Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Fall 1994 by Maine State Library

Maine State Library

Maine State Documents Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

9-1-1994

Maine Fish and Game Magazine, Fall 1994 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalmaine.com/ifw_magazine Recommended Citation Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, "Maine Fish and Game Magazine, Fall 1994" (1994). Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine. Book 43. http://digitalmaine.com/ifw_magazine/43

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MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE MAINE STATE LIBRARY LIBRARY USE ONLY

FALL 1994

c, I

$4.50

EDITORIAL by Ray B. Owen, Jr., Commissioner

The Summer 1994 Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine included an in-depth article on Maine's state hatcheries-their operations, their needs, and the important contributions they make to Maine's recreation and economy. Soon after this Maine Fish and WildEfe is mailed, Maine's voters will be asked to endorse a $10 million bond for the repair and enhancement of these hatchery facilities. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of this bond to the maintenance of quality fishing in Maine. To the angler, it will mean the production of higher quality fish, more variety of species, and expanded opportunities-rainbows and brown trout in selected river systems, splake (a cross between lake trout and brook trout) in some of our marginal cold waters, better strains of brook trout, increased winter fishing, and much more. Economically, this proposal will generate millions of dollars for the state, literally paying for itself in one or two years. To understand the importance of this bond issue, we need only to ask: what happens if it does not pass? Frankly, we will lose approximately 50 percent of our fish production ability in the next five to 10 years without major reconstruction work now! This would mean sharp declines in fishing opportunities, as well as greatly reduced revenues for rural Maine. I ask you all to do your utmost to support this important issue. Talk to your friends and neighbors and explain the proposal-write letters of support in your local newspapers-but above all, VOTE! I can't emphasize enough the need for your help! Thanks for your interest and support!

•

Governor John R. McKernan, Jr.

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Ray B. Owen, Jr., Commissioner 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 Carroll Cutting, East Sebago Gene Brown, Durham Thomas Jagger, Sanford Wilmot Robinson, Millinocket Joseph Robbins, Machias Stanley D. Milton, Andover

Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine V. Paul Reynolds, Editor Thomas J. Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor Denise M. Brann, Advertising All photographs in this issue were made by the Public Information & Education Division unless otherwise indicated.

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE FALL 1994

VOL. 36, NO. 3

Features Biggest Bucks in Maine, 1993

Who took the biggest whitetails last season-from where, with what, and when

We're Spreading Out!

by Charles S. Allen IV

State agame thief drives get a boost-from a nationwide anti-poaching hotline!

At Work ... And At Play

by Lisa Kane

Maine 's Conservation Camp sessions at Bryant Pond this summer-well-received!

The Nature Conservancy

by Bruce Kidman

An organization living true to its name---conserving nature

1993 Deer &.. Bear Seasons

For the statistically deprived, here it all is-rundowns on harvests, hunters, etc.

Wildlife Management Areas: Steep Falls

by Norman D. Forbes

Not the biggest-not the best-known-but there 's some prime habitat here!

Take A Chance On It!

by Beth Ahearn & George Smith

Two Maine organizations join forces to preserve our outdoor heritage

Maine's Hunting Incidents

by Robert J. Barry

Fewer hunting accidents-o historical perspective on the numbers and the reasons MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE (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: $18.00 per year. No stamps, please. Second class postage paid at Augusta, Maine and at additional mailing offices. © Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1994. Permission to reprint text material is granted, provided proper credit is given to the author and to MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE. 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, 284StateSt. , Sta. #41, 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. #41 , Augusta , Maine 04333. QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? 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.

Old Sporting Posters, Part 2

Quick and generous response brings yet another "poster from the past" to the Jore

Piping Plovers &.. Least Terns

by Suzy Fried, Alan Hutchinson, & Mark McCollough

Biological sketches of these two beach dwellers-trying to share habitat with man

Departments· 26

KID-BITS

FROM THE FLY TYING BENCH: Bucktall Caddls

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

by Butch Carey

The Front Cover: "Three Faces of Autumn"- photos courtesy Jackie Jlorle, WIid Winds Studios, Mt. Vernon ME 55041. (207) 293-2906. Printed with vegetable-based

¥•,

••

•

inks on recyclable paper

BIGGEST BUCKS IN MAINE, 1993 Name Richard Jolin Samuel Chute Fred Maynard Paul A. Bagalio, Jr. Lowell H. Osgood Dale Crafts Charles Currier III Clayton Hill Ken Normandie John H . Plummer Richard Duffy Kenneth C. Smith Joseph A. Vaillancourt, Jr. Aaron Hutton Galen Dalrymple Daniel MacDonald Michael Otis Dean Brown Travis Gilmore Martin Bare Mark Carrie Philip Cummings Robert Magne Laurentino Dono Richard B. Cluff, Jr. Jeffrey M. Doherty David S. Keene Donald Laskarzewski James W. Pocock, Jr. Cory Pomeroy Michael Savage David A. Cobb Johnathan Downing Russell Kelley Joe Coloutti David Holton Maurice McCullough Charles Cote Emera! Houghton Joe MacAllister Albert P. Manzi, Jr. Brian Spiller Harold R. Westcom Glenn Olcott, Jr. Felecia A. Glidden Keith J . Dayon Blaise Plourde Scott D. Baumann Richard W. Dow Brian Goff Dover L. Alderman Paul Bolduc

