Days Gone By!

Crossing the Union River from Great Pond Road or coming down the 23-00-0 from the Stud Mill was always a treat. Traveling and crossing Hinckley Brook, Dead Stream produced a bird, deer and maybe a bear. This once was a well traveled road used by logging and recreation. The old boiler tubes made a heck of a base for the bridge. Those days are now gone as the bridge as been washed out and the remains pulled. Now we must loop around to 01-18, maybe the River Road can once again be openned.

Turkey and Deer

While I am only an armchair biologist, I would offer that there is not enough food in most of Maine for both Turkey and Deer. My property has a large number of Oak trees'. The mast crop is falling hard, especially when it hits the barn roof. Usually there are six or so deer working the acorns through out the day and night. The turkeys however live in the tree's and clean up the mast crop, at times I think before it hits the ground. There is no question in my mind that the turkey directly competes for the same mast crop as the deer.

Moose Season

Only hours until another Moose Hunt in Maine gets underway, scouting the area and having the ability to get in the outback and retrieve your game is important. The old scout tractor is ready for action.

Is it Really Fall!

Tripping from Vanceboro to Loon Bay on the St. Croix River System. The veiws are unreal, maybe a bird or duck, fall colors, and few folks working the water. Time for one last trip before ice.

Chimney Fire

This is a picture of what us Mainers call a "chimney fire". One takes an old hollowed out log, beech, cedar or other, as long as its dry. I suggest starting out with a two or three footer for the average camp fire. Get your fire going, then stand the hollow log up in the coals, you can place a few rocks or bracing of logs to help support if need be. This chimney effect will last for hours, burning at the rate of about an inch an hour...and give enough light to read by. Kids really enjoy the method and warmth, you can also put the grill for hamburgers on the top.

Maine Day's

This is a future Maine Guide, well it seems Chris is off to his usual self of attempting to help me. Lets see fish for togue at Hopkins during the day, then hunt bear in the evening. What a great season

Moose Shades

Take a close look, notice the antlers, like a shovel or shade. Actually very sad the other side was the same, except into the eye and on the side you can see it blinded the moose so it kept running into trees.

The Old Man

Click the picture to enlarge and read cover

ATV Registrations

ATV registrations need to go calendar year just like boats! We registered the darn thing in late May, forgetting that the registration runs July 1 to June 30, so they get ya twice a year for costs. Guess what happens if you forget?

MOMO

MOMO
I am pretty sure this is a Clifton term, as I have never heard it anywhere else. I also think Manny started the term. So what is a “MOMO”? Well a momo is just a word or term I would think, like look at that MOMO, or what a MOMO you are. You can also say hi MOMO. I have family members I call MOMO 1, MOMO2 and MOMO3, something’s depending on the action, your number changes. So I guess MOMO means doing something good, stupid, acting like an idiot, spilling your drink (your such a MOMO), goofing off (mud truck stuck in water) – what a MOMO. Or if you get all the fish – you’re such a momo. MOMO is not a swear word or a negative word per say, it’s just a word to describe something, a feeling or someone, so take it in stride you MOMO.

Fear of the Dark

Maine Professional Guide Manual – Fear of Dark

This manual and its opinions are directed toward anyone interested in Maine outdoor recreation. You could be studying to be a Maine Guide, a hunter, trapper, fisherman, hiker, camper, bird watcher, snowmobiler or just out for a day in the woods. I have written his book to help you understand the Maine woods and how to survive our weather and conditions.

One of the chapters is in the manual is titled “You and the Dark”. With over thirty years hunting, guiding and traveling Maine, I have found a common thread with a lot of folk. It is universal to all; from about age nine to ninety.

Folks are scared of the dark! To this day I am still attempting to find the answer as to why folks are scared of the dark? Did a parent scare the kids, is it too much Monster Quest, are we scared of some strange creature – maybe Bigfoot? How often do you hear of anyone being attacked by a creature in Maine, let alone at night? Never!

Why is it that if we are with someone else our level of fear and rush of adrenaline disappears walking a camp trail? Companionship removes just about all fear of the dark, as does a campfire. We continue to hear stories of hikers, hunters and other confused recreationalist running madly through the woods, searching for a way out. Lost is only a state of mind. You are only lost if you have a planned point of arrival scheduled, otherwise you are just touring or wandering around, much like window shopping at the mall. There is not a creature in Maine that will go out of its way to hurt you, except for two, the black fly and mosquito. Now you might have a coon, fisher or bear investigate the smell of your cooking bacon or food, but not in search of you personally.

How to overcome the fear of the dark: try lawn sitting and looking at the stars, listen to the noise, cracking of branches, walking, snorting, yelling, crying, splashing and chirping. Sit the edge of the woods near a field on a cool crisp night, the sounds are amazing. The mouse and night squirrel going across the leaves sounds like a herd of elephants in the jungle. Work slowly more into the wood line listening. To improve your vision, close your eyes and hold them closed while you slowly count to ten, now open them.

The picture didn't come out well - it was dark

Seboeis Mud Run

The last Mud Run of the year is scheduled for this Sunday at Seboeis! Located just outside of Lincoln and Howland. Over a 1,000 folks show up for the event last month and camping is allowed Saturday free of charge. It's $10 to enter and $15 a run per class and winners win cash. There is also the pig run, like a 50-50 put in a "pig bank" and thrown in the mud, then there is the girl scramble to win the money.


The events are fun, safe, lots of food and consessions. Basicly there is a 100 yard mud pit, who can go the longest in the shorest amount of time wins. There is no backing or driving out for safety. Your vehicle must have a tow hook and when done you are pulled back by the loader.

We are loading the grill, gear and tents, the entire tribe will be arriving with our Toyota's and Scouts, like eighteen of us.

Seboeis Stream
Sunday, September 12 2010
Location: Howland
Contact: Andy Cummings 732-3512

Seboeis Stream. Sun, Sep 12th, 2010. MMBA - Pittston (S). Sun, Sep 19th, 2010 GoDeepMud: Dirty Dawg Deep Mud (*). Sat, Sep 25th, 2010. Rt 4 Mud Runs (Deep) ...
mainemudruns.com

And We Think We Have It Rough

Remember the winter in Allagash two years ago

Does David O'Connor Still Fish

I had someone ask me the other day if brother in law, David O'Connor still fished. This picture of Dave at Telos with Togue should answer that question. In Fact he has a new book out.

Tent

Here we go again with another product, being a long time Coleman Weathermaster 12x14 cabin tent user I found it was time to replace the pipe tent for something newer. The Kelsyus OGO7 at 10x10 fit the bill and its instant set up. And I do mean instant set up, stake it, open the door step inside push the center up and done! Seconds it up, the fly hooks take the most time. It is billed as a 3 season tent and has straight walls...wow room like the coleman, but instant. It's like taking a bedroom with you on the trip and great from late night set ups.

Old Town Pack Canoe

Wow its small and light weight at 33 pounds. This boat has become Zach's and my favorite. It has handled many streams, ponds, lakes and rivers this summer, replacing the tripper, otter and loon. It is designed for a single person with a cane seat. I found it tippy and did a modification, installing a sliding kayak seat. So basicly I have a light weight open kayak. Last week the boys enjoyed the Machias, with young Jon Ledger sitting on the floor in the front as Zach paddled using a kayak paddle. I attempted to keep up with a loon and then an otter kayak, I couldn't.

I quickly tried loading the front of the boat with gear and set off up stream. I now have my new trapping and deer hunting boat. I tried using a kayak, but couldn't get the gear stored. Problem is now solved.

Fall Trapping

During this bear season I have been scouting hard for trapping spots, my sister in law has found summer fun, but taking the kids and adults out two - three times a week and calling coyotes around the county. It amazing how close they come out to the car! They don't dare to get out yet and call. But anyways beaver are everywhere, now if only we could find some pricing to make it worth the effort. Seeing a good group of turkeys, but few deer, partridge (be it very hot). The loons (floating coyotes) seem well at hand on the pond, at least in front of camp and they are getting alot more fish than I am.

I am wondering with the low water how the rats, mink and otter are doing, fish must be pooled, but clams at high and dry for the most part. I noticed the eagle and osprey at the same time perched over the Machias watching a pool for signs of fish or other meals.

Its hard in our local area since Mowatt Fur went out to get a great selection of trapping supplies and books. I did visit the Maine Military Store (Frank and Ryan) in Brewer the other day and they had a reasonable selection of material and traps. Ryan said lure, scents and more Duke's are on the way from Cronks. G. Brailey of Kenduskeag also sports a nice collection.

As for local fur buyers about the only one remaining around Bangor at least is Stevens Fur. This man has been around long before the days of Mowatt and knows his fur, be it he could raise his prices a little. Steven's also does Pow Wow's and has a number of damaged tanned hides at great pricing. I purchase tan fur for school projects and to give as gifts to sports that wish to hang something around camp.

