It's hard to believe it has been a few months since I have reported to the blog world. Well let's say Judy and I have been exploring Maine, from Wilson Falls to the summer at Third Machias and GLS. There is much to report and I have been busy making notes to report on our sightings and adventures. The biggest report will be about the changes at Third Lake Machias and the lack or should I say closing of the boat ramp and campsites.
At the time of this writing we are getting ready for another bear season, we have been baiting and enjoying the overgrowth of old woods roads, amazing how much can happen in a few short months.
Expect a few page of entertaining reading in the coming weeks.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
EASTERN COUGAR DECLARED EXTINCT
Eastern cougar declared extinct, confirming decades of suspicion
The last eastern puma, seen here with biologist Bruce Wright, was trapped and mounted in Somerset County, Maine, in 1938.
March 2nd, 2011
04:10 PM ET
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The eastern cougar has been declared extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, confirming decades of suspicion that the elusive subspecies was no more.
The large, solitary predatory cat once lived in every Eastern U.S. state in a variety of habitats, including coastal marshes, mountains and forests, said Dr. Mark McCollough, the agency's lead scientist for the eastern cougar. But you've probably never seen an eastern cougar - the last confirmed identification was in 1938 in Maine.
Other subspecies of the cougar, also known commonly as mountain lions, wildcats, panthers and pumas, still exist in the United States, including the Florida panther.
Scientists have held out hope, based on scattered reports, that a few eastern cougars remained. Those sightings turned out to be other subspecies from the Western United States - where the cougar population is growing and expanding its range eastward - or captive animals that were freed or escaped.
"We still have cougars and mountain lions in the United States that look identical to what we had in eastern North America, and that's probably what people are still seeing," McCollough said. "But the scientific and historical evidence point to the conclusion that the eastern cougar subspecies has not existed for a while."
It typically takes the agency a long time - and a lot of field work - to officially declare an animal extinct. People often confuse cougars with white-tailed deer, bobcats, even yellow labs, said Martin Miller, the service's Northeast Region chief of endangered species.
But near the sites of reported spottings, scientists have been unable to find the physical marks commonly associated with cougars in the wild, such as scratching posts and cached animal remains.
"We recognize that many people have seen cougars in the wild within the historical range of the eastern cougar," Miller said. "However, we believe those cougars are not the eastern cougar subspecies. We found no information to support the existence of the eastern cougar."
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Coyote
The Coyote
A study showed that of 100 coyotes collected in Maine, 22 had half or more wolf ancestry, and one was 89 percent wolf. A theory has been proposed that the large eastern coyotes in Canada are actually hybrids of the smaller western coyotes and wolves that met and mated decades ago as the coyotes moved toward New England from their earlier western ranges.[23] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources research scientist Brent Patterson has revealed findings that most coyotes in Eastern Ontario are wolf-coyote hybrids and that the Eastern wolves in Algonquin Park are, in general, not inter-breeding with coyotes.[29
CoyoteFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Coyote (disambiguation).
Coyote
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: C. latrans
Binomial name
Canis latrans
Say, 1823
Coyote range
The coyote (pronounced /kaɪˈoʊtiː/ or /ˈkaɪ.oʊt/[2]) (Canis latrans), also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf,[3] is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada. It occurs as far north as Alaska and all but the northernmost portions of Canada.[4] There are currently 19 recognized subspecies, with 16 in Canada, Mexico and the United States, and 3 in Central America.[5] Unlike its cousin the Gray Wolf, which is Eurasian in origin, evolutionary theory suggests the coyote evolved in North America during the Pleistocene epoch 1.81 million years ago[6] alongside the Dire Wolf.[7] Unlike the wolf, the coyote's range has expanded in the wake of human civilization, and coyotes readily reproduce in metropolitan areas.[8][9]
Contents [hide]
1 Name
2 Description
3 Behavior
3.1 Reproduction
3.1.1 Interspecific hybridization
3.2 Communication
4 Ecology
4.1 Diet and hunting
4.2 Interspecific predatory relationships
5 Relationship with humans
5.1 Adaptation to human environment
5.2 Attacks on humans
5.3 Livestock and pet predation
5.4 Pelts
6 Character in mythology
7 Contemporary cultural references
8 Taxonomy
8.1 Subspecies
8.2 Genus controversy
9 Notes
10 References
11 External links
[edit] NameThe name coyote is borrowed from Mexican Spanish, ultimately derived from the Nahuatl word cóyotl.[10] Its scientific name, Canis latrans, means "barking dog" in Latin.[11] Preliminary genetic evidence, however, has shown that "coyotes" in some areas are, genetically speaking, 85-90 percent Canis latrans, and from ten to fifteen percent Canis lupus, along with some domestic dog DNA; this prompted one researcher to suggest, jokingly, that they be called "Canis soupus," as they are a "soup" (mixture) of canid species.[12]
[edit] Description
Coyote profile
SkullThe color of the coyote's pelt varies from grayish brown to yellowish gray on the upper parts, while the throat and belly tend to have a buff or white color. The forelegs, sides of the head, muzzle and paws are reddish brown. The back has tawny-colored underfur and long, black-tipped guard hairs that form a black dorsal stripe and a dark cross on the shoulder area. The black-tipped tail has a scent gland located on its dorsal base. Coyotes shed once a year, beginning in May with light hair loss, ending in July after heavy shedding. The ears are proportionately large in relation to the head, while the feet are relatively small in relation to the rest of the body.[4] Certain experts have noted that the shape of a domestic dog's brain case is closer to the coyote's in shape than the wolf's. Mountain dwelling coyotes tend to be dark furred while desert coyotes tend to be more bright greenish in color.[5]
Coyotes typically grow to up to 30–34 in (76–86 cm) in length, not counting a tail of 12–16 in (30–41 cm), stand about 23–26 in (58–66 cm) at the shoulder and, on average, weigh from 15–46 lb (6.8–21 kg) .[4][13] Northern coyotes are typically larger than southern subspecies, with the largest coyotes on record weighing 74¾ pounds (33.7 kg) and measuring over five feet in total length.[14]
The coyote's dental formula is I 3/3, C 1/1, Pm 4/4, M usually 2/2, occasionally 3/3, 3/2, or 2/3 × 2 = 40, 42, or 44.[15] Normal spacing between the upper canine teeth is 1⅛–1⅜ inches (29–35 mm) and 1–1¼ inches (25–32 mm) between the lower canine teeth.[16]
Dentition
3,1,4,2
3,1,4,2
The upper frequency limit of hearing for coyotes is 80 KHz, compared to the 60 kHz of domestic dogs.[17] Compared to wolves, and similarly to domestic dogs, coyotes have a higher density of sweat glands on their paw pads. This trait, however, is absent in the large New England coyotes, which are thought to have some wolf ancestry.[18]
During pursuit, a coyote may reach speeds up to 43 mph (69 km/h),[19] and can jump a distance of over 13 ft (4 m).[4]
[edit] BehaviorThough coyotes have been observed to travel in large groups, they primarily hunt in pairs. Typical packs consist of six closely related adults, yearlings and young. Coyote packs are generally smaller than wolf packs and associations between individuals are less stable,[20] thus making their social behavior more in line with that of the dingo.[21] It has been theorized that this is due to an earlier expression of aggression, and the fact that coyotes reach their full growth in their first year, unlike wolves, which reach it in their second.[20] Common names of coyote groups are a band, a pack, or a rout.[22] Coyotes are primarily nocturnal, but can often be seen during daylight hours.[4] Coyotes were once essentially diurnal, but have adapted to more nocturnal behavior with pressure from humans (McClennen et al., 2001).
Coyotes are capable of digging their own burrows, though they often prefer the burrows of groundhogs or American badgers. Coyote territorial ranges can be as much as 19 kilometers in diameter around the den, and travel occurs along fixed trails.[4]
In areas where wolves have been exterminated, coyotes usually flourish. For example, as New England became increasingly settled and the resident wolves were eliminated, the coyote population increased, filling the empty biological niche. Coyotes appear better able than wolves to live among people.[23]
Coyotes have been known to live a maximum of 10 years in the wild and 18 years in captivity.[4] They seem to be better than dogs at observational learning.[18]
[edit] Reproduction
Newborn coyote pup
Seven coyote pupsFemale coyotes are monoestrous, and remain in heat for 2–5 days between late January and late March, during which mating occurs. Once the female chooses a partner, the mated pair may remain temporarily monogamous for a number of years. Depending on geographic location, spermatogenesis in males takes around 54 days, and occurs between January and February. The gestation period lasts from 60 to 63 days. Litter size ranges from 1 to 19 pups; the average is 6.[4] These large litters act as compensatory measures against the high juvenile mortality rate, with approximately 50-70% of pups not surviving to adulthood.[24] The pups weigh approximately 250 grams at birth, and are initially blind and limp-eared.[4] Coyote growth rate is faster than that of wolves, being similar in length to that of the dhole.[25] The eyes open and ears become erect after 10 days. Around 21–28 days after birth, the young begin to emerge from the den, and by 35 days they are fully weaned. Both parents feed the weaned pups with regurgitated food. Male pups will disperse from their dens between months 6 and 9, while females usually remain with the parents and form the basis of the pack. The pups attain full growth between 9 and 12 months. Sexual maturity is reached by 12 months.[4] Unlike wolves, mother coyotes will tolerate other lactating females in their pack.[26]
[edit] Interspecific hybridization
A Coyote-German Shepherd hybridCoyotes will sometimes mate with domestic dogs, usually in areas like Texas and Oklahoma, where the coyotes are plentiful and the breeding season is extended because of the warm weather. The resulting hybrids, called coydogs, maintain the coyote's predatory nature, along with the dog's lack of timidity toward humans, making them a more serious threat to livestock than pure-blooded animals. This cross-breeding has the added effect of confusing the breeding cycle. Coyotes usually breed only once a year, while coydogs will breed year-round, producing many more pups than a wild coyote. Differences in the ears and tail are generally what can be used to distinguish coydogs from domestic/feral dogs or pure coyotes.[27] Breeding experiments in Germany with poodles, coyotes, and later on with the resulting dog-coyote hybrids showed that unlike wolfdogs, coydogs show a decrease in fertility, significant communication problems as well as an increase of genetic diseases after three generations of interbreeding.[28]
Coyotes have also been known on occasion to mate with wolves, though this is less common than with dogs, due to the wolf's hostility to the coyote. The offspring, known as a coywolf, is generally intermediate in size to both parents, being larger than a pure coyote, but smaller than a pure wolf.
A study showed that of 100 coyotes collected in Maine, 22 had half or more wolf ancestry, and one was 89 percent wolf. A theory has been proposed that the large eastern coyotes in Canada are actually hybrids of the smaller western coyotes and wolves that met and mated decades ago as the coyotes moved toward New England from their earlier western ranges.[23] Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources research scientist Brent Patterson has revealed findings that most coyotes in Eastern Ontario are wolf-coyote hybrids and that the Eastern wolves in Algonquin Park are, in general, not inter-breeding with coyotes.[29]
The Red Wolf is thought by certain scientists to be in fact a wolf/coyote hybrid rather than a unique species. Strong evidence for hybridization was found through genetic testing, which showed that red wolves have only 5% of their alleles unique from either gray wolves or coyotes. Genetic distance calculations have indicated that red wolves are intermediate between coyotes and gray wolves, and that they bear great similarity to wolf/coyote hybrids in southern Quebec and Minnesota. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA showed that existing red wolf populations are predominantly coyote in origin.[30]
[edit] CommunicationThe calls a coyote makes are high-pitched and variously described as howls, yips, yelps, and barks. These calls may be a long rising and falling note (a howl) or a series of short notes (yips). These calls are most often heard at dusk or night, but may sometimes be heard in the day or in the middle of the day. Although these calls are made throughout the year, they are most common during the spring mating season and in the fall when the pups leave their families to establish new territories. When a coyote calls his pack together, he howls at one high note. When the pack is together, he howls higher and higher, and then they yip and yelp and also do a yi-yi sound very shrill with the howl.