Address Gorham, NH Casco, ME Washburn, ME Montpelier, Vf Springfield, ME Lisbon Falls, ME Presque Isle, ME St. Francis, ME Southwick, MA Harrison, ME Waterbury Ctr., Vf Bucksport, ME Bath, ME Cornish, ME W. Farmington, ME Gray, ME Fairfield, ME Lewiston, ME Kingfield, ME Royersford, PA Gorham, ME Gloucester, MA Montpelier, Vf St. Jean, Quebec Sanford, ME East Bridgewater, MA Gorham, ME Cromwell, CT Sherman Mills, ME Fairfield, ME Stratton, ME Machias, ME Wilton, ME Naples, ME Rutland , Vf Wolcott, Vf Chelsea, Vf Billerica, MA Carthage, ME Weare , NH No. Andover, MA Mechanic Falls, ME East Fairfield, Vf Lyndonville, Vf Patten, ME Mexico, ME Fort Kent, ME Newton , NJ Turner , ME Wrightstown , NJ Couer d'Alene , ID Rumford , ME

Date Killed

Where Killed

11/20/93 10/30/93 11/22/93 11/10/93 11/3/93 11/11/93 11/6/93 11/3/93 11/1/93 11/3/93 11/6/93 11/25/93 11/5/93 10/30/93 10/30/93 11/2/93 11/24/93 10/30/93 11/5/93 11/18/93 11/13/93 11/17/93 11/22/93 11/6/93 11/3/93 11/5/93 11/ 13/93 11/2/93 11/18/93 11/2/93 11/2/93 10/30/93 11/26/93 11/1/93 11/2/93 11/5/ 93 11/5/93 11/12/ 93 11/22/ 93 11/2/93 11/ 10/ 93 11/1/ 93 11/4/ 93 11/5/ 93 11/ 6/ 93 11/12/93 10/30/ 93 11/12/ 93 11/13/ 93 11/3/ 93 11/ 2/ 93 11/16/ 93

Magalloway Casco Wade T7R14 Prentiss T6R17 Mapleton T18R10 St. Albans Seboomook Twp . T5R16 Perham Danforth Hiram Temple Island Falls Fairfield Bethel Kingfield Portage Coplin Pit. Rockwood T4R3 BKPWKR Rockwood T8R8 Oxbow Kingfield Lexington T10R14 T7R7 Unity Dead River Twp. Whitneyville Coplin Pit. Naples T13R5 Brighton Magalloway Dead River Twp. Carthage Drew Pit. Solon T5R18 WELS Clayton Lake Patten Dallas Pit. Allagash Parmachenee Lily Bay Twp. Bradstreet West Forks Tim Pond Twp.

., 2

Firearm

Dressed Live Weight Weight

.308 12 gauge .308 .30-06 .30-30 .30-06 .270 Win. .300 Win. .30-06 .30-06 .30-06 .308 Win. .30-06 .30-30 .30-06 .30-06 .270 .30-06 .30-06 .30-06 .30-30 .340 Weatherby .30-06 .375 Win .445 Rev. .30-06 .30-06 .300 mag . 7mm Rem . Mag. .264 Win . Mag. .35 Whalen .30-0-6 .444 Marlin .270 Rem. 7/ 57 .30-06 .280 Rem . .30-06 .30-06 .35 Remington .308 Win . .30-06 .35 Whelen .30-06 .270 .308 .308 . 25 7 Roberts .30-06 .300 Weatherby .308 Win. .30-06

297 275 270 269 267 265 265 265 264 264 261 260 259 257 .5 257 257 257 256 256 254 253 252 252 251 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 248 248 248 247 247 246 245 245 245 245 245 245 244 243 242 242 241 241 241 240 .5 240 .5

356 330 324 323 320 318 318 318 317 317 313 312 311 309 308 308 308 307 307 304 304 302 302 301 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 297 297 297 296 296 295 294 294 294 294 294 294 293 292 290 290 289 289 289 289 289

-------

This list was compiled from Biggest Bucks in Maine membership cards (699 in 1993) ..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 percent. ./

M aine Fish and Wildlife

For many years, a real need has existed for the entire nation to be linked through a single communication system to help join the fight against poachers. This article deals with a national effort to address poaching of our nation's fish and wildlife resources.

by Charles S. Allen

s Maine struggles to cope with its poaching many of us tend to view poaching as an insular problem indigenous only to Maine. Sadly, though, poaching occurs in all SO states and in every Canadian province. Poaching is becoming a global problem that ultimately affects every citizen. All SO states and most Canadian provinces have an Operation Game Thief (OGT)-type program. The fish and wildlife law enforcement community has been seeking a "Nationwide Hotline" for several years. The idea became a reality in 1993, only after concerted efforts on the parts of many people and the North American Wildlife Safeguard, a non-profit organization formed primarily to operate a

nationwide tollfree anonymous hotline, through which concerned citizens can directly contact any OGT program in the country. On April 19, 1993, North American Wildlife Safeguard began operation of this hotlinethe toll-free number is 1-800-800WARDEN. This hotline is accessible to anyone from any telephone in the United States and at no cost either to the caller or to the state agency's OGT program. Several Canadian provinces are already benefitting from this hotline as well. North American

guard bears the entire ....._ . cost of all calls, saving ~ financially strapped fish Âˇ and wildlife agencies thousands of dollars each year. So the entire nation is now linked through this communication network to help fight poachers. And in addition to operating

The author, a district game warden, is statewide coordinator for Maine's Operation Game Thief. Fall 1994

the hotline, North American Wildlife Safeguard sponsors annual fish and wildlife law enforcement conferences and provides educational programs for the public.

ere' s how the hotline works. If the call is to report a fish or wildlife violation, North American Wildlife Safeguard operators will not take any information, but rather will transfer the caller to the appropriate state's OCT program (Maine's 1-800-ALERT-US, for example) within 15 seconds! Operators are on duty 12 hours per day (6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time)-seven days per week. How well does this nationwide number work? Well, since its inception in April 1993, North American Wildlife Safeguard has transferred more than 2,000 calls to the respective states. Here are a few examples of cases instituted and prosecuted as a result of an initial call to the hotline.