I miss the days of Dave Gould and Pomery, boy I am getting old.

Solar Lighting

While I am not going "green", I have found a nice solution to some age old problems. Like no lighting in the outhouse or wood shed, no lighting in the run in at the pasture and most important no lighting around the tent at night so the kids don't trip on the tent ropes.

Solar lighting - you get a panel and three lights with pegs and mounts. You just drive them in the ground camping or mount on the outhouse. In fact I mounted two panels, size of a sheet of paper and six lights at camp. At 90 degrees outside, it was so nice not to run the gas lights and the extra heat generated by them. These lights are LED and very very bright, enough to read and cook by.

Then I purchased a single Westinghouse spot solar with built in panel. I leave it out during the day and have been using during bear season to get clients and track. Ready for this it goes all night and is as bright as a flashlight for tracking or seeing in the woods. It keeps going and going.

These lights are available at most all stores, like Lowes, Home Depot, Aubuchons, Wal Mart, but the best pricing by far has been at K Mart and the good thing, if not in the store you can have shipped to store from their web site. The bad news is they are not made in America.

I have done a little testing with the LED's, they store the sun power with three, 1.5 volt rechargeable batteries. So I cut and spliced a few wire, installed them with a six volt battery and switches to rooms in the camp....wonderful and no power or maintenance costs. They also work great with RV's or outdoor functions.

The pricing is great $17 buck for panel and three lights, they also have 50 string white LED for about the same price to decorate the truck, camp site or bear bait. Know how the shadows and such creep in on the bait, it is legal to use a light during legal shooting hours, install a solar spot on a tree and the bait becomes alive in low lighting conditions.

Only wish I had a portable solar charger for the truck last week at the Machias, it was a long walk out to get phone service. This is better than JC Whitney

PMR-30

PMR-30

I don't know if I have found anything magical or not, but here is a brand new .22 mag pistol holding 30 rounds. A great gun for not only teaching youth shooting, but for trapping and outdoor uses. It is solid and priced right. Released in the 2nd quarter of 2010 they are a little hard to find at the moment, especially made in USA, but check with Crosby Gun or Rick at Van Raymonds.

The PMR-30 is a light weight, full size pistol chambered for the flat-shooting .22Magnum cartridge (.22WMR). The PMR-30 operates on a unique hybrid blowback/locked-breech system. This operation system allows for the use of a wide variety of ammunition as it seamlessly adjusts between locked breach and blowback operation, depending on the pressure of the cartridge. It uses a double stack magazine of a new design that holds 30 rounds and fits completely in the grip of the pistol. The trigger is a crisp single action with an over-travel stop. The manual safety is a thumb activated ambidextrous safety lever (up for SAFE, down for FIRE). The slide locks back after the last shot and a manual slide lock lever is also provided. The light, crisp trigger pull and fiber optic sights make the PMR-30 ideal for target shooting and hunting small game.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Calibers: .22 Magnum (.22WMR)
Weight unloaded: 13.6oz. 385.6g
Loaded Magazine: 6oz. 170.1g
Length: 7.9" 200.7mm
Height: 5.8" 147.3mm
Width: 1.3" 33.0mm
Barrel length: 4.3" 109.2mm
Sight radius: 6.9" 175.3mm
Energy (40gr): 138ft-lbs 187J
Capacity: 30 rounds
Trigger pull: 4-6 lbs 17.8-26.7N



Slide and barrel are 4140 steel, frame is 7075 aluminum. Grip, slide cover, trigger, mag release, and safety levers are glass reinforced Nylon (Zytel), much like other Kel-Tec Pistols. Magazine is Also Zytel and holds 30 rounds, with round count ports. Other features include: dual opposing extractors for reliability, heel magazine release to aid in magazine retention, dovetailed aluminum front sight, Picatinny accessory rail under the barrel, Urethane recoil buffer, captive coaxial recoil springs. The barrel is fluted for light weight and effective heat dissipation. PMR30 disassembles for cleaning by removal of a single pin.

Machias Trip

The waters of the Machias are running low, so low that we could not even kayak the last two weeks. So low that just above the West Branch beavers have built a dam completely across the river, about three feet high, which I am sure will not last during high water.

Over the past month of camping at Airline Rips, lower and upper West Branch and Number 10 (wonderland) I am pleased to report limited use and great folks. While now under the direction of PL (public lands) it is hard to use an ATV the area is still great.

The time has come to get a Machias River Group together, one that cares for the sites, raking, cutting brush back, trimming, cutting grass, outhouse care, adding a few lean too's, installing sign boards with maps and history of the river. You can go to any site in Canada and they look exceptional, but our sites rate low. We want to attract vistors and allow users to enjoy a Maine camping experience, but we do little to boost this effort.

We all talk about Restore Maine and the same of the paper companies, I think just the opposite, it was wonderful when land ownership was in the hands of the paper company. The lands were open and free to use, camping and ATV use was allowed, woodsman always gave direction and insight to hunting and fishing holes. Roads were maintained and again it was all on the backs of the paper companies like St. Regis and Great Northern.

Now we are so restricted and the rules continue to grow, yet site improvements lack for attracting visitors and locals. The Machias is Maines longest free flowing river providing excellent camping and views.

As for the fishing - poor, lots of bass and river chub's. From spring to now, few trout, in fact bass are above the bridge at the west branch now. There are no salmon and doutbfull there will be again, yet we are spending millions to improve stream conditions for fish that don't exist.

Recently, a few weeks ago, an fire broke out at #10 on the island, so new lush green growth will be starting over the next few years.

From Third Machias to the Wigwams to Holmes Falls we can do much with site improvements. I so much would like to apply for grants to make the sites attractive and useable, but with all the paperwork, studies and regulations I would never see it completed.

Game Warden's Job

The subject of a job description is usually left to union contracts and bargaining, especially when it comes to state employees. In some cases the legislator or Augusta directs what state employees can or can not do within the scope of their work. An example is the fifty or so Forest Rangers covering Maine, with some of the best working radio communications and field, wood wise, common sense employees. Yet even tho the statutes are clear on their law enforcement authority they are restricted by Augusta on enforcement. Even tho allowed, they don't have firearms, do arrests, do stops, check boats on waters or fish and game violations. Why? Sharing of resources between agencies such as Forest Rangers and Warden Service like helicopters and stations is tough, turf issues I suppose, even General Libby who worked so hard to break down the sharing of equipment couldn't help.

So here we have some of the best trained field state employees, covering all the woods and waters of Maine, yet restricted in enforcement. What a great asset to assist with milfoil and such.

Now lets look at a Game Warden, with the same powers and triple the manpower of the rangers and with more toys, gagets and goodies than you can shake a stick at. The statutes are very clear on why fish and game wardens were created and what their purpose is - fish and wildlife protector, they ARE NOT state troopers, DEA, border patrol officers or local police. Yet time and time again they are spending time enforcing or doing agency assists (so called) and more and more getting involved with the stand off shooting and the taking of life. Fish and Game has lost total sight of the mission of a Maine Game Warden. The blame for this rest clearly with the head of the warden service and has for years. One only need read the internal review or material offered by Sportsman Allinance of Maine. We need our fish and game wardens doing the mission they are regulated to do - the commissioner of fish and game should do the same as commissioner of conservation and write the policy on what warden can and can not do - what is the mission objectives. If you have ever had a dealing with a warden and a forest ranger - did you notice the difference in the approach and demeanor, is this because they don't carry a firearm? Forest Rangers developed and trained most all state employees in ICS - Incident Command System, GPS and tatics when dealing with people, so why are we restricting. I may not agree with our governor on various issues, but on this one, both should be mergered to create a Department of Natural Resource and Protection Officers. License's and such should be moved to the Bureau of Professional Licensing and hatcheries should go private (avoid the DEP fines). I listened to a warden recently comment that he couldn't do the job in the time alotted. I remember when a warden without a new 4 wheel drive, without GPS, snowmobile, ATV and aircraft, snowshoed into a pond to check camps and leave a business card. Or the days when a warden knew the best fishing hole or helped stock fish in ponds. These days need to return and the direct of a warden should be that of wildlife protector and educator.

Hunting book on line

You will notice a new link on the page to my book Maine Black Bear Hunting.