[edit] Ecology[edit] Diet and hunting
Coyote on elk carcass in winter in Lamar ValleyCoyotes are opportunistic, versatile carnivores with a 90% mammalian diet, depending on the season. They primarily eat small mammals, such as voles, prairie dogs, eastern cottontails, ground squirrels, and mice, though they will eat birds, snakes, lizards, deer, javelina, and livestock, as well as large insects and other large invertebrates. The coyote will also target any species of bird that nests on the ground. Though they will consume large amounts of carrion, they tend to prefer fresh meat. Fruits and vegetables are a significant part of the coyote's diet in the autumn and winter months. Part of the coyote's success as a species is its dietary adaptability. As such, coyotes have been known to eat human rubbish and domestic pets. They catch cats and dogs when they come too close to the pack. Urban populations of coyotes have been known to actively hunt cats, and to leap shorter fences to take small dogs. In particularly bold urban packs, coyotes have also been reported to shadow human joggers or larger dogs, and even to take small dogs while the dog is still on a leash. However, this behavior is often reported when normal urban prey, such as rabbits, have become scarce. Yet, confirmed reports of coyotes killing a human have been documented.[31] [4]
Though the coyote is the basis for the character of Wile E. Coyote in the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated cartoons, especially about the Road Runner, coyotes have not been known as yet to attack Greater Roadrunners for prey.
Coyotes shift their hunting techniques in accordance with their prey. When hunting small animals such as mice, they slowly stalk through the grass, and use their acute sense of smell to track down the prey. When the prey is located, the coyotes stiffen and pounce on the prey in a cat-like manner. Coyotes will commonly work in teams when hunting large ungulates such as deer, which is more common in winter (when large prey is likely weakened) and in larger-bodied Northern coyotes. Coyotes may take turns in baiting and pursuing the deer to exhaustion, or they may drive it towards a hidden member of the pack.[4] When attacking large prey, coyotes attack from the rear and the flanks of their prey. Occasionally they also grab the neck and head, pulling the animal down to the ground. Coyotes are persistent hunters, with successful attacks sometimes lasting as much as 21 hours; even unsuccessful ones can continue more than 8 hours before the coyotes give up. Depth of snow can affect the likelihood of a successful kill.[32] Packs of coyotes can bring down prey as large as adult elk, which usually weigh over 250 kg (550 lbs).[33]
The average distance covered in a night's hunting is 4 km (2½ mi).[4]
[edit] Interspecific predatory relationships
Rolf Peterson investigating the carcass of a coyote killed by a wolf in Yellowstone National Park, January 1996The gray wolf is a significant predator of coyotes wherever their ranges overlap. Since the Yellowstone Gray Wolf Reintroduction in 1995 and 1996, the local coyote population went through a dramatic restructuring. Until the wolves returned, Yellowstone National Park had one of the densest and most stable coyote populations in America due to a lack of human impacts. Two years after the wolf reintroductions, the pre-wolf population of coyotes had been reduced 50% through both competitive exclusion and intraguild predation. In Grand Teton, coyote densities were 33% lower than normal in the areas where they coexisted with wolves, and 39% lower in the areas of Yellowstone where wolves were reintroduced. In one study, about 16% of radio-collared coyotes were preyed upon by wolves. Yellowstone coyotes have had to shift their territories as a result, moving from open meadows to steep terrain. Carcasses in the open no longer attract coyotes; when a coyote is chased on flat terrain, it is often killed. They feel more secure on steep terrain where they will often lead a pursuing wolf downhill. As the wolf comes after it, the coyote will turn around and run uphill. Wolves, being heavier, cannot stop and the coyote gains a large lead. Though physical confrontations between the two species are usually dominated by the larger wolves, coyotes have been known to attack wolves if they outnumber them. Both species will kill each other's pups given the opportunity.[34][35] Wolf urine has been marketed and claimed to be an organic coyote deterrent, such as for deterring attacks on sheep.[36]
Cougars sometimes kill coyotes. The coyote's instinctive fear of cougars has led to the development of anti-coyote sound systems which repel coyotes from public places by replicating the sounds of a cougar.[37] Bears can also rarely kill coyotes, more likely in competitive rather than predatory attacks. However, both cougars and bears have been displaced from carcasses by coyote packs.[38]
In sympatric populations of coyotes and red foxes, fox territories tend to be located largely outside of coyote territories. The principal cause of this separation is believed to be active avoidance of coyotes by the foxes. Interactions between the two species vary in nature, ranging from active antagonism to indifference. The majority of aggressive encounters are initiated by coyotes, and there are few reports of red foxes acting aggressively toward coyotes except when attacked or when their pups were approached. Conversely, foxes and coyotes have sometimes been seen feeding together.[39] In southern California, coyotes frequently kill gray foxes, and these smaller canids tend to avoid areas with high coyote densities.[40]
Coyotes will sometimes form a symbiotic relationship with American badgers. Because coyotes are not very effective at digging rodents out of their burrows, they will chase the animals while they are above ground. Badgers on the other hand are not fast runners, but are well-adapted to digging. When hunting together, they effectively leave little escape for prey in the area.[4]
In some areas, coyotes share their ranges with bobcats. It is rare for these two similarly sized species to physically confront one another, though bobcat populations tend to diminish in areas with high coyote densities.[41] However, several studies have demonstrated interference competition between coyotes and bobcats, and in all cases coyotes dominated the interaction.[42] Multiple researchers[43][44][45][46][47][48] all reported instances of coyotes killing bobcats, whereas bobcats killing coyotes is more rare.[49] Coyotes attack bobcats using a bite and shake method similar to that used on medium sized prey.[50] Coyotes (both single individuals and groups) have been known to occasionally kill bobcats - in most cases, the bobcats were relatively small specimens, such as adult females and juveniles.[51] However, coyote attacks (by an unknown number of coyote or coyotes) on adult male bobcats have occurred.[52] In California, coyote and bobcat populations are not negatively correlated across different habitat types, but predation by coyotes is an important source of mortality in bobcats.[53]
Coyotes have also competed with and occasionally eaten Canadian lynxes in areas where both species overlap.[54][55]
[edit] Relationship with humans[edit] Adaptation to human environment
A coyote standing by a road in ArizonaDespite being extensively hunted, the coyote is one of the few medium-to-large-sized animals that has enlarged its range since human encroachment began. It originally ranged primarily in the western half of North America, but it has adapted readily to the changes caused by human presence and, since the early 19th century, has been steadily and dramatically extending its range.[56] Sightings now commonly occur in a majority of the United States and Canada.[57] Coyotes inhabit nearly every contiguous U.S. state and Alaska. Coyotes have moved into most of the areas of North America formerly occupied by wolves, and are often observed foraging in suburban garbage bins.
Coyotes thrive in suburban settings and even some urban ones. A study by wildlife ecologists at The Ohio State University yielded some surprising findings in this regard. Researchers studied coyote populations in Chicago over a seven-year period (2000–2007), proposing that coyotes have adapted well to living in densely populated urban environments while avoiding contact with humans. They found, among other things, that urban coyotes tend to live longer than their rural counterparts, kill rodents and small pets, and live anywhere from parks to industrial areas. The researchers estimate that there are up to 2,000 coyotes living in "the greater Chicago area" and that this circumstance may well apply to many other urban landscapes in North America.[58] In Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek Park, coyotes den and raise their young, scavenge roadkill, and hunt rodents. "I don't see it as a bad thing for a park," the assigned National Park Service biologist told a reporter for Smithsonian Magazine (March 2006). "I see it as good for keeping animal populations in control, like the squirrels and the mice."
In another testament to the coyote's habitat adaptability, a coyote nicknamed "Hal" made his way to New York City's Central Park in March 2006, wandering about the park for at least two days before being captured by officials. New York's parks commissioner Adrian Benepe noted this coyote had to be very "adventurous" and "curious" to get so far into the city.[59] An incident also occurred in April 2007 in the Chicago Loop district, where a coyote, later nicknamed "Adrian", quietly entered a Quizno's restaurant during the lunch hours; it was later captured and released at a wildlife rehab center near Barrington, Illinois.[60][61] In February 2010, up to three coyotes were spotted on the Columbia University campus, and another coyote sighting occurred in Central Park [4].