Kentucky In early June, the Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife's OCT program received a call transferred from North American Wildlife Safeguard reporting illegal musselling on a Kentucky lake. Upon arrival, Kentucky game wardens apprehended four SCUBA divers in the water and summonsed all four to court. Each of the four divers paid a $500 fine, plus court costs, spent 30 days in jail, and the four lost all equipment, including an 18joot boat, a 25-horsepower motor, and all SCUBA equipment. Alaska A concerned citizen phoned the hotline, which transferred the call to Arizoha's OCT program. The caller 4

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Alaskan brown bear skulls and mount seized by Arizona game wardens.

reported that an Arizona resident had fraudulently purchased resident Alaska hunting licenses and bear tags for him and his son, and that a brown bear had been illegally taken. Arizona wardens, working with Alaska wardens, were able to charge the individual; the result was a guilty plea on the father's part. He was fined $5,000 in Alaska, and Arizona seized two brown bear skulls and a shoulder-mounted taxidermy brown bear from the suspect' s residence.

Montana A concerned citizen telephoned North American Wildlife Safeguard about a poacher who had recently killed two large bull elk in closed season. North American Wildlife Safeguard transferred the call, and after an investigation, Montana wardens apprehended the poacher. The court assessed a $5,000 fine and the poacher lost his hunting privileges for five years! tis only a matter of time, we believe, before Maine wardens will be able to make an arrest because of the nationwide

hotline. It might happen something like this-an out-of-state visitor finds out about some poaching in Maine. Once back at home, he or she decides to do something about it and calls 1800-800-WARDEN. The call is transferred to Maine's OCT hotline, and a Maine game warden begins the investigation. You know how the rest works! Or maybe a Maine resident knows of poaching occurring in another state, and the call to the hotline is immediately directed to the OCT program in that state, and game wardens will begin investigations. The same anonymity guaranteed in Maine's

OGT program is likewise guaranteed in all other states. As you can see, all states have a great deal to gain from this national effort-but our fish and wildlife are the real winners! What can you do to assist us in this effort? The answer is-a lot! Whether it's fish and wildlife issues in Maine or problems across the country, we need to be vocal and involved. Poachers need to be exposed for what they really are-criminals. It does not matter where one is from, one thing holds truesportsmen are not poachers and poachers are not sportsmen. But the sad reality of the situation is

that the work of the poacher is damaging the image of responsible sportsmen and women all across North America. • Editor's Note: For more information on North American Wildlife Safeguard, or on membership, write: North American Wildlife Safeguard 2860 S. Circle Drive, Suite 2136 Colorado Springs, CO 80906 or call (719) 576-1564

l•800•2S3·7887

Help Us Stop Maine's

Fish8 Wildlife Law

Violators A magnificent elk rack, part of the material taken in the Montana poaching case-the poacher paid $5,000 and lost hunting privileges for five years!

OPERATION

GAME THIEF Fall 1994

At Work.

~orest practices are reviewed while hiking through the School's demonstration area for forestry management. by Lisa J. Kane Photos by the author

'l'he pond and stream session foe.uses on collecting invertebrates for study. 6

Maine Fish and Wildlife

On a typical summer ([uesday at the }Vlaine eonservation School in ljryant Pond this year, youngsters ages 12 through 14 participated in a wide array of classroom and outdoor wildlife and conservation education activities. ([he }VlD9JW sponsored 120 campers in two one-week sessions this

~nd~t

Recreation periods call for a quick dip in .Cake ehristopher.

summer, and will be expanding the scholarship program for youth conservation education next year with funds from the moose permit auction (see inside back cover for more information). We recently spent one day at }VI.es to observe firsthand the excellent wildlife and conservation education program assembled and implemented by the staff at the School.

'there's often time ror a quick game or volle!lba/1 between sessions. Fall 1994

JY[ap and compass work is put into practice when the course on firearms handling is not in session.

Are gou sure we're supposed to be here?

Some preliminarg classroom work is necessarg in order to understand pH and techniques for monitoring water qualitg.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

'the "Stone House" holds classrooms, a library, extensive specimen collections, and seasonal staff dorm rooms.

eanoe handling and boating safety includes practice in rescue techniques.

9t's a full day, and an even fuller week, of fun and learning ... and we didn't even get to observe //yeasting, archery and rifle range work, other hunter safety components or final testing, survival segments and more! 9/ your 12-14 year olds are interested in attending the School next summer, please contact the Dept. for more information.

elassroom review completed, the students get out on the water to practice using the equipment.

Fa/11994

The

The Lands And Waters They Need

Nature conservancy To Survive Continuing a series on state and national organizations that you might wish to join by Bruce Kidman Photos by Bill Silliker, Jr.

J ust

one year ago, The Nature Conservancy passed an important milepost in Maine. On a single day in September, the Conservancy closed on two separate land conservation deals at opposite ends of the state. With the acquisition of 1,857-acre Salmon Brook Lake Bog in Aroostook County and a 1,015acre addition to its Waterboro Barrens Preserve in York County, the Conservancy had protected more than 100,000 acres of irreplaceable plant and animal habitat statewide. The Conservancy held title to Salmon Brook Lake Bog for no more than five minutes before passing it on to the State of Maine for less than it had just paid for the site. The state funds came from the Land for Maine's Future Fund and the Bog, a popular destination for sportsmen and naturalists alike, was placed under the stewardship of the Bureau of Public Lands. The Conservancy had spent 18 months in extraordinarily complex negotiations with a variety of public and corporate interests, invested hundreds of hours of staff time, and contributed more than $12,000 to make this deal work. Yet, from the very beginning, turning this spectacular natural area over to tl"\e people of Maine had been the goal.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

