best on any given day. Here’s another thing to consider when heading out in September. Sure, we have plenty days with flat-calm water, but as often as not, winds create difficult conditions. This

doesn’t hurt fishing, but it makes it difficult for smaller boats to operate efficiently. So try getting out as early as possible, before the winds kick in. And if your boat is large enough to handle whitecaps without a second thought, get ready for action, because salmon will hang near the surface, ready to attack flies and lures with a vengeance. Hebron Lake The Moosehead region contains some high-quality salmon lakes that don’t get much attention, Hebron Lake in Monson being one of these. A well-pitched boat landing in-town Monson accepts even large boats. This 525-acre lake is shaped like a dog bone, with the basin closest to town being the deeper section, with 102 feet of water. This is the area to concentrate upon. Hebron Lake stands as one of those places I’ve driven by for years on end but never fished. However, one day this past summer my friend Andy Collar decided to stop and fish Hebron on his way to Moosehead Lake. And the results were startling. Andy loaded up on both salmon and togue, and all the fish were in the 20inch class. So when Andy invited me for another go, I eagerly accepted. Unfortunately, the day we chose was so windy that it was near-impossible to fish with any degree of control. The elec-

A fat and sassy Moosehead region salmon thrills this young angler.

tric trolling motor soon ran low on power, what with pushing against the wind. But it stayed operational long enough for me to land two togue, which were released. Fishing in the wind is one thing, but fishing in a near-gale is quite another. We saw scores of fish on the fish locator, though and many of these fish icons were of the largest size. That was enough to convince me that here lies a lake worth pursuing further. I have every reason to believe that trolling in September would produce excellent

results. As an extra benefit, I’m told by the regional fisheries biologists that Hebron Lake contains some good-sized white perch. And as perch fans know, white perch bite like mad in September. So look on the De Lorme Atlas, Map 31, A-3, for Hebron Lake. You probably won’t have much competition from other anglers, but you very likely will find yourself in the company of some mighty nice salmon and, if it pleases your taste, white perch.

¶

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64 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 65

Safe and Comfortable Backwoods Travel, the GMC Way This month I’ll be taking a break from the usual format that I’ve been running with in this column lately; showcasing off-road-travel vehicle selections from other columnists that write for this publication. I made a change this month because I recently had a chance to give a new vehicle a real workout, and want to share the results with our readers while the information is fresh in my mind. General Motors Company (GMC) sent me a Dark Sky Blue 2019 Sierra Denali 1500 4WD Crew Cab, with their 6.2L Ecotec3 V8 under the hood, and asked that I give it a review. They especially wanted me to evaluate their new Multipro Tailgate system, which offers a convenient step-up assist for accessing the truck bed. I asked if they could send the truck to me with a cap on the bed, and they recommended a camping accessory package of their own – a tent that fits in the truck bed and a matching inflatable air mattress.

I really liked the GMC Denali’s “Multipro Tailgate System” which made it easy to enter the tent or truck bed. It’s a simple matter of walking into the truck bed by taking a few steps, rather than having to climb on your knees and crawl into the back of the truck. Each year I take a few days and go up to the Moosehead Lake Region to relax and enjoy a different part of this beautiful state. I decided to time this trip so the truck would arrive here in Maine just before we headed up for some camping near the big lake. Pavement Travel I have driven some nice trucks in my lifetime, but let me tell you … this GMC Crew Cab is one smooth machine. The trip up to Moosehead Lake takes about three hours, so I had plenty of road time to get a good feel for how the truck handles on pavement. There are so many bells and whistles on this vehicle that I won’t go into detail here, but believe me when I tell you it’s a fantastic-riding truck – even when the road gets a little bumpy. The grandson and wife

(Jeremy and Nancy) loved the Wi-Fi and phone connection available on the truck’s dash. They were pushing buttons, comparing things on their phones and, in general, doing all sorts of “hightech” things with it that I couldn’t get involved in, since I was driving. Some of the most useful functions on the truck included: • a rear-view mirror camera mounted on the back of the cab for seeing beyond a back seat full of gear; • a dash screen that showed the rear of the truck, to allow for safe backing; • the “lane assist” feature that actually stopped the truck from drifting out of the lane by turning the wheel and vibrating the seat; and many more options that provided for comfortable and safe travel.

GMC’s “Multipro Tailgate” provides easy step-up access into the truck bed and tent. Photo by William Clunie

Truck Camping Once I had the truck at the campsite, and installed the tent and mattress, the Multipro Tailgate System really came into play. Stepping up to retrieve gear in the truck bed couldn’t have been easier. A simple push of a button on the tailgate gently dropped the tailgate door, and a latch opened the step to drop down even farther for ease of access. Closing the assembly was also just as effortless as opening it. I was very impressed with the tent and comfortable mattress – it was easy to erect the shelter and inflate the mattress. Ginger, our Vizsla puppy, slept between my wife and me, and the night passed with hardly a bump. I thought the air mattress might be too bouncy, but I didn’t get a single complaint from my wife or dog.

The only problem took place early the next morning. I always wake up at sunrise and drive out to do some fishing at nearby streams. This morning, however, there was a tent filled with sleeping beauties incorporated into the back of the truck. We solved this issue the next night by removing the tent from the truck bed and effectively positioning it on the ground so I could let my dog and wife sleep in while I used the truck to drive to early-morning fishing sites. I really liked the Multipro Tailgate System for its ease of entering the tent or truck bed. It’s a simple matter of walking into the truck bed with a few steps, rather than having to climb on your knees and crawl into the bed The system is so easy and comfortable it’s remarkable that no one thought of this a long time ago. Thank you GMC for making a great truck even better.

¶

Dinner done, tent up, ready for the night. Photo by William Clunie www.MaineSportsman.com

66 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Halibut Fishing in Alaska It was 5 a.m., the sun was already high and bright in the sky and it was hot. Alaska was experiencing record-breaking temperatures. It was 90 degrees every day, and I was enjoying what seemed to be a combined fishing/tropical vacation. Travis and I were going halibut fishing in Valdez. We walked down to the docks and boarded our chartered fishing boat. I sat in the front facing forward, hoping I wouldn’t get seasick (I was also wearing a scopolamine patch). The boat captain, Caleb, a scruffy kid in his early twenties, went over the safety briefing. It would be a 3-hour boat ride, 75+ miles to get to our fishing destination in the Gulf of Alaska. The ride was long and rough. Seas were only 4’6’, but the 32-foot aluminum king fisher with twin 200-hp motors didn’t cut through the waves like a Calvin Beal.

Barn Doors and Chickens I watched puffins fly

After a few minutes, I glimpsed my halibut. “Don’t bring its head out of the water,” the boat captain said as he readied the harpoon. by and asked Caleb a million questions ranging from the Valdez oil spill, to “Do they keep that road plowed all winter?” I learned that halibut start their lives upright like normal fish, with an eye on each side, but their left eye soon migrates to the right side of the head. I learned larger halibut were called “barn doors,” while smaller ones were referred to as “chickens.” When we reached our destination, it was slack tide, which is not ideal for most kinds of offshore fishing. Caleb suggested we do some drifts over a ledge in hopes of catching some groundfish; specifically, lingcod and rockfish. Lingcod and Rockfish Aboard I had barely gotten up out of my seat when Travis pulled a lingcod on deck. Man, was it ugly, but Caleb assured us that

The first fish Travis and I caught were rockfish, which looked like giant goldfish. www.MaineSportsman.com

they taste sweeter than halibut. I got jigging and soon enough got a hit, set the hook, and reeled in a nice-sized lingcod. I was surprised by their variation in color and patterns – mine had spots like a cheetah. Lingcod, not a type of cod, nicknamed the “wolves of the sea,” will aggressively bite almost any bait, and can weigh more than 80 pounds. Next, we caught yelloweye rockfish. They look like the goldfish your Dad had flushed down the toilet had not only survived but had thrived out to sea. They are one of the longest-living fish species, and can live up to 120 years. They are prized for their meat and are listed in threatened in some parts of the western US, but there’s a healthy population in Alaska.

After a couple of missed strikes, the author was able to haul in this 55-pound halibut. The captain told them he’s seen fish as large as 200 pounds.

For Halibut, Set the Hook Hard The tide gained, and we moved locations, anchored and began halibut fishing. Caleb set some rods with circle hooks, and put them in rod holders. I was jigging with a piece of herring and salmon, 15 feet off bottom. Caleb said a halibut bite would feel like you hit bottom, and to set the hook like your life depended on it. An hour went by; my focus waivered. Then I felt the slightest change, barely perceivable. I looked at Caleb. Then I felt it again. “Set the hook!” he hollered. But I had missed it. He stressed that I really needed to set the hook, hard. I shrugged it off, slightly disappointed I’d missed it, but pleased I had even got a hit. A few minutes later, the down rod with an

entire dead salmon on it started bouncing. Caleb explained that often a halibut will grab the bait, but you had to wait until he swallowed it completely before reeling it in. Because the down rods had circle hooks you didn’t need to the set the hook. The rod never bent over and the bouncing eventually subsided. I’m not sure how much time went by but I got another hit. I set the hook and started reeling but quickly realized I didn’t have anything. Then wham – it hit again. The halibut had followed the bait. I set the hook and finally had it! I started reeling. After a few cranks the halibut took a big dive and popped off. I was frustrated; that was my chance, and I blew it. Success at Last Caleb re-baited my rod and I got back to work, trying to stay positive. My arm was getting tired from jigging and I thought about taking a break when I got another (Continued on page 68)

Travis’ lingcod could best be described as “ugly,” but the captain told us they are even better eating than halibut.

�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 67

Cooler Days Await September Anglers Backing away from the dock, I noticed the air was cooler. September was upon us, and the lake traffic was slowing down. Summer residents had packed up and gone home. The Eagles song “Boys of Summer” played in my head, as it does this time of year. Sebago Lake (DeLorme Atlas Map 5, C-1) was quiet once again. I motored out into Jordan Bay and decided to set one line deep for togue and one line higher up for salmon – a deadly combination. Using my downriggers, I set the deep line to just skim above the bottom in 50 feet of water. My electric trolling motor was following GPS signals and “talking” to my fish-finder, so I would stay on the 50-foot contour line of the

First a 22-inch togue, and then a tail-walking salmon, caught and released – this was September angling in the Sebago region at its finest! lake. I was using Carlson’s Northeast Troller spoons in #20 size. I had the deep rig tipped with a half-copper, half-nickel spoon, and I had a hammered copper spoon on the salmon line. In no time, the starboard rod popped up, signaling a fish. I quickly reeled up the slack and felt a decent fish on the other end. He pumped like a typical togue and then allowed me to bring him up close to the surface. Once there, he began battling again, doing barrel-rolls and pumping the line. I slipped the net under him and soon had a nice 22-inch lake trout

in the boat. In minutes I had reset the bottom line and I was fishing. About an hour went by without a strike, giving me time to enjoy a cup of coffee as the boat piloted itself over my 50-foot depth contour in Jordan Bay. I was marking a few fish in the 30- to 40-foot range, so I adjusted the port downrigger to run at 35 feet. I never heard the port rod pop, and only noticed it as I looked up at it. The

tip was twitching so I knew I had a fish, hopefully a salmon. I snatched the rod from the holder, and the battle was on. I was trolling at 1.2 MPH, so I didn’t bother to slow the boat or stop. This made the fish feel bigger than it likely was, but it was too much work to reset the other rod. The salmon put up a good fight, and even gave me a tail dance as it broke the surface. I could see it was a racy, long,

thin fish. Unfortunately, salmon the last few years have been on the thin side, a sure sign that lake trout are out-competing them for smelt. I gently netted the fish and had it back in the water as quickly as I could. I trolled for another hour and picked up two more lakers before I called it a morning. This was September angling in the Sebago region at its finest – a mixed bag of salmon and lake trout! Our area lakes “turn” this month, as cool air temperatures at night chill the surface and send (Continued on next page)

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68 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Sebago to Auburn (Continued from page 67)

cooler oxygenated water deeper, forming a band where salmon like to congregate. Watch your fish-finder closely this month, as this deep, oxygenated layer is where the salmon will be. Lakers will still inhabit the bottom, but I start to see them in shallower water. I’ll try trolling along the bottom in 30 feet of water, oftentimes with good results. Thompson Lake Thompson Lake (Map 11, E-2) also experiences a slowdown in angler activity and an uptick in fishing results. Thompson has a wild togue population, and they seemingly crawl along the bottom. However, Thompson has rapidly-changing water depths due to how it

was scoured by glaciers, and consistently following bottom is difficult. Plugging for togue (bottom-fishing while stationary with a slip-sinker rig tipped with a live shiner) is deadly medicine on Thompson Lake togue. Trolling the water column for salmon is easier, as they are typically midway between the surface and bottom. I have had good luck with imitation smelt on Thompson Lake, using such products as the Gulp minnow. Lake Auburn Because of strict water-use guidelines, Lake Auburn (Map 11, E-5) does not see the traffic these other lakes experience in the summer. There is a restriction on body contact with the water, so no tubers, ski-

Maine Sportswoman (Continued from page 66)

hit and I set the hook as hard as I could. Caleb was inside so I yelled, “Got one!” and started reeling. I was nervous I would lose it like I had previously. The halibut took a big run and I was afraid he would pop off, but he didn’t. Caleb said it was a big one, which made me more nervous and he started reeling in the

ers or swimmers are on the lake. There is little development, so all you typically see is a canoeist or kayaker following the shoreline. This makes Lake Auburn a great place to fish relatively undisturbed. Lake Auburn is known for some decent togue, and each year double-digit weight fish are pulled from its depths. The lake still has a good salmon population, but summer algae blooms impede fishing success. With summer lake activity slowing, this is one of the best times to be on the water. Cool nights blend into cooler days, and we have to get in as much time on the water as we can, for fall is nearly here!

¶

Wendy Brum of Windham is all smiles as she handles her first Sebago lake trout. Photo by Tom Roth

other rods to get them out of the way. Soon we realized that the halibut was tangled in not one but two other lines. I continued reeling while Caleb sorted out the mess. After a few minutes, I glimpsed my halibut. “Don’t bring its head out of the water,” Caleb said as he readied the harpoon. He harpooned the fish, and then hit it in the head with a baseball bat (other common methods to dispatch halibut are to punch them or shoot them with a .410). He brought the fish on board and esti-

mated it to be about 55 lbs. – a nice size, but not as big as he’d thought. It was hooked in both the mouth and side, which made it fight like a larger fish, he explained. The largest fish he’d ever caught was over 200 lbs. It’s hard to believe reeling in a fish four times the size of mine. We snapped some photos, and I sat back, able to relax and dream of the delicious meals I would make.

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�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 69

Body Piercing, Angler-Style As one who enjoys the “Great Outdoors” in my time off from work, I have come to realize my career path could – and probably should – have taken a different turn. While cruising around among the vendors at the Moose Lottery drawing in Scarborough this past June, I came across a young jewelry artist whose talent consisted of turning fishing spoons into earrings, necklaces and bracelets. The items were definitely eye catching! Yeah, instead of police officer, millworker, apple tree pruner, chicken picker, or any of the other jobs I’ve held over the last 40 years, I should have been an artist! I do have a creative streak. In fact, my artistic talent made itself known at an early age. Long Cast Island Boy and I bicycled down to a local pond to do some fishing. We were 11 years old at the time. When we arrived, we stood at the boat launch, casting our deadly lures in anticipation of landing a nice pickerel or anything else numb enough to bite on an artificial lure. Now this wasn’t a boat launch by today’s standards with a fancy dock, and a clearing wide enough to launch a destroyer. No, this boat launch was 10 feet wide, with a tree canopy over the entire space. It was also located in a shallow-water area. So shallow, in fact, that we had to sling our lures with formidable strength to reach depths

Ten-year old Trev got his multi-hooked Rapala stuck in a tree overhanging the water. Trying to help, his dad Gerry gave the fishing rod a powerful yank, right toward himself. What could possibly go wrong?

Ed’s Jewelry. Pineau photo

at least three feet before retrieving the lures. I found using a 1-oz. Red Devil enabled me to cast far enough out to where the big ones lay. After one such cast, Mike started giving me a bunch of crap about being careful when I cast. “Hey, you almost hooked me with that friggin’ thing!” he exclaimed. Lumberjack-Blushing Language Knowing that Mike was very much a worrywart kinda guy, I disregarded his comment. Also, I have always been very confident in my casting abilities. On my very next cast, one which I really wanted to reach out there, I gave it all I had. Tennis great Roger Federer would have been proud of my overhand technique, in

Mason carrying on a family tradition.

which I used the full force of my upper body to sling that sucker out there. On my forward motion, I observed my line going slack at the exact time I heard Mike scream out a series of swear words that would have made a lumberjack blush. Turning around, I noticed Mike was wearing a single earring. It resembled a 1-oz. Red Devil. Two questions immediately sprung to my inquiring mind: 1) Should I tell him how good he looked with a body piercing? and 2) How fast would I need to run in order to avoid having him catch me? Family Values I realized then body piercings are a very important factor if one is to be a serious fisherman.

Take Son #1 (Gerry) for instance. His 10-year old son Trev – my grandson – was casting from the dock in front of my house, when he landed his double treble-hook Rapala into a tree over hanging a “honey hole.” Try as he might, young Trev couldn’t free up the lure. Gerry went to assist. Because he shares my gene pool, Gerry gave Trev’s rod a huge, lure-freeing yank, right toward himself. It worked! The Rapala came free of the branch, traveled at the speed of sound, and impaled itself into Gerry’s arm just above the elbow. Trevor thanked his dad for freeing up his lure, and waved goodbye as Gerry drove off to the emergency room.

