Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine - Fall 2009
Letter from the Commissioner: Protecting ourselves and our woods
By Commissioner Roland “Danny” Martin
In the weeks that have followed the Acadia National Park tragedy in August, all of us have heard the comments on how people should know better than to get in harm’s way, and that they should heed the danger warnings given by public safety officials.
Sometimes after an incident, when a person has died or their life has been drastically changed because of a severe injury, there are those few who say, “Well, that was stupid what he/she did.”
I’m not going to say any of those things – or condone any of those comments -- in this letter. Instead, I am going to point out everything that is being done right to ensure a safe hunting season this fall.
What Maine has is a hunting community that cares about its sport, treasures our magnificent natural resources, and honors the state’s reputation as a premiere hunting destination.
Hunters want to keep it that way.
More than 20 years ago, hunters worked with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Legislature to develop and require a solid hunter safety education program. Before hunters can get a license, they must show proof that they took the course.
The mandatory hunter safety course law went into effect in January 1986, and it has made a significant improvement in hunting conditions. Since then, the number of hunting-related shootings or fatalities has dropped dramatically.
Credit should be given to the 11 IF&W safety coordinators and volunteer instructors throughout the state who teach these classes. They not only give valuable information on how to be safe in the woods, but they serve as ambassadors to a hunting heritage that’s deeply rooted in respect and goodwill towards others.
Another law that errs on the side of caution requires hunters to wear two pieces of blaze orange clothing, and one of the two must be a hat. By spotting the blaze orange, other hunters know that you’re nearby.
Also, our Department offers tips on how to be safe in the woods. The booklet, “You Alone in the Maine Woods,” features 18 chapters on topics such as map and compass use, how to start fires, simple first aid and building a shelter. While reading it, you might think that some of the information is just plain common sense. Read on. You’ll find some tips that aren’t widely known and could be beneficial.
The booklet is available to download from our Web site, or you can order up to two from our online store. The book is free; you just pay the postage.
This year, we’re taking on a new initiative to protect the woods that hunters and other outdoor recreationalists love so much. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is teaming with the Maine departments of Conservation and Agriculture to educate people on the dangers of two invasive species that can destroy Maine’s woods if given the chance.
The Asian Longhorn Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer, two exotic beetles from Asia, are destroying trees in some of the states that are homes to hunters who come to Maine.
The Emerald Ash Borer feeds on ash trees, and has cost municipalities elsewhere tens of millions of dollars to try to control. The Asian Long-Horned Beetle has been located in New York, Massachusetts and other states. In Worcester, Mass., for example, home of one of New England’s largest sportsmen’s show, tens of thousands of maple trees have been cut down to combat this dangerous insect, and a quarantine zone has been set up.
We’ve included pictures of these beetles in this magazine. If you happen to see one, put it in a sealed jar, record information about where you found it, and contact the Department of Conservation at (207) 287-2431.
If you are coming to Maine from another state, do not bring firewood with you. Please buy Maine firewood from sellers close to the location where you are going to hunt, fish or camp.
Make it part of your routine. Put it on your hunting preparations checklist – “buy firewood locally.”
As in years past, this hunting season can be a safe one – thanks to you. You’ve taken the hunter safety course. You’ve educated yourself on how to be safe in the woods. And you’re doing your part to keep invasive species from entering Maine’s woods.
Now all you have to do is put on your blaze orange clothing and hat and head out!
The Final Charge: A rare find in the north Maine woods
By Emily Jones
Marketing and Youth Activities Coordinator
It began in the fall of 2005, when two large aggressive bull moose engaged in battle in a swampy part of woods in New Sweden, Maine.
While this was common behavior for bull moose during the fall months of September and October, a time period known as the “rut”, the result of this particular battle was unique. While they clashed, their large and very equally matched sets of antlers became locked together and could not be parted.
Both bull moose died as a result of the unfortunate mistake, most likely from exhaustion and dehydration,. Months later, after the spring thaw, the remains of the two moose, antlers still locked together, were discovered by Adella Johnson on her property in New Sweden. Adella contacted the Maine Warden Service, and District Game Wardens Gary Sibley and Chad Abbott visited the site where the moose were discovered. After determining the moose had both died of natural causes, they were left with the question of what to do next with this rare find. The skulls and antlers were carefully removed from the swamp, still locked together, and the process to clean and preserve them began. Adella decided to leave the locked antlers in the care of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in hopes they could be used for an educational purpose.
In 2003, a similar discovery was made in Springfield, New Hampshire by an avid hunter who was scouting for the upcoming season. Taxidermist Mark Dufresne, of Nature’s Reflection Taxidermy in Gray, Maine, created a double full moose mount with New Hampshire’s set of locked antlers that is entitled “Forever Locked.” (www.foreverlocked.org) A mobile display has been traveling throughout New England for several years, and was the only display of its kind.
Sgt. John Wimsatt of New Hampshire Fish and Game was contacted by the Maine IF&W to discuss the idea of building a similar display in Maine with the sets of antlers found in New Sweden. With advice and overwhelming support from New Hampshire, IF&W began searching for funding opportunities for the project and eventually partnered with L.L. Bean.
Taxidermist Mark Dufresne was brought on board to complete the mounts and a plan was made to create a home for the display at LLBean’s Flagship Store in Freeport; as well as a customized trailer that IF&W could display at shows and events throughout Maine. Based on the antlers’ measurements, Dufresne was able to realistically re-create how large the moose were and the final positions they were in. It was estimated that the moose were about four years old; and each weighed between 700 to 1,000 pounds.