The Waterboro Barrens Preserve grew to more than 2,000 acres that day. The Conservancy's newest preserve, the Waterboro Barrens joins over 80 Nature Conservancy preserves in Maine, the largest system of private nature sanctuaries in the state. These include Big Reed Forest Reserve, the largest old-growth forest remaining in New England, wellknown hiking locations like Douglas Mountain and the Hermitage, peatlands like Crystal Bog and Saco Heath, grassland plains, impenetrable cedar swamps, salt and freshwater shorelines, several dozen bald eagle nesting sites, and numerous seabird nesting islands. In fact, the nonprofit organization's holdings include 55 Maine islands, making it the largest private owner of Maine islands, and enough eagle sites to make it the largest owner, public or private, of eagle habitat in the state as well. Still, these Conservancy preserves account for less than a quarter of the land the organization has protected since it began work in Maine nearly 40 years ago. The rest is owned and managed by a variety of public and private conservation partners, including state and federal agencies, municipalities, and local land trusts. About 10 percent of the lands and waters the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W) manages for fish, fowl, and other wildlife were acquired with the assistance of The Nature Conservancy. Among these are more than 4,100 acres on the Mattawamkeag River, more than 1,400 acres on Mattagodus Stream, 300 acres on the Little Ossipee, and 600 acres of waterfowl feeding habitat in Cobscook Bay. The work of the Conservancy in Maine reflects its accomplishments nationally and internationally. More than 11,000 members support the Maine Chap-

The Waterboro Barrens Preserve in southern Maine protects an unusual pitch pine/scrub oak community and large numbers of rare moths and butterflies. The preserve is also home to deer, bear, grouse, and a variety of other species. ter, and The Nature Conservancy's nationwide membership tops 750,000. The organization operates out of 100 offices in 50 states and some two dozen countries. It manages 1,500 preserves-the largest private system of sanctuaries in the world-and has protected more than eight million acres of wildlife habitat. The size and success of this nonprofit conservation organization is a result of its focus on a relatively narrow, but ambitious, goal-to preserve plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth. It pursues that goal by protecting the lands and waters those plants and animals need to survive. Known for its collaborative and nonconfrontational approach, the Conservancy has earned a reputation for bringing people together and getting things done. How? Much of the Conservancy's success is due to three guiding principles: 1) The Nature Conservancy is committed to a businesslike approach to conservation. You won't find Conservancy staff lying down in front of bulldozers, filing frivolous lawsuits, or spiking trees. Instead, they rely on direct and open negotiations with willing sellers, a spirit of entrepreneurship and creative problem-solving. The purchase of Salmon Brook Lake Bog is an excellent example. It was through careful, patient, The author is communications coordinator for the Maine Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, with headquarters in Brunswick.

and exacting negotiations, with some welcome assistance from the petroleum and minerals division of International Paper, that the Conservancy reached agreement on the purchase with J.D. Irving Ltd. and several mining companies. 2) The Conservancy is science-driven. Founded by scientists, the organization remains true to its roots. For example, the Conservancy pioneered a method of surveying, cataloging, and monitoring rare plants, animals, and natural communities-a method now used in all 50 states. The information maintained by this Natural Heritage Network provides accurate and accessible information not only to conservationists but to private individuals and public agencies who need to make decisions on conserving or managing resources or planning for development. The heritage organization in Maine, the Natural Areas Program, is under the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. Information from Natural Areas Program data banks helps the Conservancy set its protection priorities based on sound science. "We're in the science business, not the pretty business," says the Conservancy's national president John Sawhill. "A place can be spectacularly beautiful, but unless it is an outstanding natural community or harbors rare species, we won't try to save it." ' 3) The Nature Conservancy believes in partnerships. It has consistently demonstrated both its interests and abilities in working with a wide variety of individuals and organizations, including businesses, municipalities, state and federal agencies, colleges, and other nonprofit groups. A forceful proponent of the $35 million Land for Maine's Future Board (LMFB), the Conservancy has helped this board identify and purchase 80 percent of the 50,000 acres it has acquired for the people of Maine through 1993. As lead negotiator, the Conservancy helped the LMFB purchase 1,041 acres at the Kennebunk Plains, 1,068 acres around Mt. Agamenticus, 800-acre Mt. Kineo, 29,692-acre Namakanta Township, as well as orchid-rich Salmon Brook Lake Bog. In each case, the Conservancy worked to protect areas hosting outstanding examples of rare plant and animal habitat. The Kennebunk Plains, for example, is itself a kind of natural area rare in Maine: a sandplain grassland. It is also the home of the world's largest population of the northern blazing star, a stalk of purple blooms that paint the plains crimson each August. Here too is found the increasingly rare Fa/1 1994

grasshopper sparrow and what is thought to be the last major holdout of Maine's largest snake, the northern black racer. At the Plains, a management agreement between the IF&W and The Nature Conservancy represents a particularly effective sharing of responsibilities. The Conservancy manages the grassland to protect the grasshopper sparrow, black racer, northern blazing star, and other rare species. IF&W manages the surrounding forests and streams for deer, gamebirds, and fish. Elsewhere in the state, the Conservancy works closely with IF&W to protect nesting sites for bald eagles, wintering sites for black ducks, island preserves for seabirds and threatened habitat for Blanding's and spotted turtles. Last spring, the Conservancy helped to initiate another kind of partnership, this time between con-

The Big Reed Forest Preserve is the largest old-growth forest in New England. It is one of more than 80 Maine preserves owned and managed by the Conservancy. servationists, forest landowners and managers, researchers, and state officials. At a conference jointly sponsored by the Conservancy, the Maine Forest Products Council, the Natural Resources Council, the Maine TREE Foundation and the University of Maine, the theme was how to protect the variety of plants and animals in Maine forests while maintaining the forest's economic productivity. In his introductory remarks on behalf of the conference's steering committee, Kent Wommack, state director for the Conservancy, said the best way to protect Maine's forests and their variety of wildlife is through understanding and cooperation-not through rhetoric or political posturing. He said that Maine's environmental and economic hopes are inextricably intertwined. "We must not follow the example of those who prefer mindless confrontation and faceless adversaries,"' said Wommack." Maine can do better. We can