When Gerry stopped at the turnpike toll both, the attendant immediately commented on the shiny unique piece snagged into his arm. Once again, body piercing had raised its head in my world! Pickerel’s Revenge A buddy from Texas was up for some June fishing a few years ago. I graciously gave him use of the boat one morning, since I had meetings and couldn’t fish until afternoon. Kevin is a very experienced angler, having fished all over the world. I wasn’t concerned one bit that he couldn’t handle anything a small central Maine pond could deal out. After my meetings, about noon, I called him to see how he was making out. “Great!” was his response, “… and once I leave the emergency room after having this hook removed from my hand, I’ll head back out!” Apparently, a six-inch pickerel issued some major payback. Again, body piercing had influenced my inner social circle. Tradition Affects Mason This past 4th of July I had the joy of fishing with my grandson Mason. While out on the pond, he and I were immersed in the type of intellectual conversation that all fisherman have while in a boat: • “Got one!” • “Missed ’im.” • “Pass the tackle box.” • “Hey, you almost hooked me!” “Hey Pépère,” he said (Continued on page 71) www.MaineSportsman.com

70 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

September Means Planning and Dreaming About Fall Hunting When this month rolls around, I always get stuck between the end of open-water fishing season and the beginning of the upcoming fall hunting season. Lately, I’ve been fishing in the fall more than I ever have before, but this hunting season will be different for me ... my little bird-hunting dog has been hard at work, training for the grouse and woodcock season. Little Ginger, a very intelligent Hungarian Pointer (Vizsla), can’t be considered little anymore. She now weighs close to 40 pounds and can scent and point birds in the field. I’ve been working with NAVHDA (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association) dog trainer Peter Wade, owner of Northern Exposure Kennels (GSPBirdDog.com) in Farmington.

I have been taking our Hungarian Pointer (Vizsla) to Peter Wade in Farmington for training. Wade looks like a rough biker type, but uses a gentle and even tone throughout the training sessions with our Ginger. Anyone training a dog should take this gentle and even-tone approach, since in my experience, ranting and raving only confuses the poor dog and inhibits further training.

The author’s Hungarian Pointer (Vizsla), Ginger, in a rock-solid point at the age of eight months. Nancy Carpenter photo

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such a close distance (30 miles). Wade looks like a rough biker type, but commands a gentle and even tone throughout the training session with Ginger. Anyone training a dog should take this gentle and even tone approach ... for me, it’s the only way to go. Ranting and raving only confuses the poor dog, and inhibits

further training. E-Collar Technique I remember years ago some of the first E-Collar products on the market. Some folks misunderstood this type of training, and considered it animal abuse – something some uninformed people still carry over from the past. When done correctly, E-Collar training can be one of the most effective ways to gently coax a dog into proper habits, and also gently inhibit them from continuing improper habits. At the same time, incorrectly using an E-Collar can really ruin a good dog. I took my own dog’s E-Collar and held it to my hand to feel the intensity of the electric stimulation and found that it doesn’t really hurt at all – it just tingles and causes a dog to immediately focus its attention on the handler. The way I have been taught to use the E-Collar is to limit the stimulation training to a minimum, and only rely on it for brief adjustments in a regular training session. I find that if I plan a morning session of train(Continued on next page)

�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 71 (Continued from page 70)

ing with my dog, I only “tick” her with the collar if she disobeys a command. Some days go by without a single moment of stimulation. About the only time I seem to need to use it nowadays is when there are a multitude of distractions that keep her from focusing on me and our training. Easy Correction I have found that one of the greatest techniques for stopping a dog from continuing a bad habit can be easily taken care of with one, simple correction. Whatever the problem is, be sure to have the E-Collar on ahead of time before the problem aris-

es, so you are prepared to handle the situation immediately. Let me give you an example. Our Ginger loves to play and romp with other dogs, usually way too rough and wild. She gets carried away and rolls around with the other dog until the other dog get frustrated and annoyed. It used to get so bad sometimes that the rough play seemed like a wild dog fight. A little play is fine, but when it turns obsessive, gets too rough, or lasts too long, I put an end to it with a simple command of “Come.” I trained Ginger long ago to come to me when I gave her this command,

Outdoor Chronicle (Continued from page 69)

suddenly. “Look what my buddy did.” He lifted his shirt, and I saw the scar where a fishing friend had hooked him earlier in the month. So body piercing had traveled three generations!

and she is pretty good unless she is in a rough game with another dog. When she doesn’t listen to me I give her a single stimulation signal and she immediately comes to my side and out of the rough play. I put her in a “Stay” position and make her wait until she settles down a bit. I then release her from that position and let her run free again. If she continues with the rough play I repeat the “Come” command and “Stay” position. After a few times of this training, she has stopped being so rough and obsessive in her socializing with other dogs. We can now have other

Ginger and playmate Piper sit quietly on the couch. As a result of gentle but focused training, Ginger’s days of excessive rough play are over. Nancy Carpenter photo

folks over with their dogs without a constant wrestling and growling match throughout the house.

My New Profession? So the revelation that this skill and propensity had expended from grandfather to grandson got me thinking about a change in career. Imagine walking into a swanky party with a 4-inch Rapala dangling from your eyelid. Now that is a conversation piece! How about a Jitterbug hanging from

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your nose? That screams individuality! A FlashKing attached to your wrist? Folks would line up to (carefully) shake your hand, just to get a closer look! Yeah, I clearly missed my calling. Anyone who’s interested in setting up an appointment for a piercing, you can reach me at the offices of The Maine Sportsman.

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72 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Expanded Archery Zone Deer Have Hybrid Survival Skills Expanded archery season begins on September 7 and runs to December 14. Bowhunters are allowed to kill one buck and multiple antlerless deer with the appropriate permits. These expanded archery areas offer the best success rates in Maine. However; the numbers, as usual, hide some important information to be considered, such as that fact that a handful of bowhunters kill numerous deer, driving the success ratio up. Many hunters who travel south to hunt expanded archery zones have dismal success, both while trying to gain access and attempting to locate deer. Health issues has kept me from my “A” game as a bowhunter for years, but now, armed with titanium-and-plastic left knee and a little work on the ticker, I am back. Lying prone for long periods of time and limping around the house considering hunting methods have helped me develop a completely new hunting plan. Some of my ideas may help others improve, too. Here are some of my commitments for this coming year. Some may sound non-productive; others you may like and

want to employ into your hunting strategy. I have been bowhunting deer in southern Maine for over 40 years with some success – it’s the blind-squirrels-and-nut thing. The Playing Field First, consider our hunting methods and mindsets while hunting – they are lackluster at best compared to a deer’s survival instincts. Unsuccessful hunters return home to a warm bed, but when a deer makes a mistake, it does not survive to pass on its genes. Bottom line – whitetail deer are finely-honed survivors, and we hunters are only part time hunters. Human evolution has been based on making life easier. Deer, on the other hand, is the complete opposite – they have evolved to survive against predators. In order to survive, deer must learn to avoid humans. Does teach survival habits to their young over the years. The weak and non-cautious deer are killed off, while the effective survivors reproduce, with each generation getting more wary. Hunters use technology and analytical minds in an effort to keep up. If you hunt harder, longer and smarter, you can outwit deer. However, in most cases the deer

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is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bowhunters need to put in the time, hunt smart, and wait in ambush until an opportunity arises. Avoid Habits Deer in the expanded zones have developed hybrid survival skills; they have learned to survive in close proximity with humans. I had a conversation with a landowner on a heavily hunted island in southern Maine. She told me that a large buck roaming the woods bedded under her deck during hunting season. You should think outside of the box with expanded zone deer – they bed in back yards, under hedges, against foundations and behind garages. I have experienced all these first hand while bowhunting in suburban areas. One good habit to develop is to avoid areas where other humans travel. You should try to avoid parking and entering areas that other hunters or dog-walking folks use. Instead, park in-between these areas. Local deer can hear and smell humans for over a half-mile in the cool, still, damp-dawn air, and they have learned to avoid these high human traffic areas during day light hours. Another thing to consider is preferred hunting areas. Every hunter has a special spot they enjoy hunting. Some are preferred because they see deer there, others enjoy the view. Many like the easy access and the fact that getting there involves less work. Then

Shooting while seated with a leaf suit on can be problematic. Always practice while wearing your hunting gear to properly prepare for the September 7 start of the expanded archery season. Photo by Val Marquez

there’s the historic value, feelings like, “I killed my first deer there.” We are creatures of habit; white-tail deer are as well. There are two different habits going on in the hunting game – humans hunt for sport, relaxation, and to satisfy primitive instincts to hunt and gather. Deer, on the other hand, have honed survival habits to avoid ours. To fool the deer, bowhunters need to jump out of the engrained hunting habits that have programmed deer. Hunters need to be less predictable to be successful. Less Scouting Every time a human enters the deer woods, local deer will detect their trail scent for a few days afterwards. Therefore, every time you enter your selected stand site, your chances of killing a deer there are diminished. Don’t set trail cameras

where you plan to hunt. If you do set cameras, only check them when it is raining, so your trail scent is washed away. Rainy days and middays are also the best times to scout, set or moving tree stands, erect popup blinds or making natural ambush blinds, since deer are generally bedded during those events and times. Using Dogs to Hunt Deer This is a big one. Most of the expanded zones have a network of walking trails that are heavily traveled by non-hunting folks walking their dogs or engaged in other recreational activities. This situation has pros and cons for the hunter to consider. 1) Pros are this human activity and generally free-running dogs tend to funnel deer into the thickest areas available, (Continued on next page)

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A Cold, Cold Night on Clary Hill For wardens back in the early 1990s, sleep was something that we never got enough of during October and November. Working night hunters about every night from dark until whenever, and then going home, getting a few hours sleep at best and then heading back out into the field was the norm. By the end of hunting season, we were running on empty. Moose Killed on Clary Hill I was just preparing to head out to work night hunters one evening in late November when the phone rang. It was Warden Mark Thompson of Morrill calling to say that he had received a complaint of a moose being illegally killed on Clary Hill in the town of Union. He said that he had walked in to the scene, found the moose all gutted and covered with brush, and was in a position where he could observe the moose carcass. I advised him that I would head down from Unity to give him a hand staking it out.