The majestic and impressive double moose mount was completed early this summer and was displayed to the public for the first time at L.L. Bean’s Fourth of July Celebration in Freeport. They now are on display at the store.
While the mount may represent a number of things to those who have the opportunity to see it, there is one thing for certain: it provides a glimpse into the mysteries of the Maine woods and the wildlife we cherish. For IF&W, they provide the opportunity to educate the people of Maine and those who visit us about the important natural resources we all have a responsibility to conserve and protect.
In September, L.L. Bean hosted a ceremony in Freeport dedicating the project to the employees of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife for their years of service and commitment to the state of Maine and its outdoor resources. During the weekend of L.L. Bean’s Hunting Expo, the retailer contributed 5 percent of its sales of hunting and fishing gear to IF&W for moose research, management and conservation.
In Appreciation
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife would like to thank L.L. Bean for its continued support and commitment to IF&W’s mission and efforts to protect and preserve Maine’s outdoor future, and the following people for their contributions: Adella Johnson, New Sweden, Maine; taxidermist Mark Dufresne of Nature’s Reflection Taxidermy in Gray, Maine; Meghan Fenton of Gray, Maine, Elbridge Russell of Fryeburg, Maine; District Wardens Chad Abbott, Gary Sibley, Evan Franklin and Brad Richard; Sgt. Tom Ward; Major Gregory Sanborn, and Sgt. John Wimsatt of New Hampshire Fish and Game.
Worcester, Massachusetts is under Quarantine. Maine is not.
Let’s keep it that way.
The importation of firewood from out of state is a major threat to natural resources, including fish and wildlife habitats. Outdoor recreationalists can stop firewood’s pests from destroying our woods.
By Charlene Donahue
Forest Entomologist, Department of Conservation- Maine Forest Service
Ninety years ago, the threat humans posed to the Maine forests was fire. Woodsmen, hunters and fishermen left campfires burning.
Smokers threw matches or cigarettes on the ground. Brush was burned on dry windy days. People did not think a lot about fire and the effect their actions could have on the forest. A huge campaign was undertaken to raise awareness of how people were often responsible for starting forest fires. As far back as 1916, the national Forest Service was soliciting help in protecting the forests; and Smokey Bear just had his 60th birthday celebrating his promotion of “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires.” Everyone knows about the dangers of being careless with fire in the woods.
Now there is a new threat to the forest. Just like years ago, it is something people were not aware of. It is a behavior that has been going on for eons and in the past there was nothing wrong with it. But times have changed, the world has changed and now some of us need to change as well. Once again the Forest Service is asking for the public’s help in protecting the forests.
What threatens our forest today? Something that has really only come to light in the 21st Century -- moving firewood.
Anyone who has camped or owns a camp has probably at one time or another brought firewood along on a trip. You have firewood in the backyard: it is easy to obtain, it’s dry, you won’t have to stop, it doesn’t cost anything. So you bring it along. We all have done it. It has been okay.
So what is the problem? The problem is invasive insects that now are traveling with that firewood. With global trade we also have global spread of insects. Unfortunately, some of these insects “from away” find their new home very hospitable, and they are destroying the forest.
One of the nastiest examples is the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This is a metallic woodborer from Asia that kills any type of ash tree in North America. In Asia it is a minor pest of ash, but the North American ash trees have no defenses against this insect. After attack by the beetles, the trees can die within as little as two years. The EAB adult female lays her eggs on the bark of the tree. The larvae hatch and feed beneath the bark, creating tunnels that cut off the tree’s flow of food and water; and eventually kill it.
Emerald Ash Borer was first discovered in Michigan in 2002 and most recently in western New York in June 2009. It was found in Ontario, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia in 2003; Indiana in 2004; Illinois in 2006; Pennsylvania and West Virginia in 2007; Wisconsin and Quebec 2008: Kentucky 2009. Millions of ash trees have died from attack by EAB already, and the concern that these trees will be totally lost is so great that seeds are being saved.
The majority of EAB infestations (as much as 75 percent) have been attributed to the movement of firewood – people bringing wood to their camp or second home, on their camping trip or in their travel trailer. Woodboring insects typically spread from tree to tree at a rate of a few miles per year. Firewood traveling at 60 miles per hour can spread insects hundreds of miles in a day.
Another example of an invasive insect that threatens Maine forests is the Asian Longhorn Beetle (ALB). It arrived, like EAB, from Asia in packing crates. This insect attacks a wide range of hardwood trees, especially maple and birch. The ALB was first found in cities – New York and its environs, Chicago and Toronto. And just last summer, Asian Longhorn Beetles were found in Worcester, Massachusetts, where it has been establishing itself for 10 to 15 years. The beetle is in forested areas as well as in city trees. Worchester is less then 90 miles from the Maine border; less then two hours by car. Do you think anyone from that area has brought firewood to Maine in the past 10 years?
It is not easy to tell if firewood is infested with insects. They can be in, on or under the bark; or buried in the wood.
Also, we do not always know when a pest has moved into an area – note the 10-15 years it took us to find ALB in Worcester. We need to change our habits. We need to leave our firewood at home. We need to take the time to buy or gather firewood near where we burn it.
There are federal quarantines on invasive pests. These quarantines prohibit the movement of firewood out of known infested areas. But what about problems that have not yet been identified? Do you know if there are invasive insects in your backyard? There is no law preventing the movement of firewood into Maine at this time. What we need is for people to become aware of this potential devastation to Maine forests, and to change their habits. Just as people needed to be more careful with fire 90 years ago, today people need to be careful with firewood.