Maine Fish and Wildlife

work with each other face to face as fellow human beings who have the common needs to conserve our natural resources and to earn our livings." This theme struck by Wommack was echoed last month when the Conservancy's national president spoke at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor. "Any conservation strategy that does not address the legitimate economic aspirations of the local residents will surely fail," Sawhill told his audience. "Simply stated, people are as much a part of ecological communities as are plants and animals." That attitude extends to respecting local customs of recreation as well. Because hunting is a traditional way of life for so many people in Maine, no Conservancy preserves are posted in the state. For The Nature Conservancy in Maine, people make all the difference. Hundreds of volunteers work side by side with paid staff to monitor rare plant and animal populations, build trails, care for preserves, conduct scientific research, collect data, design management plans, and much more. Preserving the diversity of life in Maine and around the globe is no small undertaking. The rare or endangered plants and animals on which the Conservancy focuses its energies are only those in the most immediate danger. But deer in the forest, ducks in the sky, and trout in the stream benefit from the success of those efforts. The fact is that rare species share habitat with other plants and animals. They also share many of the same threats. The health of the bald eagle, for example, reflects the health of every species in its food chain, from the microscopic animals small fish feed on to the salmon that feed on these small fish, and so on. The reverse is also true. Often projects which are designed principally to protect game animals are helpful in protecting rare and endangered plants and animals. Both the Conservancy and IF&W are among partners working to protect wildfowl feeding habitat on coastal mudflats. The Conservancy works to protect these acres because the areas also harbor threatened plants and animals. The Nature Conservancy's work is supported by membership dues and contributions of time and money. Maine members receive the organization's full-color national magazine six times a year and the Maine Chapter's richly-illustrated newsletter quarterly. For m~mbership information, call (207) 7295181 or write: The Nature Conservancy, Maine Chapter, Fort Andross, Suite 401, 14 Maine Street, â&#x20AC;˘ Brunswick ME 04011.

1993 Deer & Bear

A SEAS N SUMMARY The final registration figures for Maine's 1993 deer season were slightly lower, and for bear seasons were higher, than the year before for these big game species, but still in line with the Wildlife Division's expectations and predetermined harvest quotas.

AROOSTOOK Deer-1737 Bear-610

DEER Hunters tagged 27,402 deer last fall; 682, 26,608 and 112 were taken during the archery, regular firearms, and muzzleloader seasons, respectively. This total represents a decrease of 5 percent from 1992. Of the estimated 210,000 hunters pursuing deer in 1993, 178,000 were Maine residents; they registered 22,501 deer (a 12.7 percent success rate). The 32,000 nonresidents tagged 4,901 whitetails (15.2 percent success). The success rate among hunters holding any-deer permits averaged 32 percent, while bucks-only hunters averaged 8 percent. Maine's 1993 post-hunt deer population was estimated at roughly 235,000. Populations in 1994 are expected to be slightly less, since the 1993-94 winter was more severe than normal in most parts of the state. Allocations of any-deer permits for the coming hunting season are tailored to offset winter losses among productive does while fostering slow herd growth in most of Maine's 18 Deer Management Districts (DMDs). As in past years, we intend to maximize the doe harvest in our offshore DMD 18.

PISCATAQUIS Deer-2024 Bear-294

BEAR

Bear-0

Bear-3

The 1993 harvest of 2,055 bears was an increase of 13 over 1993. Most bears (1,452) were taken during the early general season (Aug. 30- Sep. 25). Deer- 701 An additional 376 bears were registered during the seven-week hound season, Bear-0 and 192 bears during the late general season (firearms season on deer). Deer-524 Maine residents killed 790 bears, or 38 percent of the total. The 1,265 bears harBear-0 vested by nonresidents were taken by hunters residing in 34 other states, Quebec, Mexico, and Austria. Bow hunters registered 227 bears in 1993. Baiting continued to produce the bulk of the bear harvest, accounting for 66 percent (1,364) of the total. Hunters using dogs took 316 bears (15 percent). About half of the successful bear hunters employed a registered Maine guide to assist them during their hunt. The 1993 bear harvest included 1,124 males, 919 females. Maine's spring 1994 bear population is estimated at about 20,000 to 21,000 animals. The 1994 hunting season should result in a harvest below 2,300, which is the upper limit if the bear population is to continue increasing toward the objective level of 21,000.

Composition of the 1993 Deer Harvest by Deer Management District DEER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS Sex/Age Class Adult Bucks Adult Does Fawns Total

599 78 28

310 1,175 25 318 22 164

629 138 69

1,017

705

357 1,657

836 1,348 1,854

845 119

932 1,065 1,085 549 275 504 328 141 285 1,962

410 1,503 1,097 2,828 1,132 872 502 1,649 44 625 457 271 923 23 354 477 2,482

1,870 5,400 2,461

Statewide

876 1,126 519 490 342 220

439 34 27

374 9 3

312 136 69

16,737 6,886 3,779

500

386

517

27,402

1,737

1,836

Fa/11994

Wildlife Management Areas

STEEP FALLS by Norman D. Forbes

The

STEEP FALLS WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

RAINBOW POND

C E N T

R p,. \..