Hunkering Down The temperature was

We hunkered down all night in the freezing rain waiting for the bad guys to reappear. When they did, we tried to jump up from our hiding spot to apprehend them, but we were so stiff and cold that we found ourselves moving in slow motion. in the 20s and headed down into the teens that night, with a cold front blowing in. When I got to Union, I left my warden vehicle at a local garage so as to not have it anywhere near the area that we were going to surveil. At this point, we had no idea who we were dealing with or how they would approach the scene when coming back for the moose. We had to be ready to react to however many people coming from whatever direction. Mark had made arrangements for the complainant to pick me up at the garage and transport me to the scene. After being dropped off and walking into the area where Mark was hunkered down, it was obvious that we needed another warden to help with the surveillance so I called Warden Dave Berry of Lincolnville to come down to Union to give us a hand. By 9 p.m., we were in position and ready for

Southern Maine (Continued from page 72)

and also allow the hunter to exclude highuse areas as being non-productive. In effect you are using human and dog movement to your advantage. 2) Cons are you will come in contact with these non-hunting people, and sometimes it can get rather unfriendly. Their dogs can be aggressive, too. Try to avoid them by setting up ambush sites well away from areas with high levels of human activity.

whatever was to come. Cold Enough? How About Rain, then Snow? The wind was howling and the temperature was dropping fast, just like the weather gusser had promised. As the night wore on, we all began to shiver uncontrollably, but there was no way that we were going to leave the moose before the bad guys came back for it or we were convinced that they weren’t coming back. At about 2 a.m., it started to rain and snow, but we were still convinced that the guys who had killed, gutted, and covered the moose would be back for it if not during the night then at daylight. At about 6 a.m., with daylight just over the horizon, we took up a position behind an old blowdown where we could see but were still well concealed. At this point, it was pure endurance. We were

incredibly cold, wet, and tired but we had all done it before so we knew we could last a lot longer if we had to. Sound of the Meat Saw At exactly 7:26 a.m., I heard a twig snap. Then we could see two blaze-orange hats moving through the brush, traveling toward the moose. We heard muffled voices and then we could hear a meat saw sawing bone. Sss, sss, sss, snap! – there goes one leg. Sss, sss, sss, snap! – there goes another leg. It was time for us to make our move. Happening in Slow Motion When we came out from behind the blowdown, we were so cold and stiff that we were all moving in slow motion. It took us a few seconds to get up to speed. In the meantime, the bad guys saw us coming at them. The guy with the knife fell down and

Going Blindless This recommendation is going to upset many bowhunters – you should go old school in these small areas, and you can kill deer without the use of tree stands. Leave your stand in the truck, grab a camouflage leaf suit and a stool, and set up a nature blind. I wear street clothing and pack my camo suit until I reach my hunting site; this keeps the natives at ease when you encounter them. While bowhunting in the suburbs, you should blend into the environment and be-

the other one headed out through the brush as fast as his legs would carry him. I jumped on the guy who had fallen down, while Dave was closing the distance fast between himself and the other culprit. Justice Prevails I got my guy handcuffed, and in a few minutes Dave and Mark came back with their guy cuffed up. Dave had the guy right by the collar as he walked him back to the moose. After a brief conversation, both suspects were transported to the Knox County jail by Dave and a state trooper who happened to be in the area and offered to help us out. Meanwhile, Mark and I made arrangements to have the moose taken care of. Later we discovered that both suspects were convicted felons and were prohibited from possessing firearms. This didn’t help their case at all. Later that winter, both men pleaded guilty to Illegal Possession of a Moose, in Rockland District Court.

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come as non-intrusive as possible, because expanded archery zone deer are acutely aware of the areas they live – even more then deer in big woods that must be more nomadic to survive. Deer in the suburbs have it easy compared to deer in the big woods with the exception of hunting season and the possibility of automobiles with cellphone distracted drivers. Bowhunters who adapt their hunting methods to match the conditions in the expanded zones will have the best results.

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74 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

The Secret Life of Beavers “Everybody hates beavers,” Charlie bellowed. They’re nothing but a nuisance!” Somehow the topic after dinner had turned to beavers, and it took good ol’ Charlie all of two seconds to blurt out his knee-jerk opinion. “Well, there’s a strong statement,” replied Kent. “Everybody? Everybody? Are you sure about that, Charlie?” “Well…,” Charlie stammered, “we had a family of beavers that flooded our back field. And I know lots of people who’ve had to deal with them. I hate those giant rodents.” He got up to get a beer and was soon ranting about something else. A Nuisance? Charlie’s opinion is still a pretty common sentiment. Beavers can be a nuisance when they dam up a culvert and flood the road, or drown a decent stand of timber. But Kent was right. Not everyone hates beavers. In fact, there is a growing appreciation for how important beavers are (and have been) in our ecosystem and our landscape. Eager Beavers A fascinating and highly entertaining book, Eager – The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, by Ben Goldfarb (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018) explains how important beavers were in shaping the entire ecology of North America, Asia and Europe, providing habitat for hundreds of species of birds, mammals, fish, mollusks, reptiles, amphibians, insects and, of course, plants. With a light and huwww.MaineSportsman.com

morous style, Goldfarb details how the beaver’s influence was so important during the past million years that many other species were – and still are – enormously dependent on beavers and the wetlands they create. Moose, as one example, come to mind as a major species that thrives in the physical and ecological environment that nature’s engineers construct. Many species of waterfowl rely heavily on beaver ponds for food, nesting and shelter, with the dams often serving as ideal nesting sites. In the western U.S., populations of ducks, cranes and swans dropped significantly when beaver were trapped out of entire watersheds. As beaver populations have since increased, so did waterfowl numbers. New World Economy When Europeans arrived in North America, there were an estimated 200 to 400 million beavers from Texas to Alaska to Newfoundland. The early history of European settlement in the New World was driven largely by trapping to meet the demand in Europe for beaver fur or wool, which was turned into fashionable felt hats. Goldfarb points out that we should not underestimate how important beaver were in our nation’s history. When the Dutch settled the Hudson River valley in the 1600s, they founded Beverwyck (present day Albany)-as a trading post for the beaver pelt trade, which for many years was the foundation of the economy in the New World. Early settlement and westward expansion fol-

lowed the fur trade. Beaver pelts were the main currency of the time. Trapped Out As a consequence of unregulated trapping for over 100 years, beavers were virtually eliminated from many parts of the country from east to west. Populations in the U.S. bottomed out as low as 100,000 animals. Beaver populations were eliminated entirely from Vermont, New York and New Hampshire in the 1800s. This huge drop in beaver populations resulted in enormous changes in river and riparian ecosystems. The effect on the overall environment from the loss of beavers and their riparian engineering was enormous, on the same scale as deforestation and farming. Out west, rivers and streams eroded the landscape. Entire forest and grassland ecosystems dried up and died. Waterfowl populations declined. A Second Chance In the early 1900s, New York State reintroduced beavers imported from Canada and Yellowstone National Park. The transplanted population began to expand, and soon thousands of beavers spread throughout New England. As beavers reestablish in an area, the ecological benefits are immediate. Goldfarb emphasizes how important the beaver is in restoring streams, storing snowmelt, increasing wildlife and plant diversity, and recharging aquifers with much-needed water. Beaver dams moderate flows in headwater streams, prevent erosion, and improve water quali-

This beaver lodge is on the edge of a pond. The impounding of water has created the “beaver meadow” in the foreground. Van Wie photo

ty. This will become even more important as the frequency and intensity of storms continues to increase. By storing water, beavers provide a major benefit to cold-water species, including trout and salmon, not to mention birds and other wildlife. Contrary to some claims, beaver dams are not barriers to fish migration, except during very low flow. Trout and salmon can negotiate any beaver dam after a big storm. The current population of beavers in North America is somewhere between 10 to 20 million. Today, beaver populations have rebounded, even as the human population continues to grow and development has dominated the landscape. Sometimes a Nuisance To good ol’ Charlie’s point, we now experience frequent conflicts between human development and the beaver’s immense impact on the landscape. Our challenge now is to appreciate the beaver’s importance in our natural ecosystems while we learn to co-exist. When conflicts do occur, trapping or relocating the beavers rarely solves the problem, as new residents soon migrate to take their place where the habitat is good. But, in most instances, the water level in a bea-

ver pond can be managed with flow devices or “beaver deceivers” to minimize damage to roads, trees and property. Constructing fences or putting wire around tree trunks will keep beavers from cutting down trees. As a last resort, trapping may solve the problem… at least for a while. Major Impact Second only to humans, beavers are responsible for the most extensive modification of the environment to suit their needs. Their impact can last for decades. In his book, Goldfarb highlights a study on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 2014 that looked at 64 beaver dams which had been mapped in 1868. Today, over 72% of those dams and ponds are still noticeable on the landscape, and many are still actively maintained by beavers. Our flat-tailed friends and their handiwork will be around for a long time, and they will continue to have a valuable impact on our ecosystems. Nobody should hate these amazing animals. They deserve our respect. In fact, I propose a toast: Here’s to the beaver! Long live Castor canadensis!

