Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Fall 1993 by Maine State Library

~AINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE FALL 1993

$4.50

1993 MAINE HUNTING SEASONS (Not a legal presentation. See hunting law booklet for full details.) BASIC LIMITS

DEER

Firearms season ..... .... ... .................. .. ............... ........ .

FIRST DAY

LAST DAY

Nov. 1

Nov. 27

Maine-resident-only day .... ............ ..... ............. ......... . .

Oct. 30

Archery .. ........ ................. .... ....... .. ... ..... ................... .

Sept. 30

Oct. 29

DAILY

POSSESSION

ONE DEER PER YEAR regardless of season or method. Only deer with antlers at least three inches long may be taken from Oct. 31 - Dec. 5, except that any deer may be taken in designated deer management districts by hunters with any-deer permits. Permit application period: mid-June to Aug. 15, annually.

Muzzleloader ................... ........ ........ ..................... ... .

Nov. 29

Dec. 4

BEAR* General hunting seasons ...... .. .... ............ .. ............ .

Aug . 30 Oct. 30

Sep. 25 Nov. 27

Hunting with dogs allowed ............. ....................... .

Sep. 13

Oct. 29

Hunting ONLY with dogs ... ............ ..... .................. .

Sep.27

Oct. 29

MOOSE (by permit only) ...... .. ... .......................... .. ................ ..

Oct. 4

Oct. 9

RUFFED GROUSE & (Wildlife Management Units 1 & 2) ........ .. BOBWHITE QUAIL (Wildlife Management Units 3 - 8) ............ .

Oct. 1 Oct. 1

Nov. 30

PHEASANT {Wildlife Management Units 1 & 2) ............. .......... .

Oct.1

Nov. 30

(Wildlife Management Units 3 - 8) ...... .. .. .......... ... .... .

Oct. 1

Dec. 10

WILD TURKEY (by permit only) ..... ..... .... ........ ...................... .

May 3

May 31

WOODCOCK ...... ............. ...... ... ...... ....................... .............. .

Oct. 1

Nov. 13

COMMON SNIPE .......................... ............................ .... ...... .

Sep . 1

Dec. 16

DUCKS, GEESE, SEA DUCKS (scoter, eider, old squaw) .... . RAILS (and GALLINULES) ........ ....... ........ ....... .... .............. ... .. .. CROW ......... ........ :~....... ......... .................... .. ..................... ...

Dec. 10

ONE BEAR PER YEAR

Permit application period : mid-Jan . to Apr. 30 . 4

Permit application period: mid-Dec. to Feb .1.

Regulations available from license agents, game wardens and Fish and Wildlife Dept. offices. Sep. 1

Nov. 9

25 (15)

25 (30)

Mar 14

Apr. 30

July 16

Sep.29

GRAY SQUIRREL ............ ........ .... ... ....... ....................... ..... .

Oct. 1

Nov. 30

** ........................ .

Oct. 1

Mar. 31

BOBCAT ................ .. ............... ...... ........ ... ..... ...................... .

Dec. 1

Jan. 31

FOX .. ........................... ....................................................... .

Oct. 25

Feb . 28

RACCOON .................... ... .................... ...... .............. ........ ...

Oct. 1

Dec. 31

SKUNK, OPOSSUM .. .... ......................................... .... ...... .. .

Oct. 25

Dec. 31

RABBIT(cottontail) and HARE (snowshoe)

COYOTE, WOODCHUCK, PORCUPINE, RED SQUIRREL

NO CLOSED SEASON FOR HUNTING

ANY SPECIES NOT LISTED ABOVE .................................

NO OPEN SEASON FOR HUNTING

*Bear permit required (resident, $2; nonresident, $10) in addition to hunting license between Aug . 30 and Oct. 29 . See law booklet for other recent cha ges **Unlawful to hunt rabbits with dogs during any open firearms season on deer in Hancock, Knox, Lincoln , Sagadahoc, Waldo, and Washington counties

SUNDAY HUNTING: Illegal in Maine. HUNTER ORANGE: Two items of H.O. clothing must be worn while hunting with a firearm during any firearms season on deer. See law book for details. LEGAL HUNTING HOURS: Animals : 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset except during any firearms season on deer, when hunting closes at sunset for all species except raccoon . Birds: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. See law booklet for details on night hunting for coyotes. LICENSES: Hunting license is required . Archery license allows hunting with bow and arrow only during any open season on that species; it is required to hunt any species of animal or bird with bow and arrow during special archery season on deer. Special license-stamp required to hunt during muzzleloader season on deer.

STAMPS: State and federal duck stamps required for waterfowl hunters age 16 and over. Pheasant stamp required in York and Cumberland counties.

OPERATION GAME THIEF: Call 1-800-ALERT US (253-7887) to report game law violations. Rewards paid. Caller identification protected. Poachers are thieves - help us stop them.

~AINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE Governor John R. McKernan, Jr.

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Norman E. Trask, Deputy Commissioner Frederick B. Hurley, Jr., Director, Bureau of Resource Management Charles A. Atwater, Director, Bureau of Administrative Services Herbert W. Vernon, Director, Bureau of Warden Service

Advisory Council Eugene Churchill, Orland Chairman Gary Cobb, North New Portland Vice Chairman John Crabtree, Warren Dr. Ogden Small, Caribou Alanson Noble, Otisfield, Carroll Cutting, East Sebago Gene Brown, Durham Thomas Jagger, Sanford Wilmot Robinson, Millinocket Joseph Robbins, Mach ias Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine W. Thomas Shoener, Editor Thomas J . Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor Denise M. Moore, Advertising All photographs in this issue were made by the Public Information & Education Division unless otherwise indicated.

FALL 1993

VOL. 35, NO. 3

Features Biggest Bucks In Maine, 1992

The ones that didn 't get away - and who they didn 't get away from!

We Ciotta Get Along!

by Charles D. Marshall

This program seeks to preserve (and/or improve) landowner/sportsman relations

by William B. Krohn

Do The Pieces Flt?

& Kenneth D. Elowe

Maine 's fisher population - some surprising answers have come from this study

Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge

by Bill Silliker, Jr.

This two-piece refuge is a place where wildlife and timber are managed together ...

Safety Last!

The switch is on -

by Robert J. Barry

leave it on until you 're ready to shoot!

1993 Maine Duck Stamp

A former winner wins again in this year's duck stamp competition

New Laws

Laws of the 116th Maine Legislature that affect fish and wildlife MAINE ASH AND WIIDLIFE (ISSN 0360-00SX) is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife , 284 State Street, Station 41 , Augusta, Maine 04330, under Appropriation 01009A-0529. Subscription rate: $14.00 per year. No stamps, please. Second class postage paid at Augusta, Maine and at additional mailing offices. ÂŠ Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1993. Permission to reprint text material is granted, provided proper credit is given to the author and to MAINE FISH AND WIIDLIFE. Clearance must be obtained from artists, photographers, and non-staff authors to reproduce credited work. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send both old and new addresses to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine, 284 State St. , Sta. #4 l , Augusta ME 04333. Please allow six weeks for changes to take effect. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE, 284 State St. , Sta. #4 l , Augusta , Maine 04333 .

Ducks Unlimited In Maine

by James D. Konkel

A look at Maine 's chapter of this national wetlands and waterfowl conservation organization

Departments 16

KID-BITS FROM THE FLY TYING BENCH: The Blue Belle

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRJPTION? Just call toll-free 1-800-288-8387 The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior. Accordingly, all department programs and activities must be operated free from discrimination with regard to race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against should write to The Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.

The front Cover: "Dream Buck" by Michael Sieve. Artwork courtesy of the artist and Wild Wings, Inc., Lake City, MN. Prints available. Phone 1-800-445-4833.

'-â&#x20AC;˘'

Printed with vegetable-based inks on recyclable paper

BIGGEST BUCKS IN MAINE, 1992 Name

Address

Date Killed

Where Killed

L. Dwight Dow Nathan D. Merrill Joey B. Smith Rene Walker Roy E. Bickford, Jr. Edward J. Vanidestine Vernon D. Robinson Mark L. Hutchins Glen R. Waite Wendy Sylvester Andrew Hill Dono Laurentino Ronald D. Argraves, Jr. L. Michael Murphy Normand M. Gendron Robt:rt H. Roth H. Lloyd May, Jr. Paul L. Cushman Edward Spooner Stephen Ward Brent P. Jones Donald Blackey Everett E. Cram Jeffrey L. Langley Michael D. Currie Walter Lafleur, Jr. Bret Delong Henry J. Simoncav~e. Jr. Jennifer Glikin Peter Soule Joseph F. Havrilla Gregory L. Samarjian Jeffrey Labbe Stanley F. Grochmal Dave L. Borlie Richard B. Woodall George D. Wacome Randy Toby Louis D. Howard Jeffrey H . Beisaw Steven J . Kempton Paul Litalien Frank Ramelli Elwyn F. Henderson Pamela Chapman Kendrick Savage Leonard F. Millen Karl W. Low Philip A. Tallman John E. Ferguson Ronald A. Moody Charles DeWoody, III David A. Loos

West Gardiner, ME So. Burlington, VT Norway, ME St. Francis, ME Tampa, FL Brewer, ME Ashland, ME Salisbury, NH Durango, CO Augusta, ME Londonderry, VT Quebec, Canada Ashland, ME Augusta, ME Saco, ME Cheshire, CT Gray, ME Wilton, ME Auburn, ME Gardiner, ME Ellsworth, ME Contoocook, NH Medway, ME Mapleton, ME Chester, VT Suffield, CT Blaine, ME Mountaintop, PA Farmington, ME Westfield, MA Lancaster, PA Lexington, MA Brunswick, ME Waterford, NY Portage, PA Guilford, ME Skowhegan, ME Springfield, ME Dryden, ME Jay, ME Frye, ME Livermore, ME Patten, ME Thomaston, ME Brewer, ME Rangeley, ME Margaretville, NY Rockport, ME Eden Mills, VT Mattawamkeag, ME Madison, ME Vineland, NJ Pomfret Ctr., CT

10/31/92 11/6/92 10/31/92 11/12/92 11/11/92 11/11/92 11/2/92 11/7/92 11/16/92 10/31/92 11/11/92 11/18/92 11/23/92 11/6/92 11/10/92 11/13/92 11/11/92 10/31/92 10/31/92 10/31/92 11/3/92 11/4/92 11/7/92 11/14/92 11/2/92 11/4/92 11/13/92 11/17/92 11/2/92 11/10/92 11/13/92 11/14/92 10/31/92 11/5/92 11/6/92 11/9/92 11/14/92 11/13/92 11/3/92 11/7/92 11/7/92 11/11/92 11/2/92 11/13/92 10/31/92 10/31/92 11/2/92 11/6/92 11/9/92 11/10/92 11/14/92 11/19/92 11/20/92

Enchanted Twp. Dole Pond T8,R18 St. Francis Twp. Ashland Holden T10,R6 Bethel Seboomook Brassua Twp. T4,R18 WELS T9,R12 Somerville T9,R8 WELS Lower Enchanted Johnson Mtn. Twp. Weld E Stoneham Somerville King & Bartlett Twp. Russell Pond Twp. Grindstone Chapman T5,R16 Weis T13,R7 Bridgewater Allagash Industry Days Academy Grant Shin Pond Kokadjo West Forks Patten Oakfield Willimantic Skowhegan T2,R8 Livermore Temple Frye Livermore T9,R8 Weis Eddington Dallas Misery Pond Rockland Seboomook Twp. Mattawamkeag Bingham Ashland Spencer Bay Twp.