[edit] Attacks on humans
A sign discouraging people from feeding coyotes, which can lead to them habituating themselves to human presence, thus increasing the likelihood of attackCoyote attacks on humans are uncommon and rarely cause serious injuries, due to the relatively small size of the coyote. However, coyote attacks on humans have increased since 1998 in the state of California. Data from USDA Wildlife Services, the California Department of Fish & Game, and other sources show that while 41 attacks occurred during the period of 1988-1997, 48 attacks were verified from 1998 through 2003. The majority of these incidents occurred in Southern California near the suburban-wildland interface.[62]
Due to an absence of harassment by residents, urban coyotes lose their natural fear of humans, which is further worsened by people intentionally feeding coyotes. In such situations, some coyotes have begun to act aggressively toward humans, chasing joggers and bicyclists, confronting people walking their dogs, and stalking small children.[62] Non-rabid coyotes in these areas will sometimes target small children, mostly under the age of 10, though some adults have been bitten. In June 2010 a 3-year-old girl and a 6-year-old girl were attacked and seriously injured in separate attacks by coyotes in Rye, New York, a suburb of New York City. The 6-year-old was attacked by two coyotes on June 25 and the 3-year-old was attacked by one coyote on June 29. There was no indication the animals were rabid, but the girls were given treatment as a precaution.[63][64]
There are only two recorded fatalities in North America from coyote attacks.[65] In 1981 in Glendale, California, a coyote attacked toddler Kelly Keen, who was rescued by her father, but died in surgery due to blood loss and a broken neck.[62][66] In October 2009, Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old folk singer on tour, died from injuries sustained in an attack by a pair of coyotes while hiking in the Skyline Trail of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia, Canada.[67] Recent studies have shown, however, that the large northeastern coyotes responsible for this attack may in fact be coyote-wolf hybrids (or coywolves) due to absorption of wolves when coyotes moved into eastern North America.[68]
[edit] Livestock and pet predationCoyotes are presently the most abundant livestock predators in western North America, causing the majority of sheep, goat and cattle losses.[16] For example, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, coyotes were responsible for 60.5% of the 224,000 sheep deaths that were attributed to predation in 2004.[69] However, the total number of sheep deaths in 2004 comprised only 2.22% of the total sheep and lamb population in the United States.[70] According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA report, "All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on July 1, 2005, totaled 7.80 million head, 2 percent above July 1, 2004. Breeding sheep inventory at 4.66 million head on July 1, 2005 was 2 percent above July 1, 2004."[71] By virtue of the fact that coyote populations are typically many times greater and more widely distributed than those of wolves, coyotes cause more overall predation losses. However, an Idaho census taken in 2005 showed that individual coyotes were one-twentieth as likely to attack livestock than individual wolves.[72]
Coyotes will typically bite the throat just behind the jaw and below the ear when attacking adult sheep or goats, with death commonly resulting from suffocation. Blood loss is usually a secondary cause of death. Calves and heavily-fleeced sheep are killed by attacking the flanks or hind-quarters, causing shock and blood loss. When attacking smaller prey, such as young lambs, the kill is made by biting the skull and spinal regions, causing massive tissue and ossular damage. Small or young prey may be completely carried off, leaving only blood as evidence of a kill. Coyotes will usually leave the hide and most of the skeleton of larger animals relatively intact, unless food is scarce, in which case they may leave only the largest bones. Scattered bits of wool, skin and other parts are characteristic where coyotes feed extensively on larger carcasses.[16]
Coyote with a typical throat hold on domestic sheepCoyote predation can usually be distinguished from dog or coydog predation by the fact that coyotes partially consume their victims. Tracks are also an important factor in distinguishing coyote from dog predation. Coyote tracks tend to be more oval-shaped and compact than those of domestic dogs, plus, claw marks are less prominent and the tracks tend to follow a straight line more closely than those of dogs. With the exception of sighthounds, most dogs of similar weight to coyotes have a slightly shorter stride.[16] Coyote kills can be distinguished from wolf kills by the fact that there is less damage to the underlying tissues. Also, coyote scats tend to be smaller than wolf scats.[73]
The U.S. government routinely shoots, poisons, traps and kills 90,000 coyotes each year to protect livestock.[74]
Coyotes are often attracted to dog food and animals that are small enough to appear as prey. Items like garbage, pet food, and sometimes feeding stations for birds and squirrels will attract coyotes into backyards. Approximately 3 to 5 pets attacked by coyotes are brought into the Animal Urgent Care hospital of south Orange County (California) each week, the majority of which are dogs, since cats typically do not survive the attacks.[75] Scat analysis collected near Claremont, California revealed that coyotes relied heavily on pets as a food source in winter and spring.[62] At one location in Southern California, coyotes began relying on a colony of feral cats as a food source. Over time, the coyotes killed most of the cats, and then continued to eat the cat food placed daily at the colony site by citizens who were maintaining the cat colony.[62] Coyotes usually attack smaller sized dogs, but they have been known to attack even large, powerful breeds like the Rottweiler in exceptional cases.[76] Dogs larger than coyotes are generally able to drive them off, and have been known to kill coyotes. Smaller breeds are more likely to suffer injury or death.
[edit] PeltsIn the early days of European settlement in North Dakota, American Beavers were the most valued and sought after furbearers, though other species were also taken, including coyotes.[77] Coyotes are an important furbearer in the region. During the 1983-86 seasons, North Dakota buyers purchased an average of 7,913 pelts annually, for an average annual combined return to takers of $255,458. In 1986-87, South Dakota buyers purchased 8,149 pelts for a total of $349,674 to takers.[78]
The harvest of coyote pelts in Texas has varied over the past few decades, but has generally followed a downward trend. A study from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, however, found that there was no indication of population decline, and suggested that, as pelt prices were not increasing, the decrease in harvest was likely due to decreasing demand, and not increasing scarcity (where pelt prices would go up.) It suggested that fashion, and the changing custom of wearing fur garments, may be significant among these factors.[79]
Today, coyote fur is still used for full coats and trim and is particularly popular for men’s coats.[80]
[edit] Character in mythology
Coyote tries to persuade Opossum to let him have some persimmons, in a Caddo story.Main article: Coyote (mythology)
Traditional stories from many Native American, First Nations, and Aboriginal cultures include a deity whose name is translated into English as Coyote. Although especially common in stories told by southwestern Native American nations, such as the Diné and Apache, stories about Coyote appear in dozens of Native American nations from Canada to Mexico.
Usually appearing as a trickster, a culture hero or both, Coyote also often appears in creation myths and etiological myths. Although often appearing in stories as male, Coyote can be female, hermaphrodite, or gender changing, in traditional Aboriginal stories.
[edit] Contemporary cultural referencesMain article: Coyotes in popular culture
The coyote is a popular figure in folklore and popular culture. References may invoke either the animal or the mythological figure. Traits commonly described in pop culture appearances include inventiveness, mischievousness, and evasiveness. By far the best known representation is the animated Wile E. Coyote, whose popularity has spread the three-syllable Spanish pronunciation of the word coyote throughout English-speaking North America.
Coyote is also a slang term for a person who smuggles illegal immigrants over the border from Mexico to the United States.
The Phoenix Coyotes are a National Hockey League franchise based in Arizona.
The mascot of the University of South Dakota is the coyote.
[edit] Taxonomy[edit] SubspeciesThere are 19 recognized subspecies of coyote:[81]
C. l. cagottis (Hamilton-Smith): Mexican Coyote - states of Oaxaca, San Luis Potosi, Puebla, and Veracruz in Mexico[82]
C. l. clepticus (Elliot): San Pedro Martir Coyote - northern Baja California and southwestern California[82]
C. l. dickeyi: Salvador Coyote
C. l. frustor (Woodhouse): Southeastern Coyote - southeastern and extreme eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas[82]
C. l. goldmani: Belize Coyote
C. l. hondurensis: Honduras Coyote
C. l. impavidus (Allen): Durango Coyote - southern Sonora, extreme southwestern Chihuahua, western Durango, western Zacatecas, and Sinaloa[82]
C. l. incolatus (Hall): Northern Coyote - Yukon, Northwest Territories, northern British Columbia, and northern Alberta, and Alaska[82]
C. l. jamesi (Townsend): Tiburón Island Coyote - Tiburón Island[82]
C. l. latrans: Plains Coyote - Great Plains from Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan south to New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle[82]
C. l. lestes (Merriam): Mountain Coyote - British Columbia and southeastern Alberta south to Utah and Nevada[82]
C. l. mearnsi (Merriam): Mearns Coyote - southwestern Colorado and southern Utah south to northern Sonora and Chihuahua[82]
C. l. microdon (Merriam): Lower Rio Grande Coyote - southern Texas and northern Tamaulipas[82]
C. l. ochropus (Eschscholtz): California Valley Coyote - California west of the Sierra Nevada[82]
C. l. peninsulae (Merriam): Peninsula Coyote - Baja California[82]
C. l. texensis (Bailey): Texas Plains Coyote - most of Texas, eastern New Mexico, and northeastern Mexico[82]
C. l. thamnos (Jackson): Northeastern Coyote - range extends from north-central Saskatchewan east to southern Ontario south to northern Indiana and west to Missouri[82]
C. l. umpquensis (Jackson): Northwest Coast Coyote - coast of Washington and Oregon[82]
C. l. vigilis (Merriam): Colima Coyote - Pacific coast of Mexico from Jalisco south to Guerrero[82]
[edit] Genus controversyIn 1816, in the third volume of Lorenz Oken's Lehrbuch der Naturgeschichte, the author found sufficient similarities in the dentition of coyotesgenus from Canis called Thos after the classical Greek word θώς (jackal). Oken's idiosyncratic nomenclatorial ways, however, aroused the scorn of a number of zoological systematists. Nearly all the descriptive words used to justify the genus division were relative terms without a reference measure, and the argument did not take into account the size differences between the species, which can be considerable. Angel Cabrera, in his 1932 monograph on the mammals of Morocco, briefly touched upon the question of whether or not the presence of a cingulum on the upper molars of the jackals and its corresponding absence in the rest of Canis could justify a subdivision of the genus Canis. In practice, he chose the undivided-genus alternative and referred to the jackals as Canis.[83] A few authors, however, Ernest Thompson Seton being among them, accepted Oken's nomenclature, and went as far as referring to the coyote as American jackal.[84]
The Oken/Heller proposal of the new genus Thos did not affect the classification of the coyote. Gerrit S. Miller still had in his 1924 edition of List of North American Recent Mammals in the section “Genus Canis Linnaeas,” the subordinate heading “Subgenus Thos Oken” and backed it up with a reference to Heller. In the reworked version of the book in 1955, Philip Hershkovitz and Hartley Jackson led him to drop Thos both as an available scientific term and as a viable subgenus of Canis. In his definitive study of the taxonomy of the coyote, Jackson had, in response to Miller, queried whether Heller had seriously looked at specimens of coyotes prior to his 1914 article and thought the characters to be “not sufficiently important or stable to warrant subgeneric recognition for the group”.[83]
[edit] Notes1.^ Sillero-Zubiri & Hoffmann (2008). Canis latrans. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on May 5, 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
2.^ coyote - Definitions from Dictionary.com
3.^ prairie wolf. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07
4.^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Canis latrans". Animal Diversity Web. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Canis_latrans.html. Retrieved August 15, 2007.
5.^ a b "Coyote". Lioncrusher's Domain. http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=11. Retrieved August 15, 2007.
6.^ PaleoBiology Database: Canis latrans
7.^ "Statement by Valerius Geist pertaining to the death of Kenton Carnegie" (PDF). Wolf Crossing. http://wolfcrossing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/carnegie-no1.pdf. Retrieved September 17, 2008. [dead link]
8.^ Koler-Matznick, Janice (2002). "The Origin of the Dog Revisited". Anthrozoös 15 (2): 98–118.
9.^ Fedriani J. M., T.K. Fuller and R. Sauvajot. 2001. Does availability of anthropogenic foods enhace densities of omnivorous mammals? An example with coyotes in southern California. Ecography, 24: 325-331.
10.^ coyote
11.^ "Coyote (Canis latrans)". Western Wildlife Conservancy. http://www.westwildcon.org/library_coyotes.html. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
12.^ http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/The-yowl-of-the-suburbs-612669.php#page-2
13.^ http://www.onrc.washington.edu/gis/trail/coyote.ppt
14.^ Coyote
15.^ Coyote (Canis latrans)
16.^ a b c d "Coyote Predation - Description". A. Wade, Dale & E. Bowns, James. Procedures for Evaluating Predation on Livestock and Wildlife. Archived from the original on August 6, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070806144513/http://texnat.tamu.edu/ranchref/predator/coyote/t-coyote.htm. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
17.^ David L. Mech & Luigi Boitani (2003). Wolves: Behavior, ecology and conservation. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 448. ISBN 0226516962.
18.^ a b Coppinger, Ray (2001). Dogs: a Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution. New York: Scribner. pp. p352. ISBN 0684855305.
19.^ Speed of Animals, Infoplease.com, sourced from Natural History Magazine, March 1974; The American Museum of Natural History
20.^ a b Macdonald, David (1984). The Encyclopedia of Mammals: 1. London: Allen & Unwin. p. 446. ISBN 0-04-500028-x. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0871968711.