aouNDARY

Maine Fish and Wildlife

power. The surrounding land area provided a source of raw material to supply mills producing wood and paper products. What has now become the Steep Falls Wildlife Management AREA Area began to take shape in the 1930s when Fred Adams began to acquire land. He eventually obtained more than 2,000 acres which became the foundation for a variety of busiAREA BOUNDARY ness enterprises. The MAIN ACCESS ROAD TUCKER BROOK WETLAND woodlands were certified COMPLEX COMPARTMENT 1 as a tree farm and were COMMERCIAL TH I NNING AND managed by the S.D. WarDEER WINTERING AREA HAB ITAT MANAGEMENT ren Company's Woodland ( 1993-1995) COMPARTMENT 4 Department for nearly 25 COMMERCIAL STRIP CUTS years. AND TIMBER STAND IMPROVEMENT AREA The Department of In( 1983- 1984) COMPARTMENT 3 land Fisheries and Wildlife WHITE PINE STAND historically recognized COMMERC IAL THINNING ( 1979) large year-round population of white-tailed deer on the area, approximately 1,000 acres of which is valuable winter habitat. This valuable habitat, plus considerable furbearer and waterfowl habitat nearby, attracted department interest when the property was put up for sale. An area this size, vulnerable to development and easily accessible to the state's large population centers, fit the objectives of the department's Wildlife Habitat Acquisition Plan developed in 1973. Negotiations began and

Saco River, was known as an in d u strial area which used the river as a source of hydroelectric

Steep Falls area of Standish, located in western Cumberland County along th e

ROAD

The author is a biology specialist with the Wildlife Division.

were completed in 1977 for the acquisition of the property. Approximately 300 acres were not purchased; today this property is privately owned and managed as a camping area. Three additional parcels of 68, 93, and 68 acres have since been acquired, bringing the total stateowned holdings at the Steep Falls Wildlife Management Area to 2,537 acres. A management plan was developed in 1980 to document changes and activities to be undertaken on the area. In the plan, emphasis is placed on managing the forest stands to enhance the value of the property for wildlife. This requires detailed timber

(continued on page 28)

Exhibiting a variety of wetland habitat, the Steep Falls Wildlife Management Area contains some very scenic areas-a photographer's dream, winter or summer. Views such as these are available to the visitor from the main access road (see map) and from other roads within the area.

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Fa/11994

Two of Maine's leading conservation groups have teamed up to start a petition drive to save Maine's outdoor heritage

SAM &MAS: Take A Chane~

by George Smith, Sportsman's Alliance of Maine and Beth Ahearn, Maine Audubon Society

are losing our outdoor heritage! Maine's exceptional natural resources-lakes, rivers, forests, coastline, and the fish and wildlife that inhabit them-are a large part of what makes this state unique and special. Maine's environment gives us a high quality of life and outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities, supports a vital outdoor and tourist industry, and is the foundation of the state's economy. But state government has been unable to fund the management and enhancement of our natural resources and recreational facilities. Maine's wildliferelated economy is a $1 billion industry, but the budget for all natural resource agencies and programs is less than three percent of the state's budget. The Department of Conservation, which is responsible for public lands, parks, water access, forests, and the unorganized territories of northern Maine, receives less than 1 percent of the budget. And the Fish and Wildlife Department gets even less! Because Maine's natural resources have been unable to compete for public dollars, and taxes are already stretched thin, we must find other ways to provide non-tax dollars to these vital ,programs. The Maine Audubon Society and the

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Sportsman's Alliance of Maine hope to establish a Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund (MOHF), using revenue from a new wildlife conservation lottery game. Volunteers from each group will be at Maine polling places Nov. 8 to collect enough signatures to place the initiative on the 1995 referendum ballot. The lottery game is expected to raise between $2 and $4 million annually, which will be spent according to the following formula:

The Outdoor Heritage Fund, which will be distributed annually to state natural resource conservation agencies and organizations by the MOHF Board, will be used to:

Wildlife and fisheries conservation and habitat .................... 35 percent Purchase and management of highvalue public lands, parks, and access sites ..................... 35 percent Endangered and nongame species programs and habitat .. 15 percent Game wardens and other conservation law enforcement .. 15 percent

• purchase and conserve wildlife habitat • hire more

MAS

This citizen-initiated petition gives all voters an opportunity to participate directly in the governmental process. The MOHF is a project that runs on people power. We must collect 60,000 voter signatures to put the MOHF initiative on the 1995 ballot. And if we win the MOHF referendum, Mainers will be able-directly and voluntarily__.'. to help save our outdoor heritage by playing the lottery wildlife game.

areas • secure public access sites to land and water • develop recreational facilities on public lands • work with private landowners to improve access and recreational use • implement endangered and threatened species recovery programs • support youth conservation and education programs • repair crumbling state recreational facilities

e On It!

• improve salt and fresh water fisheries • construct boat launches and public campsites • purchase much-needed law enforcement equipment • purchase seabird nesting islands vital to puffins, eider ducks, and Arctic terns. Money from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund will be distributed by a

Announcing the partnership, from left to right: Beth Ahearn, legal counsel, and Thomas Urquhart, executive director, Maine Audubon Society; and George Smith, executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. polling places on Nov. 8 and "Give a Day for Maine's Outdoor Heritage." Interested persons should contact: Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund P.O. Box 2783 Augusta,, ME 04338 The state's lack of investment in wildlife and other natural resources has resulted in: • degradation and loss of valuable wildlife habitat • loss of public access to land and water • increased poaching • state park facilities which are falling apart and near closure • reduced recreational opportunities on public lands • inadequate attention to forest practices • conflict and confusion in environmental permitting • harm to local economies built on hunting, fishing, and tourism

SAM board of directors ..:::,,,,._"VJ housed within ~ the Department G' \.' of Inland Fisherl,•'-' ies and Wildlife, so the money will be protected by that department's constitutional amendment. The board will consist of seven members, including the commissioners of conservation and fisheries and wildlife, and five public members, including representatives of statewide sportsmen's and conservation groups. This board will consider applications for the funds each year from state conservation agencies and organizations, and make grant awards. Volunteers are being recruited to circulate petitions at their local