Firearm

Dressed Weight

.30-30 .30-06 .30-06 .30-06 Browning 7mm Mag. .30-06 .300 Sav. .44 mag. .30-06 Weatherby .300 Mag. .30-06 .308 .30-30 Marlin 12 gauge .35 caliber .35 Rem. .30-30 .270 .30-30 .30-30 Marlin .280 Browning .270 Rem. .30-30 Win. .30-30 Win. .30-06 .30-06 Rem. .30-06 .30-06 .30-06 .30-06 .30-06 .270 .30-30 .270 .243 7mm.-08 .30-30 .30-06 .358 Win. .243 .270 Win. .30-06 .30-06 .375 Win. .270 .30-06 .270 Win. .308 Rem. .243 Rem. .30-06 .30-30 Win. .30-06

270 270 266 265 264 264 260 260 259 256 256 256 256 255 255 255 252 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 248 248 248 248 246 246 246 246 245 245 245 245 245 244 243 243 243 243 242 242 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 240 240

Live Weight 324 324 320 318 317 317 312 312 311 307 307 307 307 306 306 306 302 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 297 297 297 297 295 295 295 295 294 294 294 294 294 293 292 292 292 292 290 290 288 288 288 288 288 288 288 288 288

This list was compiled from Biggest Bucks in Maine membership cards (708 in 1992). Membership requires a 200-pound deer (dressed weight, without heart and liver) ; $3 application fee. The Club is maintained by The Maine Sportsman, PO Box 910, Yarmouth ME 04096-0910. Live weight estimates= dressed weight+ 20%.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

LANDOWNER/SPORTSMAN RELATIONS

WE GOTTA GET ALONG! by Charles D. Marshall ike it or not, Maine is changing. Hunting and public access to private land have been traditions here for years. Sportsmen have had free and easy access to unimproved and unposted private land by what has been called permissive trespass. This type of access, though not a legal right, is nonetheless a long-standing Yankee custom. But this has changed rapidly in the past decade. Homes are being built on land traditionally used by hunters and fishermen. Many of these new residents are unfamiliar with the tradition of allowing undeveloped land to be used by the sporting public. As government agencies place more and more restrictions on what landowners can (or cannot) do with their property, especially if it abuts 'a stream wetland or is shore frontage, many landowners feel that all they can do is pay taxes on their land. Some retaliate by not allowing anyone else to use their land for recreational purposes. Many new residents who own land are not hunters - when they see hunters with guns in the area of their

property, they become frightened and angry because they feel their safety is being threatened. Littering, vandalism (or accidental) damage to property, and liability are all reasons landowners give for not allowing public access to their property. In many cases, sportsmen are not responsible for these acts, but still suffer the consequences by being denied access to many acres of land for outdoor recreation. Nearly 95 percent of Maine's 17 million acres of forest land is

privately owned - eight million acres by companies in the forest ind us try and the remaining nine million acres by relatively small landowners. In most cases, owners of forest land manage their land to produce income from forest products. This requires investments of time and money, primarily to build and maintain The author is the department's coordinator for the Governor's Council on Landowner/ Sportsmen Relations. Fall 1993

changes in the relationship between landowners and the sporting public are what prompted the Legislature to direct the Fish and Wildlife Department to develop and implement a landowner relations program. The goals of the program, which began in the spring of 1992, are to: 1) foster public use of private land for hunting and fishing; 2) promote high standards of courtesy, respect, and responsibility by hunters and anglers for private land, and; 3) prevent abuse of private land by hunters and anglers. To provide landowners who want to control the use of their property with the tools and assistance they need to accomplish their goals (without closing their lands to the public), a pamphlet answering the most co~only asked questions about trespass and the posting of land was produced. To give landowners a direct line of communication with hunters and fisherTotal land area - 19,000,000 acres men, a landowner/ sportsman council was formed. Timberland -17,000,000 acres Other land - 2,000,000 acres This council of 12 members, six representing landowners and six representing sportsmen, provides a non-adversarial setting for discussion of problems and possible solutions. The council met on a regular basis during the past year and held several public meetings where those in attendance were asked for their suggestions. Most landowners PUBLIC AND attending these and most meetings, PRIVATE LAND IN of those surveyed MAINE by theÂˇDepartment

road systems. And this is where many conflicts between landowners and land users begin. When the frost is going out in the spring, or when roads are freezing and thawing in the fall, a four-wheel drive vehicle can do hundreds of dollars in damage to a woods road! I have no recent estimate of the amount of posted land in Maine, but it's substantial, and seems to be increasing every year. Southern and central Maine have the largest amounts of posted land. Not only are these areas more densely populated than the northern and eastern parts of the state, but they are also home to a large percentage of the state's deer herd. Effective management of the deer herd is much more difficult when large areas of prime deer habitat are closed to hunting by posting. These con~ flicts and

Maine Fish and Wildlife

before the program was established, said they would allow some public access to their property if only they were "asked first". Abuse of property was another very common complaint. The landowner program is stressing two ideas: Ask First and Respect The Landowners' Property. We feel that if we can get sportsmen to ask before using private land, and to show the same respect for the land as the landowner does, we will be well on the way to improved relations between the two. Âˇ

portsmen frequently ask: How do I know who owns a certain piece of land? Abutting landowners, local officials, and tax maps are good places to start looking for this information. The hunter who is successful year after year is the hunter who is prepared. He knows habits of the game he's hunting. He has spent some time before hunting making sure his equipment is in good condition and his firearm is sighted in properly. But hunters should go one step further: find out who owns the land on which they plan to hunt and make sure they have permission. Even if a piece of land is posted, if it's good deer habitat and a safe place to hunt, ask. It won't hurt - and if the sportsman uses a polite approach, he may be surprised and receive permission. When approaching a landowner to ask permission, do it well in advance of opening day and at a time which is convenient for the landowner. Make sure the landowner knows how many there will be in your hunting party and what vehicles you will be using. If permission is granted, the hunter should feel an obliga-

tion to the landowner to act as his agent by being another set of "eyes and ears." During autumn in particular, acts of vandalism, theft, or abuse of property are very often blamed on sportsmen, whether or not they were actually responsible. Any such acts should be reported to the landowner - if necessary, the sportsmen should even be prepared to testify in court for the landowner. Offer to help the landowner with clean-up or with repair of damage caused by others, and don't forget to share some of any game taken off his land with the landowner. These are ways to "pay" the landowner for his cooperation, and are big steps towards improving the owner/ user relationship. If we are to continue the have free and easy access to private land for outdoor recreation, we have to make a greater effort to improve relations with landowners. State Representative Paul Jacques summed it up well: "It's gotten to the point where responsible hunters are going to have to account for the people who are not." â&#x20AC;˘

CHARTER MEMBERS GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON LANDOWNER/SPORTSMEN RELATIONS Sportsmen/User Representatives Don Dudley. Box 220, Patten ME 04765 Maine Trappers Association Lewis Newell, RFD 1, Box 1802, Hampden ME 04444 Maine Snowmobile Association Edye Cronk, RFD l, Box 1073, Wiscasset ME 04578 Sportsman's Alliance of Maine H. D. McKenna, Sr., 5 Tarken Hill Rd., Raymond ME 04071 unaffiliated Charles Beck, 96 Reach Rd., Presque Isle ME 04769 Presque Isle Fish & Game Club Dennis Davis, 1 Florence Rd., Gray ME 04039 Associated Sportsmen of Cumberland County

Landowner Representatrives Normand Rodrigue, Central Maine Power, Edison Dr., Augusta ME 04336 Dr. Frank Gilley, SWOAM, RFD 1, Box 1070, Brewer ME 04412 Terry Walters, LaValley Lumber Co., P. 0. Box P, Sanford ME 04073 Clayton Totman, Maine Farm Bureau, RFD 3, Waldoboro ME 04572 James L. Minot, independent landowner, West Rd., Belgrade ME 04917 Ted Johnston, Maine Forest Products, 146 State St., Augusta ME 04330

About the back cover ... As the owner said: "You could try for a hundred years and not get a picture like this!" Penny was just 14 weeks old when she retrieved her first bird! And this is "Her First Bird." Owner George Blodgett of Temple said Penny brought this partridge back to him just like she'd been doing it for years. Although she's obviously some proud of herself, and looks unwilling to give the beloved bird up to anyone, George says she dropped it on his first request - just as she's done on every bird since! Penny, who turned one year old June 25th, is "smarter'n I am," according to Blodgett, who added that she's as good over water as she is on land. "She's a member of the family first," he stresses, "and a wicked good retriever as well!" Blodgett's wife, Valerie, took this picture, and if it isn't the picture of pride, loyalty, excitement, and pure puppy charm, I don"t know what is! Fall 1993

Understanding A llarvested Fisher Population

,.,

by William B. Krohn and Kenneth D. Elowe

important predator in the North Woods, fishers (Martes pennanti) are also one of Maine's most valuable furbearers, and because of their secretiveness and perceived rarity, they are highly valued by nature enthusiasts. Fishers are members of the weasel family; t.\ough much larger than a weasel, they exhibit the same long-body, short-legged form. A typical male fisher is about three feet long and weighs about 11 pounds; females are somewhat smaller and about half the weight of a male. They are dark colored and generally solitary animals. Fishers inhabit only North America, living in forests from the northeastern United States and the Maritime Provinces across Canada and the Great Lakes region to British Columbia, and scattered in the western states south to California. In Maine, fishers disappeared at the turn of the century east and south of the Moosehead Plateau due to land clearing and excessive trapping and hunting. With farmlands reverting to forests and the curtailment of open seasons, the population expanded from the 1940s through the 1960s, and today fishers inhabit almost the entire state. Maine now has the distinction of supporting the largest fisher population in the eastern U.S., and probably the country. To ensure their continued survival in Maine, fishers must be managed with factual information. The Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, with support from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Trappers Association, studied the population ecology of fishers in southcentral Maine between 1984 and 1989. Trappers helped by registering harvested animals and providing carcasses from trapped animals. Often, however, trappers and other cooperators do not see how the information they provide is used. In this article, we hope that by showing what

Maine Fish and Wildlife

(/) (/)

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Fisher have a bit of a reputation for being nasty when cornered. This one is looking a bit ready for a scrap himself! we have learned about a harvested fisher population, the public interested in our wildlife resources will understand how biologists take the pieces of nature's puzzle to understand a species' life patterns.