New State Discharge Law

Getting ready for the season I was target shooting the other day at my range as I and the family has done for years when a state trooper showed up. It seems a neighbor complained and that I was to be informed of the new law on discharge of firearms. Previous law allowed you to target shoot on your own land, and yes I have a back stop. The new law requires you to 100 yards, 300 feet from any type of building or storage area. Well yes there is a building on my neighbors that was within the 100 yard rule. So the range is shut down until the farm tractor can plow another pile of dirt 20 yards out. Make sure you know the new rule, 100 yards regardless of property ownership

Amherst Mountain Plan

Outline below is the information regarding the 5,000 acres of property the state is now holding. As expected things are changing from "the way Maine was". The company has blocked 22-00-00 so no access and now it is blocked from Fletcher Bluff and PC lands. So if you are out fishing, hunting, traveling and such to Bald Bluff or camp to fish, there is only one way to enter the property now and if coming cross country you can not exit out to route 9 anymore. So if driving from Old Town, you have driven 45 miles only to dead end block feet from route 9.

Dear Interested Person:

The Maine Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands invites you to attend a Public Meeting on the Amherst Mountains Community Forest Management Plan on July 13th at 6:00 p.m. at the Bangor Motor Inn & Conference Center located at 701 Hogan Road in Bangor.

The Amherst Mountains Community Forest (AMCF) is a unique state-municipal partnership involving 4,974 acres of forestland surrounding six ponds in the town of Amherst. The parcel was acquired by the Maine Department of Conservation with assistance from the Forest Society of Maine in June of 2009, with funds from the Forest Legacy Program, the Lands for Maine’s Future program and numerous charitable foundations and individuals.

This Amherst Mountains Community Forest Management Plan will append the Bureau’s Eastern Interior Region Management Plan, providing resource protection and management guidance for this property over the next 14-year period. The Plan has been six months in the making and has included a public scoping meting, two Advisory Committee meetings and a focus group meeting with the Town of Amherst’s Community Forest Committee.

The purpose of this final Public Meeting is to receive feedback on a Final Draft Management Plan. BPL staff will present an overview of the proposed plan, followed by an opportunity for members of the public to offer comments.

More information on the management planning process is available at http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/planning/amherstmountains/index.shtml. The Final Draft Plan will be downloadable from this website by July 6th – one week before the Public Meeting. Written comments will be accepted until July 27th – two weeks after the Public Meeting. After this comment period, the Final Plan will be prepared for review and adoption by the Commissioner.

Please contact me directly with questions, requests for paper copies of the Final Draft Plan, or written comments.

Thank you,

Misha Mytar, Senior Planner
Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands
P.O. Box 343
Sullivan, ME 04664
(207) 460-4818
misha.mytar@maine.gov

Downeast Brooks

Wow I had a nice feed of brook trout last night. The boys had been down route 9 on a brook near the Machias and found some nice fourteen inch fish in the fast water. The brook was off the 52-00-00 road near the West Branch. Talk about another wonderful campsite, both Airline and West Branch are not used much time of year, nor during deer or trapping season in the fall and they are free to use.

Allagash and Chamberlain

Well back for another trip to Chamberlain and Telos Lake. Water level was fishable, but the temperature was over 90 degrees and unbearable. I love the area so much I had applied for a ranger position on the waterway, so the kids and I decided to make a week of fishing, while also doing the interview. The other campers and gate folks must have thought I was nuts changing into a suit and walking around the campground getting ready for the interview. My good friend the Fire Chief in Bangor once told me that if you can't dress up one day in your life for an interview, something was wrong. So in the pouring rain, I cleaned up, shaved and put the suit and tie together, along with black loffers.

After the interview we fished Harrington Lake, there is brand new boat ramp to Harringon, on a shale road base (another flat). At the outlet of Harrington Katahdin Forest has a wonderful campground with lots of sites - in three days no other parties were present. The road to the dam has been gated this year, but the gates are down and the water level is back up to the way it was a few years ago, adding about six feet more water around the lake. Harrington is a deep lake at the south end with wonderful views of our big mountain, trout, togue and white fish roam the lake, along with cray fish. We saw no other boats or fisherman.

Since it was so hot, I tried to keep the tent cool and did not install the rain fly. Remember Murphys Law, while it rained and rained starting at 2am, enough to fill the tub of the tent and all the sleeping bags before we could get a fly up - we had a tough time finding the fly at 2am, so a trip to Millinocket to dry gear and eat at Pelletiers Log House.

Chamberlain and Telos are our prime fishing holes, at the south end of Telos out in front of High Bank and up the lake across from Lock Dam. As we hit the big lake in our 19 foot boat I openned the motor up, seeing a few canoers paddling the shore I went to throttle down - no luck the boat was wide open and roaring. So I pulled the emergency switch to kill it. It appears that the rotted throttle cable I meant to replace last year had let go. So in standing on the rear platform I cut the cable and went to work with a pair of vicegrips. I had Zach start the boat as I attempted to smoothly operate the power - no luck, back wide open again - the live bait being trolled at 30 mph was not happy, nor was I as I was standing on the platform holding on for the ride. Next thought was using a string to pull the throttle forward as it spring loaded to return. I was hoping to troll at 2mph, this didn't work either, so we limped back to the campsite, loaded and headed home.

Bear Baiting

Well here we are on the eve of another bait season. Thirty days until season opens. If you haven't had a chance to read my book "Black Bear Hunting and Baiting" there are a few still on sale at Blue Seal Feeds or you can read it for free online at the home page (in word).

I would like to offer a few suggestions to the sportsman in search of a black bear. First bait sites are hard to come by, if you are on land other than yours, you must have permission. Most large landowners, especially paper companies charge a fee per bait site of $100 and bait sites are leased on a square mile basis. Baiters can get pretty terrorial to say the least, especially when paying hundreds of dollars to lease a site and are responsible for all liter and tresspass laws. So please take care and make sure you have proper permission and labeling of your site in accordance with the law. Having bait sites, closer than a mile apart result in overlapping of the bear to multiple baits and in fact reduces chances as the bear can get all the bait it wants.

This is a berry year, meaning there is a lot of natural food for bear. That is both good and bad for the baiter. It may take a little extra to get your bear coming, but once it finds you then it is important to keep the bait coming.

Type of bait and lures to use is as wide open as the size of the bear. How the site looks and the clean up is important to me. I perferr to use natural baits and ground cubbles with logs. This results in no mess and no litter issues. A lot of folks use barrells/drums and all sorts of products. This creates a huge mess and lots of work, when all you need a 3 lb coffee can of bait a day or so. Remember the black bear stomach is relatively small, not much bigger than a few donuts. Bears are not meat eaters, in fact they perferr grains, nuts and grass over carrion. Not to say the beaver doesn't work well.

Thought should be given to the amount of bait you will need and how you plan to tend the site once started. I go through about (2) drums per bait per year, or 5 gallons a day at a hard working site, this is pasteries. Natual bait can be done with a coffee can a day. So really think this through, do you really want to get pasteries that are wrapped and the work that goes into that. If you elect to do this, I would suggest moving the television outside, get a board three feet long, rest the board on your chair or stool and drive a nail in between your legs. You can slice a package open on the nail, bend and dump to a pail on the right side of the chair and put the wrapper in a pail on the left side of the chair. This is redneck baiting.

Location of site is the next step and takes a while to learn, I can all but bet when you find an area, someone else already has permission or is nearby. Study topo maps looking for wet holes/swamps and ridges of beech nuts. Think that is you were 300 pounds with a fur coat where you would want to be in 70-80 degree weather. The law requires that bait sites be at least 50 yards off a trail or road and there are other restrictions on dumps and such.

Next we will talk locations and tending the site. You can get all this and more in the book for free. Remember Know The Law!

Deer Permits

Reminder that you have only one day remaining to send in for your any deer permit, or if done on line until August 16th. If you can read this you can do the on line permit request and its free!

Hopkins and other waters

Well ice is out and we put have put the boat in a few times at Hopkins, now listen we are hard core fisherman and not one to be skunked at Hopkins, but twice now, no fish, no strikes and ZERO on the finder. Water temp is 45 degrees and high. We hit bottom, top, middle and even hugged shore - ...brooks have a produced a few small trout.

Night Fishing

As we searched for smelts, I stopped at every brook, even non smelt ones just to check things out. And once again we forgot a fishing pole. Every brook we stopped at had trout holding in its waters, nice trout. Mike was shocked "I didn't know they swam at night!" What the hell do you think they do, sink or float, actually trout and salmon prefer to eat and swim at night.

The Smelt Trip

Well we made the trip down Route 9, Mike, Gramp, Zach and me in search of "smelts". We found trout and splake in every brook, a few pickeral, moose and moose, but no smelt - only gated roads.

The Conditions

The weather again - proposed heavy rain for the next few days, but at 11:45 pm Sunday its snowing and staying! Into Jellison to see if we could fish, now consider that every pond and lake checked so far is clear of ice. Nope not the camp pond, iced in solid, enough we can walk on it and drill holes - amazing. But being in the valley and protected from any sun, I can understand such.

I hear the salt water smelts are running on the Penobscot, loved fishing Brewer, but now with the new rip rap they have destroyed the fishing spots.