Change is not easy, but neither is dealing with invasive insects.
Rare Cobblestone Tiger Beetle Found in Maine
By Jonathan Mays
IF&W Reptile, Amphibian and Invertebrate Biologist
and Mark Ward, Consulting Invertebrate Zoologist
Tiger beetles are handsome, active insects that make their living running down smaller insect prey on the ground. These terrestrial beetles move so fast that they outrun their eye sight and often have to pause to refocus – a behavior that aids in quick identification of this group in the field.
Though many are dark colored and camouflage nicely with their preferred sandy or mud habitat, some species such as the Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) can be quite striking in appearance. Maine is home to 13 species of tiger beetles, two of which are considered state “Species of Special Concern” due to their limited range and specialized habitat requirements.
In 2009, as part of an ongoing eco-regional survey in the central and western mountains, IF&W conducted surveys for one of these Special Concern species – the White Mountain Tiger Beetle (Cicindela ancocisconensis). This beetle was only previously known from three localities in the western mountains – all un-dammed rivers bordered by flood scoured cobble and sand spits and partial tree canopy shading.
These surveys, while still on-going, have already proved a success; adding several new sites and a few new watershed records. In addition, our knowledge of flight time and habitat use for the White Mountain Tiger Beetle has been furthered by these efforts.
An unexpected bonus from our surveys was the recent discovery of a new tiger beetle in Maine – the Cobblestone Tiger Beetle (Cicindela marginipennis). Historically the Cobblestone Tiger Beetle was likely found throughout the Northeast, but due to habitat loss this species is currently limited to a few remaining free flowing rivers and ranked critically endangered (by NatureServe) in New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. In Canada, this beetle is known in only a few sites in New Brunswick, where it is listed Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
The newly discovered Maine population fills a critical distribution gap and offers additional hope for this species’ recovery. As the name implies, the Cobblestone Tiger Beetle prefers cobble bars on vegetated islands in medium to large rivers. Like the White Mountain Tiger Beetle, these rivers need to be un-dammed to allow natural, seasonal scouring of the cobble beaches, but not prolonged flooding. At present, this beetle is only known in a single river in western Maine, and though a likely candidate for state Endangered/Threatened listing, additional surveys are needed to accurately assess the species true distribution and status.
Eco-regional surveys in Maine have been ongoing since 1997, and have consisted of a partnership between the Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP) and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW). Funded largely by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund (MOHF), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (State Wildlife Grants), and The Nature Conservancy, these systematic, statewide surveys have sought to target rare species of plants, animals, and natural communities to broaden our understanding of the conservation needs of the state’s biodiversity.
The discovery of the Cobblestone Tiger Beetle is one of many examples illustrating the importance of these surveys, and the exciting discoveries awaiting us in our diverse and ecologically complex state.
Industrious Insects
- A $50 billion-a-year recreation industry is based on fish and game birds that in turn rely on insects (this does not include bird watching or photography).
- 90% of birds need insects for food at some point in their life cycle.
- Fly midges are the most important food source for juvenile salmon.
- Insect pollination supports $3 billion annually in agricultural crops.
- More than two-thirds of flowering plants require insects for pollination.
- Insects alone are responsible for decomposing 90% of human and animal wastes.
Native beetles, versus introduced ones, are better for eco-system
All beetles certainly aren’t created equal. There are introduced pests, such as the Asian Longhorned Beetle, and rare natives such as the Cobblestone Tiger Beetle.
Of course quantifying a single species’ importance in an ecosystem can be a challenge, especially when it happens to be a rarely observed, range limited, recently discovered species like the Cobblestone Tiger Beetle. One of the key differences in the case of the above two beetle species is native versus introduced exotic. As is typical with many introduced species, the Asian Longhorned Beetle has not co-evolved with other species in Maine and therefore there are no natural predators that effectively keep this tree pest in check. Conversely, the Cobblestone Tiger Beetle (though only recently discovered in the state) is native to the Northeast and as such serves as an integral part of our total wildlife package.
Tiger beetles are predators on other invertebrates including many human pests such as mosquitoes and black flies. In addition, tiger beetles also fill the role as prey for birds (kestrels, flycatchers, etc.) and other insects (robber flies, ants, etc.)
Being careful out there
Initiatives such as mandatory hunter safety classes, blaze orange clothing have lead to a decline in the number of hunting-related incidents, deaths
Often we hear non-hunters talk about being concerned about going afield in the fall or having a family member go hunting because they believe the woods may be unsafe. In actuality, hunting is much safer than other sports, including various athletic endeavors.
With more than 200,000 people hunting annually in Maine, we are fortunate to enjoy one of the safest sports in which anyone can participate. According to a 2004 National Shooting Sports Foundation report, hunting was safer than baseball, basketball, soccer and even fishing. For example, the report cites that in 2001 there were an estimated 19.2 million active hunters with 720 injuries occurring; compared with 44.4 million people fishing and a reported 79,369 injuries.
Over the last decade, the number of accidental fatalities by firearms from any type of use (excluding homicide and suicide) has dropped by nearly half (45 percent). The NSSF report lists 800 firearms-related deaths across the country in 2001, which includes 78 hunting-related incidents. Factors for the decline include better firearms designs, greater availability of firearms locks, and education.
In Maine, hunting incidents have declined from a high of 70 in 1952, which included 19 fatalities, to a low of just three incidents with no fatalities in 1998. If you break down the numbers into 10-year periods, you can see dramatic reductions in incidents reported to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Laws enacted over time, such as the use of hunter orange and prohibitions on certain hunting practices, have helped reduce incidents. Another major factor was the enactment of mandatory hunter education, which went into effect in 1986. Anyone obtaining their first adult license must complete this requirement regardless of their age at the time of purchase.