How much habitat does a fisher need? How many fishers can an area support? How many young are born each year? What percent of the population is harvested? How large a harvest can a population sustain? These and related questions are routinely asked by wildlife managers and the interested public. Answering such questions, however, is not easy. Many wild animals, especially predators, live at low densities and avoid humans. Direct observations pro-

Fisher kits born in captivity at the University of Maine at Orono. Development and growth of these kits were monitored as part of a study on the reproductive biology of fishers.

a:i >, .0

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vide little information, so we must use indirect methods such as carcass collections and radio-telemetry to study secretive wildlife. Our studies have focused on fishers living in Waldo County, an area in southcentral Maine that one hundred years ago was 20 percent forestland and 80 percent agricultural and settled lands. Today, approximately 80 percent of the area is forested with most of the forestlands suitable for fishers. As part of the study, we live-trapped, tranquilized and radio-collared about 80 fishers in the study area between 1984 and 1989. From each animal we also extracted a small tooth; the teeth were later sectioned in the laboratory and examined under a microscope. By counting growth layers in the teeth, much the same as counting a tree's growth rings, we can estimate an animal's age as juvenile (less than 1 year old), yearling (1 to 1.5 years), or adult (more than 1.5 years). Female fishers do not breed until one year of age and have their first litter shortly after their second birthday, and thus it's critical to determine ages. Of the animals collared, half were juveniles and half were yearlings and older (hereafter termed adults).

How much habitat does a fisher need? The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife routinely collects information on trapped fishers, but it is difficult to interpret this harvest information without knowledge of the effects of social organization on population densities. In 1983, Steve Arthur, a graduate student in the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, began the first large-scale telemetry study of fishers in Maine to determine the animal's social organization and spatial needs [for details, see the Spring 1988 issue of Maine Fish and Wildlife). Steve found that fishers do not randomly move across the landscape, but instead adults establish and defend home ranges. The territories of adult males and adult females overlap, but adult male

The authors: Bill Krohn is employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as leader of the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, at the University of Maine, Orono. Ken Elowe works for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as leader of the Mammal Group in the Resource Assessment Section, with headquarters in Bangor. Fal/ 1993

territories are separate from those of other adult How many young fishers are born each year? males, and adult females territories are distinct One of the surprises in Steve Arthur's study was from those of other adult females. This pattern of that not all of the radio-collared females old enough to give birth (two years or older) actually raised spacing, termed intrasexual territoriality, is common in the weasel family. kits. Biologists previously assumed that essentially Steve also found that fishers used all forest all breeding-age females raised young, despite the types, but they avoided large openings such as fact that failed reproduction is common in wildlife recent clearcuts and farm fields. On average, an due to poor nutrition, inexperience of mothers, and adult male fisher required about two times more other factors. land (average home range about 12 square miles) As Steve was able to follow only a small number than an adult female (about 6 square miles). We of adult females through the breeding season, and expected this because adult males are approxiradio-collars may have affected reproduction, we mately two times heavier than adult females (in had to study more animals to be sure the pattern of the fall, 10.5 versus 5.5 pounds) and require a prounsuccessful reproduction was real. Tom Paragi, portionally larger foraging area. the second graduate student on the project, focused Now that we know how adult fishers are sohis efforts on the reproductive ecology of wild fishcially organized (i.e., territorially within but not ers. between sexes) and how much area it takes to Between Steve and Tom, 12 different females two support adult males and adult females, we're or more years old were equipped with radios and ready to find out how many fishers an area can followed for one to four years each between 1984 support. Before and 1989. They doing that, found that an avTable 1. Comparison of observed and predicted age-sex composition of the though, we erage of 63 percent fisher harvest in southcentral Maine during the mid-1980s. must know of the breeding Percent of harvest by age-sex group how many age females sucjuveniles come cessfully raised Data Adult Number of Adult Juvenile Juvenile into the popukits. They examAnimals Source Female Male Male Female lation each ., ined their data Observedâ&#x20AC;˘ 21 15 384 32 32 year, and how closely to see if Predictedb 19 282 29 39 39 handling, drugthese animals ging, or the length fit into the soDifference of time an animal cial organizabetween observed +5% -2% -2% carried a radio and predicted -2% tion described collar was related above. â&#x20AC;˘Carcases collected from trappers by the MDIFW Just prior to and during the start of the study, 1982to her reproducLet's first 1984. bflrst-year trapping deaths calculated from data measured by radio-telemetry (see text). tive success. They consider the found no evidence issue of how that they did. juveniles relate to territorial adults. In Maine, Once he located dens with kits, Tom was able to fisher kits are born from late February through use a light and mirror to look into four dens in 1988 early April, with most born in mid-March. Kits and one den in 1989. Litter size at six to eight weeks spend their first two to three months of life in a of age averaged 2.2 kits, and periodic checks of litrelatively helpless state, with the mother moving ters during spring and summer showed no losses. them, on average, to three different tree dens. Adjusting average litter size for adult females that Mother and young stay together throughout the did not raise litters (recall that we found only 63 summer and into the fall when the juveniles start percent of the females old enough to have kits actuto leave their mothers' territory to establish their ally raised young) yielded an average litter size of own. Some juvenile females do not leave their 1.4 (2.2 x 0.63) kits per adult female in the populanatal home ranges until late winter. Thus, a given tion. area in the fall may support one adult female, How realistic is this number? During the period some or all of her young, and the resident adult of our telemetry work in southcentral Maine, Fish male(s). Apparently, adult males do not assist in and Wildlife Department biologists examined the caring for young.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Fisher pelts are highly prized by the fur industry (note variations in color). Because populations are susceptible to overharvest, regulations must be set and watched very carefully. A female fisher at the University of Maine at Orono. The Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, with support from the Maine Fish and Wildlife Department, conducted a series of studies over the past decade, involving both free-ranging and captive animals, to better understand this species.

:,,:::

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carcasses of 155 fisher caught by trappers in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 7, an administrative unit the department uses to manage wildlife in southcentral Maine. Based on these carcasses, which represented 38 percent of the registered harvest in WMU 7 for three years (1984, 1988 and 1989), the average number of juveniles per adult female harvested was 4.0. Because juveniles were about three times more vulnerable (see below) to fur trapping than adults harvest rates of 62 percent for juveniles versus 21 percent for adult females (0.62 7 0.21 = 2.95) - the estimated ratio of juveniles per adult females in the fall population prior to the trapping season was 1.4 (4.0 7 2.95). Thus, two independent estimates of fall recruitment were identical, giving us confidence in our estimate of the number of young surviving in the fall population. What percent of the population is harvested? Seventy-six radio-collared fishers followed for various lengths of time between 1982 and 1989 provided information that allowed us to estimate mortality and harvest rates. Fur trapping (40 deaths) and shooting (illegal, 3) accounted for 86 percent of the 50 deaths recorded. Trapping mortality rates of adult females (21 percent) was lower than for adult

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males (43 percent) which was lower than for juveniles of both sexes (62 percent). These harvest rates show that adult female fishers were least vulnerable to fur trapping, juveniles were most likely to be trapped, and the susceptibility of adult males to trapping was higher than for adult females but lower than for juveniles. Of the 7 non-trapping deaths documented, causes of mortality were: road kills (2), human related (2), choked on a deer bone (1), infection (1), and one adult female with worn teeth caught on the ice and killed by coyotes (Canis latrans). Including all forms of mortality (trapping and non-trapping), we found that in the course of a year, on average, adult females died at the lowest rate (33 percent), adult males had the next lowest rate (52 percent), and juvenile males and females had the highest mortality rates (70 percent). How significant is the harvest? Now that we know how fishers are organized socially, how much area they need, and their recruitment and mortality rates, we next need to determine the significance of the harvest to the popuFall 1993

lation and how large a harvest a fisher population can sustain. Non-trapping mortality of fishers was low in our study area, and the population during the mid1980s was apparently limited by mortality from fur trapping (see below). Trapping mortality was high for the juveniles, and we suspect that in a lightly harvested or unharvested fisher population, winter mortality of juveniles would be greater that what we measured. When properly regulated in terms of timing and effort, fur trapping probably removes mostly juveniles before they disperse. This loss of

birth until two years of age, only 200 of the 251 adult females were old enough to produce young during the first year of model calculations (Year 1). Using the average annual trapping and non-trapping mortality rates measured from radio-tagged animals, a total of 346 fishers died in Year 1. Adding the young born to 168 surviving females of breeding-age to the spring population in Year 2 yielded a fall population of 548, 113 animals fewer than the previous year. Clearly, this level of harvest was not sustainable. But was the model telling the truth?

Figure 1. Observed trend in the fisher population in southcentral Maine, based on the number of fishers livetrapped during September and October, 1985-1989. Catchper-unit effort is the number of fishers caught per 100 cage-nights (cage-night= one cage-trap set for one night). Number of cage-nights shown on bars for individual years.

Do the pieces fit? The model's estimates of harvest size and composition depended on our initial estimates of the numbers of fishers, number of young born, and harvest rates. Its reliability can be assessed by comparing the size and composition of the estimated harvest to what the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife measured in the actual harvest. Trappers registered an average of 291 fishers per year from WMU 7 just before, and during the early part of the study (1981-1985). Our model predicted 282 trapping deaths during the first year of the study. The model also did reasonably well in comparing the age-sex composition of the harvest to what the Fish and Wildlife Department actually saw in the harvest (Table 1, page 8). Finally, we estimated population trends by looking at changes through time in how much effort it took to catch fishers. Because we caught them in live-traps each year between late summer and early fall, we were able to calculate the number of animals caught per 100 "cage-nights of effort" (one cage-trap set for 100 nights, 10 set for 10 nights each, etc.). Capture success in 1985 was 2.60 animals caught per 100 cage-nights, and it dropped progressively to only 0.63 in 1989 (2.60 - 0.63 = 1.97) (Figure 1). On average, capture rates declined by 19 percent per year (1.97 + 2.60 = 0.76; 0.76 + 4 = 19 percent), which is close to the 17 percent (113 + 661) measured by the population model. While the true rate of decrease remains unknown, the data clearly show a declining fisher population in Wildlife Management Unit 7, matching the perception of many local trappers.