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Over the Border and Back in Time – Part 2: John Danforth, and Camp Caribou

President Eisenhower floats a fly below Little Boy Falls on the Upper Magalloway River. There is a plaque here today, recording the event. Photo: Collection of Jim Emerson

Camp Caribou on Parmachenee Lake, Maine still exists, albeit not in the fashion it did a hundred years ago. Once the almost-mystical envy of elite New England sportsmen, it was the accomplishment of one of the most remarkable men to ever grace the northern woods: John S. Danforth. Danforth, originally from Bristol, New Hampshire (on the shores of the beautiful Newfound Lake) established himself early as both an industrious worker and an adventurous soul. Having helped construct underwater tunnels in Chicago in his late teens, he returned to New England to take on the task of becoming a reputable trapper and guide. This was a growing industry at the time, and Danforth faced competition and territorial claims from others. He decided he must go farther and work harder than the others, and struck off deep into the northwestern Maine wilderness in

Parmachenee Lake and Camp Caribou. (Map from “Chasing Danforth,” by Robert Cook; reprinted with permission of author)

A doe swims in front of Camp Caribou on Parmachenee Lake. Photo: Collection of Jim Emerson

John Danforth was an ingenious man. In the 1870s, when he received word that he and his sporting camp were being evicted from a timber company’s land, he responded by moving off the land and onto a floating camp he constructed on a giant raft of logs. the early 1870s. Not content with the wild area of the Lower Magalloway River near Wilson’s Mills, he plotted his way north, upstream. (At the time, the Aziscoos Dam did not

exist, so it was just the narrow and rough Magalloway River, rather than the current Aziscoos Lake.) He found himself in the untamed and rela-

tively unexplored area of Parmachenee Lake. He set up his camp on its shores.

Ordered Off the Land Shortly after estab-

Look at those rifles! Danforth and his guides pose on the deck of Camp Caribou with various game heads taken in the area. The woodland caribou on the far right (half cut off) hung in the writer’s camp for many years, until it was recently transferred to the Outdoor Heritage Museum in Oquossoc, where it is on display (previously featured in TMS in Bill Pierce’s column). Credit: Starbird “Rangeley Lake Views” series

lishing himself there and planning his guiding business, he received word that the Berlin Mills Company (which owned the land for logging for its paper mills in Berlin, NH) did not approve of his squatting on their land with a profitable intent. (Most likely, a rival guide to the south and his friendly attorney contrived this document.) Resilient and innovative as ever, Danforth capitulated in moving off the “land”—and proceeded to build a floating camp upon a giant raft. Within a couple years of attracting sportsmen to his floating camp, Danforth was visited by the landowners who had heard of his doings. Surprisingly, they repudiated the former documents Danforth had been presented with, and granted him rights to build wherever he wished and unlimited access to all of their 200,000 acres for guiding purposes—all for (Continued on next page) www.MaineSportsman.com

76 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

New Hampshire (Continued from page 75)

the grand fee of one dollar. (Some things never change—this, unfortunately isn’t one of them!) This is how Camp Caribou (christened so after one of his first clients shot a caribou) came to be located on Treat’s Island

in the northern portion of the lake. After hauling the floating camp ashore and placing it on a foundation, Danforth began several other construction projects, and soon a lodge, dining area, cabins and outbuildings sprung

up on the small island. In addition to Camp Caribou, Danforth and his industrious employs built a dozen or so outpost cabins on the various waterbodies and points of interest stretching between the Little Magalloway and Quebec.

the widely-read Shooting and Fishing publication) of Danforth’s could not get enough of the utopic Parmachenee Lake and Upper Magalloway River. These wealthy clients enjoyed the enterprise so much that in 1890, they convinced Danforth to sell the whole operation

Sportsmen’s Paradise By the time the 1880s rolled around, Danforth had a full-fledged extravagant sportsmen’s paradise. It was a thriving enterprise that attracted an annual cohort of wealthy clients from the Boston and New York areas. Clients and readers (he authored many articles in

(Continued on next page)

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Camp Caribou reached its expansion peak in the early 1900s, after Danforth sold to The Parmachenee Club. The camp offered a luxurious retreat for well-off sportsmen from the city, as well as a series of scattered rough outpost cabins for those who wanted a more wild and rustic adventure. (Jim Emerson collection)

Horses were yoked to work the land and help erect structures on Treats Island. It must have been quite a sight to see them floated on barge across the lake. (Jim Emerson collection) (Continued from page 76)

to them, and officially organized themselves as “The Parmachenee Club.” Camp Caribou at this time was Danforth’s year-round home, and neither he nor the Club desired him to leave, so they hired him as the official manager. Big Fish and Game From the 1870s to the early 1900s, Camp Caribou did a thriving hunting and fishing business, harvesting some impressive specimens. Not only were deer, bear, moose, and woodland caribou taken, but also some tremendous brook trout and landlocked salmon (stocked in the later portion of this time frame). Some of the best fish were traced onto birch bark, and a few mounted by renowned taxider-

mist (John Waldo) Nash of Maine. (Through the years, one of the caribou heads and one of the salmon skin mounts found themselves hanging on the walls of my grandfather’s camp on the northwestern shore of the lake.) The Parmachenee Club – and specifically, member Henry Wells, who created the famed Parmachenee Belle streamer fly – kept diligent records of every fish caught on the lake and surrounding waterbodies. They used this data when calculating their private stocking allocations. Danforth, along with the Club, maintained a private hatchery on Cedar Brook, on the east side of the lake. Through trials and tribulations, they were able to construct dams to control

water level, flow, and oxygen content to grow their stock. The effort was eventually abandoned, but one can still find crude remnants of its existence. Ike Liked It Eventually the Brown Company (former owner of the Berlin paper mills) bought out The Club (after all, they owned all the surrounding land), and advertised Camp Caribou as their own luxury vacation retreat. This continued through the mid 1900s. They sponsored some noteworthy guests, including President Eisenhower, who enjoyed fishing at Little Boy Falls (there is a plaque commemorating the occasion on the rock outcropping there).

Spirit Undiminished In recent decades,

On a bench high over the east side of Parmachenee Lake is a mossedover stone structure. Referred to as the “sniper shack” by those who hunt out of Emerson’s camp, the hidden structure was actually built and used as a blind to hunt caribou out of in the late 1800s. Notice the portholes which one could stick a rifle barrel out of to shoot. It was located on a migration trail that skirted the steeper terrain of the mountain. To this day, it is a natural crossing point for game, and the author has tracked many deer within sight of it. In fact, a few years ago a hunter out of his camp shot a small buck while sitting in it.

the land ownership has changed hands frequently between timber companies. And in the most recent years the current owners, Bayroot Timber/ Yale University decided to option the sale of the camp lots (rather than continue leases). Now ownership of Treat’s Island and the remaining cabins of Camp Caribou are privately owned among individuals. The area is no longer the exquisite paradise that Danforth roamed and conquered. The stilts of Camp Caribou are rotted and crumbling; the forests have been shamefully over-harvested and left in disarray; the logging roads offer ease of access to formerly glorious hidden gems, the trout and salmon have diminished in size and quantity; and the caribou

A Parmachenee woodland caribou head (presumed to be the one located at the far right of the Starbird photo of Danforth and his guides on the deck of Camp Caribou) formerly formerly decorated a wall in the writer’s camp, but is now on display at the Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc.

herd has gone extinct. Yet, there is still some undeniable, inexplicable draw for all those who have visited and all those who will visit. It is still a paradise. *A special thank you is granted to Robert Cook, a family friend, former owner of Camp Caribou cabins, and author of Chasing Danforth, for his help in being a resource for research and photos.

¶

Today, Camp Caribou is just a shell of its former self. These few cabins are all the still stands, with the major buildings of the four-story lodge and dining hall nowhere to be found. Brian Emerson photo www.MaineSportsman.com

78 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

Smilin’

Sportsman Don’t Try This Retort at Home A policeman stopped and questioned a man who was making his way unsteadily down the sidewalk toward his house. “Sir,” said the policeman, “I couldn’t help but notice your eyes are bloodshot. Have you been drinking?” The man stopped, glared at the policeman, and responded, “Officer, I couldn’t help but notice your eyes are glazed. Have you been eating doughnuts?” ••••••••••••••••••• Book Smarts An elderly gent walked into the local library. “Where,” he asked the young librarian,

Send your best hunting & fishing jokes to the editor at will@mainesportsman.com

“could I find a book about how men over 50 can find young, sexy women who are interested in them?” “Down this aisle and to the left,” she replied, “under ‘Fiction.’” ••••••••••••••••••• Say Again? A husband was reading an article to his wife about how many words women use a day. “It says here,” he said, “that women use 30,000 words daily, to a man’s 15,000.” “That’s because,” explained the wife, “we have to repeat everything we say to men.” “What?”