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• inadequate assistance for endangered species • very little conservation education for Maine kids • serious decline of freshwater fisheries • steady loss of our outdoor heritage and traditions Maine's environment and natural resources have always been the state's "golden goose." We have taken golden eggs for over two hundred years, and the time has come to feed the goose. Investments in Maine's natural resources return a BIG economic payback. The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund represents a much-needed investment in Maine's renewable natural resources-an investment in our heritage as well as our future. •

Fish and Wildlife Department Biologist Charles Todd with Bart, the eagle. Fa/11994

Through The Years-The Causes, The Casualties, The Cures

Maine's Hunting lnciden s by Robert J. Barry

In 1952, a father and his 16-year old son had just finished hunting for the day. It was cold, not unusual in the last week of November, and both had worn gloves. They reached their car and proceeded to unload their firearms. The father had a bolt action 30-06 and was working the bolt to unload-facing his son, but with his attention on his own rifle. The son had his grandfather's old Model 94, 30-30 caliber, and started to jack the shells from the tubular feeding system. This required a shell to be chambered, and the hammer to come back to ,'illl cock-ready to fire-each time he cranked the lever. . The son had braced the butt of the stock against his upper thigh, with the barrel parallel to the ground and pointing in the direction of his father, who was only a few yards from him. Like his father, he was in a semi-stooped position concentrating on his firearm . His gloved hand was in the lever, the trigger finger riding back and forth in front of the trigger as the lever closed each time. The thickness of the glove on the trigger finger did not leave much room between it and the naked trigger-during one of the closings of the lever, it brushed against the trigger. The father, still in his early 40s, only had time to look up as the noise filled his ears. The tremendous impact of the 170-grain soft-nosed bullet struck him, at maximum muzzle velocity of 2,200 feet per second, square in the chest.-and he became the 19th hunting fatality of 1952.

ince 1940, only 1950 had as many hunting fatalities as did 1952. If we were to count from 1946 through this most unsafe 1952a total of seven years-we would find exactly 100 hunting fatalities. Sadly, the great majority of these fatalities, and of all hunting incidents in any time period involve family, friends, and loved ones. This is not difficult to understand, since Maine has a great tradition of hunting, and families and close friends usually hunt together. Even in an incident involving no loss of life, sons, fathers, brothers, and otq.ers must live their lives with memories of the tragedy:

Maine Fish and Wildlife

"If only I had pointed the rifle in a safe direction as I was unloading it ... " "Perhaps if my finger had not been in the trigger area ... or if I had not worn gloves ... " "I know all the rules ... how could I have been so stupid?" Alt's not too hard to imagine what public reaction would be if 70 accidents, 19 of them fatalities, happened in one year nowadays. The Bangor Daily News conducted a poll last fall in which they asked a cross section of 650 residents of Maine the following question: "So far as you've heard, is the number of hunting accidents involving guns in Maine higher, about the

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

same, or lower now than it was 20 years ago?" Over 41 percent thought there were more, and another 23.9 percent did not know one way or the other. Statistics maintained by the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department's Safety Division, however, indicate an overwhelming reduction in total accidents and in fatalities over the years. The reasons for the public's seeming unawareness of these improvements would be another interesting topic in itself. Consider the above-mentioned 1946-1952 period, with its 406 accidents and 100 fatalities. Compare that with the period from 1987 to 1993, with seven fatalities out of 117 accidentsit's obvious the safety division has done something right. To narrow it down even morewe've had only one fatality in the last four years, and in all of New England, there were NO fatalities during the 1993 hunting season. When you also consider the 40 percent increase of hunters in the field since the 1940s and 1950s, all these numbers work out to a 92 percent reduction in fatalities and an 87 percent reduction in accidents. If there was such a reduction in injuries and deaths in any other social activity in our country, it would be national news, with appropriate awards being handed out to those responsible for the safety record. And who are those responsible? First and foremost, there are the several thousand volunteer hunter safety instructors, who have been doing a tremendous job in teaching our youth hunting safety over the past 30+ years. Second, the introduction of "blaze orange" has no doubt

been a major factor in the reduction of hunting accidents. Third, we would have to give credit to the Maine legislature in passing mandatory blaze orange, along with laws eliminating driving deer and ending legal hunting at sunset during deer season, as contributing factors. In addition, a great deal of credit should be given to Gary Anderson, head of the department's Safety Division. Gary started with the department in 1972 and initiated the hunter safety program, which at the time involved six hours covering primarily firearm training. Later that same year, he wrote and put into effect You Alone in

the Maine Woods, a booklet which has since become the principal text on survival in the wilderness, now being used by eight states and Canadian provinces in their hunter safety courses. In 1976, responsibility for boating safety was added; still later came all-terrain vehicle and trapping safety. Snowmobile safety was already in existence, beginning in the early stages of safety division history. Maine's hunter safety course is now 12 hours long and encompasses the all-important gunhandling and safety, plus game laws and enforcement, Maine game animal identifica-

WHAT CAUSES HUNTING ACCIDENTS? Defective Ammo Self-Inflicted - 3 Archery Equipment Unsafe Use Self-Inflicted - 5 Arrow Not Matched to Bow Self-Inflicted- 1 Use Firearm as Club Self-Inflicted- 23 Falls Frqm Trees Self-Inflicted - 29

I I I

[I [II

Ricochet Self-Inflicted - 15 Loading Firearm Self-Inflicted - 46

Based on information from: 41 states/provinces in 1981 54 states/provinces in 1982 57 states/provinces in 1983 Source: North American Association of Hunter Safety Coordinators

r"IIIIIIIIIIIII

Lallllllllll

Improper Crossing of Obstacle ~ Self-Inflicted - 86 L_IIIIII Discharge Firearm in Vehicle Self-InflictedÂˇ 75

1981 -1983 Total Accidents 4,944 Total Fatalities 666 Accident Rates per 100,000 Licenses Sold All 9.35 Fatal 1 .26

r---.-.