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juveniles replaces, at least partially, natural mortality that would have occurred in the absence of trapping as inexperienced animals attempt to establish home ranges in habitats already occupied by adults. We can get an idea of how much harvest a fisher population can sustain by building a simple model of a fisher population in WMU 7, which in the 1980s contained about 1,582 square miles of forest habitat suitable for fishers. If you assume that WMU 7 was saturated with fishers at the start of the study, it supported 251 adult females (1,582 + 6.3 sq. mi./ adult female), 133 adult males (1,582 + 11.9 sq. mi./ adult male), and 280 juveniles (200 x 1.4 juv./ adult female) during the fall prior to the trapping season. Of the 251 adult females, the model assumed that 51 were yearlings. Because fishers do not give

Maine Fish and Wildlife

The fisher's future The amount of effort put in by trappers is usually directly related to fur prices. In 1987, prices paid for the pelts of most furbearers, including fisher,

dropped dramatically for reasons relating to demand and world trade. Females fisher pelts, which bring higher prices than pelts from males, were selling for up to $200 in 1986. Today, trappers get about $30 for those same pelts. Had prices, and therefore demand, for fisher pelts remained high, some kind of harvest restrictions would have been required to prevent declines in fisher populations in WMU 7 and elsewhere in Maine. As it turned out, the drastic decline in fisher pelt prices resulted in a large drop in interest in fisher trapping, and this reduced the fisher harvest and prevented a serious population decline. In fact, fisher populations are probably increasing across most of Maine at this time, as fur prices remain low. The knowledge gained from radio-telemetry studies has shown us how to monitor fisher populations more carefully to prevent excessive trapping harvest. In addition to careful control of the harvest, healthy fisher populations depend upon healthy habitats. The issue of adequate habitat for fishers will probably become more critical because of the increasing demands on forests in Maine and throughout the fisher's range. For example, the decline of the old-growth forest in the Pacific Northwest, combined with an apparent decrease in fishers, led environmentalists to propose that fishers be listed as an endangered species in California, Oregon, and Washington. While the federal government denied this proposal, it's clear that we need to know more about how habitat and other environmental factors affect fisher populations. Only by continuing to expand and apply knowledge can we ensure the future of fishers and other wildlife. â&#x20AC;˘

A healthy fisher is a beautiful sight bright-eyed and sleek, with thick dark fur that protects it from the snows and temperatures of high winter. "

Harvests are important parts of the management plans for Maine's furbearers. The drastic decline in pelt prices resulted in a large drop in interest in trapping; had this not happened, harvest restrictions would have been needed to prevent a population decline. In fact, fisher populations are probably increasing across most of Maine as fur prices remain low. Fall 1993

Wildlife Areas

MOOSEDO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE by Bill Sill iker, Jr. S ituated "down east" in Washington County is Maine's oldest, largest and perhaps best known national wildlife refuge. Established in 1937, Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge is a good example of how the right parcel of land can be managed for both forestry activities and wildlife. While originally created as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds, Moosehorn is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a mapner encouraging habitat that also benefits a lot of other wildlife. As refuge literature explains: "Woodcock, ruffed grouse, moose, deer, and a variety of songbirds will only thrive in a young forest. In the past, wildfires periodically rejuvenated the forest. However, wildfire is a rare event today. Forest management programs on the refuge serve to take the place of fire."

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Folks who already know about Moosehorn NWR probably think first of the American woodcock, and rightly so. Management to improve and maintain habitat for woodcock is a primary goal of activities at Moosehorn. In fact, Moosehorn is the only one of more than 500 national wildlife refuges where the major focus of habitat management activities is to benefit this species. Those activities include carefully planned strip cuts, small clear-cuts, and controlled burns.

Woodcock are intensively managed at the Moosehorn refuge.

These practices combined result in habitat with a rich and healthy diversity of growing forest, with clearings for woodcock singing grounds and roosting fields. A Landowner's Guide to Woodcock Management in the Northeast, a report co-authored by Greg Sepik from Moosehorn NWR and Ray Owen and Malcolm Coulter from the University of Maine at Orono, tells folks how they can evaluate and similarly manage their own lands. First published in 1981,

the report was reprinted by the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Maine in 1992. The booklet is available from there or from Moosehorn NWR. In its own words, the report provides " ...some of the basic ideas needed to improve your land for woodcock and many other species of wildlife. The methods outlined work. Many thousands of man-hours went into developing and testing these management suggestions." In an interview, Refuge Manager Doug Mullen described some other land management activities conducted at Moosehorn that private landowners could likewise employ to improve the wildlife value of their own property. These include creating man-made flow-

WILDERNESS AREA 177'1 NATIONAL IL.J REFUGE COBSCOOK BAY STATE PARK

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One of the specific areas burned over as part of management activities: top, during the managed burn (obviously!); center, immediately after the burn; and bottom, after some months of new growth.

ages to provide both open water and supplementary marsh habitat, as well as managing existing beaver flowages to maximize their benefits. Mullen noted that information and assistance is available from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under their Outreach Program and as a part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. There are even some funds available to help restore specific wetlands. He also described how some clear-cutting of spruce and fir areas at Moosehorn benefits wildlife by allowing hardwood vegetation to regenerate. Mullen knows that some folks consider any clearcutting to be sacrilege. The author is a freelance writer and nature photographer from Ocean Park, Maine. Fall 1993

The bald eagle has become a very popular sight at Moosehorn. The nest is easily visible, yet protected from human disturbance.

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He thinks that's partly because of abuses of the practice which people think of when they hear the word, and partly because of the way an area looks after it has just been cut. He points out that most people who object to clearcutting don't consider how after just a few years the new growth not only improves the esthetics of the area, but in combination with other healthy forest growth, also provides a bonanza for wildlife. Mullen compares it to a garden which doesn't look like much most of the year and looks downright scraggly at times, but once in full bloom is a thing to behold.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Snowshoe hare, Canada geese, bobcat, black ducks, moose each part of the diverse wildlife community at the Moosehorn refuge. Photos by the author.

Managing wildlife and forests have been viewed as mutually exclusive. But Moosehorn has shown that comanagement actually benefits animals and trees!

That's not to say that Moosehorn Refuge Manager Doug Mullen advocats some of the "industrial forest" practices currently in use. On the contrary, he says more foresters should consider the needs of wildlife, but he also thinks that many wildlife advocates have no understanding of the economics of forestry. What he believes is needed is the consideration of both.

ot only is Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge a great place to see how a variety of habitat improvement techniques are working, it is also a great place to see wildlife. But don't just take my word for it: go and see for yourself.

As for me, I don't have expertise at either wildlife management or forestry. But as a wildlife photographer, I can tell you that they must be doing something right at Moosehorn, because it's one of my favorite places on this earth. The proof is on these pages.

The refuge consists of two units. The Baring Unit of over 16,000 acres borders the St. Croix River southwest of Calais, while the 7,000 acre Edmunds Unit borders tidal waters at Cobscook Bay, not far from Dennysville. Purists who think !hat any timber harvesting is bad should enjoy visiting the two tracts designated by the U.S. Congress as Wilderness Areas. They don't even have trails through them, but they are an important part of the Moosehorn mix of wildlife habitats. Approximately 4,680 acres of the Baring Unit and 2,780 acres of the Edmunds Unit are granted this special protection. â&#x20AC;˘

The refuge welcomes visitors year round, whether for hiking or wildlife watching, fishing at many of its streams and lakes, deer hunting in November, or even shoreline access for clamming. Cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are also permitted. For information about the Outreach Program, or about visiting the refuge, contact: Refuge Manager Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge PO Box1077 Calais, Maine 04619 Telephone: (207) 454-3521

Fall 1993

Do you lcnow what a food chain Is? Well, It defines where an animal stands In relation to what It eats - and what eats it! Here's the food chain for larg mouth bass. See is you can follow this chain through the underwcrt r maze.

water bugs, sunfis , which eat • • • ·c which eat • • • plants, largemouth b~~s eat • • • which use •••

Maine Fish and Wildlife

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16. Sink swim! 18. Twelve inches.

20. A fishing is always fun! 21. Fish need water in which to live. 22. When a fish bites, your bobber may go under _ __ 26. Artificial lures the fish into biting. 28. Sometimes heard when someone lands a large fish. 29. Another name for a fishing rod. 30. Another name for someone who fishes.

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ACROSS 1. Early morning is a good to fish for bass. 3. It's a that people who fish contribute millions for conservation. 6. Worms, shiners, grasshoppers are if they're on the end of your line! 7. Cut-up tree sections. 9. If you need to go on private land, do this first. 14. A brook trout has a square _ _ __ 15. Hook a grass through the shoulder and head.

Put this in cans and the woods will be cleaner! A sunfish has sharp spines in its back _ _ . This early morning mist means good fishing! The water in many of Maine's streams is very _ __ Opposite of fro. Used by fish to take oxygen from water. One involved in outdoor activities. Shelter; defend. Conservation is __ job! Fish, wildlife, and forests are natural _ _ _ __ Working is the best way to do the job. A small fish that can be used for bait. Opposite of ebb. Someday we may see an to water pollution. Fishing is usually good early in the day, like 7:00 __ ! We did this with some fish on our trip; w...e also threw some back! 25. If a fish sees you move, he will away! 27. Partly open, as a door. 29. Opposite of 23 Down. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 8. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 17. 18. 19. 23. 24.

Usted below are JI ldnds of ffslt found In Maine. We'wt put In two letters In each fish name, but the rest of the letters are dlll fumbled. Can unscramble them? We'wt done the first one for ,ou.

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winners!