Firearms safety education began in the 1950s and has evolved into a course that requires a minimum of 12 hours of instruction, and includes lectures on firearms knowledge, ethics and responsibilities, survival, map and compass, wildlife management.
The Hunter Safety Course is managed by the Recreational Safety office of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Eleven Regional Safety Coordinators serve as “regional managers,” and recruit and train instructors, assist with teaching classes, oversee the training equipment, help with curriculum development, coordinate the delivery of programs with instructors and sponsors, and speak on behalf of the program to local groups.
The regional safety coordinators are part-time, intermittent employees who work from their homes, thus their families often assist with answering telephone calls and other tasks.
Approximately 6,000 students graduate from the firearms course in Maine each year, having been instructed mostly by volunteers who are dedicated to Maine’s hunting heritage and would like to see it continue in a safe manner. These 700 or so active volunteers donate around 12,000 hours annually to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Funding for Hunter Education in Maine comes from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under the provisions of the Pittman-Roberts Act. This act allows states to use the value of the time donated by volunteers as the state’s match to obtain the federal dollars needed to conduct the training program. This funding covers Maine’s costs associated with program administration, such as staffing, materials, instructor training, and other costs. The Pittman-Roberts Act of 1937, along with amendments in 1970 and 1972, places excise taxes on firearms and archery equipment which provide funding for wildlife management, habitat acquisition and management, and hunter education.
Firearm, bow hunter, trapper and crossbow education programs cost approximately $300,000 a year to facilitate, including administrative and regional staff expenses, course materials and equipment.
Since records began being kept in the 1950s, when the training program was conducted under the National Rifle Association, more than 220,000 people have graduated from Maine’s Hunter Education Program through 2008. Additionally, more than 18,000 students have graduated from Bow Hunter Education, with the majority of those graduating since the course became mandatory in 1990.
Beginning in the 1990s, a requirement to cover landowner relations and hunter ethics was added to all safety courses offered by IF&W’s Recreational Safety office. With 95 percent of Maine privately owned, it is imperative that landowner respect be stressed. Obtaining permission before recreating on someone’s land and thanking them afterward are necessary if we are to continue our Maine hunting tradition. Conducting ourselves in an ethical manner will bring respect to the sport, and will go a long way towards gaining support from the non-hunting public.
Hunting safety statistics
NUMBER OF INCIDENTS
Years Total incidents Fatal
1959-1968 516 65
1969-1978 378 41
1979-1988 261 22
1989-1998 120 7
1999-2008 101 6
Note: Includes both firearm and bow-related situations
CAUSES OF INCIDENTS
Looking through a half-century of annual records of hunting-related incidents, in most years close to 50 percent of all hunting-related injuries or fatalities were due to self-inflicted gunshots. Also recording a high incidence rate were hunters shooting a partner when firing at game through brush. Often times this is the result of people not having clear communication on their location or direction. Also contributing to this type of incident, especially during bird hunting season, is the fact that people often do not wear hunter orange or they do not closely observe what is beyond their target when aiming.
When reviewing reports, we generally find a violation of one of the cardinal rules of hunter safety. Please keep the following in mind:
- Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Be sure of your target and beyond.
- Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard area until ready to shoot.
Tips to help prevent spread of diseases
EEE is best prevented in humans by avoiding exposure to mosquitoes and wearing long-sleeved clothing during times of peak mosquito activity and approved repellants. Also, people should keep tight screens on windows, doors and porches.
Hunters should always take the following precautions when handling wild game:
- Do not handle or consume wild animals that appear sick or act abnormally, regardless of the cause;
- Cook meat thoroughly to kill this virus as well as any other viruses or bacteria that may be present. (Internal temperature should be at least 170 degrees);
- Always wear heavy rubber or latex gloves when field dressing game;
- Handle knives carefully to prevent accidental cuts;
- Wash hands with soap and hot water after handling a bird or animal and before and after handling meat;
- Thoroughly sanitize equipment and work surfaces used during processing with bleach solution (one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon water). Consider keeping a separate set of knives used only for field dressing game.
- DOGS: While dogs have been reported to have been infected with EEE in a small number of cases, they are not a primary species of concern; transmission of EEE is primarily by mosquito bite. While it would be possible for a dog to contract EEE when retrieving an infected bird, the dog would have to have a cut in its mouth and come into to contact with the bird’s blood. In all likelihood, sick birds would not be flying so it’s highly unlikely that they would be shot during hunting thus the chance of a dog coming into contact with a sick bird would be extremely rare.
‘Ask First’ are words to hunt by
By Bob Duplessie
Director of Landowner Relations
Maine Departments of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Conservation
The leaves are changing and fall is a perfect time to get out and enjoy outdoor activities, including many hunting opportunities. We must practice good landowner relations at all times if access is to continue. Good landowner relations should be priority number one for all outdoor activities. As the bumper sticker says, “Ask First” landowners deserve that courtesy, should be on everyone’s list of things to do.
Asking for access before is better than being asked to leave later.
I would like to offer some reminders to all in this article, but with an emphasis on the tradition of hunting, a sport that I also enjoy. I’ll repeat many of the points that many already know and practice. A good practice before the hunt is to gain permission for access on private lands. This should begin months before hunting season. Even if the land is not posted and you have hunted there in the past, the ethical and right thing to do is to ask permission to use the land. Phone the landowner ahead of time to explain who you are and why you are calling; and try to arrange a time that is convenient for them to meet you in person. Always remain understanding and be polite, even if your request is denied. Your reaction could have an important bearing on their decision if you or someone else asks at a future time.