The Smilin' Sportsman Youth Edition Never Mind

Donnie Dimwit phoned the police to report that thieves had broken into his car. “They stole the dashboard, the steering wheel, the brake pedal, even the accelerator!” he cried out. However, before the police investigation could begin, the cops’ phone rang a second time, and Donnie’s voice again came over the line. “Never mind,” he explained. “I got into the back seat by mistake.” ••••••••••••••••••• Sweetie A man went into a bakery and pointed to the glass case.

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“I’ll have that thing there, please,” he said to the clerk “Cupcake?” responded the clerk. “Okay, Cupcake,” the man replied. “I’ll have that thing there, please.” ••••••••••••••••••• Oh, THAT Name! A lady went into court to get her name changed. “What’s your name?” asked the judge. “Sally Squatpump.” “Well,” said the judge. “I can certainly understand your desire for a new name. And what will your new name be?” “Susan Squatpump!”

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— TRADING POST — • Subscribers may place one free 20-word line classified ad per month (two-month limit) • Items for sale must include a price • Real estate ads must include an address or location

• The regular rates are $15 for up to 20 words and 50¢ for each additional word • Check, money order, MasterCard or VISA (Credit or Debit) are accepted

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SUBMIT AD AND PAYMENT BY THE 30TH OF EACH MONTH AND YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE. CAMPS FOR RENT HUNTING CAMP 10.3 acres, Garland, ME, Zone 17, 1-1/2 stories, sleeps five, gas lights, wood stove, fridge & stove, shower. Good deer hunting, 1 hour from Moosehead Lake, $39,000 Call: 802-274-1377

hunting Zone 2, also bird, bear, deer. Furnished, sleeps 6, shower, propane fixtures, finished in Cedar, P&C lease, $39,900. 207-944-0873 ———————————

CAMPS FOR RENT

REMOTE LAKEFRONT REAL LOG CABIN 20​‘x32​‘​, 100 miles north of Bangor. 267​‘​ frontage, 1.25 acre lease lot. Turnkey, $65k. 207-441-5484

PARKMAN, M BUCKS CROSSING WMD 17 Rental Cabins. Turkey, deer, moose, upland game. All amenities included. Great ratesnightly, weekly, monthly. $75/night for two people. 207-277-3183

HUNTING CAMP North Maine Woods T13R10 Great Moose

OTIS​, MAINE Hancock Co​unty, ​newly constructed cottage on

Beech Hill Pond. Great fishing on the lake and plenty of Deer! $150/ night. Go to abnb.me/3SBiuJ1WX or call John @ 609-377-4091

$45/night. Damariscotta Lake, public boat launch. Call or text: 203-505-3390

ROCKWOOD​ HOUSE​ Sleeps 12. Great Bird, Moose, Deer hunting. Large yard. Pet friendly. Starting at $160/night, WiFi & Cable included. 207-205-0414

OPERA HOUSE IN DIXFIELD, M​E Androscoggin and Webb Rivers, Large building, Parking lot. $139,900 Fishing Lodge? Restaurant? Entertainment? Call for more info 207562-7564

HUNTERS & ANGLERS Midcoast accommodations in a comfortable, warm, breakfast 5-star “Cozy Farmhouse Bedroom” at an Airbnb in Jefferson, Maine for under

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​REAL ESTATE​

WOODVILLE, ME​ 114+/- ACRES This lovely gated parcel offers privacy, a nice road system for ease of access to most of the property,

hunting, nearby lakes, ATV and snowmobile trails. Has been selectively cut. Ideal location for a camp and has been surveyed and soil tested $59,000. FMI please call (207)633-7838 1.5 ACRE LOT O ​ N SEBEC LAKE ​S​mall bunk house, power & water only. 200ft. of WATERFRONT. $75,000.00 call 207-2843319 ———————————

FOR SALE TRUCK VAULT Orvis Design, W 49 1/2” (Continued on next page)

— Harmony, ME —

SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE! Meticulously maintained log cabin on quiet riverfront setting with a stone wall and clover food plot lawn. 10+ acres boasting 570 feet on Sebasticook River. Fish for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappies, perch and pickerel. Canoe or kayak miles of riverfront and into Mainstream Pond. Launch a small 10hp boat from your 30 ft. dock and discover the abundant wildlife from the dock bench or from you very own water lookout stand! More than just fishing, enjoy hunting, ATVing, snowmobiling all from your own yard! Tongue and groove and stone fireplace. 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, this is not your average log cabin. Total of 6 car garage spaces: 1 car under, a 2-car detached and a 3-car detached with bonus room above all with metal roofs! 10x20 shed for lawn or toy storage. Come down the 1/10 mile paved private driveway and live in paradise or find your home away from home for all the seasons! MLS # 1421911. $375,000

Yvonne Myer, Realtor Bean Group - Windham | 887 Roosevelt Trail, Windham ME (207) 485-4670 | yvonne.myer@beangroup.com | www.YvonneMyer.com www.MaineSportsman.com

80 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

North Maine Woods Camp For Sale Camp in the North Maine Woods T7R12 on Little Indian Pond. Camp is only 5 years old and has solar power and a septic system installed. Camp is on leased land. $150,000. Call for more info. (207) 568-3940.

, L 63”, D 9 1/2”. Divided drawers,combination locks, carpeted interior and exterior. Picture emailed on request, $800.00 Call Fred 978430-3167

​SKI-DOO, ELAN OR TUNDRA​ Any Condition. Have Cash. Will Travel. Call Or Text 207-522-6940

¶

The Maine Sportsman Digital Edition

GET AWAY to OFF the Grid! Privacy, exclusive, retreat. Serenity, woods, views, beautiful lake frontage on Middle Lead Mountain Pond MLS #1416733 - $149,500.

Waterfront Camp for Sale on Webb Pond

DEER/MOOSE ANTLERS ​Buying any size deer & moose shed antlers/ racks or antlered skulls. All grades bought by the pound. 802-875-3206

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Lot 7 Upper Pinacle Road T28 MD, ME

Donna Coglitore, Realtor (207) 290-0223 donnacoglitore@kw.com

WANTED

(Continued from page 79)

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Kersey Real Estate 27 Outlet Road, Waltham, ME Great four-season outdoor activities: boating, paddling, hiking, fishing, hunting, ATV and snow sled trail connected, snowshoe, etc. Off-grid without roughing it. Far away from it all, but only 25-minute ride to Ellsworth or Bangor – Perfection!!! $139,000

visit www.kerseyre.com to view our complete listing

WE

LD

www.sargentre.com

caryndreyfuss@morton-furbish.com www.realestateinrangeley.com

RANGELEY - 2.9 acres with 400’ prime shore frontage on secluded Smith Cove! Privately situated amid the fir trees the 3 bedroom cottage boasts unobstructed lake and mountain views, spacious covered porch overlooking the flat lawn to waterfront and dock on protected calm cove, quiet end of road location. Enjoy this tranquil nature lovers paradise - listen to the loons, watch the deer, be happy. Very special property close to Rangeley amenities, yet off the beaten path. MLS # 1356417 – $449,000 RANGELEY - Perfectly private on tranquil, no motors Quimby Pond. Brimming with Rangeley charm, this log-sided chalet sits just 25’ from the water’s edge! Tucked away on 3.97 wooded acres with 479’ water frontage, this 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath cottage offers sunny open floor plan, pond side porch, newer septic and well. Being sold furnished. Nice spot to get away from the hustle & bustle of daily life ~ listen to the loons, gaze at the stars. Don’t miss out on this one - call today! MLS #1377151 – $359,000 RANGELEY – North Woods ranch offers comfortable floor plan all on one level! Featuring open kitchen/living area with electric viewing stove, dining area with entry onto rear deck, 2 spacious bedrooms. Plus 2 finished bonus rooms, workshop, wood stove, wood storage in the full basement. Very privately sited on 2+ wooded acres (house can’t be seen from the road), detached 2-car garage with sled drive through door in rear, ITS snowmobile trail access from your yard. NEW PRICE! MLS # 1354086 – $195,000

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“No Blarney Spoken Here”

207-585-2411 207-585-2412

506 West Side Road • Weld, ME 04285 •Mike Kersey, Broker

Carl Lusby, Associate Broker (207) 266-1733 carl@sargentre.com

Caryn Dreyfuss, Broker • (207) 233-8275

14 PER YEAR

$

WEBB LAKE waterfront home with fresh updates located in a quiet cove on a dead end road. Enjoy the breathtaking views of the lake and mountains while watching the moose, loons and bald eagles right from the comfort of your own private beach. Come enjoy all the western mountains have to offer, including thousands of acres of conservation land and state parks. This area is home to some of the best mountains for hiking in the east including Tumbledown, Big & Little Jackson, Blueberry, Bald, and of course the ever popular Mt. Blue. Year-round activities including snow shoeing, snowmobiling, skating, and skiing at the well known Sugarloaf and Sunday River resorts are easily accessible from this beautiful property you don’t want to miss out on. MLS #1407157. $327,500