To Shawna Knox of Saco, Maine, the first place winner in our Summer 1993 activity contest. Shawna, along with First Runner-Up Heather Wood of West Newfield, Maine and Second Runner-Up Casey Reynolds of Durham, New Hampshire, will be receiving their prizes from us soon. Good going, you three!! Fall 1993

The opening day of deer season was always exciting for Harry Walker. But this year was to be especially exciting because his two grown sons would be joining him. Harry had been known as one of the quicker and better shots on running deer, so when the sons heard two mid-morning shots coming from the general direction where their father was hunting, they figured another deer would soon be in the freezer at home. About noon, when he hadn't shown up at the chosen spot for lunch, they went looking for him down by the marsh where he usually liked to hunt. They found him lying in the waist-high swale grass, face down, his semi-automatic rifle just a few feet from him, a large bullet hole just above his heart. 18

Maine Fish and Wildlife

recent review of records at the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department's Safety Division has shown that the two main causes of hunting accidents are now 1) accidental discharges and 2) out of sight or line-of-fire incidents. Reduction in mistaken for game incidents to near zero (only one in the last three years) has thrust these two categories to the top of the list. Out of sight and line of fire incidents are most often connected with upland game hunting - one hunter fires at a flushed pheasant or grouse and in doing so sprays another hunter with birdshot. Generally, the other hunter is out of sightbehind an alder patch or clump of trees, for example. This type of incident could be reduced with mandatory blaze orange during bird season. But accidental discharges may prove more complex and challenging to correct. Game wardens piecing together the evidence in our example found the expended shell of the first shot some 50 feet away from the body. They also noted that the foot impressions indicated large strides - Harry had most

by Robert J. Barry likely started to run after firing the first shot. Just a few feet behind the body was a small, short tree stump, well hidden by the swale grass. But most importantly, the safety was off on the still-loaded rifle. From all indications, Harry had apparently fired at a deer when it disappeared in the high swale grass, he began to run for a possible follow-up shot. Looking ahead, not down, he tripped over the hidden stump and, in reaching out with his right hand (still gripping the rifle in a more or less port arms position), he brought the barrel up to his chest area with his left hand. He most likely hit the ground with the butt of the stock, and probably brushed the trigger with his thumb due to the impact. Harry Walker was the only hunting fatality that year. Testimony from friends who had hunted with Harry indicated that he always hunted with the safety off when he entered the woods. Consider the following: • On November 15, 1991, a hunter shot himself in the foot while climbing onto a blowndown tree with a 30-06 rifle in his arms. • On November 29 of the same year, a hunter climbed a tree while deer hunting and was pulling his loaded rifle up by the

barrel w hem the rifle discharged, striking him in the back. • There were 13 hunting incidents in Maine during the 1991 season; seven were accidental discharges. • The 1992 hunting season saw 17 incidents; 10 of those, including the only fatality, were the result of accidental discharges. • In 1955, 38 of the 61 hunting incidents can be categorized as accidental discharges. • In 1963, 35 of the 57 hunting incidents are in the accidental discharge category. Usually, the accidental discharge situation involves only the one hunter/victim. But these incidents can and occasionally do include another person. Frequently, this occurs while a firearm is being loaded or unloaded in the company of other hunters. The older lever-actions contributed more than their share to these "two-party" incidents, as evidenced by the 16-year old who shot his 41-year old father square in the chest while unloading his Model 94 in the mid1970s. Just about every hunter in Maine has had some experience with one of these older lever-actions being discharged accidently. This is because one must work each cartridge through the action when unloading. Each time a shell is jacked into the

-chamber, the hammer is brought back into full-cocked position. If one has been doing the unloading with the trigger finger within the trigger guard area, and especially if one is wearing gloves, one of Murphy's laws comes into play ("If it can happen, sooner or later it will"). In fairness to the firearm companies, the newer lever-actions of this design have additio~al cross-bolt safeties which, if ON, render them unable to fire. Handguns (often .22 caliber), frequently in the hands of some young quick-draw artist, account for less that 20 percent of the accidental discharges and are rarely fatal. In most of these cases, victims shoot themselves in the leg or foot. Though research has not been done extensively to categorize age groups involved in accidental discharges in all the years surveyed, there is some indication that the very young are not the only culprits. The 1991 season had so few incidents (13) that it would be unreasonable to draw any lasting conclusions. Of the seven accidental discharge incidents, two were in age group 20-29, one was in 3039, and three were in 40-49.

The author is one of the department's regional safety coordinators. Fall 1993

Model 101 Winchester 0/U shotgun with tang safety; right thumb pushes switch forward as firearm comesupsafety LAST!

There are a few conclusions, however, that can be made. In Maine, accidental discharges have consistently accounted for from 40 percent to more than 50 percent of the incidents each year from the 1950s to the present. The United States and Canadian accidental discharge incidents combined accounted for a startling total of 41.7 percent of all accidents in 1991. You can assume that the selfinflicted accidents are accidental discharges, with an additional 15-20 percent added for incidents of this type involving another party. The most disturbing conclusion is that many of our hunters may be hunting with the safety off on their firearms - and some are apparently doing it intentionally. Some of you may bring up the possibility of defective firearms being a factor in these accidental discharges. But of a total of 755 accidents surveyed over the years, investigation indicated a defective safety as the probable cause in only two cases!. Two of the major firearm manufacturers advised our department that all firearms go through a standard drop test with the safety in both the on

Maine Fish and Wildlife

stumbled - to name just a few. But the common denominator in all these cases was that the safety had to be in the off position for these firearms to discharge. Another reason for overlooking accidental discharges was the concentration on the mistaken for game accidents, since they have historically been the most frequent causes of hunting fatalities. Hunter safety classes, in-

Model 88 Winchester lever action with crossbolt safety. Right index finger pushes to left, then moves to triggersafety LAST!

and off positions. This test consist of dropping the firearm from a four-foot height onto a pad on a concrete floor. The firearms are dropped from every possible position, and the firearm does not go into production unless it passes this drop test. In addition, both representatives said that the only way their firearms will fire (if not defective or altered) is if the safety is in the off position and the trigger is pulled by an object or person. One reason for overlooking accidental discharges in past years is that they have been divided into several different categories when reported. Generally they would be reported as trigger caught on object; loading firearm; unloading firearm; dropped firearm; and shooter

eluding positive identification training, and hunter orange requirements, have drastically reduced this frequency, however. Interestingly, when several classes of hunter safety students were asked about safeties during this past year, two main reasons were quickly put forward by the students as to why they thought hunters would choose to hunt with their safeties off. First was the need for a quick shot-having the safety in the off position might mean the difference between getting a deer and not getting one. Second was the noise of the safety being taken from the off position. The audible "click" of the safety itself might spook a deer! The first reason (need for a quick shot) indicates that the hunter is not sufficiently familiar

with his firearm to be able to take the safety off without stopping to think about the act as he shoulders the rifle. A problem connected with learning a firearm is the vast differences not only in the location of safeties on various firearms, but their manner of operation as well. If (as many do) you hunted upland game all October with a side-by-side shotgun with a tang safety on top of the pistol grip area, for example , you would be hard put during deer season to operate the safety on your auto rifle as quickly and efficiently as you had learned to do with the shotgun. You would not only have to go from thumb (operating the tang on top) to trigger finger, but also to an entirely different location on the trigger guard. To compound matters, it

shot? The fact that Maine is a heavily wooded state is a factor. In much of the Maine woods, deer are consistently shot at distances of less than 100 yards, with hunters frequently jumping deer at even closer range. In our safety classes, we may also have been under-emphasizing the practice of taking the safety from the off position only when you are about to shoot. Many experienced hunters (as most of our instructors are)probably thought that it was so self-evident that they didn't need to emphasize this fact.

re there any solutions to the Accidental Discharge Syndrome? • We should make as our 11th Commandment of Safety: "The safety on a firearm should be

BRNO (Czech) 7/57 over 12 gauge. Trigger finger pushes forward from inside trigger guard, then back to trigger(s)safety LAST!

might be on the front or on the back side of the guard, depending on manufacturer, model, and/or year. I'm a firm believer in the tag safety for two reasons. It is readily visible, and it keeps the trigger finger out of the trigger area and delegates to the trigger finger only the job of firing. What other factors might contribute to the need for a quick

taken off only when you are ready to shoot." • Instructors should stress the need to be thoroughly familiar with a firearm and, if possible, to have a rifles and shotguns with safeties in the same location. • There are a number of gun slings on the market which, by the nature of their construction and use, make it very difficult for the barrel to end up pointing at your body in the event of a fall. These slings are designed so that the firearm is carried in a double-hand position. The one I use incorporates a strap going over the shoulders to take the main support of the weight of the firearm. In the event of a fall, the firearm has a tendency to stay in a horizontal position, and due to the fact that the firearm is being held by the shoulder strap, you can actually release the firearm and brace your fall with both hands. Furthermore, the firearm ends up being cradled by the extended arms in many cases. Finally, firearm manufacturers should be made aware of these accidental discharge statistics and asked if they could put forth possible solutions. Wouldn't it be great if they all put the safety in the same place!? •

KR/CO bolt action with tang safety on the side. Right thumb pushes the switch forwardsafety LAST!

Fa/11993

Tenth Anniversary Maine Duck Stamp

A pair of elegant hooded mergansers grace the 1993 10th Anniversary Maine Migratory Waterfowl Stamp, now available for purchase by hunters and collectors. The acrylic painting reproduced on the stamp, the work of Jeannine Staples of Topsham, was the judges' choice from among 52 entries in the annual duck stamp art competition sponsored by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The $2.50 duck stamp, required for waterfowl hunters and eagerly sought by stamp collectors, is sold by hunting and fishing license agents. Stamps signed by the artist are also available, as are limited edition art prints; for information on signed stamps or prints, call 207-287-2871. Staples became the contest's first repeat winner, having won in 1989 with a painting of common goldeneyes. She is a self-taught artist who concen-

Maine Fish and Wildlife

trates on wildlife, New England landscapes and seascapes. This year's contest Runner-up was Susan Knowles Jordan of Ellsworth. Honorable Mention placements were awarded to Robert E. Goodier of East Machias, D. Crosby Brown of Lincoln and Brad McFadden of Orr's Island. The judges were: Persis Clayton Weirs, Deer Isle; Jim Konkel, Portland; Susan Rayfield, Brunswick; Tom Hennessey, Hampden; and Fred Hartman, Whiting. All were either previous duck stamp contest winners or experienced contest judges. Maine's duck stamp program began in 1984. Revenue from the sale of stamps and prints currently exceeds $60,000 annually and is dedicated to the acquisition and management of waterfowl habitat.

BLUE BELLE STREAMER by Butch Carey THE PATTERN HOOK: #2, 79850 or tandem #4, 94840 THREAD: Black monocord BODY: Silver Mylar WING: White bucktail, five strands blue krystal flash, dark blue bucktail, five strands dark green krystal, four strands peacock HEAD: Black monocord

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Cast on back of hook with black monocord. Wind to the front. For the body, double wrap silver Mylar, front to back, then back to front. Cement.

Add, tied down in front, five or six strands ~ of blue Krystal flash, then ...

Steps 2 through 6 create the wings on this handsome fly. (Wings should extend just a small distance beyond the bend of the hook.) Tie down, in front, a small bunch of white bucktail, then ...