Working with landowners is the most important way to ensure the future for outdoor recreation in Maine. Landowners who permit you to hunt or access their land are doing you a favor, and also placing their trust in you. Respect any and all special requests made; understand where you can and cannot drive or park your vehicle, and abide by those restrictions. Know the property boundaries of the land you have permission to use and stay within those boundaries. If requested, provide the landowner your name, address, phone number and vehicle description. Consider using pre-printed Landowner / Land user Courtesy Cards. I personally hunt on land that is posted as “Access by Permission Only” and last year the owner gave me a 5-year pass that he uses -- similar to the pre-printed courtesy cards available from the department. Please respect the landowner and only do what is allowed. Some land is posted “No Trespassing” for various reasons, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the number of landowners that will allow you access to hunt if you ask them. Your actions reflect not only all hunters, but anyone who wants to access private land for other outdoor recreational activities. Remember, one person’s abuse may mean a loss of access for everyone.
Hunting ethics is a term which defines the true standards, conduct and moral judgment of a sportsman/sportswoman. Some say that people’s hunting ethics are also a mirror image of the rest of their personal lives. Ethics require that one acts to the highest level of responsibility both towards the outdoors itself, the people with whom he or she shares the outdoors, the wildlife resource, and private landowners. Because individual definitions of land use ethics vary widely, there are laws and regulations that govern responsibility and respect for those sharing the outdoors. While hunters enjoy their sport for a variety of reasons, they need to be aware that they represent all hunters in the eyes of the public. Public opinion affects legislation about hunting and land use. The public judges the actions of many on the poor judgment of a few. It is imperative for all hunters to conduct themselves in a responsible manner at all times in order to preserve the hunting tradition.
I had three complaints filed last year during late August and early September about hunters installing tree stands without permission of the owners and damage to a farm field. I recommend that a review of the various laws or regulations is always a good refresher before another hunting season or any other activity begins. Please review the following important points that are in the new brochure “Access to private land is a Privilege, not a Right”; available on the new landowner relations website at www.maine.gov/lor
Please review these points and other laws and rules on the website or in the hunting guides issued by the department.
Show your appreciation to the landowner and remember that you are a guest when using someone else’s property. Make an effort to express your appreciation for the opportunity to use the land for recreational pursuits. Take the time to say “Thank you,” and always leave the land as you found it. If you see trash that someone else left, please pick it up.
Good luck and safe hunting!
Wild Brook Trout Survey Underway
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) is asking anglers to give us their opinions on Maine’s wild brook trout fishing opportunities.
Maine’s native and wild brook trout populations represent a unique, valuable and irreplaceable resource. The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture recently proclaimed Maine the last true stronghold for wild brook trout in the eastern United States, with more than twice the number of intact watersheds as the other 16 states in the eastern range combined.
MDIFW has partnered with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to produce a questionnaire that is being sent via e-mail to tens of thousands of anglers throughout Maine and the United States to get their opinions about wild brook trout fishing. The questionnaire is part of the Wild Brook Trout Initiative, a three-tiered effort to promote the conservation of wild brook trout, to improve communications with anglers and outdoors groups, and to market Maine’s wild brook trout resources.
Among the topics covered in the questionnaire are: Do you like fishing ponds or streams? Do you prefer remote or drive-to waters? Fly-fishing with lures or bait? Would you like to hire a registered guide? Do you camp out or stay in a lodge?
Maine residents and non-residents each have a separate questionnaire they may answer. “Anglers’ preferences will help MDIFW guide the future management of our brook trout resources. The goal is to help anglers enjoy Maine’s unique gift of wild brook trout waters in a responsible and sustainable manner while connecting them with fishing services from sporting camps to fly shops,” according to John Boland, Director of Fisheries Operations. “We’re hopeful that the anglers who fish Maine’s wild brook trout waters will develop a vested interest in protecting these resources.”
Recently, the Department’s Wild Brook Trout Initiative received two grants for the development of the web site and to fund other aspects of this endeavor. The Betterment Fund, created by the will of the late William Bingham 2nd of Bethel, awarded $5,000 to the project, and retailer L.L. Bean of Freeport contributed $3,000.
“These donations are greatly appreciated and hopefully will pave the way for a productive working relationship with the various groups connected to trout fishing in Maine,” Boland said.
Funding wildlife, habitat stewardship
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) is asking anglers to give us their opinions on Maine’s wild brook trout fishing opportunities.
Maine’s native and wild brook trout populations represent a unique, valuable and irreplaceable resource. The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture recently proclaimed Maine the last true stronghold for wild brook trout in the eastern United States, with more than twice the number of intact watersheds as the other 16 states in the eastern range combined.
MDIFW has partnered with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to produce a questionnaire that is being sent via e-mail to tens of thousands of anglers throughout Maine and the United States to get their opinions about wild brook trout fishing. The questionnaire is part of the Wild Brook Trout Initiative, a three-tiered effort to promote the conservation of wild brook trout, to improve communications with anglers and outdoors groups, and to market Maine’s wild brook trout resources.
Among the topics covered in the questionnaire are: Do you like fishing ponds or streams? Do you prefer remote or drive-to waters? Fly-fishing with lures or bait? Would you like to hire a registered guide? Do you camp out or stay in a lodge?