21.^ Domestication: the decline of environmental appreciation by Helmut Hemmer, translated by Neil Beckhaus, Edition: 2, illustrated. Published by Cambridge University Press, 1990. ISBN 0-521-34178-7, 9780521341783. 208 pages
22.^ Collective Nouns: Java Glossary
23.^ a b "Eastern Coyotes Are Becoming Coywolves". David Zimmerman. Caledonian record. http://www.caledonianrecord.com/pages/local_news/story/fef373e9d. Retrieved August 17, 2007. [dead link]
24.^ "Coyote (Canis latrans)". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12205-60378--,00.html. Retrieved March 6, 2008.
25.^ Fox, Michael W. (1984). The Whistling Hunters: Field Studies of the Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon Alpinus). Albany: State University of New York Press. p. 150. ISBN 0873958438. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0873958438.
26.^ "The Evolution & History of Wolves". Rioghal Kennels. Rioghal Kennels. http://hal_macgregor.tripod.com/kennel/Kennel.htm. Retrieved November 4, 2008.
27.^ CoyoteClub.org: Photos of deceased coydogs
28.^ Doris Feddersen-Petersen, Hundepsychologie, 4. Auflage, 2004, Franck-Kosmos-Verlag 2004
29.^ Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - Eastern Wolf
30.^ "The red wolf (Canis rufus) – hybrid or not?". Montana State University. http://www.montana.edu/~wwwbi/staff/creel/bio480/The%20red%20wolf.pdf. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
31.^ [1]
32.^ "Yellowstone National Park- Coyotes". nps.gov. http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/coyotes.htm. Retrieved August 17, 2007.
33.^ http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/coyotes.htm
34.^ "Weaving A New Web: Wolves Change An Ecosystem", Zoogoer magazine, May/June 1998, Smithsonian National Zoo
35.^ "Coyotes Cower in Wolf Territory". Livescience. http://www.livescience.com/animals/070911_wolves_coyotes.html. Retrieved March 20, 2008.
36.^ "Preventing Predation of Your Sheep Flock: Predators and Prey", student project at Purdue University
37.^ "Coyote In the Suburbs". Q&A websites. http://www.qawebsites.com/coyote.htm. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
38.^ http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/coyote.htm
39.^ "Observed Interactions Between Coyotes and Red Foxes", Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, United States Geological Survey
40.^ Fedriani, J . M., T. K. Fuller, R . M. Sauvajot, and E. C. York. 2000. Competition and intraguild predation among three sympatric carnivores. Oecologia 125:258-270.
41.^ Litvaitis, J . A., and D. J. Harrison.1 989. Bobcat-coyote niche relationships during a period of coyote population increase. Canadian Journal of Zoology 67:1180-1188
42.^ "Potential Impacts of Coyotes and Snowmobiles on Lynx Conservation in the Intermountain West". Kevin D. Bunnell, Jerran T. Flinders, Michael L. Wolfe Source: Wildlife Society Bulletin, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Oct. 1, 2006), pp. 835.
43.^ Anderson, E. M. 1986. Bobcat behavioral ecology in relation to resource use in southeastern Colorado. Dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
44.^ Jackson, D. H. 1986. Ecology of bobcats in east-central Colorado. Dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
45.^ Toweill, D. E. 1986. Resource partitioning by bobcats and coyotes in a coniferous forest. Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA
46.^ Fedriani, J . M., T. K. Fuller, R . M. Sauvajot, and E. C. York. 2000.
47.^ Gipson, P. S., and J. F Kamler. 2002. Bobcat killed by coyote. Southwestern Naturalist4 7:511-514.
48.^ KNICK, S. T. 1990. Ecology of bobcats relative to exploitation and a prey decline in southeastern Idaho. Wildlife Monographs 108:1-42.
49.^ "Potential Impacts of Coyotes and Snowmobiles on Lynx Conservation in the Intermountain West". Kevin D. Bunnell, Jerran T. Flinders, Michael L. Wolfe. Wildlife Society Bulletin. Vol. 34, No. 3 (Oct. 1, 2006), pp. 835.
50.^ Gipson, P. S., and J. F Kamler. 2002. Bobcat killed by coyote. Southwestern Naturalist4 7. p514.
51.^ Philip S. Gipson and Jan F. Kamler, "Bobcat Killed by a Coyote"The Southwestern Naturalist, Vol. 47, No. 3 (Sep. 2002), pp. 511-513
52.^ "Competition and Intraguild Predation among Three Sympatric Carnivores." Jose M. Fedriani, Todd K. Fuller, Raymond M. Sauvajot, Eric C. York. Oecologia, Vol. 125, No. 2 (2000), p262.
53.^ "Competition and Intraguild Predation among Three Sympatric Carnivores." Jose M. Fedriani, Todd K. Fuller, Raymond M. Sauvajot, Eric C. York. Oecologia, Vol. 125, No. 2 (2000), p267,258.
54.^ "Canada Lynx — Wild cat of the Loomis–and more", Conservation Northwest
55.^ UNNELL KD, FLINDERS JT, WOLFE ML (2006) Potential Impacts of Coyotes and Snowmobiles on Lynx Conservation in the Intermountain West. Wildlife Society Bulletin: Vol. 34, No. 3 pp. 828–838
56.^ Gompper, M. 2002. Top Carnivores in the Suburbs? Ecological and conservation issues raised by colonization of North-eastern North America by coyotes. BioScience 52:185-190.
57.^ Feldhamer GA, Thompson BC, Chapman JA. Wild Mammals of North America:Biology, Management and Conservation. JHU Press, 2003, ISBN 0801874165, p. 467
58.^ "Thriving under our noses, stealthily: coyotes" URL accessed on January 9, 2006.
59.^ Newman, Maria, and Janon Fisher. "Elusive Coyote Is Captured in Central Park." New York Times March 22, 2006. 7 November 2009.
60.^ "And the coyote shall lie down with the SoBes ...". Associated Press. April 4, 2007. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17950832/. Retrieved April 4, 2007.
61.^ Meincke, Paul (April 4, 2007). "Coyote captured in Loop to be set free". WLS-TV. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=5179979. Retrieved April 4, 2007.
62.^ a b c d e "Coyote Attacks: An Increasing Suburban Problem". Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070926044522/http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/awm/docs/coyoteattacks.pdf. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
63.^ http://www.myrye.com/my_weblog/2010/06/coyote-attack-rye-pd-press-conference-and-statement.html
64.^ [2] Associated Press, via ABC News/U.S., June 30, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010
65.^ Biologists baffled by attack (link expired)
66.^ Coyote Attacks on Children
67.^ "Coyotes kill woman in Cape Breton". CBC News. October 29, 2009. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/10/28/ns-coyote-attack-died.html. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
68.^ [3]
69.^ Sheep and Goats Death Loss. National Agricultural Statistics Service. May 6, 2005. http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1628. Retrieved December 27, 2007
70.^ National Agricultural Statistics Service
71.^ "Sheep and lamb inventory". usda.mannlib.cornell.edu. http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/Shee/Shee-07-22-2005.txt. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
72.^ Relative risks of predation on livestock posed by individual wolves, black bears, mountain lions and coyotes in Idaho, Mark Collinge, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, Boise, Idaho
73.^ Ranchers' Guide to Wolf Depredation, Montana State University
74.^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31880990/ns/us_news-environment/
75.^ "For coyotes, pets are prey". Greg Hardesty. Orange County Register. http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/sections/news/focus_in_depth/article_508026.php. Retrieved August 19, 2007.
76.^ "A coyote attacks in Weymouth and kills a dog", WHDH-TV - New England News
77.^ History of the Fur Trade, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, USGS
78.^ Dakotas Prairie Basin Wetlands, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, USGS
79.^ Coyotes As Part Of Texas' Fur Trade, Symposium Proceedings, Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge December 13–14, 1995, Angelo, Texas
80.^ International Fur Trade Federation
81.^ Wozencraft, W. Christopher (16 November 2005). "Order Carnivora (pp. 532-628)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=14000718.
82.^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Canis latrans". Fire Effects Information System. USDA Forest Service. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/animals/mammal/cala/all.html. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
83.^ a b "Thos vs Canis". Holger Homann’s Home Page. http://www.holgerhomann.us/Thos_vs%20%20Canis.htm. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
84.^ Seton, Ernest Thompson (2006). Art Anatomy of Animals. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications. p. 160. ISBN 0486447472. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0486447472?qisbn=1206802027.
[edit] References"Canis latrans". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=180599. Retrieved March 23, 2006.
Robert M. Timm, Hopland Research & Extension Center, University of California, Hopland, California; Rex O. Baker, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (retired), Corona, California; Joe R. Bennett, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, Taft, California; and Craig C. Coolahan, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, Sacramento, California, "Coyote Attacks: An Increasing Suburban Problem" (March 3, 2004). Hopland Research & Extension Center. Paper timm_baker_P047.
http://repositories.cdlib.org/anrrec/hrec/timm_baker_P047
Bekoff, Marc. 1977. Canis Latrans, Species Account. American Society of Mammalogists.
McClennen, N., R. Wigglesworth, and S. H. Anderson. 2001. "The effect of suburban and agricultural development on the activity patterns of coyotes (Canis latrans), American Midland Naturalist, vol. 146: 27-36.
Moehlman, P., and H. Hofer. 1997. "Cooperative breeding, reproductive suppression, and body mass in canids", chapter in Cooperative Breeding in Canids, ed. N. G. Solomon and J. A. French. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Morey, Paul. 2004. "Landscape use and diet of coyotes, Canis latrans, in the Chicago metropolitan area", Masters Thesis, Utah State University.
Parker, Gerry. 1995. "Eastern Coyote: Story of Its Success", Nimbus Publishing, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Voigt, D. R., and W. E. Berg. 1999. "Coyote", chapter 28 in Wild Furbearer Management and Conservation in North America, Section IV: Species Biology, Management, and Conservation. Queen's Printer for Ontario, Ontario, Canada.
Game and Fish Records
In doing research, in answer to your question, these are best records I can find. I would suggest if you have any information on a different record to contact the Maine Sportsman - keeper of offical records. Biologists will mention that bigger game and fish are out in the wilds of Maine, some trapped and released, others that have not been verified or certified. My suggestion is that if you have a game or fish that you think is a record - you get it properly tagged, weighed and certified!
Game Records:
Whitetailed Buck (Firearms): 355 Ibs., field dressed, Horace Hinckley, Augusta,
ME, 1955, Concord
Whitetailed Buck (Bowhunting): 259 Ibs., field dressed, Darryl Flagg, Jefferson,
10/20/1988, Waldoboro
Whitetailed Doe (Firearms): 185 Ibs., field dressed, Luke Arsenault, Lisbon
Falls, ME, 11/1/92, Seboomook Township
Whitetailed Doe (Firearms): 185 Ibs., field dressed, Steve Letourneau, Turner,
ME, 11/11/04, Lower Enchanted Township
Whitetailed Doe (Bowhunting): 166 Ibs., field dressed, Joseph Kennedy,
Litchfield, ME, 9/13/05, Cape Elizabeth
Whitetailed Doe (Antlered): 210 Ibs., eight-points, Jack Cross, Bethel, ME,
11/15/80, Bethel
Black Bear (Firearms): 680 Ibs. (live weight), Richard Moore, Allentown,
PA, 9/13/93, Patten - understand Thousand Acre Bog, with hounds.