Beaware you can only keep 2 trout from lakes and ponds in Hancock County, new regulation.

Gear List

Recently I have received a couple of emails asking me to reprint my gear list. So here it is, do with as you wish. This is my gear list and how I store them in totes and dry boxes. You may see a few items listed more than once, that is because they are common items and I can reach for them in any box. Good trails!!!
ON PERSON – VEST/JACKET
0 Handkerchief 0 Cell Phone 0 Compass
0 Water 0 GPS 0 Firearm/Ammo
0 Glasses 0 Leather man 0 Lighter
0 Money 0 License 0 LED Light

DAY/GUIDE PACK – GENERAL USE (camo)
0 Knifes 0 Cylume 0 Survival Kit
0 Fire Starter 0 Water 0 Rope
0 GPS/Spare 0 Towel 0 Flashlight
0 Cup/drink 0 Maps 0 Marker
0 Toilet Paper 0 Cat Eyes 0 BU Compass
0 Chap Stick 0 Foil 0 Flagging
0 Aid Kit 0 Lighter/candle0 Bug Dope
0 Trash Bag 0 Trail Mix 0 Mirror
0 Zip Lock 0 Sharpener 0 Spare Glasses
0 Binoculars 0 Wipes 0 Batteries
0 Paper/Pencil 0 Head Lamp BU 0 EPI Pen
0 Peroxide 0 String Line 0 Fold Saw
0 Strobe 0 Candy 0 EM Blanket
0 Whistle 0 0

CHUCK - UTILITY BOX – MASTER TOTE (gray)
0 Notepad 0 LP Tree 0 LP hose (2)
0 LP Tank 1lb 0 Fish Maps 0 Lighter Fluid
0 (2) Lanterns 0 EM Radio 0 Flask JD
0 Hotdog Sticks 0 Hand Saw 0 Grill Regulator
0 Paper Towels 0 Zip Ties 0 Cook Oil
Box 1 – Inside Master
0 Flagging 0 Toilet Paper 0 Shampoo
0 Bug Dope 0 Vinegar 0 Soaps
0 Bleach 0 Trash Bags 0 Table Cloth
Box 2 – Inside Master
0 Zip Lock 0 Water Filter 0 Cribbage
0 Scrubber 0 Matches 0 Mirror
0 Candles 0 Nylons 0 Nails/Kit
0 Duct Tape 0 Fire Starters 0 Mantles (tub)
0 Rope 0 Lighters 0 AA Batteries
0 Cylumes 0 Solar Lights 0 Stove Hose

KITCHEN KIT – York Box (green)
0 Pots 0 Skillet 0 Silverware Kit
0 Utensils 0 2 Red Bowls 0 Bowls
0 Strainer 0 Aid kit 0 Cups
0 Cut board 0 Matches 0 Plates
0 Creamer 0 Sugar 0 Tea

KITCHEN KIT 2 – York Box (green)
0 Plates 0 Cups 0 Silverware
0 Bowls 0 Hang organizer0 Dish pans
0 Salt/Pepper 0 Hammer 0 Tub of bags
0 Napkins 0 Flashlights 0 Rope

***all totes taped or bungee corded, not needed on York Boxes

TENT PACK – Rubber Maid (gray)
0 Rain Fly 0 Air Mattress 0 Air Pump
0 Tie Downs 0 Tarp 0 Power Convert

0 Dust pan 0 Door Mat 0 Repair kit
0 Tents 0 Tent Poles 0 Tarp poles
PERSONAL KIT – Big Blue Dry Bag
0 Socks (4) 0 Pants (2) 0 Shorts
0 Long Johns 0 t-shirt 0 Underwear
0 Slippers 0 Towel 0 Reading Book
0 Shave kit 0 Hat 0 Jacket
0 Gloves 0 Flannel Shirt 0 Turtle Neck
0 Rain Gear 0 Swim Trunks 0 Spare Glasses

SPECIAL ITEMS – AS NEEDED
0 Chain Saw 0 Axe 0 Boat gas
0 ATV 0 Throw Rope 0 Spare Gas
0 Boat/Motor 0 Paddles 0 PFD
0 Kayak 0 Cooler/Ice 0 Sleeping Bags
0 Waders 0 Jump Start 0 Booster Cable
0 Hand Saw 0 Sleep Mach 0 Sun Block
0 Spare Plugs 0 Siphon Hose 0 Tarp Bucket
0 Cameras/video 0 Batteries 12v 0 Power Convert
0 Plaster Equip 0 Meds/Viatims 0 Port Radios
0 Tackle Box 0 Maps 0 Fish Poles
0 Net 0 Crayfish trap 0 Worms/Bait
0 Fish Vest 0 Gallon Water 0 Radios FRS
0 Boat Oil 0 Auger 0 Tote/Sled
0 Snowshoes 0 Snowmobile 0 Climb Gear
0 Come a Long 0 Skinning Kit 0 20lb LP
0 Aid Box 0 License Box 0 Straps/Rope
0 Moose Kit 0 Spare Tires 0 Plastic Roll
0 Clothes Pin 0 Shovel 0 Folding table
0 Flares

IN TRUCK – When Guiding or Tripping
0 Binoculars 0 Radio 0 Ear Protection
0 Leather man 0 Knife 0 Rope
0 GPS Tom/Tom 0 Maps 0 Toilet Paper
0 Aid Kit 0 Throw Rope 0 Gallon Water
0 Flashlights 0 Vest 0 Rain Gear
0 Sock 0 Gloves 0 Flagging
0 Wipes 0 Cylumes 0 Day Pack
0 Trail Mix 0 Paper 0 Tool Kit
0 Stand Box 0 Stand Harness 0 Tag Box

FORESTRY PACK – Yellow Box
0 Adaptor 0 Spanner 0 Flagging
0 Headlamp 0 Water 0 Cylumes
0 Trail Mix 0 Gloves 0 Aid Kit
0 Hardhat 0 Goggles 0 Ear Protection
0 Shirt(2) 0 Pants 0 Radio FRS
0 Handkerchief 0 Boots 0 Chap Stick

Things you need to bring on the trip

0 Air Mattress 0 Sun Block 0 Camera
0 Snacks 0 Sleeping Bag 0 Socks (4)
0 Pants (2) 0 Shorts 0 Sweat Pants
0 T-shirt(2) 0 Underwear 0 Croc/water
0 Shoes 0 Games DS 0 Tooth Brush
0 Towel 0 Reading Book 0 Hat
0 Jacket/rain 0 Flannel Shirt 0 Turtle Neck
0 Meds/Vitamins 0 Chap Stick 0 Fish Gear
0 Girl Stuff 0 Medications 0 Razor
0 Deodorant 0 Cell Phone

My First Aid Kit
0 Medications 0Tri Bandages 0 Roll Bandage
0 Tape 0 Wipes 0 Gauze pads
0 Napkins 0 Swabs 0 Tweezers
0 Safety pins 0 Scissors 0 Bee Sting kit
0 Sinus Meds 0 Compresses 0 Splinting Material
0 Ipecac 0 Band Aids 0 Antibiotic Cream
0 Calamine lotio0 Peroxide 0 Eye Wash
0 Stethoscope 0 CPR mask 0 Gloves
0 N95 mask 0 Hot/cold pack 0 Soap
0 Aspirin 0 Thermometer 0 Mole skin
0 Motrin 0 Cold Med 0 Tylenol
0 Vicks Vapor 0 Micro Shield 0 Witch Hazel
0 Q tips 0 Tums/Rolaids 0 Super Glue
0 Ace bandage 0 Epi Pen 0
MEAL PLAN – GROCERY LIST
BREAKFAST Cereal, Oatmeal, Pancakes, Egg/Ham-Bacon, OJ, Toast, Soft Boiled Egg
LUNCH Ham, Tuna, Peanut Butter, Jelly, Hotdogs or Pressed Meat with Chips, Noodles
Chop Suey
Steak
Hamburger
Ham Steak
Chicken Legs
Mac Cheese
Hotdogs
Chili
Pasta - Spaghetti Rice
Asparagus
Beans
Corn Cob
Noodles

SUPPERS
Rolls, Potato Salad, Potatoes, Beans, Noodles, Brownies, Hard/Soft boiled eggs, apples, cheese, snacks, candy

0 Bacon 0 Beans 0 Chips
0 Eggs 0 Bread /Buns 0 Cereal
0 Cheese 0 Crackers 0 Coffee
0 Steak 0 Bisquick 0 Fruit
0 Hamburger 0 Creamer 0 Honey
0 Corn on Cob 0 Marshmallows 0 Noodles
0 Chicken 0 Juice 0 Pop Tarts
0 Sandwich Meat 0 Hot Coco 0 Tuna
0 Butter 0 Mac Cheese 0 Sauce
0 Hot Dogs 0 Oatmeal 0 Macaroni
0 Milk 0 Peanut butter 0 Potatoes
0 Ham Steak 0 Rice 0 Cup Soup
0 Sausage 0 Crystal Ice 0 Can Soup
0 Salads 0 Syrup 0 Vinegar
0 Sunny D 0 Crisco 0 Cukes
0 Pancake Mix 0 Spaghetti 0 Rolls
0 Onions 0 Drinks 0 Tomato
0 Condiments 0 Smores Stuff 0 Sugar
0 Bars 0 Snacks/Candy 0 Jelly
0 Mustard 0 Relish 0 Mayo
(BOLD) items require ice/frozen cooler.
Suggest that meals be prepared at home and frozen.