BYR

ON

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Byron - Comfortable log cabin on 7 acres. Located in Byron Village with the Swift River in sight, ATV and Snowmobile trails accessible from your dooryard. Come enjoy all the amenities of the Western Mountains like world class hiking, gold panning, fishing, hunting, snowshoeing WELD - Welcome to the mountains! Enjoy country and more. Or you can just kick back and enjoy the porch living in this custom built 3 bedroom, 2 bath home or take a nap in the hammock. MLS #1417503. $98,500 with incredible views. Home boasts a very open concept with cathedral ceiling in the living and TON dining area. The first floor includes an enclosed entry N CA way which has a door to access the large deck and a door that opens to the open kitchen, living, and dining area. The first floor also has a large bedroom with big closet, a full bath and laundry room, and a sun room with access a private hot tub on a large deck.2 bedrooms, a full bath and loft area on the second floor. Basement includes heated vehicle storage and workshop plus two oil tanks. Included in this property is also a 24X26 detached two car CANTON - A true cabin in the woods. Very nice small garage along with a large 26X28 one and a half log cabin located deep in the woods on a heavily story barn with a full basement and two garage wooded lot with great hunting and other out door doors consisting of a large work shop with office and activities at you door step don’t wait to check this loading dock on the first floor and plenty of storage space in the second floor. MLS #1370906. $387,500 one out. MLS #1421558. $59,500

PERU - This gentle sloping 73 acre lot is wooded with a nice mix of hard and softwoods, access to snowmobile trails and an abundance of wildlife. Great recreation lot with several building sites. $59,000. MLS #1417250 WEBB RIVER WATERFRONT LOTS - 1.6 to 5.9 acres. $39,000-$59,900 ANDOVER - This 187 acre parcel has it all! Easy access with a gravel road system. Power is available along part of the road that climbs to great plateaus with grand views. Property is teaming with wildlife and is in the heart of mineral and gem country. $139,000. MLS #1417017 BYRON - Exceptional 54 acres. This lot has a good gravel road through it, pristine frontage on Thomas Brook and easy access to trails. The property is well wooded with with a mix of soft and hardwood trees that hold some of the best big game hunting in the area. $79,000. MLS #1417048 ANDOVER - S. ARM ROAD, 20 acres with INCREDIBLE frontage on Black Brook. This very rare find has deep water pools, great fishing and swimming on those hot summer days. Located on Fire Line 435 off South Arm Rd in the heart of Western Maine. $129,000. MLS #1412098 RUMFORD - 347 acres with unique road systems that will lead to pinnacles and peaks with views of the Mountain Valley and Swift River Valley and beyond. This parcel also has frontage on Goff Brook along with frontage on a no name Brook. The recreation opportunities are endless with great hunting, ATVing, snowmobiling, hiking, skiing and all the other great activities available in the Western Mountains of Maine. $225,500. MLS #1369627

CARTHAGE - Excellent building lots w/ easy access to ATV and snowmobile trails. All lots surveyed and have driveways into building site. Ready for your new cabin in the woods? Then come check em’ out. $26,500. MLS #1205057 NEAR BETHEL IN ALBANY TOWNSHIP - This 40 acre lot has several hidden building site well off the paved road with beautiful Southeasterly views. Some areas would make great spot for passive solar cabin. The Crooked River meanders on through the lot for great wildlife watching. Only 7 miles from downtown Bethel. $45,000. MLS #1325975 NORTH RUMFORD - Very private 17 acres with great brook frontage and a common area on Meadow Pond located deep in the Western Mountains. $32,000. MLS #1354993 WELD - Looking for a remote spot for your cabin or camper? Here it is! 8 acres with easy access, nice view right in the heart of the Western Mnts, a few miles to Mt. Blue State Park & Webb Lake. $18,500. MLS #1282348 BETHEL KING LOT - This land boasts exceptional development potential or enjoy the vast land with your friends and family, excellent road infrastrucure and beautiful views of local ski areas. 1356 acres offered at $1,095,000. MLS #1335965 PERU - 59.3 surveyed acres walking distance to Worthley Pond.This lot offers 231’ of paved town maintained rod frontage plus your own water frontage on Worthley and Thomas Brooks come see why this is great spot for your own private resort and get away. $69,900. MLS #1363508

�������������������������������������������������� The Maine Sportsman • September 2019 • 81

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109 Cove Road Cooper, ME Fish! Hunt! Snowmobile! Swim! This “off-grid” camp on Cathance Lake can be your little slice of heaven! MLS #1413703 - $124,900.

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(207) 943-5225 www.dewittjonesrealty.com 1422878 – LAKE VIEW PLT – 1.88+/-acres with 215’+/-of water frontage on Schoodic Lake. Lot has been soil tested and surveyed. Power is at roadside. $155,000 1421796 – ORNEVILLE TWP – Boat access only to this private 10 acre peninsula wooded lot with 1584’+/water frontage. Great spot for a cabin. $60,000 1421684 – SEBEC – Great views from this 42 +/- acre property. 1,290’+/- of shore frontage on Parker Pond. ITS and ATV trails nearby. 12’x16’ cabin on the property. Owner financing available. $79,900 1365496 – MEDFORD – 48+/- acre lot bordering Piscataquis River. High land on year round road with power at roadside. ATV trails to waterfront. 1800’+/on river. $99,900 1366235 – MILO – 30+/- acre lot off the Mooers Road with 4 rough-graded building lots. New power line, private road, 200’+/- from paved road and around 100’+/- to public sewer. 20+ wooded acres on this lot. $60,000

1369884 – Schoodic Lake 1.69+/- aces with well maintained camp located right on the shores of this pristine lake with 100’+/- of water frontage. Nice sandy swimming area and boat launch ramp. Master bedroom and bath on first floor with sleeping loft area. Large lake front lot with plenty of room for expansion. Come sit back relax and enjoy life the way it should be! $209,000

— LAKE VIEW PLT — 1418329 – Waterfront Home on the pristine Schoodic Lake. Well maintained camp located on 1.10 acres with 177’+/- of water frontage. Year round living come enjoy all the lake has to offer, while sitting on the huge screened-in porch listening to the loons. The lake is great for fishing both summer and winter. $350,000

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR OVER 100 LAND LISTINGS!

Noyes Real Estate Agency 2388 Main Street • Rangeley, ME 207-864-9000 • info@noyesrealty.com www.noyesrealty.com

GREAT LOCATIONS FOR FISHING! #307 – MLS #1368735 – Upper Dam, fly fish, hunt. Access to Mooselookmeguntic and Richardson Lake. Annual lease $1525. Cabin $145,000.

3,911 ACRES

Dallas Plt - Timber, water, wildlife and views. Four miles of frontage on S. Branch of Dead River and four remote ponds. 1,700’ of elevation. Interior roads. Close to Rangeley. $2,750,000

192+/- ACRES

Guilford - 192± acres w/ views from Oak Hill (920’ in elevation) & in the shadows of 1,326’ Guilford Mt. overlooking First Davis Pond. Wildlife galore with evidence of moose & deer. Cut in 2011. $129,000

175+/- ACRES

Harrington - 175 +/- acres with 1,650’ of salt meadow frontage on Flat Bay. Numerous coves, sea grasses & changing tides create a unique experience. Westerly views & mature timber. $175,000

2,900+/- ACRES

Rumford & Mexico - Approx. 2,900 acres including Whitecap Mountain (2,000’), South Twin Mountain (2,156’) and Black Mountain (2,300’). Part of the land is an active Sugarbush. Impressive views. Land can be separated. $1,450,000

Bancroft Twp - Acreage on Mattawawkeag River. Camp just 200± feet from river w/exceptional frontage. Mature trees, easy access & special protection designated for Salmon & deer habitat. $125,000

Litchfield - Waterfront parcel with tons of diversity. Massive trees in park like setting. Mile plus frontage on Horseshoe pond feeding into Cobbossee stream. Extensive wildlife. $195,000.

Greenwood - 283 ACRES - Views of the surrounding hills south and west from 1,300’ of elevation. Ledge outcrops, old stone walls and recreation opportunities. Gravel for access and internal roads. $215,000 Greenwood - 251 ACRES - Views of the surrounding hills, lakes and Mt. Washington. 32’x20’ log cabin shell. Good access & road system. Highest elevation is 1,620’. Recreation paradise. $229,000

Phillips - BROKER OR OWNER MUST ACCOMPANY BUYERS. Approx 1,800’ on Bean Brook which is known to support wild populations of brook trout. Stone walls, trails throughout, good topo and an old historic foundation. Approx. 21 cords per acre. $110,000 New Sharon - 678 +/- acres with abundant wildlife including deer & upland game birds. Diverse land with Bragdon Brook & Salt Marsh Creek running through the lot. Over 900’ of frontage on Weeks Mills Road. $299k or only $441 per acre.

*** NEW LISTING *** #309 – MLS#142449 – Log cabin built in 2001 at Upper Dam. Two bedrooms and loft. Great fly fishing, access to Richardson Lake and Mooselookmeguntic. Annual lease is $2250. House is $150,000.

#482 – MLS#1417760 – Vintage camp on Little Kennebago Lake. Full foundation. Fabulous fly fishing and views. Storage building, boat house. All well maintained. Charming interior. $390,000

WATERFRONT RETREAT WITH 42+ACRES IN PORTER, ME

Beauty runs deep. So does our land sales experience.