Maine residents and non-residents each have a separate questionnaire they may answer. “Anglers’ preferences will help MDIFW guide the future management of our brook trout resources. The goal is to help anglers enjoy Maine’s unique gift of wild brook trout waters in a responsible and sustainable manner while connecting them with fishing services from sporting camps to fly shops,” according to John Boland, Director of Fisheries Operations. “We’re hopeful that the anglers who fish Maine’s wild brook trout waters will develop a vested interest in protecting these resources.”
Recently, the Department’s Wild Brook Trout Initiative received two grants for the development of the web site and to fund other aspects of this endeavor. The Betterment Fund, created by the will of the late William Bingham 2nd of Bethel, awarded $5,000 to the project, and retailer L.L. Bean of Freeport contributed $3,000.
“These donations are greatly appreciated and hopefully will pave the way for a productive working relationship with the various groups connected to trout fishing in Maine,” Boland said.
Wildlife Management Area: Lt. Gordon Manuel – Old fields and forests
By Lisa Kane
IF&W Natural Sciences Educator
Its Designation
The Lt. Gordon Manuel Wildlife Management Area, including the dam and the Hodgdon Deadwater, is located in the towns of Hodgdon, Cary and Linneus in Aroostook County.
The concrete dam on the South Branch of the Meduxnedeag River, which forms the Hodgdon Deadwater, is about 200 feet south of the Hodgton Mills Road.
Initially purchased with Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration funding to restore wetland habitat for waterfowl, additional acreage has been acquired with state bond monies. The Deadwater had always been a natural flowage, but its size was increased in the 1800s when John Hodgdon erected a water power dam at Hodgdon Mills.
The older residents of the area remember that waterfowl heavily used the impounded flowage in its early years. Flocks of ducks numbering between 300-500 birds were observed in the marsh during the fall migration, and flocks of geese were often seen on the dead water. In 1963, a water level control structure was re-established by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at the existing dam site in the village of Hodgdon Mills.
ABOUT THE AREA
This Wildlife Management Area (WMA) totals 6,488 acres. It includes forest land (85 percent), fields (2 percent), and wetlands (13 percent). Presently, the marshlands adjacent to the South Branch extend 2.5 miles, are more than ¼ mile at their widest point, and are located at the eastern edge of the wildlife management area. The majority of the uplands are located west of the wetlands associated with the South Branch of the Meduxnekeag River. The uplands consist of active agricultural land, abandoned, reverting old fields, cedar lowlands, spruce-fir flats and hardwood stands.
There are approximately 10 miles of gravel road providing access for land management, as well as recreational opportunities for the public. All gravel roads on the management area are suitable for automobile travel. Some roads are gated during mud season to prevent excessive damage.
HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Habitat management strategies for this property include block clear-cuts in aspen stands to improve ruffed grouse habitat; and cutting in alder areas to diversify woodcock habitat.
Old field habitat is maintained for woodcock singing grounds and summer roosting fields by mowing them every three to five years. Strip clear cuts designed to break up expanses of even-aged and mixed conifer-northern hardwood forest enhance overall habitat diversity.
Twenty-seven acres of improved fields are mowed and maintained annually. Cedar stands are being managed for their potential use by deer for wintering areas.
Both deer and moose are found on the WMA. These species require a forest management plan that produces consistent hardwood browse, maintains and perpetuates softwood stands used for cover during severe winter conditions, produces hard and soft mast (nuts, berries, apples and other fruit) crops, and maintains a diversity of herbaceous forage.
Black bear are found on the WMA, and appear to be increasing in numbers. Bears require a variety of forage areas which provide mast, fruit, and herbaceous plants. Excellent riparian and hardwood sites, old and new apple trees, suitable sites for winter denning such as blow downs and brush piles, and strip and patch clear cuts to encourage raspberry growth, an early successional plant species; all provide bear with excellent habitat.
Snowshoe hare are common on the WMA, requiring dense young forest stands of primarily softwood and alder. Furbearers are abundant in the marsh and upland habitats. They include beaver, muskrat, otter, mink, raccoon, red fox, coyote, fisher, marten, weasel and skunk. There is also an active Bald Eagle nest on this WMA.
WETLANDS
The WMA’s 748 acres of wetlands have been set aside as a waterfowl production and brood rearing area; and is managed by the maintenance and stabilization of water levels during the nesting and brood rearing season. Cavity nesting ducks, (goldeneyes, hooded mergansers and wood ducks) benefit from riparian snag management and the installation and maintenance of nest boxes.
Both warm and coldwater game fish are present in the streams and dead waters on the Lt. Gordon Manuel Wildlife Management Area; and the primary focus of fishery management efforts is to provide a mostly put-take-fishery for fall yearling brown trout. Roughly 250 12” browns are stocked here annually in the fall.
RECREATION
Because of MDIFW habitat management strategies, and through discussions with local hunters, hunt clubs, and dog handlers, many believe bird hunting success has increased substantially since the mid-1980s. Many more dog handlers are calling regional biologists telling us of their success with ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting. There has been a steady increase in bear hunting here, with increases in this bear population and general interest in the sport.
The Department has encouraged public access and many different recreational activities on the WMA including hunting, trapping, fishing, snowmobiling, berry picking, canoeing, hiking, bird-watching, riding all-terrain vehicles and sightseeing from vehicles. Currently boats with motors are not allowed on the main flowage until 1 July; after 1 July no motorboats over 6 horsepower are permitted.
DIRECTIONS
To reach the Lt. Gordon Manuel Wildlife Management Area, refer to Maine Gazetteer Map # 53, B/3. The WMA is located just west of Route 1 in Hodgton Corners and can be accessed off the Wilcox, Hodgton and Horseback Roads. There are WMA signs at the parking area by the main dam site in downtown Hodgdon.