Add, tied down in front, a small bunch of dark blue bucktail, then ...

Fall 1993

Add, tied down in front, five strands of dark green Krystal, then ...

Add, tied down in front, four strands of peacock her/.

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monocord for head, cement(two coats), and the fly is finished! The Blue Belle Streamer is shown here in regular and tandem patterns.

TIPS ON TYING WITH KRYSTAL

Krystal is a fairly new product. When you use it in tying streamer flies , use it sparingly - three to six strands will be plenty. Be sure to use the colors that match the bucktail you are using. Krystal will enhance the bucktail or calftail, and helps create a very translucent fly. The sun and the water will give off flashes of colors which can be seen for long distances - a great attracter!

Maine Fish and Wildlife

ew aw Affecting p· sh and Wildlife The First Regular Session of the 116th Maine Legislature made a number of changes in laws affecting people interested in the state's wildlife and fisheries resources. This summary calls attention to the more important new laws; appropriate law publications should be consulted f or fall details. Unless otherwise indicated, the new statutes become effective October 13, 1993.

HUNTING • The statutory moose hunting district lines have been repealed, and the commissioner of inland fisheries and wildlife now has authority to establish moose hunting district and zone lines through the rule-making process. The legislature also authorized the commissioner to increase the number of moose hunting permits issued annually to 1,200 in 1994, 1,400 in 1995 and 1,500 in 1996 and thereafter. • The commissioner may now prohibit by rule the use of bait for purposes of hunting black bear during any portion of the bear hunting season. (This will facilitate maintaining the black bear harvest at acceptable levels without closing the general bear hunting season during October.) • The commissioner's rule-making authority has been broadened to allow the establishment of special deer hunting seasons between the end of the muzzleloading season and January 31 in order to maintain deer populations in balance with available habitat. This authority includes regulating the number of hunters who may participate, establishing bag limits and specifying the types of weapons to be used. (This change in the law is designed to help control deer populations in areas where municipal ordinances or other special circumstances do not allow for the adequate harvest of deer during the traditional hunting season.) • The legislature has made it unlawful to charge a fee for access to land for the purpose of taking game unless the land is licensed as a commercial shooting area. Gate fees or other access fees unrelated to the taking of game, fees charged by licensed guides which are unrelated to access to land and fees directly related to the placement of bear bait are not prohibited by this new law. • A change in the deer baiting law makes it illegal during any open season on deer to: (1) place salt or other bait or food in a place to entice deer; or (2) hunt from an observation stand or blind overlooking salt, grain, fruit, nuts or other foods known to be attractive to deer. This new law does not apply to hunting from an observation stand or blind overlooking standing crops, foods left as the result of agricultural operations or as the result of natural occurrence; nor does it apply to bear bait that has been placed at a properly identified bear hunting stand or blind. (This law change makes it legal to place food for deer at any time except during a deer hunting season.) • A change in the law on hunting on paved roads makes it unlawful to hunt or to possess a loaded firearm within 10 feet of the edge of the pavement of a paved road or within the rightof-way of any controlled-access highway. It is also unlawful to discharge a firearm across a paved road. • The law now allows anyone without a hunting license who takes a deer on their own land to move the deer or transport it to a registration station provided they first securely attach to it

a tag bearing their name and address. (This was previously allowed by policy but was not addressed in the law.) • Gift deer or moose, or parts thereof, need now be labeled only with the registration seal number and the name and address of the person who registered the animal. • It is no longer legal to use electronic calling devices for purposes of moose hunting. • For purposes of the special muzzleloading firearm season on deer, it is now legal to use muzzleloading handguns and telescopic sights. • The minimum age limit for participation in the special muzzleloading season on deer has been reduced to 10 (previously 14). • The $16 pheasant hunting permit which went into effect in 1992 for York and Cumberland counties for a one year period has been continued indefinitely. • The following hunting law violations have been added to those violations that call for mandatory license revocation upon conviction: Mandatory one-year hunting license revocation - Closed season or illegal possession violation involving deer, bear, moose, turkey or caribou. - Exceeding the bag limit on deer, bear, moose or turkey. -Hunting deer, bear, moose or turkey after having already taken one. - Buying or selling, deer, bear, moose or turkey. - Night hunting. - Hunting under the influence of alcohol. - Discharging a firearm within 100 yards of a residential dwelling without owner permission. - Abuse of another person's property while hunting. A five-year hunting license revocation is required upon conviction of shooting a domestic animal while hunting. And a ten-year loss of hunting privileges is in store for anyone guilty of one of the "mistaken for game" incidents which results in the death or injury of another person.

FISHING • Beginning in 1994, the open water fishing season will extend through November on lakes and ponds managed for warmwater species in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington and York counties. (This will be accomplished through the rulemaking process, and all affected waters will be listed in the 1994/1995 open-water fishing law book.) • Ice fishing shacks left on private property without landowner permission for more than 15 days after the end of the ice fishing season are now considered "abandoned ice fishing shacks," which now fall within the definition of "litter" and may be removed or destroyed by the landowner. Costs associFall 1993

ated with removal or destruction of abandoned ice fishing shacks are recoverable through civil action. • Effective June 7, 1993, municipalities will have statutory authority to regulate ice fishing shacks on inland water bodies which serve as public water supplies, and on all coastal waters. • The law now specifically prohibits the holder of a smelt wholesalers license from using a seine to take smelts. • Cusk and hornpout have been removed from the list of fish which may be taken from inland waters for commercial purposes by virtue of the so-called "eel and alewife" permit. • "Snagging," newly defined in the law, means "to fish by manipulating a hook or hooks in such a manner as to pierce or snag the fish in a part of the body other than the mouth." This replaces the term "jigging," and the prohibited act has been amended to prohibit the "snagging" of fish. Suckers may legally be taken by "snagging" (in addition to hand spear or bow and arrow) between April 1 and June 30. • Ice fishing for cusk at night is now allowed only in waters which are specifically open to this activity. The next ice fishing law book (available fall 1993) will contain the names of waters open at night for cusk fishing. (Unless specifically open to ice fishing at night for cusk and/ or smelts, all waters are closed to ice fishing between 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise.) • The following fishing law violations now call for mandatory one-year fishing license revocation upon conviction: -Taking or possessing trout, salmon, togue or black bass in violation of bag, weight or size limits if the violation involves twice the "general law" bag and possession limit for that species. -illegal introduction of fish into inland waters. - illegally importing live baitfish or smelts. - Buying <2r selling trout, salmon, togue, black bass, pickerel or white perch. - Taking fish by jigging (now snagging) or by explosive, poisonous or stupefying substances. -Abuse of another person's property while fishing.

LICENSES AND PERMITS • Begi,nning in 1994, there will be incremental fee increases in most hunting, fishing, trapping and other department-related licenses over the next three years. Most resident licenses will increase by $2 in 1994, $1 in 1995 and $1 in 1996 ($4, $2 and $2 for combination licenses). Most nonresident and alien licenses will increase by $4 in 1994, $2 in 1995 and $2 in 1996 ($8, $4 and $4 for combination licenses). (These increased fees will generate more than $7 million in additional revenues over the next four years and should keep the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife solvent at least into 1997.) • Atlantic salmon license fees will also be increased in 1994, to $15 for residents (currently $10) and $40 for nonresidents (currently $30). • Convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing firearms are no longer eligible to obtain a department-issued license that allows hunting with firearms. A statement appearing on 1994 hunting licenses must be filled out and signed by the applicant certifying that the applicant is not prohibited from possessing firearms. • Effective January 1, 1995, all applicants for an archery hunting license, other than a junior hunting license, will be required to show proof of having successfully completed an archery hunter education course or having previously held an adult archery hunting license issued specifically for the purpose of hunting with bow and arrow. (Standard firearm safety courses and regular hunting licenses which allowed hunting with bow and arrow will no longer satisfy the eligibility requirements for obtaining an archery hunting license.) • The taxidermy training permit has been eliminated, and the fee for a license to practice taxidermy for commercial purposes will be increased to $75 in 1994. • The breeders license has been changed to a license to possess, propagate and sell wild birds and wild animals.

FINANCIAL

GUIDING

• The department now has authority to accept donations to the Maine Endangered and Nongame Fund other than through the "Chickadee Check-off," and to sell various merchandise in order to generate revenue for the Fund. Also to raise revenue for the Fund, the minimum and maximum contributions have been increased on the Chickadee Check-off line on individual income tax forms, and the check-off has been added to corporate tax forms. • A voluntary "environmental" motor vehicle registration plate has been established that will cost $20.00 per year more than the regular registration fee. The funds will be equally divided between the Secretary of State and the Maine Environmental Trust Fund. The Environmental Trust Fund revenues will be distributed annually with 60 percent going to the Maine State Park Fund and 40 percent to the Maine Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund. The plate design will be determined by the Secretary of State and the commissioners of Conservation, DEP and IF&W in consultation with the Joint Standing Committee of the Legislative Transportation Committee. The plates will be available beginning April 1, 1994.

• There is a mandatory three-year guide license revocation for any guide who is convicted of a fish and wildlife violation which is punishable by a mandatory $1,000 fine and 3-day jail sentence. • Mandatory first aid requirements for licensed guides have been changed. In the future, only "first-time" guide license applicants will need current certification in first aid.

• The taking and possession of snakes and turtles from the wild for export, sale or commercial purposes is now prohibited. (Does not apply to the taking of snapping turtles for commercial purposes by virtue of a permit issued by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.)

TRAPPING • The snaring of beaver under the ice during the beaver trapping season, legalized in 1991 for a two-year period, has been continued indefinitely.

BOAT/SNOWMOBILE/ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE • Municipalities now have authority to designate public ways as snowmobile-access routes for the purpose of allowing snowmobiles to access places of business within the town. Snowmobiles may be operated on the extreme right of any public way designated as a snowmobile-access route. Conspicuous posting and law enforcement efforts associated with snowmobile access routes are the responsibility of the municipality. • People under the age of eighteen who are carried as passengers on an ATV are now required to wear protective headgear (previously applied only to operators).

Maine Fish and Wildlife

OTHER

Editor's Note: The primary mission of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is to protect and manage Maine's wildlife and inland fisheries resources. The myriad tasks that entails would be beyond the physical and financial means of this small state agency were it not for help provided by hundreds of individual volunteers and the work of scores of organizations and other governmental agencies. Past articles have described some of the ways individuals help us. This one is the second in a series in which we profile Maine organizations that work on issues directly with the department, or which have goals and activities that complement ours.

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MAINE DUCKS UNLIMITED

Second in a series of articles about organizations you may want to join.