Black Bear (Archery): 501 Ibs., field dressed, Pete Shippee, Winthrop, ME,
8/29/90, Strong
Black Bear (Sow): 334.5 Ibs., field dressed, Tom Sullivan, Portland, Conn., August 28, 2006, Mapleton 10/31/87, Canton
Black Bear (Sow – Archery) 328 pounds, Kyle Stokes, Annville, PA, 8/29/2007, St. Agatha.
Moose (Bull) 1,330 Ibs., 1982 field dressed, Willard & Sterling, Waterman, New Gloucester, ME, 1982, Marsardis.
Moose (Bull-Archery) 1,040 Ibs., Craig Warren, New Gloucester, ME, 9/30/2009, Allagash.
Moose, cow: 774 Ibs., Mark McKenna, Jay, ME, 10/13/05, Dyer Brook.
Turkey: 27 Ibs. 12 oz., Sarah Levangie, Belfast, ME, 4/28/03, Waldo County.
Turkey (Bow): 25 Ibs., Chris Nadeau, Wells, ME, 5/1/07, Wells Falls
Coyote NEED THE COYOTE RECORD - Verified Please
Note: If you know of a verifiable fish or game record larger than those listed here, or for a species not listed here, please send the information to: Harry Vanderweide, The Maine Sportsman, PO Box 351, Augusta, Maine 04332 Email: harry.vanderweide@verizon.net
Fishing Records
Atlantic Salmon 28 lbs 1 oz Undisclosed Howard Clifford 10/9/1980
Black Crappie 3 lbs 4 oz Sibley Pond Wayne S. Morey Sr. 9/12/1986
Blueback Trout 4 lbs 4 oz Basin Pond Merton Wyman 1958
5.24 8/2008 Pushineer Pond Craig McLaughlin, Mapleton
Brook Trout 9 lbs 0 oz Square Pond Mark Collins 5/15/1997
Brown Trout 23 lbs 5 oz Square Pond Robert Hodson 3/6/1996
Chain Pickerel 6 lbs 8 oz Androscoggin Lake Joseph Arsenault 2/11/1992
7.02 3/07 Balch Lake
Cusk 33 lbs 4 oz Perkins Cove, Ogunquit Kenton Geer 10/11/2002
Fallfish 3 lbs 12 oz Sibley Pond Wayne S. Morey 9/12/1986
Lake Trout 31 lbs 8 oz Beech Hill Pond Hollis Grindle 1958
Landlocked Salmon 22 lbs 8 oz Sebago Lake Edward Balkely 1907
Largemouth Bass 11 lbs 10 oz Moose Pond Robert Kamp 1968
Muskellunge 26 lbs 8 oz Glazier Lake Allen Dufour 3/22/2001
31.02 3/07 Glazier Lake, Jeff Albert
Northern Pike 31 lbs 2 oz North Pond Lance Bolduc 3/1998
Smallmouth Bass 8 lbs 0 oz Thompson Lake George Dyer 1970
Splake 10 lbs 3 oz Mount Vernon Daniel R. Paquette 5/8/1993
Sunapee Trout 4 lbs 10 oz Lower South Branch Pond Wayne Dillon 6/1989
White Perch 4 lbs 10 oz Messalonskee Mrs. Earl Small 1959 (? bass/altered)
3.2 2008 Little Parker Pond, Chris Barbier
Whitefish 7 lbs 8 oz Sebago Lake Neil Sullivan 1958
Yellow Perch 1 lbs 10 oz Worthley Pond Chad Mostats 8/1989
Striped Bass 67. 9/78 Sheepscot River, Doug Dodge
Game Records:
Whitetailed Buck (Firearms): 355 Ibs., field dressed, Horace Hinckley, Augusta,
ME, 1955, Concord
Whitetailed Buck (Bowhunting): 259 Ibs., field dressed, Darryl Flagg, Jefferson,
10/20/1988, Waldoboro
Whitetailed Doe (Firearms): 185 Ibs., field dressed, Luke Arsenault, Lisbon
Falls, ME, 11/1/92, Seboomook Township
Whitetailed Doe (Firearms): 185 Ibs., field dressed, Steve Letourneau, Turner,
ME, 11/11/04, Lower Enchanted Township
Whitetailed Doe (Bowhunting): 166 Ibs., field dressed, Joseph Kennedy,
Litchfield, ME, 9/13/05, Cape Elizabeth
Whitetailed Doe (Antlered): 210 Ibs., eight-points, Jack Cross, Bethel, ME,
11/15/80, Bethel
Black Bear (Firearms): 680 Ibs. (live weight), Richard Moore, Allentown,
PA, 9/13/93, Patten - understand Thousand Acre Bog, with hounds.
Black Bear (Archery): 501 Ibs., field dressed, Pete Shippee, Winthrop, ME,
8/29/90, Strong
Black Bear (Sow): 334.5 Ibs., field dressed, Tom Sullivan, Portland, Conn., August 28, 2006, Mapleton 10/31/87, Canton
Black Bear (Sow – Archery) 328 pounds, Kyle Stokes, Annville, PA, 8/29/2007, St. Agatha.
Moose (Bull) 1,330 Ibs., 1982 field dressed, Willard & Sterling, Waterman, New Gloucester, ME, 1982, Marsardis.
Moose (Bull-Archery) 1,040 Ibs., Craig Warren, New Gloucester, ME, 9/30/2009, Allagash.
Moose, cow: 774 Ibs., Mark McKenna, Jay, ME, 10/13/05, Dyer Brook.
Turkey: 27 Ibs. 12 oz., Sarah Levangie, Belfast, ME, 4/28/03, Waldo County.
Turkey (Bow): 25 Ibs., Chris Nadeau, Wells, ME, 5/1/07, Wells Falls
Coyote NEED THE COYOTE RECORD - Verified Please
Note: If you know of a verifiable fish or game record larger than those listed here, or for a species not listed here, please send the information to: Harry Vanderweide, The Maine Sportsman, PO Box 351, Augusta, Maine 04332 Email: harry.vanderweide@verizon.net
Fishing Records
Atlantic Salmon 28 lbs 1 oz Undisclosed Howard Clifford 10/9/1980
Black Crappie 3 lbs 4 oz Sibley Pond Wayne S. Morey Sr. 9/12/1986
Blueback Trout 4 lbs 4 oz Basin Pond Merton Wyman 1958
5.24 8/2008 Pushineer Pond Craig McLaughlin, Mapleton
Brook Trout 9 lbs 0 oz Square Pond Mark Collins 5/15/1997
Brown Trout 23 lbs 5 oz Square Pond Robert Hodson 3/6/1996
Chain Pickerel 6 lbs 8 oz Androscoggin Lake Joseph Arsenault 2/11/1992
7.02 3/07 Balch Lake
Cusk 33 lbs 4 oz Perkins Cove, Ogunquit Kenton Geer 10/11/2002
Fallfish 3 lbs 12 oz Sibley Pond Wayne S. Morey 9/12/1986
Lake Trout 31 lbs 8 oz Beech Hill Pond Hollis Grindle 1958
Landlocked Salmon 22 lbs 8 oz Sebago Lake Edward Balkely 1907
Largemouth Bass 11 lbs 10 oz Moose Pond Robert Kamp 1968
Muskellunge 26 lbs 8 oz Glazier Lake Allen Dufour 3/22/2001
31.02 3/07 Glazier Lake, Jeff Albert
Northern Pike 31 lbs 2 oz North Pond Lance Bolduc 3/1998
Smallmouth Bass 8 lbs 0 oz Thompson Lake George Dyer 1970
Splake 10 lbs 3 oz Mount Vernon Daniel R. Paquette 5/8/1993
Sunapee Trout 4 lbs 10 oz Lower South Branch Pond Wayne Dillon 6/1989
White Perch 4 lbs 10 oz Messalonskee Mrs. Earl Small 1959 (? bass/altered)
3.2 2008 Little Parker Pond, Chris Barbier
Whitefish 7 lbs 8 oz Sebago Lake Neil Sullivan 1958
Yellow Perch 1 lbs 10 oz Worthley Pond Chad Mostats 8/1989
Striped Bass 67. 9/78 Sheepscot River, Doug Dodge
Saturday, February 19, 2011
"Hungry Month"
According to native folklore...the recent full moon is called the "hungry moon" as natural food is scarce this month for both man and wildlife. It is also a month that cats and coyotes are getting ready to den and give birth.
Over the last week or so snow conditions have been poor for deer, shoeing the deer yard in the back yard, holding seven deer finds them just plain trapped. They sneak to the road and just stand on the edge as you drive by slow. The dogs and coyotes however are running on the crust. In the pasture the fox is trucking along, now the coyotes have appeared and are hunting the house cats and grain.
Every night he watch the shadows and listen to them for hours...running in the deer yard hoping to find and cause a cruel death to the deer. I have not check the last few days on the conditions of the deer, but I am sure that we have lost a few...as there is just no defense for the deer, no ability to fight back and no place to run.
With the appearance of the four or five coyotes everynight, and permits in hand the crew decided to make an attempt at controling the coyote population and protecting the farm critters, deer and house pets.
As we know from trapping and hunting, coyotes are the most diffcult creature to hunt and call....they are not stupid. We have been hunting three days...seeing the shadows, getting them with a 100 yards only to have them walk behind us and not allowing any shots.
If anyone has hunted at night can attest, it is diffcult to walk, hold the light and get a good sight with a rifle, must less with a shotgun.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Lynx
BANGOR — A federal judge on Wednesday wondered aloud if trappers and hunters were getting the message that the Canada lynx is an endangered species and it’s a federal crime to kill it, move or possess its carcass or own its pelt.
“I don’t know how long my patience will last with these kinds of cases,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk said after sentencing a fourth man in U.S. District Court in four years to jail time for a violation of the Endangered Species Act that involved a lynx. “At some point, I may have to impose longer sentences. Seven days of incarceration hasn’t stopped this.”
Kravchuk sentenced William McCoy, 41, of Fayetteville, Pa., to seven days in federal prison for trying to cover up the fact that a Canada lynx, an endangered species, was caught in one of his traps two years ago. McCoy was sentenced immediately after he pleaded guilty to violating the act.
By pleading guilty, McCoy admitted that in December 2008 he removed a lynx’s body from his trap set in the town of Stacyville and carried it about 50 yards away so wardens would not know he had unintentionally trapped the animal.
A charge that he killed a gray jay, a protected migratory bird, in a separate trap that had been set illegally was dropped in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
“I’ve based my whole life on [trapping],” McCoy told the judge just before she imposed the sentence. “I’m a good person. I do what states tell me to do, and I trap in a lot of states.”
McCoy, who has no criminal history, told Kravchuk that he did not trap the lynx intentionally but panicked when he found the dead animal in one of his traps and attempted to discard its body.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James McCarthy advocated for a sentence of seven days. Defense attorney Terence Harrigan of Bangor urged Kravchuk to impose a fine rather than jail time.
The judge said McCoy’s sentence of seven days was the same as for two other men previously sentenced on a similar charge involving the same species. She noted that other defendants had intentionally obtained the bodies of lynx or the animal’s pelt.
Last year, Kravchuk sentenced Alan B. Clark Jr., 38, of South Hero, Vt., to seven days in jail for having a lynx carcass. The judge imposed the same sentence on Kevin L. Fortin, 59, of Van Buren in December 2006 and ordered him to pay a $1,500 fine for having a lynx pelt. She sentenced Ricky Learnard, 43, of Van Buren in January 2007 to 21 days in jail for shooting the lynx whose pelt Fortin was found to possess.