IF&W Boat Access Site: Jordan Bay – Beautiful and Bustling
By Lisa Kane
IF&W Natural Sciences Educator
This busy 1.5-acre boat launch site, owned by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, is located on 32,000-acre Sebago Lake in the town of Raymond in Cumberland County, Maine (DeLorme Map and Gazetteer Map #5).
The parcel was purchased in the late 1990s from Saint Joseph’s College, and the site was constructed during 1999-2000. MDIFW contributed $64,275 towards the purchase and site development, while the federal Sport Fish Restoration Fund gave $257,100. Monies from Sport Fish Restoration are distributed to states annually, and are collected from a 10 percent excise tax on sport fishing tackle, a 3 percent excise tax on fish finders and electric trolling motors, import duties on fishing tackle, yachts and pleasure craft, and a portion from motorboat and small engine fuel taxes.
Prior to purchase and development, the Town of Raymond, the Maine Department of Transportation and MDIFW entered into a cooperative agreement to preserve public access to Sebago Lake, while addressing traffic and pedestrian issues affecting the original site. The agreement was that IF&W would purchase and build the site, MDOT was to design traffic and pedestrian safety modifications, and the Town of Raymond agreed to maintain it.
Currently, there are two 12-foot wide concrete ramps, 6-foot floats, a one-way access road allowing boaters waiting to use the ramp to stack up safely off busy Route 302. Also, parking for trucks/boat trailers, Port-a-Potties and a small swimming beach known as Jones or Raymond Beach, which is maintained by the town.
During the early boating season, there is enough high water to launch larger watercraft. Later in summer and into fall, however, there is only enough water to launch mid-size to smaller watercraft.
Kayakers and canoers also use the site regularly.
During winter, this site provides ice angling access on just one of two points on Sebago (Lower Basin is the other) that consistently freezes solid enough to support shacks, trucks and other ice angling equipment.
Boat access sites listed on Google Earth
This spring, the Boating Facilities Division announced the establishment of an exciting web-based search engine using Google Earth that allows users to access information on all state-owned and supported boat access sites in Maine.
Information includes the type of boat launch site available, plus coordinates and ownership information. The search engine complies with the American with Disabilities Act.
The Google Earth site can be accessed at: http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/boating/googlemaps.html
National Honor – Setting The Standard
Conservation’s Boating Facilities Division, an IF&W partner, recognized
The Boating Facilities Division of the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, under the Maine Department of Conservation, has been awarded the top prize for excellence from a national boating organization.
The BPL division has been named as the recipient of the State Boating Access Program Excellence Award by the States Organization for Boating Access (SOBA) during its 2009 conference in September in Corpus Christi, Texas. It is the first time that the Maine Boating Facilities Division has won the national award.
The Boating Facilities Division was cited for its work to develop and improve 111 state-owned and 218 state-sponsored boating facilities.
“Maintaining and improving recreational access to our unique waterways is the primary goal of the Boating Facilities Division, as well as informing Maine residents and visitors about what is available to them,” Commissioner Patrick McGowan of the Maine Department of Conservation said. “Maine people should be aware of how hard this division works to provide superb boat launch facilities at both fresh and salt water areas in all parts of the state. They are well deserving of this national award.”
“We are very, very proud of our Boating Division for all the work they do,” Will Harris, BPL director, said. “They have done, and they continue to do, a great job finding and providing access to the waters of Maine for the benefit of Maine people and visitors. We get so much quality work from so few people.”
“We’ve been recognized by our peers as having an excellent program for providing recreational boating facilities,” George Powell, Boating Facilities Division director, said. “It’s a big honor.”
SOBA, established in 1986, is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to waterways by promoting the public acquisition, development and maintenance of recreational boating facilities, according to its website. Its members, who come from all 50 states support and promote federal and state programs that provide high-quality recreational boating access to waterways in the U.S. and its territories.
Steve Miller, director of Wisconsin’s Bureau of Facilities and Lands who headed the SOBA awards task force, said the Maine division was recognized for its 40 years of work. He said the national award was “some good peer recognition within the SOBA organization.
“Maine has really set an example and standard for the rest of the nation,” Miller said in a recent interview.
The state division was cited for a number of reasons, including its partnering with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to fund the acquisition and development of another 96 recreational boating access sites. Funds transferred to IFW are used as a match for federal Sport Fish Restoration Fund grants for acquisition and development of recreational boating facilities.
The boating division also was acknowledged for efforts in strategic planning with other state agencies and a citizen advisory panel in setting priorities for fund use.
In addition, the division was cited for its work to control the spread of invasive aquatic plants, which can affect the quality of boating in Maine. The BPL division has worked with other state agencies to establish siting criteria for new launch sites aimed at reducing the risk of the spread of such plants as milfoil.
Powell said that this fall, the Boating Facilities Division is constructing two new municipally owned, state-sponsored public recreational boating facilities – one on the St. John River at Madawaska and a second one on St. Froid Lake at Winterville. It also is renovating three municipal boating facilities – one at Megunticook Lake in Camden; at Webber Pond in Vassalboro; and on the Pennamaquan River at Pembroke – as well as a MDOC-facility on Woodbury Pond at Litchfield.
In addition, the division has expanded its Navigational Aids Program by marking boating hazards on three additional lakes this year: Great Moose Lake at Hartland; Androscoggin Lake at Leeds and Wayne; and Pushaw Pond at Orono. Navigational aids will be installed at three more lakes each year for the next several years.