Mud Season - Respect Landowners

Well congratulations to our IFW and Governor, they have openned fishing a week early, this was done to allow fisherman a few fish. See the Lake Buzzard is already back "the loon", they get about 8 pounds of fish a day, more than you and I will.

But I am writing to remind you that mud season is here and many of the places we fish we must cross private lands and or paper company lands. GMO has closed, gated and locked all roads until May 15th so early fishing will do little for us. Crashing these gates or finding a way around them only makes things worst. The roads get rutted and destroyed and landowners get very pissed off.

So you mud truck boys and fisherman, please find some hot top fishing spots for a few weeks until things dry out.

FISHING OPEN EARLY - GOV SIGNS EM LAW

Open Water Fishing Season Opens Early
March 25, 2010

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES & WILDLIFE 284 State St., SHS 41, Augusta, ME 04333 www.mefishwildlife.com Main Number: 287-8000

MEDIA: For more information, call IF&W Spokeswoman Deborah Turcotte at (207) 592-1164

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 25, 2010

Open Water Fishing Season Now Open

AUGUSTA – Open water fishing season is now open under an emergency law signed by Gov. John E. Baldacci today, Thursday, March 25, 2010.

All lakes, ponds and brooks are open except those with specific opening-day regulations that start after April 1 as listed in the 2008-2009 Open Water Fishing Law Book.

Bag and size limit rules contained in the 2008-2009 Open Water Fishing Law Book also apply.

The emergency law is in effect until April 1, 2010.

A new fishing law book that combines ice fishing and open water fishing rules, including several new regulations, will become effective on April 1, 2010. Distribution of this law book began a couple of weeks ago and is available where fishing licenses are sold.

“People have been anxious to drop their lines given that ice fishing season ended too soon in some parts of the state, with many lakes and ponds experiencing early ice out conditions,” Commissioner Roland “Danny” Martin said. “We’re happy to provide this opportunity to anglers, and remind them to be mindful of early spring cold-water conditions by being safe.”

Open water fishing season historically begins on April 1 on most waters of the state. Because of unseasonably warm weather opening up waterways in many counties and strong public interest in wanting to fish, Maine Sen. Bruce Bryant, D-Oxford County, sponsored emergency legislation to start the season early.

“Let’s go fishing!” exclaimed Sen. Bryant, upon the Governor’s signature of the bill.

Emergency law opens season today (March 25), but 2008-2009 rules apply until April 1

Emotional Distrubed Fishing Laws, New April 1

People, kids, family and friends want to fish, most of the time they could care what they catch. There is a new 2 year law book out, the rules take effect April 1st and are designed to create revenue for the Green Monsters – called the Warden Service.

This is the most confusing 104 law book ever written and it will keep lawyers and courts busy for years to come. We call it “emotional disturbed” laws, written by a college educated fool, with the help of SAM. We’ve got CI, CO, B, A, Eastern, Southern, Northern, open water, ice fishing and more (S) regulations than any sane person could understand.

We want to fish year round, all waters, including brooks and streams. What would happen if we didn’t ever have any ice for ice fishing? People writing regulations should sit down and think from the mindset that we don’t have any ice and go from there. It could be very simple, does anyone in Disgusta look to other states that get ice and allow fishing year round, both through the ice or open water?

Fishing would be permitted year round, by either trap or rod. A fisherman is allowed three rods or traps. (no longer two rods, or two or five traps - three period). You can stand on shore, or ice, on your head for that matter, fish in a boat, canoe, kayak, sit on the ice or drill a hole, but only three rods or traps or combination of, but no more than three. The current special lakes just force people to get a big party together to put out more traps and rotate fishing holes.

The limit on salmon, togue and trout state wide from lakes and ponds is two, unless special regulations allow the taking of a higher limit. A person may have four trout from brooks, streams and rivers, unless special regulations allow a higher limit. All trout and salmon caught from October 1 to December 31 must be released immediately.

Night fishing is allowed year round.

Trout must be 6 inches, salmon 14 inches, and togue 18 inches.

Slot laws don’t work – the loons get the bigger fish anyways and fish caught in the slot, especially through the ice have a high mortality rate, so just keep two fish. That or dead fish are stuffed down the hole or packed away and taken home. If stopped oops, ahh I caught these at…just come up with a lake that is open without a slot law.

Amherst Mountain Plan

The Maine Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands invites
you to attend a Public Meeting on the Amherst Mountains Community Forest
Management Plan on March 17th at 6:30 p.m. at the Bangor Motor Inn &
Conference Center located at 701 Hogan Road in Bangor.

The Amherst Mountains Community Forest (AMCF) is a unique
state-municipal partnership involving 4,974 acres of forestland
surrounding six ponds in the town of Amherst. The parcel was acquired
by the Maine Department of Conservation with assistance from the Forest
Society of Maine in June of 2009, with funds from the Forest Legacy
Program, the Lands for Maine's Future program and numerous charitable
foundations and individuals.

The purpose of the Public Meeting is to collect information and to hear
comments from the general public regarding the management of this
parcel. Public knowledge of the region will help shape the plan, which
will provide resource protection and management guidance for this
property over the next 15-year period.

An Advisory Committee has been formed to provide additional input and to
review drafts of the plan. A second public meeting will be scheduled in
June to receive feedback on a final draft. Comments are invited
throughout the planning process.

More information on the management planning process is available at
http://www.maine.gov/doc/parks/programs/planning/amherstmountains/index.
shtml. Please feel free to contact me with questions or to submit
written comments.

Please circulate this invitation to interested parties.

Thank you.

Misha Mytar
Senior Planner
Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands
P.O. Box 343
Sullivan, ME 04664
(207) 460-4818
misha.mytar@maine.gov
www.parksandlands.com

Vacation Plans

Well the ice is getting weaker. Pre planning was held this evening for the spring and summer season. Memorial Day Week will find the crew at, where else, Duck Lake. Some will be at the campground and others at the Beach. Between the three familys, looks to be a good group. Next is Fathers Day Weekend, continuing in the 47th year with many generations - Telos at High Bank. Then there is the Machias River and Airline Rips - if only the state would build a few more log lean too's - so much warmth and memories. The trip to Debscogeag will not happen this year, nor are we heading to Musquicook. However Haymock and Eagle will see a trip. The kids really want to do another St. Croix run for 3 days, but I really enjoy camping in the nice sites on the Canandian side, but have been told with proper paperwork and passports we could get in a lot of trouble. At least they invest in recreation on the river, our side leaves much to be desired. I was aksing about Tunk Lake the other day and still hear fishing is slow and not any real big fish. I would really love to give it a two or three day push, but there doesn't seem to be much interest. Lee is selling the camp on Moosehead, taxes are very high and purchased a 36' foot to partol the lake with this year, no taxes. But on the way to Duck, boy I wish GMO would let the state put the bridge back in on the 32-00-0 at Gassiabiass so the southern folk could get there easier and safer.

Huntin and Fishing with the Old Man

Well O'Connor has his newest book out, Huntin and Fishing with the Old Man, I love the section on how we call fishing - farmin.

Short Stories

After the first book on Bear Hunting in Maine I have been working on a few others. One on how to serve in local rural politics, another Maine Professional Guide Manual, then Life on Alligator and a secret special one. However I have started posting short stories at www.registeredguide.blogspot.com, a link on this page. Hope you enjoy the reads. Lorin

MOMO

MOMO
I am pretty sure this is a Clifton term, as I have never heard it anywhere else. I also think Manny started the term. So what is a “MOMO”? Well a momo is just a word or term I would think, like look at that MOMO, or what a MOMO you are. You can also say hi MOMO. I have family members I call MOMO 1, MOMO2 and MOMO3, something’s depending on the action, your number changes. So I guess MOMO means doing something stupid, acting like an idiot, spilling your drink (your such a MOMO), goofing off (mud truck stuck in water) – what a MOMO. Or if you get all the fish – you’re such a momo. MOMO is not a swear word or a negative word per say, it’s just a word to describe something or someone, so take it in stride you MOMO.