A temporary resident of Maine during trapping season, McCoy was warned earlier in the 2008 trapping season that his trap settings did not comply with Maine rules intended to deter the accidental capture of lynx, bald eagles and other protected species, according to the prosecution version of the events to which he pleaded guilty.
Maine game wardens checking on McCoy’s traps discovered boot tracks in the snow on Dec. 4, 2008, leading from a tree where he had set traps before to the dead lynx, discarded about 50 yards away. The tree where the trap had been set had claw marks, fur and other signs that the lynx had been caught and died.
During a subsequent interview with wardens, McCoy confessed to finding the dead lynx in his trap and attempting to hide its carcass in a panic, according to the prosecution version of events. He also admitted to burning the boots he had been wearing at the time after learning that investigators were spotted at the site.
In imposing the sentence, Kravchuk told McCoy that it was the cover-up of the lynx's death that brought the trapper before her.
The judge stayed the execution of McCoy’s sentence 30 days and requested that the Federal Bureau of Prisons allow him to serve his sentence as close to his home residence as possible.
McCoy has not trapped in Maine since the incident with the lynx, Harrigan said after the sentencing. The trapper paid fines for violations of Maine fish and wildlife regulations in Millinocket District Court before leaving the state for good. The lawyer said that Wednesday’s conviction would not affect McCoy’s ability to obtain licenses to trap and earn a living.
A violation of the Endangered Species Act, which is a federal misdemeanor, carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a maximum fine of $25,000.
The death of the lynx in December 2008 as well as other deaths that season became part of a legal battle between two groups — the Wildlife Alliance of Maine and the Animal Welfare Institute — and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
The two organizations had charged that DIF&W was violating the Endangered Species Act by allowing trapping activities that occasionally injured or killed lynx. U.S. District Judge John Woodcock later rejected the groups’ claims that Maine’s trapping policies could cause irreparable harm to the state’s lynx population.
“I don’t know how long my patience will last with these kinds of cases,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Kravchuk said after sentencing a fourth man in U.S. District Court in four years to jail time for a violation of the Endangered Species Act that involved a lynx. “At some point, I may have to impose longer sentences. Seven days of incarceration hasn’t stopped this.”
Kravchuk sentenced William McCoy, 41, of Fayetteville, Pa., to seven days in federal prison for trying to cover up the fact that a Canada lynx, an endangered species, was caught in one of his traps two years ago. McCoy was sentenced immediately after he pleaded guilty to violating the act.
By pleading guilty, McCoy admitted that in December 2008 he removed a lynx’s body from his trap set in the town of Stacyville and carried it about 50 yards away so wardens would not know he had unintentionally trapped the animal.
A charge that he killed a gray jay, a protected migratory bird, in a separate trap that had been set illegally was dropped in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
“I’ve based my whole life on [trapping],” McCoy told the judge just before she imposed the sentence. “I’m a good person. I do what states tell me to do, and I trap in a lot of states.”
McCoy, who has no criminal history, told Kravchuk that he did not trap the lynx intentionally but panicked when he found the dead animal in one of his traps and attempted to discard its body.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James McCarthy advocated for a sentence of seven days. Defense attorney Terence Harrigan of Bangor urged Kravchuk to impose a fine rather than jail time.
The judge said McCoy’s sentence of seven days was the same as for two other men previously sentenced on a similar charge involving the same species. She noted that other defendants had intentionally obtained the bodies of lynx or the animal’s pelt.
Last year, Kravchuk sentenced Alan B. Clark Jr., 38, of South Hero, Vt., to seven days in jail for having a lynx carcass. The judge imposed the same sentence on Kevin L. Fortin, 59, of Van Buren in December 2006 and ordered him to pay a $1,500 fine for having a lynx pelt. She sentenced Ricky Learnard, 43, of Van Buren in January 2007 to 21 days in jail for shooting the lynx whose pelt Fortin was found to possess.
A temporary resident of Maine during trapping season, McCoy was warned earlier in the 2008 trapping season that his trap settings did not comply with Maine rules intended to deter the accidental capture of lynx, bald eagles and other protected species, according to the prosecution version of the events to which he pleaded guilty.
Maine game wardens checking on McCoy’s traps discovered boot tracks in the snow on Dec. 4, 2008, leading from a tree where he had set traps before to the dead lynx, discarded about 50 yards away. The tree where the trap had been set had claw marks, fur and other signs that the lynx had been caught and died.
During a subsequent interview with wardens, McCoy confessed to finding the dead lynx in his trap and attempting to hide its carcass in a panic, according to the prosecution version of events. He also admitted to burning the boots he had been wearing at the time after learning that investigators were spotted at the site.
In imposing the sentence, Kravchuk told McCoy that it was the cover-up of the lynx's death that brought the trapper before her.
The judge stayed the execution of McCoy’s sentence 30 days and requested that the Federal Bureau of Prisons allow him to serve his sentence as close to his home residence as possible.
McCoy has not trapped in Maine since the incident with the lynx, Harrigan said after the sentencing. The trapper paid fines for violations of Maine fish and wildlife regulations in Millinocket District Court before leaving the state for good. The lawyer said that Wednesday’s conviction would not affect McCoy’s ability to obtain licenses to trap and earn a living.
A violation of the Endangered Species Act, which is a federal misdemeanor, carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a maximum fine of $25,000.
The death of the lynx in December 2008 as well as other deaths that season became part of a legal battle between two groups — the Wildlife Alliance of Maine and the Animal Welfare Institute — and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
The two organizations had charged that DIF&W was violating the Endangered Species Act by allowing trapping activities that occasionally injured or killed lynx. U.S. District Judge John Woodcock later rejected the groups’ claims that Maine’s trapping policies could cause irreparable harm to the state’s lynx population.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Coyotes Kill Fawns and Pets
Coyote’s Kill Deer
Another deer season is coming to a close, only a few more days of muzzleloader season remain. For us in Maine, that north of Augusta, the search for deer continues. There are just no deer, especially downeast. Oh yes there are a few pockets here and there, but overall deer have disappeared.
Camp talk goes from spraying to loss of winter yards to coyotes. In the daily travels we find plenty of food and bud tips, but no deer.
In the few days we had snow the crew hunted hard around Chick, Jellison Mountain and Molly Road. What we tracks we did find, within a few steps we also found coyote tracks running or following the deer. Snow makes things quiet and reduces the deer’s ability to smell, especially during the storm with whirling winds.
I’ve often thought that coyotes are a major cause of our deer problem or lack of fawn survival which is critical to our deer herd recovery.
Do bounties and award programs work, while they may not eliminate coyotes they certainly would reduce or hold their numbers in balance and allow recovery of the deer? According to tagging reports only about 2,000 coyotes are harvested annually in Maine.
Fawn survival is the critical part of the equation. So beside’s the wolf, what else is reducing our fawn survival? Bear and bobcat? Studies have shown that while bear and cat may have impact on fawns in May and June, it is not near the level as the coyote. It should also be noted that bear and cat were roaming the woods when downeast was the deer capital of Maine.
Then I picked up this month’s issue of the American Hunter and there was an article by Patrick Durkin on how Coyotes Affect Deer Herds. The article was talking about studies in Eastern and Southern States, states including South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama to name a few. Reports are showing that more that 74% of fawns may die before they are six weeks old, with coyotes likely responsible. Have coyotes learned to identify doe behavior when fawns are nearby, enough to learn to pack up and search out the fawn? Has our fawn survival done from 2 fawns to say 3 does to more like one fawn to twenty eight does? If so where does this leave the State of Maine and our deer herd?
The time has come for a reward and bounty system, at least enough to cover the cost of gasoline for hunters and trappers. We need more hounds man running the coyote and more guides performing predator calling. I’ve heard calls that bear are the problem, I just don’t see the evidence that a few bears have destroyed region after region of deer.
It is also time to take some of the Lynx funds and collar deer and study the impact of coyote on fawn mortality. IFW has not in any fashion been proactive in protecting and preserving our deer herd from the threat of coyotes! Why? The issue always comes back to funding, our license costs are up and sales are down – why, no deer, no hunters. But we continue to spend thousands to allow wardens to perform duties not related to their mission or purpose. The calls are coming for consolidation and budget cuts – heck if wardens want to be a state trooper, swat member or local law officer then maybe it is time for consolidation.
SAM might want to explore the labor work records and see how many hours a year the warden spends in a deer yard reducing coyote numbers or perform animal control to reduce their numbers. It is also reported that as part of the Lynx study coyotes are captured, collared and released!
The coyote is a killer and top of the predator line that is now established in Maine. Wolf’s once roamed the Eastern range, having a large territory and harvesting a variety of foods. But without the wolf, coyotes spread east quickly in the early 1900’s and established themselves as the leader.
Studies also show another chain reaction. Wolf’s won’t tolerate a coyote; the coyote won’t tolerate fox, fisher, marten or bobcat. In fact coyote compete with the fisher, cat, fox, lynx and marten for the same small game such as rabbit, squirrel, frogs and deer.
Being so concerned about Lynx, which have been in Maine since early time, we should be concerned about how the coyote is affecting the Lynx recovery but removing the food so critical to the Lynx survival! Maybe a federal grant is available to help recover the Lynx by removing the coyote.
Cold Weather - Beaver Trappers in High Gear
The cold weather puts beaver trappers into high gear. While open water trapping provides many opportunities, the ice makes remote bogs and pond more accessible when searching for Maine’s largest rodent.
IFW works to ensure a balance between the ecological role of beaver in wetlands, the desire of landowners to limit damage to crops and roads, fisheries in rearing of trout and allowing recreational opportunities for trappers. The number of beaver state wide is increasing and the need for removal of nuisance beavers continues to increase as the department has cut back its animal damage control program because of funding shortfalls. Thus landowners are taking on more responsibility and costs in removing nuisance beaver.
I live in an area with a number of trappers, including myself. Yet on the state route we have resident population of beaver that seems never ending. I am pretty sure they work their way from Bradley via Blackman Stream to Chemo Pond to Sibley and Trout brook. These waterways flow through a number of backyards and public roads. A resident on Route 180 enjoins the services of animal control on a regular basis to keep the road, pasture and drive open. It seems that this family of critters likes to construct its dam under the signal lane bridge, weaving mud and sticks into the top decking. On a number of occasions, as live trap removal of the colony, Zach and I will assist the owner and remove the dam. Yet within weeks another group arrives and starts the process again.
The average price of Beaver over the last ten years has been running $14 - $25 per pelt. The harvest data for the same period has ranged from 7809 to around 12,000 annually, with a season of harvest from November to April.
There are a number of facts in limited harvest, low prices, high gasoline costs, poor ice conditions and weather conditions.
IFW has been working hard to encourage more trapping of beaver to lower damage and nuisance issues, while some of these measures have provided more interest, it hasn’t been enough to reduce nuisance complaints. It wasn’t long ago that wardens were called to “blow” the dam and remove the problem beaver. Again those days are done, because of time and money…I might buy the money issue, but not the time issue of the warden, but back on track to trapping.