“We have been able to expand this program in part through a grant from the U.S. Coast Guard, which is administered by the Maine Warden Service and passed through to our program,” Powell said.
IF&W Commentary: Maine Birder Band comes full circle
By Regis Tremblay
Director of Public Information and Education
In my last column “Birders put Maine on their ‘lists’” (see Summer 2009 Maine Fish and Wildlife), I highlighted Maine’s Birding Trail and the growing popularity of birding festivals as evidence that birding is increasingly Maine’s number one “non-consumptive” wildlife pursuit and leads Maine’s $1.3 billion “watchable wildlife” economy.
Since writing that column, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the report: Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis that identifies Maine as being the Number 2 state in the nation in terms of participation in this pastime. But, where would Maine be without its current bird diversity, intact bird habitats and public access to key birding locales?
Aside from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Wildlife Management Areas making up many of the key stops along the Maine Birding Trail, did you know that bird species make up nearly half (103) of Maine’s list of 213 Species of Greatest Conservation Need as identified in the Maine State Wildlife Action Plan? These include 21 species currently listed as threatened or endangered and 52 designated as being of special concern. The tracking and conservation of this number of species is a formidable task that largely rests in the hands of IF&W’s six-member bird group.
Funding for this non-game species work has been a perpetual challenge and relies on federal state wildlife grant monies made available through the wildlife action plan process. These, however, are only available if matched by state sources, including loon license plate revenue, Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund grants, and the new Maine Birder Band.
Haven’t heard of the Maine Birder Band? Bird banding, of course, has been an invaluable tool in American ornithology since the 1800s. Birder Bands, however, are the brainchild of a couple of IF&W biologists, both birders, who wanted to provide a mechanism for birders to contribute directly to the Department’s efforts in bird habitat conservation. Everyone knows that hunters and anglers pay license fees and taxes on gear which directly pay for Department game management efforts, but birders do not.
The idea brought to me by our biologists goes something like this: birders (or any other willing wildlife conservation enthusiast) contributing to our non-game and endangered species fund through the Maine Birder Band program would be issued an actual goose-sized bird band stamped with the Department logo and a registration number that they could then attach to binoculars or other field gear of their choosing.
The Public Information and Education Division of IF&W funded an initial trial program this spring with the hope that birders and others would embrace the idea and maybe even a trend would start with birders proudly displaying on their neck strap their commitment to the Department’s bird conservation efforts.
The Maine Birder Band has been a surprising success after just six months. Certainly this program was never intended as a moneymaker, but more of a way to demonstrate the willingness of non-game enthusiasts to contribute to Department efforts and as a way to build a constituency among resource users with whom we have traditionally not interacted.
Of course, the money the program has raised will help us to leverage even more funding for the Bird Groups efforts to inventory heron colonies, update grasshopper sparrow recovery plans, investigate rusty blackbird declines, support piping plover protection efforts, etc.
To date, donations of $20 from all Maine counties and 19 states have raised more than $6,000 for the Endangered Species fund. Someday birders may be wearing bands from all the states they have visited and contributed to.
Remember where it all started.
Maine Warden Service – In Appreciation
‘Doing Things Right’
The state of Maine is extremely lucky to have some of the most responsive, capable and compassionate teams of rescue professionals and volunteers any community could want. It is because of their quick thinking and selfless efforts that I am able to pen this letter today.
After I fell in Mahoosuc Notch, suffering brain trauma, the rescue response was rapid, capable and compassionate. The ability of the group to quickly coordinate activities across the state border involving several agencies and rescue teams should be held as a textbook example of doing things right.
The Maine first responders were brilliant. Mahoosuc Mountain Search and Rescue, under the direction of Bob Baribeau, Newry Fire and Bethel Rescue were all there. Other teams across state boundaries continually arrived, seemingly nonstop, for the next few hours, including the Maine Warden Service. Through it all, the team was patient, yet proceeded with urgency.
I owe them all a deep debt of gratitude. I never felt deserving of such a large effort. While I have considerable healing ahead of me, I intend to be back on the trail again someday soon, always thinking of and remembering the large effort the teams selflessly gave.
As a community, you can be proud of having the finest in your midst. You can rest assured that if the time ever comes that you need their help, you will receive the best that the world has to offer.
-- Bill Tarkulich, Lexington, Mass.
Thanks ‘for all you do’ on ATV issues
The Webb River Valley ATV Club understands that the job of tending to the ATV issues can come with little thanks or appreciation for all you do.
We would like to thank you and let you know we very much appreciate all you do to help keep law and order with the ATVs here in Carthage.
-- Webb River Valley ATV Club
Not ducking away from mallard at city pool
Just a quick thank you to Warden Allan Gillis for his courtesy and professionalism recently.
The Brewer Municipal Swimming Pool had a female mallard duck on the premises for most of an afternoon and she did not want to leave. She may have gotten disorientated or lost her mate.
Our main concern was potential swimmer’s itch. I called the Orono barracks for advice (thinking they have more important things to do) and within five minutes Mr. Gillis returned my call. I explained the situation and he said that he would be by within 20 minutes and check it out.
He quickly and gently put the duck in a box (in front of 75 interested and concerned young swimmers) and told me he will release her in Fields Pond in Orrington.
He could have just as easily told me over the phone to let her be and she would leave when ready; however he went above and beyond the call of duty by exhibiting outstanding public relations skills and a real compassion for the situation. Thank you!
-- Ken Hanscom, Director, Brewer Parks & Recreation Department