The Results

The gang made it to camp, although we had to pull the old man back on the road four times, its mud season. Four trout were taken 8-12 inches long. The boy decided to check out the road and four hours later as darkness fell, jacks were still being deployed to get the truck back on to solid ground. The old man was not happy. Just another day in Maine

Jellison Hill and Alligator Lake

The Boys are Fishing! Dillion and group hit Alligator yesterday fishing off Bamfords Island. Weather was nice and pulled a few salmon through the ice, all within the slot limit however, so no keepers. Today the Old Man and Red has struck off to Jellison with the tracked rig. Hoping to get within them after Zach's Saturday School. Ice conditions along the shore are sketchy, but there was about a foot of ice off shore - just do regular checks before venturing out. Another good friend returned from Millinocket Lake yesterday, the ice was poor so all they got was a few perch, the old ice holes had openned up the size of cars. Lets be Careful out there folks.

Black Bear Info

Black Bear
by Craig McLaughlin
Wildlife Biologist

Physical Characteristics
The black bear is the smallest of the three species of bears inhabiting North America (black, brown/grizzly, and polar), has the widest distribution on the continent, and is the only bear living in the eastern United States. Black bears are found in most forested areas from Mexico north to the edge of the tree line in Canada and Alaska. Although most black bears are not much larger than humans, their weight can vary tremendously with the season of the year. Bears store body fat during the fall months to supply energy during their long winter denning period, and are heaviest in late fall.

Adult males average 250 - 600 pounds, and measure 5-6 feet from tip of nose to the tip of their tail. Females are smaller, weighing 100-400 pounds, and measuring 4-5 feet in length. Males stand about 40 inches tall at the shoulder; females seldom exceed 30 inches in height. Bears are compact, with stocky legs, small eyes, short, rounded ears, short curved claws, and a short, inconspicuous tail. The black bear has a straight facial profile and a massive skull. Black bears in Maine are normally black , but they are often various shades of brown to cream colored in western populations, and are even white, and blue-gray in color in coastal British Columbia and Alaska. They have a brown muzzle, and occasionally a white throat or chest patch or "blaze". Bears walk flat-footed, and their broad feet leave 5-toed tracks that sometimes resemble human footprints. Tracks of female bears rarely exceed 4.5 inches in width; males leave tracks up to 6 inches wide.

Natural History
Habitat.
Black bears require forests for protection and food. They are amazingly adaptable to human presence, and are able to survive in close proximity to housing developments and suburban areas wherever cover to escape cover exists.

Food habits.
Bears are opportunists, and feed on a wide range of vegetation and animal matter. They eat a variety of plant matter throughout the growing season, including early greening grasses, clover, and the buds of hardwood trees in the spring, fruits and berries in summer, and beechnuts, acorns, and hazelnuts in the fall. This diet is supplemented with insects, including ants and bees (their larvae, adults, and honey), and occasional mammals and birds. Bears are not considered efficient predators, but they are known to prey on young deer and moose in late spring, and will consume carrion. Bears are intelligent, and adapt rapidly to new food sources, including agricultural crops and food placed to attract other wildlife, such as bird feeders, and untended garbage. Therefore, they occasionally cause problems for farmers, beekeepers and orchardists, and rural residents in the State.

Reproduction.
Black bears breed from May through August, with most activity peaking in June and July. Adults are solitary, and during the summer months males travel over large areas to enhance their chances for encountering mates. Although males become sexually mature at 1-2 years of age, most do not participate in breeding until they have reached full adult size, at about 4-6 years in Maine.

Females in Maine become sexually mature at 3-5 years of age. Individual females have a 2-year reproductive cycle, which is related to their long period of parental care for cubs. Bears have a long gestation period, but most fetal development is delayed until the final 6-8 weeks. Breeding occurs in the summer, prior to the fall feeding period that provides the female with stored body fat to supply demands for fetal development and her survival during the winter. If a female is unable to store sufficient body fat, the pregnancy is terminated. Most fetal development occurs in early winter, after the female has entered a den, and 1-4 cubs are born inside the winter den during January - February. Cubs weight about 12 ounces at birth, and depend on their mother for warmth and nutrition during the remainder of the winter. They grow to 4-10 pounds by mid-late April, when the mother leads them away from the den. The family group remains together for 16-18 months, until the female reenters estrus and disperses her yearlings as another breeding season begins. In northern Maine, fluctuating beechnut crops have produced alternating years of high and low cub production, with most cubs being born on odd-numbered years. Cub production is more consistent in central Maine, where more stable fall food supplies result in nearly half of adult females giving birth each year.

Longevity.
Bears are long-lived animals, capable of surviving 30 years in the wild. Their survival increases as they mature. Nearly half of newborn cubs may die before reaching their first birthday, with starvation being a major cause of death. By the time bears in Maine reach 2 years of age their survival exceeds 90%, and nearly all deaths of adult bears are due to hunting or other man-related causes.

Movements.
Black bears lead solitary lives, except for breeding pairs,family groups comprised of adult females and their offspring, and occasional aggregations at concentrated food sources. Females use areas of 6-9 mi2 in Maine. They are sedentary and remain within or near the range of their mother for the duration of their lives. Males disperse long distances (often up to 100 miles) as subadults (1-4 years of age) prior to settling into adult ranges that may exceed 100 mi2. Bears often make trips up to 40 miles outside of their ranges to feed on berries or nuts (or occasionally to an orchard or field of oats or corn) in late summer or fall. When feeding on a concentrated food source, bears may use areas as small as several acres; when searching for dispersed food or mates, they can cover several miles in a day. Bears are active in late fall as long as food is plentiful. In years of abundant beechnut crops, they will feed until snow makes travel difficult, and normally enter dens in late November. If late fall food is scarce, bears usually enter dens by mid-October.

Hunting Tips
•Successful hunters know that the best places to locate bears are at food sources. Pre-season scouting increases your success rate. Look for tracks, droppings, broken stems or branches near seasonal food supplies.
•Always ask landowner permission before setting baits or starting hounds.
•Hunt near food sources that are "in season". Early in the fall, bears are found near clear cuts that produce berries; late in the fall, hunt near sources of beechnuts or acorns.
•Scent control is a must for successful hunting over bait. Wear rubber footwear, keep hunting clothing clean, and avoid wearing it in camp where foreign odors can be picked up. Do not smoke on stand. Use cover scent.
•Tree stands are dangerous. Secure yourself with a safety strap. Do not climb with a firearm or bow in your hand; instead, use a haul line after safely strapping yourself in.
•Practice with your weapon continuously to maintain proficiency. Bears must be hit solidly in the lungs or heart, rather small targets compared to a bear's large body size.
•Hunting with hounds is physically demanding. An exercise program will put you in shape to complete a hunt safely.

Historical Management in Maine
Population and Distribution Trends.
Historically, bears were found throughout the State. Following European settlement, bears were extirpated from the south-coastal section of Maine, from Portland north to Penobscot Bay as forests were cleared for farming. Soils were depleted and agriculture declined since the turn of the century, and forests have re-grown and are once again able to support bears. However, bears are slow to recolonize vacant habitat, and are still rare visitors to south-coastal Maine. Most of the State has remained a stronghold for black bears. Historical accounts suggest that population density fluctuated over the last century, but the State has always supported an abundant bear population. Interest in bear hunting increased in the 1970s, and the Department's Bear Study was established in 1975 to monitor population trends. The statewide population was estimated at 6,000-9,000 in 1979, and season restrictions were implemented to guard against over harvests. By 1984, improved information on bear densities yielded a revised statewide estimate of 18,000 bears. The 1985 population was estimated at 21,000 bears, but renewed interest in hunting and escalating harvests during the late 1980s reduced the population to 18,000 bears by 1989. Additional restrictions on hunting season length have increased bear survival during the 1990s, and the population increased to 22,000-23,000 bears in 1998.

Management Goals and Objectives
Wildlife Management Districts 1-23 and 25-281.
Goal: Provide hunting, trapping, and viewing opportunity for bears.

Objective 1: Stabilize the bear population by 2005 at no less than current (1999) levels, through annual hunting and trapping harvests.

Objective 2: Create information and education programs by 2002 that target specific audiences and promote traditional hunting and trapping methods as valid and preferred tools to manage black bear populations in Maine.

Objective 3: Create information and education programs by 2002 that target specific audiences and promote public tolerance of bears in Maine.

Wildlife Management District 29.
Goal: Provide hunting, trapping, and viewing opportunity for bears.

Objective 1: Increase the traditional hunting and trapping effort on bears within the existing season framework to reduce fawn mortality by 15% by (date - to be determined by IF&W).

Objective 2: Create information and education programs by 2002 that target specific audiences, and promote traditional hunting and trapping methods as valid and preferred tools to manage black bear populations in Maine.