Fisheries science and trout rearing also play into the trapping and removal of beaver. We have all fished a beaver flowage for a few nice trout and that is just about what happens, a few nice trout. Trout require a gravel bottom in running cool water to spawn and hatch eggs. Once the dam is built and creates the impoundment, trout do grow because of the increased feed, but they can’t sustain the population in future years due to the loss of spawning redds. Thus fisheries in most cases like to see brooks and streams remain free of obstructions.
Large beaver dams also create a threat to towns from dam wash out in heavy spring rains. Historical data has shown a number of cases with damage from the eight foot dam wash out.
Beaver create channels in the mud/gravel from the house or bank home the “feed bed” and fed areas. The backed up water may on be a few inches deep, but the beaver cut a channel a few feet deep in the bottom to sneak in to the feed areas. This allows the beaver to remain under water and protected from attack. Beaver is a favorite meal to bear, wolf, cougar and coyote (wonder if we have wolf and cougar in Maine?) in the state. However most of taking by bear is incidental or in the spring when bear are out of den and beaver kits are just starting to explore the nursery.
The use of beaver is not just for the use of the fur; in fact beaver is one of the most utilized animals in the country. The tails are considered a delicacy for food; the meat is utilized as general food which is high in protein or for dog supplement. The teeth, claws and skull is sought for medicines and crafts, overall the beaver is completely utilized.
Most common method of trapping beaver is by use of the conibear instant kill trap called a 330. The conibear is like a large mouse trap that is either baited or placed in a run, again much like a mouse trap. Other method includes using underwater snares and pole traps. The average price of a 330 conibear is $18-20 per trap.
IFW, paper companies and towns maintain lists of nuisance beaver locations and encourage local trappers to remove problem beavers. While this is a great place to start we need to scout areas beyond the local waters and move to the headwaters. Many of the nuisance beavers are juvenile’s that have dispersed from the main colony.
There are special laws pertaining to beaver trapping, some of which regulate trap size, must be 10 feet from the house or den, five feet from a dam and four feet from another trap, traps must be labeled and tended.
So we have found our flowage that we wish to trap and a channel that runs away from the house. We need to set the trap at least ten feet from the house (there is a special method for measuring distance from the house on ice – go figure) and at least four feet from another trapper. Thus we should set a trap at ten feet and fourteen feet. This pushes the next trapper back to at least eighteen feet from the house. Notice this puts trappers on a first come first serve when trapping.
I prefer to use conibear, placed in fence style. This means cutting a trench in the ice across the brook or channel and putting sticks to create a guide toward the trap area. The trap is wired onto two poles with cross braces. I not only label the trap, but write my name on the top of the pole and wire a tag. This saves another inspector or warden from having to chisel the ice and remove the trap to inspect the tag.
The trap is lowered into the channel, using care to insure no accidental spring, just like setting the mouse trap.
Setting a 330 trap is no easy chore, nor do you want to have it snap back on your arm. There are safety built into the trap to avoid this but on occasion snaps happen.
I recall venturing out on thin ice at Buzzy Brook in search of a few beaver. In tending the trap, I cut the inspection hole. The inspection hole is cut to check the trap and saves opening a full trench if not needed. I water was dark and murky and I couldn’t clearly see, so like a fool I reached into the water thinking I was feeling in front of the trap for fur, when SNAP, now my arm was locked in the 330. Ever tried to chisel ice one handed, with your other hand underwater. The next step was attempting to remove the trap one handed, which failed so I had to drive into Old Town and have a friend open the trap so I could get my arm back. I wasn’t dumb enough to inspect 330’s with my hands again.
My beaver trapping extends now for the kids who have junior trapping licenses and enjoy working the ice holes and building the fences, they also enjoy the extra spending dollars for the holidays.
Traps are checked on a regular basis and fur removed. Once out of the water the beaver are rolled in snow to soak up the water and protect the pelt. The removal of a trapped beaver is like taking a mouse out of the glue trap. The trench must be opened by chisel or chain saw (no bar oil) and the fence removed. However as winter progress and ice thickens, the saw bar will not reach and the hole is opened by hand.
Once you have gathered your fur, there are two choices, put the fur up yourself (preferred method) or sell the beaver in the round. Most trappers work their own fur, skinning and fleshing the pelt. Pelts are sold individually to a fur buyer or at auction. I remember selling fur to the likes of Pomery, Gould and Mowatt Fur. In fact one of the oldest and wisest fur buyers in Maine is Mr. Stevens who once worked for the famed Mowatt Fur Company. His prices are fair and stories priceless.
Trapping supplies are available at Cronks, Maine Military and a few local dealers.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Wolf Case
I received a request to find the article and offical report on the last wolf harvested in Maine. As I mentioned we had watched this animal and one other for over a year prior to it being taken. I am having the offical IFW report that I obtained under the freedom of informatin act scanned. But below is one of the articles published by the BDN regarding the 81 pound confirmed wolf.
Signs Suggest a Return Of Timber Wolf to Maine
Published: December 22, 1996 BDN
ELLSWORTH, Me., Dec. 21 — The caller told the game warden, Debbie Palman, that he had killed a very large coyote, but when Mrs. Palman saw the animal she knew right away that it was something else.
The big chest, long body, large head and the weight -- almost 82 pounds, more than twice that of the average coyote -- and other markings appeared to identify the animal as a timber wolf or a wolf hybrid.
Its presence on remote timber land several miles north of here in a sparsely populated part of northeastern Maine has fueled speculation about whether timber wolves are migrating down from Canada, more than a century after they disappeared from the state.
If genetic tests under way at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's forensic laboratory in Oregon determine that the animal is a timber wolf, generally known as the gray wolf, it will be the second one killed in Maine in recent years. In 1993, a bear hunter in northwestern Maine shot what tests later identified as a female wolf.
Wildlife biologists plan to conduct tracking surveys this winter to look for more signs of the animals.
Game wardens have also asked hunters to look carefully before shooting anything that appears to be a coyote. ''If our department had suspected there might be wolves in Hancock County,'' Mrs. Palman said, ''we could have done a better job educating hunters and trappers.''
Gray wolves are on the Federal endangered species list in the 48 contiguous states except in Minnesota, where they are listed as threatened. Killing an endangered wolf is punishable by a year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.
About 75 miles, including farmland and the St. Lawrence River, separate Maine from the nearest wolf packs in the Laurentian Highlands of Quebec, said Craig McLaughlin, a biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Although icebreakers keep the St. Lawrence open in the winter, it can freeze over at times, which would allow a small group of wolves to cross.
Wolves feed on moose, deer and beavers -- all of which Maine has in abundance, said Daniel Harrison, an associate professor of wildlife economy at the University of Maine in Orono, who has studied both wolves and coyotes.
Private groups are already actively promoting the restoration of the wolf's population. One of them is Defenders of Wildlife, an organization based in Washington that spearheaded the successful campaign to reintroduce gray wolves into Yellowstone National Park, has advocated their reintroduction into New York's Adirondacks and parts of New Hampshire and Maine.
While the program in the West has angered ranchers who fear for their livestock, the idea of bringing wolves back to Maine has been opposed by hunters who do not want more competition for game. Some hunters seem to feel differently about wolves that arrive on their own.
Phil Phillips, a gunsmith at Willy's Gun Shop in Ellsworth, where the wolflike animal was killed, said he had never seen a wolf but would not be surprised to learn that the elusive creatures were here. ''It wouldn't be so bad to have a few around,'' he said. ''It might be kind of neat.''
Signs Suggest a Return Of Timber Wolf to Maine
Published: December 22, 1996 BDN
ELLSWORTH, Me., Dec. 21 — The caller told the game warden, Debbie Palman, that he had killed a very large coyote, but when Mrs. Palman saw the animal she knew right away that it was something else.
The big chest, long body, large head and the weight -- almost 82 pounds, more than twice that of the average coyote -- and other markings appeared to identify the animal as a timber wolf or a wolf hybrid.
Its presence on remote timber land several miles north of here in a sparsely populated part of northeastern Maine has fueled speculation about whether timber wolves are migrating down from Canada, more than a century after they disappeared from the state.
If genetic tests under way at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's forensic laboratory in Oregon determine that the animal is a timber wolf, generally known as the gray wolf, it will be the second one killed in Maine in recent years. In 1993, a bear hunter in northwestern Maine shot what tests later identified as a female wolf.
Wildlife biologists plan to conduct tracking surveys this winter to look for more signs of the animals.
Game wardens have also asked hunters to look carefully before shooting anything that appears to be a coyote. ''If our department had suspected there might be wolves in Hancock County,'' Mrs. Palman said, ''we could have done a better job educating hunters and trappers.''
Gray wolves are on the Federal endangered species list in the 48 contiguous states except in Minnesota, where they are listed as threatened. Killing an endangered wolf is punishable by a year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.
About 75 miles, including farmland and the St. Lawrence River, separate Maine from the nearest wolf packs in the Laurentian Highlands of Quebec, said Craig McLaughlin, a biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Although icebreakers keep the St. Lawrence open in the winter, it can freeze over at times, which would allow a small group of wolves to cross.
Wolves feed on moose, deer and beavers -- all of which Maine has in abundance, said Daniel Harrison, an associate professor of wildlife economy at the University of Maine in Orono, who has studied both wolves and coyotes.
Private groups are already actively promoting the restoration of the wolf's population. One of them is Defenders of Wildlife, an organization based in Washington that spearheaded the successful campaign to reintroduce gray wolves into Yellowstone National Park, has advocated their reintroduction into New York's Adirondacks and parts of New Hampshire and Maine.
While the program in the West has angered ranchers who fear for their livestock, the idea of bringing wolves back to Maine has been opposed by hunters who do not want more competition for game. Some hunters seem to feel differently about wolves that arrive on their own.
Phil Phillips, a gunsmith at Willy's Gun Shop in Ellsworth, where the wolflike animal was killed, said he had never seen a wolf but would not be surprised to learn that the elusive creatures were here. ''It wouldn't be so bad to have a few around,'' he said. ''It might be kind of neat.''
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thin Ice
This is a wonerful time of year, where one can fall asleep with the pond wide open, only to awake and find the winter lock of ice in. Amazing!!! Then a slight dusting of snow covers the lake adding more beauty. Adults want to fish and trap, kids want to skate and play on the ice. I have always felt that through the various season special alert eduction should be provided in our schools to kids on the dangers and hazards of various seasons. Thin ice is the first, the thin ice and freezing water is not like spring bee's, poison ivy, wet rocks and glass on the beach. One crack and the adventure can turn to disaster. I would ask that each of you take a moment and educate the young about checking the pond ice out at this time of year. A common mistake is following the dog running across the ice with its weight spread out on four feet and weighing much less or attempting to "go" rescue the dog that went through the ice. Education is the key...knowing what to do in case one goes through and how to call for help are keys to winter safety.
Duck Again
After thirty some odd years of ice fishing Duck Lake, progessing from winter camping in trash bags to tents to the luxury of an ice shack I thought the old man finally had outgrown this lake and trip. But at young age of 68, Hayward or as most of you know him, PeeWee awoke a week ago with the strongest desire to retire for the winter to Duck once again.
As we hunted the ridges around Jellison Meadow I could tell his mind was elsewhere. As the turkey roasted, the skill saw was running, for five non stop days work has been underway on the "new shack". Complete once again with bunkbeds, portapotty, counter, LP gas light/heat, sink, counter, stove, radio and this time $400 custom sliding windows. In addition it looks like shelves, mirror, mini ref and storage...and all this packed into a 7x12 building.