John Colannino – Broker & Forester American Forest Management, Inc. 40 Champion Lane | Milford, Maine | 04461 O: 207.817.9079 | C: 207.266.7355 John.Colannino@afmforest.com

For more information on available properties please visit:

www.AmericanForestManagement.com

Waterfront retreat! You have to have it! Endless recreational, hunting, fishing opportunities. Off-grid solar and generator powered home with 42+ acres, beautiful elevated views of, and 450 ft. of private frontage on Plain Pond, with a full view of Green Mountain. Last home on the deadend road equals privacy! Propane and wood heat. Security system. Two wells: gravity fed, dug well and an artesian well. Huge livingroom with stone hearth, great natural light and cathedral ceilings. Master bedroom with double closets, balcony, and bath with jetted tub. Finish the daylight basement that is plumbed for a full bath. Oversized two-car garage with high ceilings and I-beam perfect for ‘lift’. Contact listing agent and schedule your private showing before it is gone! $344,000. MLS #1414065

Mark Moody, Realtor/Broker Bean Group (207) 491-4540 • mark.moody@beangroup.com

www.markmoodysellsmaine.com

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82 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

BRADFORD: HUNTERS & NATURE ENTHUSIASTS TAKE NOTICE! Property has 35 acre of woods that are full of wildlife including moose, bear and deer! There are also 3 landscaped acres with gardens, apple trees and blueberry bushes. Enjoy the peace and quiet in this rustic camp on 38 acres! Listing also includes additional 2 room camp with wood stove! $119,900

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BRIGHTON PLT - Attention to detail and custom finishing throughout this beautiful ranch style home including Cherry, Oak and Douglas Fir used throughout the home. Granite counter in kitchen, granite vanity tops in all bathrooms, propane radiant heating system throughout home, attached 3 bay, propane radiant heated garage and back-up generator. Atrium doors to deck to enjoy the tranquil setting, living room with electric fireplace with custom tile surround and a master en suite should fill all your dream home wishes. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and so much more and all on 142 acres of land with 3000 feet of frontage on Corson Brook! The basement area is framed and ready for an additional bathroom, kitchen, or in-law suite or a large recreational area. MLS #1421527 – $635,000 SOLON – A work in progress! Part of this camp was originally an old school house, which was taken down to framing and then rebuilt with 2 additions and completed with log siding. New windows and doors, shingled roof and new posts on concrete pads are great benefits. Circuit breaker and dug well ready to be hooked up. Lots of inside storage potential as well as an outside shed for storage. Immediate access to ITS trail from your door. Bring your tools, ideas and finish this beauty to your liking. ALSO SEE MLS 1357522. YOU CAN PURCHASE BOTH PROPERTIES, FOR A TOTAL OF 2 CAMPS, FOR AN ASKING PRICE OF $99,900. WOW! MLS 1351048 – $49,900 CANAAN – Camp Life!!! Perfect for a nice getaway for hunting or some needed private downtime. Come and snowmobile or ATV as well. Nice enclosed porch area! Bunk area, kitchen and living area with oil forced hot air and an Ashely woodstove for heat. Lug in water for your indoor shower/lavatory area. Gas lights for back up. Camp is mostly furnished. MLS #1400289 – $29,900 BALD MTN. TWP – Have you ever dreamed of owning a private piece of paradise on Moxie Pond with your own boat launch and sandy beach? This one of a kind property sits on the bank of Moxie Pond where you look out your window and see large rock cliffs instead of neighbors. Swim and fish off the brand new dock including a bench and rack for the two kayaks included in the sale. There is also a boat that can be included. The camp was taken down to studs in 2018 with all new insulation, metal roof, siding, wiring and propane lines. The camp is being finished as we speak in tongue and groove pine.ATV/Snowmobile trails nearby, only a few miles back to white water rafting, and miles of paper company land around to hunt on. Take a look and you can enjoying Maine camp life by Summer. MLS #1412744 – $179,000 KINGSBURY – Nicely remodeled camp with frontage on Kingsbury Pond. Easy access right off Rt 16. Insulated with multiple heat sources for year-round use. Sleeps 10+ so bring your friends and family. Call for more info! MLS #1420349 – $129,900 SOLON – Rather you are looking for that peaceful get-a-way, hunting cabin or snowmobile camp this is the one for you. The camp has a dug well, wired for generator, propane kitchen stove, large deck and outdoor shower to make your stay more comfortable. Several updates in the last few years include metal roof, some replacement windows and built in bunks. 8.3 acres in the heart of the woods with snowmobiling right out your front door. The back property line is an unnamed brook. You can go up the road and be at the Ironbound Pond public boat launch, head north for white water rafting territory or be back in town for a nice dinner within a short drive. MLS #1423950 – $52,000 MADISON – Looking for that stylish, trendy barn style furnished camp? Own it all! Furniture included in this beautiful cottage/camp with over 110 feet of frontage on Lake Wesserunsett. Working fireplace, hardwood flooring, match pine ceiling and walls, 3 bedrooms, enclosed deck overlooking the water, dining room, full bathroom...and the list goes on and on. The panoramic views from this location are your dream come true! A rare find! MLS #1426248 – $289,000 EMBDEN – Approximately 750 feet of frontage on the East Shore Road with this 69 acre parcel of land. Property is just a short distance to the public boat ramp. Property is in tree growth for tax purposes. MLS #950558 – $53,500 SOLON – Nice parcel of approximately 118 acres on U.S. Route 201. Great place for a house or camp. Enjoy the area with the Kennebec River close at hand. Hunt, fish or snowmobile from this location. Entrance driveway already existing. Currently in tree growth for tax purposes. 09/19 MLS #1097927 – $99,900

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Burlington - Nice camp on a large lot. Camp has electricity, septic system and drilled well. The camp is just short walk from Saponac Lake. This property has been surveyed. The property is on Main Street a year round road. $49,900

Chester - Small camp that need some finishing. The camp has electricity, pellet stove and a Incinolet toilet right on S. Chester Road. There is no septic system or water supply. There is a privy on site. This camp is priced to sell. $21,900

Lakeville - Sand beach. Views. End of the road privacy. You can turn this property into the ideal getaway. The buildings can easily be finished. Absolutely breathe taking lot on Pine Cone Trail. Great swimming and fishing! $95,000

Burlington - Sand beach, this camp would be great spot for a family. Beautiful views of Madagascal Pond. The compost toilet and indoor shower make your stay comfortable. And there’s extra room in the pop up camper. $99,000

Lakeville - Nice 11+ acre lot on Lombard Lake, with 380 feet of waterfront on Lombard Lake which has land locked salmon and white perch. Well maintained road and with 1 acre out of tree growth. Enjoy the peace and quiet on this lot. $45,000

Lakeville - Nice 12+ acre lot on Lombard Lake, with 380 feet of waterfront on Lombard Lake which has land locked salmon and white perch. Well maintained road and with 1 acre out of tree growth. Enjoy the peace and quiet on this lot. $45,000

Passadumkeag - Small, private lot to getaway or nice spot to park your camper and relax. Lot has a 24’x28’ concrete slab along with 12’x16’ shed. 15 minutes from Lincoln on St. John Road. Priced well and ready for you. $14,500 Lakeville - Nice private lot with outstanding views in a great recreation area. Enjoy the many lakes nearby right on Upper Pug Road. ATV and snowsled trails nearby. Build that cabin and enjoy this lot for years to come. $29,000 Lincoln - Large parcel, not easy to come by, with access on a public road and electricity available. Buy it for investment, put a camp up, build a private home, or start up a small farm right on Curtis Farm Road. $45,000 Burlington - A nice sized lot along a snowmobile ITS trail. Only 350’ from electric on a dead end, privately maintained road. Ten minutes to downtown Lincoln - this is a nice spot for a cabin, home or camper on Burnham Road. $11,500

R E A L

E S T A T E

5 LAKE STREET, P.O. BOX 66, LINCOLN 207-794-2460 www.cwalakestreet.com E-mail: cwa@cwalakestreet.com

1-800-675-2460 Call any of our brokers to work for you!

“Tate” Aylward ................ 794-2460 Peter Phinney.................. 794-5466 Kirk Ritchie...................... 290-1554

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR PROPERTIES VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT CWALAKESTREET.COM

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84 • September 2019 • The Maine Sportsman ———————————————————————————————————————————————————

YOUR BIG GAME DESTINATION Get ready for hunting season at our Hunting & Fishing Store in Freeport, open 24/7

INNOVATIVE GEAR DESIGNED BY OUR HUNTING EXPERTS

ALLAGASH FIXED-BLADE KNIFE Zebra wood handle changes in patina as it ages. 440c stainless steel blade

It all started in 1912 with the revolutionary Maine Hunting Shoe®. We’ve been setting the standard in problem-solving, innovative hunting gear ever since.

RIDGE RUNNER HUNTER'S PULLOVER Can be worn under a jacket or as an outer layer in warmer weather

MAINE WARDEN DAY PACK Designed with the help of Maine State Game Wardens, it’s the same one they carry

RIDGE RUNNER STORM JACKET AND PANTS Quiet, waterproof and breathable, this technical hunting apparel does it all

DON'T MISS THE L.L.BEAN HUNTING EXPO SEPTEMBER 14-15 AT OUR HUNTING & FISHING STORE

Get ready for your best season yet! Our weekend-long expo will be packed with special events. Check out the latest gear, have your questions answered by the pros and enjoy special offers throughout the event. Find store directions and see our calendar of upcoming events at

LLBEAN.COM/FREEPORT www.MaineSportsman.com 19SPAD5805.indd 1

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