Objective 3: Create information and education programs by 2002 that target specific audiences and promote public tolerance of bears in Maine.

1 Wildlife Management Districts 24 and 30 have high human populations and fragmented forests that are largely unsuitable as bear habitat. Consequently, the public working group did not develop goals and objectives for these districts.

Did you know...
Although they appear slow and lumbering, bears can run at speeds up to 35 miles per hours?

Bear cubs have blue eyes, which turn brown during their first summer?

Bears may remain in their dens for 5-6 months each year in Maine. During this time they do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate?

Union River

Will a trip to Tannery Loop Road in Amherst was in order yesterday. Water level is high and relatively ice free which would allow for some playing with canoe or kayak if you are brave enough to stand the cold, a dry suit might be in order. Also at teh site of the falls and old dam one should be careful of the few old rods remaining. Running the falls is a little tricky and there are some dips.

Roaming Dogs

Over the past few weeks we have had a problem with roaming dogs chasing the livestock, horses and calf. It started out as coyotes in the back pasture doing the chasing, but no shots were taken. Then I looked out last week and saw the coyote coming out of the woods in pursuit of the calf. The .308 with special varmit load (.55gr) was put into action. Just as I was about to dispatch the coyote, with pressure on the trigger I thought something wasn't right. I took the tension off the trigger and clapped my hands. With that the animal stopped and looked directly at me. Using the scope I could see this was a dog with coloring like a coyote. I fired a shot near the creature and it took off running. However that night and the next day they were back chasing the critters. By now there were several calls to the Animal Control and local Game Warden. Then I got a call from the ACO that two dogs matching my discription had attacke a lady in her driveway on the next road over. Then an hour later there was a report of two dead dogs on another road. Upon investigation by the ACO, it appears the dogs were at the end of a driveway. The ACO knocked on the door and the person claimed responsibiilty for the dogs - this person had been warned on at least two occasions regarding the dogs. In fact a few months earlier they had bitten another resident.

So I thought all was taken care of, that is until Sunday when the two dogs were back chasing the livestock. Monday morning they were back again, this time on fresh snow. More calls to the ACO. I put the gear together, including a shotgun, and started a track. I finaly caught up with the dogs, an older dog that had all it could to to walk and a mixed shepard. They would stop, but would not let me near them. I went door to door on Rt 180, Clewely Rd, Route 9, Mill Lane and Molly Road attempting to locate the owner. I had several folks tell me the dogs had been around for a while and were chasing deer and pets. I got back home upset that I could not find the owners, no collars on the dogs could be seen. Then the phone rang, it was a person on Rt 9 about a mile away reporting that she was out with her dog on a leash when suddenly these two dogs came out of the woods and started chasing her. They followed her back home, her husband went after the dogs, but they took off. Are these dropped off dogs or a person that goes to work and lets them run free. What ever is the case it is sad that they will get hit by a car or destroyed for something that the owners are responsible for. But damage to people or to livestock can not be allowed to continue. In fact it is clear from the tracks the dogs have been visiting the local deer yard, however I could not find any blood or injured deer at this time.

Road Conditions

Depending on your location you got between 4 to 8 inches of snow yesterday. Driving the back roads this morning, or at least attempting to drive said, one finds that frost is coming out and we are coming into mud season. Trout streams are looking good and many are ice free. Most beaver sets are pulled by now, but the smart trapper knows pelts are prime and water is open for channel sets and a good chance to get a few beaver, especially the big ones searching for fresh twigs. Most of the roads we travel in search of trout or coyotes belong to other landowners, extereme caution should be used when traveling, no landowner likes find deep ruts across their roads. Please be respectful

What Ice Will Hold

Last Day of February

Is this really the last day of February, I thought it was April! Parts of Maine were hit with 91 mph winds and Jackman and mountains I hear got like 40 inches of snow. Guess what, I shut the horse tank heaters off (200 gallon heaters). Temperature in the 40's, rain and mud season. No more snow, gets get the boats ready for some spring fishing. Mike retrieved his ice shack, which blew down lake, but ice conditions are poor around the shore. The middle pack is fair and usable, but the cut holes act like drains with this rain and have become huge. So be careful. On my spring list is a Scott Hudson Bay Canoe in case anyone wants to know.

Bears and Cabin Fever Reliever

Well Dr. Krause has been here and gone, doing some filming with the biologist that study bear. There are three study areas for black bear in Maine, one in Bradford, Beddington and Ashland. Each study area has several adult females that have radio collars placed on them. They are caught in live traps and tagged. This time of year the biologists use planes to locate the denning bears signal then snowshoe to the den. At which point they crawl in with mom in the den. The cubs are weighed, measured and general health is charted. This allows for a long term progress report to be conducted on the size and health of our bears in Maine. The good Doc is undertaking a video project that will be used in education and research. As we all know the weather this week was poor. But several still and videos were taken.

A great place to visit is the Cabin Fever Reliever held at the Brewer Auditorium this weekend. Ready for this....its FREE. A mini sportsman show designed mostly for kids, with archery and fly tying. If your out stop by

Parks Pond Ride In

Parks Ride In
Wow what a great day, weather wise, hard to believe it is February. Today was the great ride in at gramps on Parks Pond. Actually it was a chem free celebration for a close friend. The event included all the food you could eat, pies, trash can turkey, chilli, chop suey, rolls, cakes, deserts, juice, coffee and so much more. What a time it was, all that heard were invited. The lake saw a dozen or more sleds, atv’s and even a dirt bike. Kids had a blast being towed and fishing. Traps covered the lake, yet only one fish was taken. Story, there were more stories than one could shake a stick at today. Not only did family attend, neighbors and friends from roads away stopped by to have a bite and say hi. Mikes ice house was the talk of the lake. Mike purchased a great little camper, not very big, but with table that makes into a bed, a bed, frig, stove, gas lights and closet. The thing is weighs very little. Dennis put his skills to work and an old set of skis had a basket welded on them in which the tires fit. You tow the camper or shack to your favorite hole, jack it up and drop the tire into the basket on the skis. Connect it to the sled and off you go, it tows wicked easy. In todays case of no snow, we just hooked it to the four wheeler and out we went. Needless to say I finding me an old camper, no more struggling with the heavy shacks, frozen skis and such and heck its already insulated and can be used year round. Today was one of the best events I have seen in a long time. On the flip side, according to the news, the Sabago Derby was canceled because of poor ice conditions, with a number of cars, sleds and atv’s visiting the water. It is also reported that a warden and his atv went in. No one was injured and at least one day of the event was held. At the time of this writing, the temperature has dropped and it is snowing. Snow is expected all week off and on, but since temperatures during the day will be forty, I am not sure we expect much snow.

Wind Swept Alligator

Wind Swept Alligator
Zach and I headed to Alligator for a few hours of fishing today. Conditions to the landing were good, road getting a little soft. There were nine vehicle of various sorts. The lake is glare ice and the wind was like whipping straight down the lake at us, like at forty knots or so. There are four shacks on the ice today. As we started out, first the hat went, then the cover to the trap box, then the ATV was blown down lake. Seriously it was blowing. As usual the coves on the east shore have no ice and the rock point coming out of the landing is open. We checked on the old homestead and then traveled north toward Turtle Rock, where we set our traps. The wind was so bad you had to hold the traps or they would be blown away. The shore was great, we layed back in t shirts, on ice was like -20 or so. Soon we saw a couple walking or attempting to walk. I thought it was Chris and Rachel, so we went out to meet them. It was a guy name John and girl name Heather coming out to check on friends. They were walking…one step forward, two back. I carry slip on cleats which I gave to them and off they went. Fishing was slow, with only two flags. As we picked up to leave late in day, we saw John and Heather walking, so we gave them a ride back to landing. It was a real nice day, but the wind was just plain raw. Talked with a few other groups on the ice and none reported getting any fish today. As a side note, our bait guy is running low, price is now $5 a doz for shiners and $1 a smelt. I am thinking I can get a lot of salmon at shop and save for the cost of just bait. But where is the fun in that! The other part of the crew headed to Hopkins and reported no fish and just a few fishing. The old man did manage to flip his ATV backwards on himself. The cause, just being a MOMO. Sunday gang is heading back to Parks for perch.