The annual event involves moving the shack to the landing at Duck late in December, usually he wants to get going Christmas afternoon and never fail by the 28th he wants to at least get her into the cove on whatever ice there be.
Because of the lack of movement with the state to purchase an easement or right to the 32-00-0 access at Gassabiss Stream it is a long haul to Enfield and Nicatous, that or sled from Route 9 or ride an ATV. But if the snow flies, the ATV trail is now a sled trail, so no ATV. If you trust leaving your vehicle on the 32-00-0 and riding in, hope it doesn't snow while you are fishing or again your are locked until spring. The hike to Duck is now a chore, but those chores create memories for years to come, abeit a hard trip for kids who want to go fishing.
So as you wander in the true remote woods of Maine, those bounded by Route 9 to Route 6, come join us for a cup of coffee and good story swapping.
Memories - John Hammond
It was a typical cool November night, 26 degrees, crystal clear, star bright and still. Zach, "blue" and I were slowly working our waay down a frosty old woods road in search of a few raccoons. Watching a dog work in this fashion is part of the joy, her nose searching the air for scent when suddenly the tails starts moving, then her rear is twitching and the paws are needing my leg....within moments her brawling voice is openning and screaming, let me down I need to run....and off in bounding leaps she gone, almost running on her hind feet as she reaches for the stars and more scent. This was a scene for years gone by and last night. Another bluetick with the same name as one from over twenty years ago....and the memories came flooding back. My partner tonight was my son of thirteen years....but years ago it was one of the most dedicated houndsman and avid outdoors I knew...John Hammond and his Redbones....I would hammer my blue against those dam redbones anyday now or then, at least that was the way John and I bantered back and forth. John passed years ago from a rare skin disease, way too young. But to this day, I carry his memory and his picture with that dam redbone isn't far away. In those few short years John's tales could fill volumes, especially the day the dog followed the cat down in the ledges, then jumped out leaving the down far underground with no way out. John spent days feeding and sleeping with the dog until he could chisel a hole by hand in rock to get his beloved redbone free....I know my search tonight is guided by both hound and houndsman...
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Moose Puddle
MOOSE PUDDLE
1980 – Moose Hunt Starts
1982 – Lorin's Permit
1996 – Snookey’s Permit
The adventure actually started in 1980 when it was legal once again to hunt Moose in Maine. This is a lottery draw permit system, Lorin and I have put in for a permit every year since 1980. Finally in 1982, Lorin and a friend of ours Joey DeRosche, which was Lorin’s subpermittee, got their permit to hunt Moose. Their zone was northeast. So we packed up all our gear, Lorin’s great list and my Dad’s old stripped out Scout to haul the big game. I went along for the trip to help out and do the women thing of taking care of camp. We ended up in Hersey, hunting the big fierce Moose. If memory serves me correctly, it was a warm week with lots of rain. We hunted every day, seeing a few moose from long distances and a big old Black Bear that just happened to cross our path, he got away. We got a little worried come Thursday and no Moose yet, all the pre season Moose had disappeared. Joey spotted what appeared to be fresh Moose tracks crossing the road. Eagerness and anticipation renewed we parked the truck and walked in. Their “he” was standing in the middle of a beaver bog. Lorin fired his 308 without a moment’s hesitation and took the Moose down with one shot where it had stood – in the middle of the pond. Here comes Joey on a dead run over to Lorin, when Lorin looked over and saw a huge bull standing looking at him a few yards away, probably wondering what all the commotion was about. Boy what temptation can do to a man. This bull was at least twice the size of the one down in the pond. Luckily Lorin was good at controlling his or we would have had a dilemmia on our hands trying to explain two Moose to our friendly wardens.
Well, we shot the Moose in the middle of the bog and the only thing sticking out of the water was one horn. No one wanted to get wet and fight the blood suckers. We tried throwing a rope to no avail. So I volunteered, but the guys didn’t want me to show them up so Lorin waded to the moose and dragged it or floated it to shore. Now the fun begins, after dressing out the Moose, we had to get it out to the truck! So Lorin, Joey and I all had rope harness and three beers that we sat every ten feet, we could have a beer when we got the moose dragged to the next can. I had the middle harness, and gave pull, I slipped with my new jeans and the boys pulled the moose over the top of me….nice cavity. Boy was that a treat and a lot of work. Well anyway we got the moose home. Lorin lived in Bangor in a much respected neighborhood across from the Eastern Maine Hospital. No one was real pleased with a moose hanging in the Willow tree in the front yard.
As you all know there was a lot of controversy over having a moose hunt and Lorin got his permit the year before the big vote in 1983. We gave away a lot of moose meat to persuade some of those votes. Being the radical Lorin can sometimes be, he couldn’t resist putting on his trucks tailgate “Eat Moose 10,000 coyotes can’t be wrong.
So it turns out we got to keep our moose hunting rights.
We continued to put in for our permits and after fourteen years it was my turn. I got my permit and Lorin was the subpermittee. I was so excited and couldn’t wait for October 7th that year to arrive. The zone I picked was southeast for the reason that we lived on Alligator Lake and own the sporting camp and do guiding. It was close to home and I have been watching a nice bull who had been handing around our home. Well the day finally came and so our true adventure begins, Lorin and I left the house bright and early Monday morning, the weather was great and we had high hopes and lots of determination, parked and called, drove a lot of roads and managed to see one bird, but no moose. All that pre season scouting and all the bulls were once again gone. We had to go to Bangor to replace a shock we had broken bouncing down roads. Tuesday we were doing a little bit better, we drove down one road and stopped by Alligator Stream and Lorin walked down to take a look while I waited in the truck, the next I know he is running up the bank, “get your gun quick” he said, well I am out of that truck like a shot, down over the bank I go and there is a huge cow with a calf. I just watched her walk out of my scope; I wanted to hold out for that bull I had been watching, so we continued traveling all the side roads and magin – no moose. It was getting late so we decided to head home, by way of the Stud Mill Road from somewhere down by Sabeo and down the road runs another cow with a calf, not really legal game since legal shooting had ended. Then we are 27-00-0 almost home and there is another cow and calf standing in the road. They saw us and the calf takes a left side of the road, and the cow heads down the road and turns in our driveway. I couldn’t believe it – maybe it would run into the cooler. So we were skunked for Tuesday. Here comes a new day and hopefully better hunting as we drove roads were there were none and walked bogs – brooks and hardwood ridges and to no avail. No moose, but we did see three birds and one doe in a clear cut. We got a few pictures of her, as deer are few and far between now out this way. I was getting discouraged because I really didn’t want to be one of the few that didn’t get a moose. Being a woman and all, I felt I had something to prove. We decided come Thursday morning to drive first thing and if we didn’t see anything we would take a canoe down Seven Mile Brook in Aurora. The weather wasn’t all that great, but what the hell we weren’t getting anywhere road hunting. So we load the canoe and drove down to Seven Mile. Arriving at the brook, we unloaded the canoe and packed the gear. Down Seven Mill Lorin paddled while I scouted for my moose. See I was lucky I had a Master Guide and he assured me we couldn’t miss by canoeing, there would be moose all down the brook. Down the brook we went over beaver dam after beaver dam and twisting water, there is a camp down the brook with an access bridge over the water, we had to portage as the bridge is just off the water. Then there were more beaver dams, an old rip logging dam and shallow water with rocky bottom and we had to drag the canoe. It was a gorgeous place to stop because of the huge rocks and hardwood ridge, perfect fall color, absolutely beautiful. We rested for a few minutes taking out and enjoying the rip, even though it was on the damp dreary side. All of sudden I heard this crashing noise along the right shore, so Lorin swings the canoe so that I am facing the shore, we see the shape thru the dense brush by shore and at first I thought it was a moose. So I am standing up in the canoe trying to get a better look and Lorin is telling me to sit down and not to shoot yet. Well as I got to looking I turned and said BEAR. Lorin never heard me say Bear, he thought I was still looking at what I thought at first was a small moose getting a drink a few feet in front of us. So I couldn’t fire and then the bear crashed off, I turned and asked Lorin why he didn’t want me to shoot the bear, he says what bear? I didn’t hear you say bear and since when do you listen to me anyways, you should have shot. Well whether I shot or not, it was exciting to see a bear that close. Well after that bit of excitement we continued on down to the old foot bridge which is fallen apart (this once was the way to an early village). It must have been about a four mile trip from the 29-00-0 road. Anyway by this time because I wasn’t paddling as I was cold and frustrated at not seeing my moose and it looked like spitting snow. So we decided to head back up stream, Lorin put my gun under his seat in a case so I could help paddle to warm up. We were talking and paddling along for about a couple of miles. And we came around a corner of the brook where it spread out wider and behold there was my moose my Master Guide had promised. Excitement that is felt hardly explains the feelings. I am screaming at Lorin to give me my gun that this moose wasn’t getting away. Boy they look a lot bigger than they are at a distance. Anyway Lorin passes me my gun and he's trying to tell me to wait until he puts the canoe to shore so we don’t tip over but I never heard him. I fired the first shot, never felt the gun kick as it usually hurts my shoulder when I practice with it. It’s only a 7mm 08 Remington bolt action, great little gun. Back to the story, so the moose faltered in the water and headed for shore, I went to shoot again but forgot to eject the empty shell. Lorin was telling me to shoot again, but I just so use to shooting a semi auto. The 2nd shot he was on the shore, I thought he was heading for the hardwood ridge and didn’t want to loose him. So I handed my gun to Lorin go make sure the moose stayed put. Lorin put the 3rd shot thru the neck and down he went. After I calmed down the work began. We field dressed the moose and finally got the moose rolled into the canoe, we had a radio with us and tried to get some help to get this moose out, but no one answered on the company repeater. Funny how your friends disappear when there’s work at hand. So with moose loaded, I am setting on the moose’s neck, antlers between my legs and I am trying to paddle. The canoe is off kilter because most of the moose’s weight is on the left side of the canoe. We had to get the moose out in a brook that ending having eleven beaver dams, a rift dam, a bridge and shallow water. It was the longest two miles of Seven Mile Brook I have had to paddle, we made it after dragging, pulling, straining muscles we never thought you had, but that bull came out whole. Not quartered and it never fell out of the canoe. After finally getting back to the road we hooked on to the canoe with the pickup and pulled it up the bank and down the road to a turn around so we could figure out how to load the dam thing since rigor had set in and the moose was now modeled to the canoe shape and wedged tight. We come-a-longed the canoe with moose still in it into the truck, breaking the rack off the truck in the process. All loaded we headed for Wesley and Cloud Nine Dinner to tag our well deserved moose. At the tagging station they had a map of where all the moose had been taken, every road we had been on showed three or four moose taken. People look at you kind of funny; like why did you go to all that trouble to shoot a moose, I guess it is a story of a life time and fun, we were looking for a story with a little more of a twist to it and we got one with pictures to prove it. The ironic thing about this that I also shot my moose on Thursday at 1pm, which was the same time and day Lorin got his fourteen years ago. One last not that nice bull moose we had been watching pre season is alive and well as we saw him in the door yard on the way home from town Saturday the last day of moose season, standing with a cow and calf. He knew he was safe legal shooting had just ended, wonder what deer season will bring.
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