DUCKS UNLIMITED

by James D. Konkel etlands are disappearing in North America at the alarming rate of over 250,000 acres a year. Waterfowl are running out of places to live, not to mention the bald eagle, the whooping crane and over 600 other wildlife species, many of which are endangered. The loss of wetlands also means that people are running out of places that naturally purify their water and control flooding, places to go boating, hunting fishing, swimming, and exploring nature with their families. Working to preserve these most productive of natural habitats on earth is an organization known as Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Since its beginning in 1937, DU has established itself as the international leader in wetlands conservation. Over one-half million people have joined this grassroots organization over the years, and they've have helped conserve millions upon millions of acres of precious wetlands. DU's focus for the past 56 years has been concentrated in the key waterfowl production provinces of Prairie Canada, where 70 percent of the continent's waterfowl population originates. For many years, DU was the sole provider of funds to stem the hemorrhage of wetland loss there. The author is state chairman of Maine Ducks Unlimited. Fall 1993

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) established a seed bed that has nurtured partnerships among diverse organizations to bring maximum funding to restoring these critical wildlife ecosystems. Since waterfowl know no national boundaries, their migration habits have brought the United States, Canada and Mexico together in support of our common wildlife heritage. Here in the Atlantic Flyway, the dense urban concentration has taken its toll on wetlands. Vital black duck breeding grounds have been degraded as well as commercially important fish and shellfish industries. Our project efforts are seen from Canada's Maritime Provinces to Florida's vast flood plains. Evidence of our work is visible right here in Maine. Our M.A.R.S.H. program, Matching Aid to Restore States' Habitats, is one avenue that we use. This program provides for a partnership with various other organizations to do our valuable habitat work. We have undertaken several projects in cooperation with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the most notable one being at Jones' Creek in the Scarborough Marsh Wildlife Management Area. This involved the rebuilding of an old dam and construction of a water control structure, including a fish ladder for alewives, which enhanced 450 acres of freshwater wetlands. This project, which was dedicated in honor of Todd S. Bayley, provides important breeding habitat for black ducks, as well as wood ducks, mallards and hooded mergansers. Many other migratory birds also benefit from this work. We have other projects scattered around the state in various forms of completion. They include one in the Petit Manan NWR done in cooperation with

United States Fish and Wildlife Service. and is included in the Maine Focus Area of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV) under the NAWMP. Deerhill Bog is another of our projects and is located in the White Mountain National Forest near Fryeburg. This particular project is in cooperation with United States Forest Service and will feature a 250' long dam that will raise water levels 2 feet resulting in approximately 30 acres of flooded marsh. This will benefit not only waterfowl but also great blue herons that once nested here. Another site that we have been instrumental in is located in New Gloucester. This parcel of 87 acres was donated to Ducks Unlimited and we have since turned the title of it over to ME Dept. I.F.&W. These acres will be used for migratory waterfowl as well as upland bird habitat. How can you help? To start with, you can join Ducks Unlimited. To do this, contact the State Chairman or Regional Director listed below. Also listed are dates and contacts for our Fall Banquet season. These nights are always fun-filled and produce much needed moneys for habitat restoration. Any of these individuals will be able to sign you up as a member. Your attendance at one of these events automatically includes a one-year membership. For more information on Ducks Unlimited in Maine, or to become a volunteer, please contact one of the following individuals: STATE CHAIRMAN James D. Konkel 71 Carroll Street Portland ME 04102-3522 (207) 775-7276

REGIONAL DIRECTOR Philip Poux 16 Pine Country Drive Buxton ME 04072 (207) 929-4308 ....

Fall Event Schedule Date Sept. 16 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Sept. 25 Sept. 30 Sept. TBA Sept. TBA Sept. TBA Oct.2 Oct. 3 Oct. 30 Oct. TBA Oct. TBA Oct. TBA Dec.3

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Chapter Bangor Brunswick Calais Waterville-Winslow Auburn-Lewiston Augusta Presque Isle-Caribou Kennebunk Ellsworth Saco Kittery Fred Thurston Sponsor Shoot State Committee Shoot Portland Pine Tree Sponsors

Contact Peter Bartley, 989-5722 Anne Crooker, 725-8485 Mike Whalen, 427-3895 Reed Johnson, 465-7208 Larry Small, 784-9695 Bryce Sproul, 547-3255 Dave Smith, 498-8968 John Ratoff, 985-8959 Kelly Jordan, 667-2028 Reggie Hammond, 799-3462 Frank Belleville, 439-5035 Denny Denham, 657-2565 Bob Smith, 828-1052 Mike Ruetty, 846-6455 C.D. Armstrong, 883-8028

Frequent Fliers Deserve Special Care.

There's nothing in nature quite like the sight of migrating birds. Their routes take them thousands of miles each way-but they1re always on schedule. Unfortunately, many of them could be on a one--way trip to nowhere. Destruction of the wild places where these frequent fliers nest, feed and winter is causing drastic declines in their populations. Please join us in making sure our migratory friends enjoy smooth flights. And happy landings. U.S. FISH & WILDLU'E SERVICE

Write: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (MBMO) Dept. of the Interior Washington, D.C. 20240

Celebrating 75 Years of Migratory Bird Conservation Because just winging it isn't enough.

A Hunter's Pledge Responsible hunting provides unique challenges and rewards. However, the future of the sport depends on each hunter's behavior and ethics. Therefore, as a hunter, I pledge to:

• Respect the environment and wildlife; • Respect property and landowners; • Show consideration for nonhunters; • Hunt safely; • Know and obey the law; • Support wildlife and habitat conservation; • Pass on an ethical hunting tradition; • Strive to improve my outdoor skills and understanding of wildlife; and • Hunt only with ethical hunters. By following these principles of conduct each time I go afield, I will give my best to the sport, the public, the environment and myself. The responsibility to hunt ethically is mine; the future of hunting depends on me.

Fall 1993

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS Ten Game Wardens Sworn In The depleted ranks of the Maine Warden Service received a boost recently with the swearing-in of ten new game wardens. Selected from a field of over 1,700 applicants (see related story), the new wardens began training August 30 at the Criminal Justice Academy in Waterville. Upon graduation they will be assigned warden districts left vacant by retirements or transfers. Six additional game warden positions, authorized last spring by the Maine legislature, are scheduled to be filled after January 1, 1994. The new wardens are Glenn W. Annis of Monson, Robert W. Carter, Ellsworth; James S. Davis, Shirley; Alan K. Gillis, Newcastle; Durward Humphrey ill, Hampden; Michael W. Joy, South Berwick; Daniel J. Menard, Topsham; Irene L. Mottram, Waldoboro; Gary B. Sibley, Jr., Brewer; and Dennis S. Wade, Sherman Mills.

Then There Were Ten ... Going from"'"Point A to Point B" is an expression game wardens use variously in their work, often in reference to something simple like a compass bearing from one place to another. A far less simple use of the expression is when it's in reference to the task of getting from Point A, the need to fill several game warden positions, to Point B, actually filling them. The route between these two points is an interesting one, and a lesson in perseverance by all involved. Lt. Carter Smith, the Warden Service's representative in the recent hiring of ten game wardens, summarizes it: "We began the selection process for hiring the new game wardens on August 2, 1992 with statewide television and newspaper advertisements announcing that we were accepting applications. Those advertisements brought an overwhelming 1,727 responses, some from as far away as California! "In September 1992, the Department of Human Resources administered a written exam to more than 1,300 of these applicants in several locations across the state. After the written exams were scored, 440 applicants remained eligible.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

"In January 1993, the 300 who decided to continue their quest to become game wardens came together for physical aptitude testing. The administration and staff at the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine were very helpful in allowing us to use their facilities and assisting with the planning of this complicated part of the selection process. The rigorous physical testing further reduced the number of game warden candidates, to 130. "Two months later the remaining applicants were subjected to oral board examinations at the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife headquarters in Augusta, a process that took a week to complete. The candidates were individually interviewed to determine their suitability to be game wardens, in the judgment of a panel consisting of a game warden, a warden sergeant and a warden lieutenant. In the interest of fairness and equality, a monitor was present at each interview. "The next step in the hiring process was to establish an eligibility register, with the standing of each candidate determined by combining his or her scores on the written and oral exams. These were "weighted" 40 percent for the written phase, 60 percent for the oral board score. "Following that, an extensive background check was done on all candidates who scored high enough to be interviewed for a position; then each one took a polygraph examination, administered by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Maine State Police. "By the end of June we were down to 24 individuals competing for ten positions. Interviews were held in mid-July, conducted by a pan~l similar to the one that administered the oral board examinations. We were now dealing with a little over 1 percent of the individuals we began with nearly a year earlier, and were faced with the daunting task of recommending to the Commissioner which ten should be hired. "The ten we selected were sworn-in August 23, and after completing a rigid physical examination and psychological evaluation were enrolled in the Basic Police School at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Waterville.

"Even though it took nearly 13 months, the selection process we followed assures us we have employed the very best individuals available for one of the most attractive positions in Maine state government."

Deer Prospects Good for 1993 Maine deer hunters should find trophy-sized bucks in good supply during the 1993 hunting season, in the judgment of Gerry Lavigne, the department's deer biologist. "We expect the antlered buck kill to reach about 17,250 statewide," Lavigne says, "which would be in the top 5 percent for buck kills of the past 75 years." The biologist notes that hunters registered slightly more than 17,000 antlered bucks in 1988 and 1989. "Availability of trophy bucks should remain good, with the statewide buck harvest comprised of 20 to 25 percent of bucks four years or older." "We are optimistic that the moderate to mild 1992-93 winter and prior conservative doe harvests will complement each other to result in an increased statewide deer population during the fall of 1993. As before, expected deer populations should be highest in central and southern deer management districts (DMDs), although some level of herd growth is anticipated for all DMDs." Lavigne predicts that with normal hunting conditions the total harvest this fall should be about 28,200 white-tails, about 600 fewer than last year, but he notes that the 44,500 any-deer permits scheduled to be issued this year is down nearly 5,550 from last year. The department is currently allocating antlerless deer permits to encourage slow deer population growth in all of Maine except DMD 18 (coastal islands where deer numbers are already high). This requires very low doe quotas in eastern and northern Maine (where deer populations are low) but allows more liberal any-deer harvests in other areas of the state. In DMD 17 (coastal Washington County) the quota is again zero to maximize chances for herd recovery. When all quotas are summed, the statewide adult doe harvest is expected to approximate 6,825, according to Lavigne Lavigne observes that the winter of

1992-93 was mild in southern Maine, and moderate overall, despite a sixweek severe period from mid-February to the end of March. However, an early to normal spring green-up minimized winter losses and should have enabled normal fawn production this year. The 1993 firearms season on deer season begins Saturday, October 30 for Maine residents, and runs from November 1 through November 27 for all hunters. No hunting is allowed on Sundays in Maine. Bow hunters will also be allowed to pursue deer from September 30 to October 29, and muzzleloader enthusiasts have a special season from November 29 to December 4.