Love Duck Lake

God Love Duck Lake
Mike, Chris and Dillon were excited about the trip to Duck in search of a few salmon and maybe the rare trout held in its cold clear waters. The trip depends on the depth of snow each week and year. Without snow the truck can make it into the landing at shores edge. With snow it becomes more of a chore, anywhere from fourteen to twenty miles by snowsled, depending on what roads the paper company is plowing.
At 3a.m. the boys had the truck running, I was more for like six or so, but not them, they had to have traps in by sunrise. We arrive at the Old Man’s at four o’clock, just as he requested. This trip was his idea to begin with anyways. He was still in bed resting his eyes when we pulled in.
But he is headed, up the Alligator Road to the Stud Mill, then to the 32-00-00 road where we would park and unload the sleds. All was going as planned.
Sleds were unloaded and the tub was attached to the old man’s four stroke, long track, Bearcat. Dillon was to ride with the old man and Chris and Mike would share the other sled. Up the 32-00-00 (Duck Lake Rd) we went for a day of fishing. The trail or road was in great shape, hard packed and groomed. The old man really liked that four stroke and the way it rode with his two hundred and eighty pound frame. I called him one-eyed Willy, as the old man only had one eye, so he really had no vision. Hell most of the time we were looking around anyway. He scared the hell out of everyone. Before long the old man, who was leading, was really cruising on the straight always. I am leaning toward sixty mph in places, while towing the tub of gear and grub.
We have done this trip hundreds and hundreds of times over the last thirty years, every Friday night for close to thirty years. He knew the trail and road better than anyone. I think he even helped lay the base for the road back when it was a mud run. Cause every time we got stuck he would be the one fetching rocks to fill the holes.
As we came near the Red Rock, about the half waypoint, where the road goes down to Sabao and Nicatous Lake, there is always a YesMa in the trail. By now the old man was putting distance between the sleds.
As we rounded the corner it looked like a bomb went off. There was food everywhere, bait buckets in the woods and two poor Jiffy Augers in pieces; the tub was twisted around a Maple tree, but no old man. Pretty soon we see the headlights of his sled coming back down the trail.
There is pain and suffering to be explained, see the old man didn’t own anything but the food. Damage so far on this trip, six dozen smelts at $8 a dozen, two augers, traps, the tub and grub.
The old man was quick “dam pin let go on the tub”, he gruffed. Dillon chimed in as he picked up the parts of his Jiffy, “don’t think speed had anything to do with it, especially be air borne over the yesma, do ya”? The answer was quick and sharp from the old man “nope”.
We gathered our goods and repacked. Upon reaching the lake, it was nice to see an old friend at an icehouse who was kind enough to let us borrow his auger for a few holes.
This is a typical trip to Duck and Murphy’s Law is always with us. The old man’s brother, Joe, vowed many years ago never to go to Duck Lake again, it was just too costly.
Our trips involved countless flats, blown transmissions, shocks, trailers coming unhooked and passing us, motors falling off boats, transoms ripped off, lower units destroyed on rocks, atv’s and boats bounced off the trailers, close calls with loggin trucks, broken springs, motors and at least two front pumpkins while pushing mud. Not to mention the times we have been stuck or struck by lighting. God we love Duck Lake.

Moose Antler - Blind

Look at the picture very closely! Notice the antler, it is just a shovel the size of your hand and it is a blinder to the moose's eye. Three hunters were moose hunting when they came upon this moose laying in the road. The moose stagged into the woods where it fell and got lodged in between two rocks. The hunters thinking it was a cow, worked for hours to free the moose. When freed the moose ran into a tree. It was at this point they realized it was a "bull". The hunter with the permit promptly decided this was the size moose he was looking for and shot it. Upon inspection it was found that one shovel antler was into the eye of the moose and it was blind. The other was covering the other eye. This is a true story, we have video and pictures of freeing the moose with block and tackle before realizing it was a bull. The in any case would not have survived.

Coyote Reduction Needed Fast

A Maine Coyote
Hunters looking for a challenge and true sport only need to look to winter coyote hunting in Maine. Without question the coyote is one crafty and smart animal. At this time of year the deer are having a hard time walking the crusty snow, but not the coyote - he is able to give chase until exhausting the deer. Think about the doe deer, in just a few years that one deer would produce over a 100 off spring, thousands over the years. So by saving one deer you can bounce the herd in your area. Spring is another time of killing but coyote, as the fawn drops, the coyote is hunting. Callers, camo, gun are all that is needed to improve our deer herd and save a few domestic pets at the same time. If would like some information on coyote hunting let me know, you can even night hunt coyotes. Fish and Game just released a 187 page report on the predation of our deer herd, which you can find at IFW web site.
The link is listed below

http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/surveys_reports/pdfs/deerpredationreport.pdf


AUGUSTA, Maine – Preliminary deer harvest numbers show a decrease of 14% from the 2008 harvest with an initial tally of 18,045 deer taken by hunters.

“To put this into perspective, we must consider that the 2008 and 2009 winters represent the most severe back-to-back winters since 1971-72,” according to IF&W Deer Biologist Lee Kantar.

Long winters with deep snows have a tremendous impact on the overwinter survival of deer. Both expected regional declines in deer abundance and adverse hunting conditions -- two weeks of poor hunting conditions during the firearms season -- played a role in the fall 2009 harvest decline. Decreases in the deer harvest from 2008 also were expected given the 16% decrease in any-deer permits for Maine’s hunters (reducing overall success rates). The reductions in any-deer permits for 2009were necessary to allow the deer herd to begin to recover.

Relative to adjacent provincial and state jurisdictions, the decline in Maine’s deer harvest was less in comparison to our Canadian neighbors in Quebec and New Brunswick whose deer harvests declined greater than 30% during the same time period, but was greater than the decline in New Hampshire’s deer harvest (decrease of approximately 5%).

For 2009, Department biologists projected a statewide harvest of approximately 19,289deer. The annual deer harvest projections by department biologists in the late spring result from an analysis of mortality and reproductive rates, harvest trends, and any deer permit allocations to meet Wildlife Management District (WMD) goals and objectives. Thus our initial number for statewide harvest was 6% less than projected.

Over the next few weeks, department biologists will complete a more detailed analysis of the 2009 harvest and will release the final deer harvest number and further details about how the harvest looked by season, WMD, sex and age.

Beaver Trapping

Ice conditions have improved somewhat for beaver trapping, but fur prices have not! Beaver trapping starts in November and runs into the following March. There is a high demand for trappers to remove problem beavers each year. In fact biologists encourage trapping as a way to open streams for trout management and to reduce spring flooding. Pricing this year however has caused a serious decline in the number of trappers. As of today prices range from $5-$20 per pelt, that is cured, fleshed, stretched and ready to sell, this not in the round. Early season found rain and very poor ice conditions, now with the season coming to a close conditions have improved.

Warm Day

Wow 43 degree's, yet they are saying snow. Hayward, Mike, Dillon, Manny and Amanda have reached the shores of Duck Lake. Me I've got the kids, who are in the process of building a large bonfire for this evening. Hopefully some skating on the pond will be in order. By the looks of the pallets it is not going to be a small fire.

Resting

A nice picture of a cub resting while the mother is being checked. Cub returned to mom without harm.

New Bear Sites

Well a month ago, one of the large paper companies that I lease sites from advised us that a new plan was under development. Under the previous plan, sites were leasted at the rate of $100 per site. Sites were spaced, between baiters of about a mile. The new plan released this week is to lease entire township to one operator. This solves jumped baits, spacing and other issues. The big problem is that you lost baits in one town and gained some in another. I did loose a township that I really like, but gained access to a very large new area, that can handle 10 sites, so I lost 4, but gained 10. I love to explore new area...can't wait. I might even have to sled the area to see what it looks like without leaves on the trees.

Thinking Snow

Well I just watched the weather forecast - 4-7 inches of snow. The gear is packed and we are ready to venture to Duck Lake at 4am. The plan is to go up the Alligator Rd to the Stud Mill, then to Deer Lake and sled 14 miles into Duck and be on the ice at 6 am or so....at least that is the plan.

Parks Pond

Wow what a day, back from Hopkins, had a hot turkey sandwich from the stripped bird of Sunday and now off to Parks Pond with the kids. Oops, just ran out of gas in both ATV's.

Deer Sheds

Well Lorin is out on the sled and traveling by snowshoe in search of Moose and Deer sheds. As you see the Moose and Deer drop or shed their antlers in January. Usually they drop one here and then a few days later another there, so finding a matched pair is hard, but not impossible in the winter yard. Getting to the shed before the rodents and other nawing wildlife is the trick. Sheds are very popular and can be a source of excerise, fresh air, hide and seek for kids, a skill game and then at the end of the day a source or revenue. See sheds are sellable! Yes there is a market for those new and old antlers. Ads can be found in several of Maine's outdoor news publications. Remember there are various pricing and markets, are the antlers green or dry? Do you have a matched pair? What is the score or size? Some large match pair of either moose or deer can command a large pay off, much more than $6 a pound.

I have noticed several snowmobile's parked on the trails, with the owners on snowshoes searching the thickets. Zach recently found a matched 6 point shed, in all places the drive way, as the deer are eating the cedars.