Record Year for Maine's Endangered Piping Plovers Ocean-beach-goers shared the sand this summer with record numbers of one of Maine's endangered species. Twenty-nine pairs of piping plovers nested in Maine this year, a modern record and up five pairs from 1992. The small shorebirds nested on 13 beaches from Wells to Georgetown. This unprecedented increase provides optimism to those who just a decade ago feared Maine would lose the last of its piping plovers. At that time only seven pairs nested in the state. The plover population has been suffering the combined effects of development and recreation on beaches and predation. Averting the piping plover's extinction in Maine is a cooperative effort of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maine Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy and the Maine Bureau of Parks and Recreation. Volunteer "plover wardens" also aid the effort, patrolling beaches while the plovers are nesting. Funding for the work, about $20,000 annually, comes from state "Chickadee Check-off" revenues, federal endangered species funding and contributions from Maine Audubon, The Nature Conservancy and others. The effort is paying dividends, as Maine in recent years has had among the highest production rates of plover chicks on the East Coast. On average, about two of each pair's four chicks survive, compared with fewer than one in four a few ago.

Biologists attribute much of this success to the use of predator exclosures, which protect nests from foxes, skunks, dogs and cats that prey on incubating females and their eggs. Fencing and signs also alert beach-goers to the presence of endangered birds and prevents nests from being crushed or disturbed. In spite of recent population gains, piping plovers may always be on the state's endangered species list because the habitat they need to maintain a selfsustaining population has been lost.

Land Purchases Pass Milestone The Land for Maine's Future Board, established to protect land of ecological value, passed the 50,000-acre mark recently when it approved the purchase of Salmon Brook Lake Bog in Aroostook County. The board now has 36 properties at 27 locations across the state for a total of 50,764 acres, including more than 105 miles of shorefront on rivers, lakes and the ocean and some of Maine's most significant and spectacular natural areas. Using funds from a $35 million bond issue approved by voters in 1987, the board has either purchased the lands or protected them by conservation easements or other means. A major portion of the properties have been assigned to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for administration, adding to existing wildlife management areas or creating new ones. Less than $6 million remains in the fund.

Outdoor Writers Coming to Maine The Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) is holding its 1994 national conference in Maine. The event will bring many of the nation's top outdoor columnists and broadcasters to the state. The conference, June 12 to 17 at the University of Maine in Orono, is expected to be attended by at least 1,000 members and their spouses. Before and after the event, many who attend will explore Maine's outdoor attractions on their own or by taking advantage of statewide adventures the Host Committee is organizing for them. Material they gather should result in a publicity bonanza for Maine. A Maine Host Committee has

worked several years to attract the conference and make sure it is a success for OWAA and for Maine.

Annual Wildlife Report Available The Wildlife Division's 1993 annual report of its research and management activities is now available. The popular booklet contains detailed information about the division's work during the past year related to Maine's wildlife species. Major sections are devoted to such subjects as regional wildlife management; mammals, including in-depth reports on the status of bears, moose,

What's new .. . what to do .. . how to stay legal in the Maine outdoors

Q. What are Maine's laws on hunting from roads? A. Several sections of the law, some newly revised, deal with hunting on or near roads. As of October 13, a change in the law prohibits hunting (or possessing a loaded firearm) on a paved road or within 10 feet of the edge of the pavement; the only exception involves controlled-access highways like 1-95 or the Maine Turnpike, where it is illegal to hunt within the right-of-way. The law now also forbids shooting across a paved road. In a common hunting situation where you have to cross a road in order to hunt on the other side, you must unload before entering the prohibited area, then re-load after you are beyond it on the other side. Another law prohibits hunting from any kind of motor vehicle, on OR off roads. It is also illegal to possess a firearm in a motor vehicle on Sunday on an unpaved road in an unorganized township unless the firearm is carried securely and completely wrapped, in a case, or in at least two separate pieces so that it cannot be fired unless the pieces are put together (for the purposes of this law, a clip, magazine, or cylinder is not considered a piece of the firearm).

Fall 1993

white-tailed deer and furbearers; waterfowl and upland birds; and lists and studies of endangered and threatened wildlife. The 56-page booklet is offered to the public free of charge; there is a $1 per booklet fee on mail-order requests to cover postage and handling. Copies may be picked up at any of the regional wildlife offices, at the Bangor Wildlife Assessment facility at BMHI, and at the department's Augusta headquarters. Mail-order requests should be addressed to: Wildlife Report, MDIF&W, Public Information and Education Division, Station 41, Augusta, ME 04333.

Nationwide Poacher Hotline For the first time ever, the entire nation is linked through a communication system to help fight poachers. Complementing the poacher reporting systems operational in many states, a new nationwide "hotline" is now available for reporting violations of wildlife laws.

Help Us Stop Maine's Fish 8 Wildlife Law Violators The toll-free number is 1-800-800WARDEN. The anonymous hotline, set-up by the National Anti-Poaching Foundation, Inc., is accessible to anyone from any telephone in the nation without cost to the caller or the state agencies involved. NAPP operators do not take information on suspected wildlife violations but will transfer the caller to the appropriate state agency (Operation Game Thief in Maine) within 15 seconds. Operators will

- - - - - - - KID-BITS ANSWERS-------

Fish Jumble TROUT PICKEREL SHINER LARGEMOUTH BASS PUMPKINSEED SALMON YELLOW PERCH ALEWIFE CRAPPIE TOGUE MINNOW

be on duty during daytime hours, seven days a week. "Information" calls are not handled on this hotline. The National Anti-Poaching Foundation is a non-profit, non-advocacy organization that is funded solely through contributions and annual memberships of $25. It is located at 2860 S. Circle Drive, Suite 2136, Colorado Springs, CO 80906.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR While looking through the recent (Summer) magazine I noticed on page 5 that no bear were reported killed in Oxford County in 1992, when, in fact, 168 bear were killed in that county last year.

Phil Bozenhard Regional Wildlife Biologist Gray

The Summer issue of your magazine was simply super from cover to cover. I trust now that you've given us the first non-hysterical information we've had on the spread of rabies toward Maine, you'll keep us updated on it.

George Washburn Auburn â&#x20AC;˘ Thank you, and we will. According to Dr. Philip Haines, director of Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory, the only lab in the state testing for rabies, raccoon rabies is, indeed, spreading northeastward from Virginia but has not yet been confirmed in Maine. However, Dr. Haines says it is "near certain that Maine can expect raccoon rabies within a year." He also notes that the disease may appear in other warm-blooded animals, including foxes, beaver, skunks, woodchucks and occasionally in domestic animals. Dr. Haines notes that the threat to humans is greatly diminished by vaccination of all dogs and cats and by avoiding contact with wild animals, particularly ones that are injured, fighting or behaving abnormally. Rabies is transmitted only by bites or by getting saliva from the rabid animal into an open wound or onto a mucous membrane.

Ma ine Fish and Wildlife

The Midnight Run of Major Tripp or "I've Gotta Remember My Clothes Next Time!" You know, it's not really that great an idea to get up in the middle of the night, go out in just your underwear, drive hell-bent through the darkness, park your car, and go for a barefoot run through the woods. Is it? I guess it all depends on how good your reasons are. In the case of Game Warden Major Parker Tripp, his reasons were the finest kind- the stuff that drew Parker and many of his green-clad Warden Service comrades into this crazy business to begin with. Poaching. Night-hunting. Total disrepect for wildlife or for the laws which protect it. At any rate, the 45-year old Tripp, who's been a ~aine game warden for nearly two decades, had his now-famous run-in with the lawless ones on a humid mid-July evening this summer. Tripp's 16year old son, Brian, awakened his dad to report hearing gunshots near their Vassalboro home late in the evening. When Parker went outside to in\ estigate, barefoot and wearing only his briefs, he heard the unmistakable sounds of something being loaded into a vehicle and realized he'd better not wait around if he wanted to nab what he surmised to be a couple of poachers. It was at least warm enough as Parker jumped into his cruiser and started in the direction of the sounds. Still barefoot and brief-clad ("I figured I had some clothes in the cruiser - I always do," he said), he waited until the pickup went by, a deer clearly visible in the back, then followed for a brief distance with his lights off. Once he was discovered, Parker attempted to pull the truck over - and that's when the shooting began. Four shots came his way from the inhabitants of the fleeing truck, and Parker pulled back to a following position (he had a 9mm automatic with him, but it was out of reach in the back seat). Trying alternately to lose Tripp and to cause him to rear-end them, the pick-up continued to speed along the good, not-so-good, and just plain bad roads in Parker's neck of the woods. The warden stuck to the truck like good glue, his car hit-

ting bottom at several points along the way. After slinging some more lead at the cruiser, the two lawbreakers finally abandoned the truck and fled on foot, with Parker right behind them still! "I figure they had no idea I was 'underdressed' at this point - but even I would beat feet if someone was chasing me through the woods in the middle of the night, wearing just underwear!" Tripp chased the pair until he gave up for fear of cutting his bare feet. But help was on the way! Warden cruisers have radios, and Parker' d been on his (as you might have guessed!) during the road chase. Soon after he forced the pickup to a stop, a state trooper arrived with some clothing for him. Clothed and armed with his gun and a flashlight, Tripp, still barefoot, eventually tracked down one of the two. Game wardens nabbed the second one shortly thereafter. Charges against the two include possession of a deer in closed season (this deer was a nursing doe; it was still alive during the chase and had to be destroyed later!), eluding an officer, and reckless conduct with a firearm (and one of the two with possession of marijuana!). To discuss this entire incident with Major Tripp is to realize that, as much a cliche as it is, he was just "doing his job." "I never thought about the way I was (un)dressed," Parker said. "I just knew I wanted to catch these guys." He considers himself in the best shape he's ever been in, thanks to a regular and complete exercise program, and this was a great help to him while dodging bullets and boulders. The Maine Warden Service has been the stuff of which sagas and epics are made during its distinguished 163-year history. Sit down with wardens anywhere, and you'll hear the stories - to make you laugh until you split, cry without stopping, or madder'n the dickens at the new and varied ways in which laws can be broken. But a new story has been added to the collection: "Hey, 'dya hear about the barefoot bulldog?" â&#x20AC;˘

Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

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284 State Street

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Augusta, Maine 04333