.NONFATAL 0

(FATAL)

Lalllala

Insecure Rest Firearm Fell Self-Inflicted - 91 Defective Firearm/Bow Self-Inflicted - 86 Unloading Firearm Self-Inflicted Âˇ 54 Removing/Placing Firearm in Vehicle Self-Inflicted -109 Victim Moved Into Line of Fire Trigger Caught on Object Self-Inflicted - 194 Careless Handling Self-Inflicted - 222 Shooter Stumbled and Fell Self-Inflicted - 278 Victim Covered By Shooter Swinging on Game Victim Mistaken For Game Victim Out of Sight of Shooter Other/Unknown Self-Inflicted - 209

Fall 1994

tion, rifle and shotgun instruction, map and compass reading, game management, sportsman's ethics, and landowner relations. In 1986, hunter safety training became mandatory; to date, approximately 150,000 students have taken the course. It is estimated that more than half of the hunters in the fields and woods of Maine each November have taken a hunter safety course. Anderson has introduced single-parent and women-only hunter safety courses recently to meet the changing family structure in our society. Bruce Martin, Safety Coordinator in Biddeford, had more than two dozen women attend his class in 1993. Anderson felt that women wishing to take the course would be less intimidated if no men were present.

Martin, to further this approach, obtained as many female instructors as he could find to assist him during the course. The feedback from the women enrolled in the class was very positive and more classes of this type are being planned. What further action or legislation is needed to reduce hunting accidents even more than the remarkable amount already done to date? Present figures show that the two main causes of hunting accidents now fall into the categories of upland game and accidental discharge (see MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine, Fall 1993). The typical upland game accident occurs when two or more hunters are in heavy cover and a grouse or woodcock flushes. One or more shooters fire at the bird

MAINE HUNTING INCIDENTS

and unknowingly spray another out-of-sight hunter with shot. Generally, this type accident is not fatal, but a hundred or more lead pellets in your hide or face is not a pleasant experience. Blaze orange, of course, is the proven remedy to this type of hunting accident, as our deer hunting accident records show. We need upland game hunters wearing an article of blaze orange to lessen the frequency of this type of accident from occurring. The accidental discharge category discussed in the Fall 1993 issue of this magazine is being dealt with in hunter safety classes. More emphasis is being put on the safety on all firearms and on taking the safety off only when you are shouldering the firearm, ready to shoot at an identified target.

& FATALITIES

1940- 1993 80 70

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FATALITIES

(/)

I- 60

u z LL.

50 40

a::

20 10 0 1 940

1 945

1 950

1 955

1 960

1 965

1 970

YEAR NOTE: THERE WERE NO FATALITIES IN 1990, 1991 , OR 1993

Maine Fish and Wildlife

1Âˇ975

1 980

1 985

1 990

The graphics accompanying this article clearly indicate how effective the safety program has been over the years. I salute the

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department, Gary Anderson, his coordinators and safety instructors (all 4,000 of them!), and the

Maine Legislature for its wisdom in passing the bills which have been major factors in this extraordinary achievement. â&#x20AC;˘

OLD SPORTING POSTERS, PART

Vern Black was a warden in the '40s and '50s. Hunting accidents were more plentiful, and many more of them fatal, than today-hunter education and hunter orange have improved things. But back then, it was a big problem. Part of a field warden's job back then (and still today) consisted of spreading the word-from speaking to school children and sporting groups to tacking up posters in the woods. Vern probably didn't really think about posterity when he tucked a few such posters under the eaves of his garage after a day of nailing them on selected spots throughout his district (see picture below). But when his grandson, David Pike of Cornish, called our office in answer to our plea for more information about the poster "series," we were some glad Vern had thought to set some aside. David said his family had been cleaning out Vern's garage this summer (the old dedicated warden died in 1987) and had unearthed "several" old posters, and asked if we were interested in seeing them. Well, I guess! When we arrived at the Pike dairy farm in Cornish a few days later, David and his uncle, Jim Black (Vern's son), had a pool table literally covered with posters, regulations signs, and even a fish and game regulations book from 1880! All in incredible condition, considering they had been under those eaves for 30 years or _ more! More on this later. Let's just say that David's and Jim's generosity has given us the hunting safety poster you see here, and another one as well (stay tuned to the winter issue for information on that one). We are offering 14" by 18" reprints of this poster for $5 each, Warden Vern Black postage and handling included. spreading the word, Printed in full color on sturdy c. 1945 coated stock, this poster will make a handsome addition to the first poster in our series ("Gee, Mister," also available for $5) or as a stand-alone wall hanging. Even with sweeping improvements in our safety record, this message is still vital today, . Just in time for Christmas-the ideal gift for the sportsmen on your gift list! To order, send check of money order for $5 for each â&#x20AC;˘ c\udiU9 poster to: ttt . in9 ~

"Look Before You Shoot" Fish and Wildlife 284 State St., Station 41 Augusta ME 04333

50 0

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Fa/11994

Piping Plovers "'"' C

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Piping plover, aware of the photographer.

by Suzy Fried Maine Audubon Society and Alan Hutchinson and Mark McCollough Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

ach spring, piping plovers and least terns return to nest and raise their young on Maine's coastal beaches. They share the beach with other wildlife-and with people-all of whom affect their ability to survive. Unfortunately, their survival is not guaranteed. They are both listed as Endangered Species in Maine, meaning they are in imminent danger of disappearing. These birds are important parts of the natural beauty and heritage of Maine's coast. By conserving them, we are also conserving our environment.

The Piping Plover While its plaintive call is easily recognized, the six-inchtall 'piping plover can be difficult 22

Maine Fish and Wildlife

to spot against a sandy backdrop. The small bird's back and head are a soft gray, while its belly and chest are creamy white. Viewed from a distance, the strokes of black across its forehead, around its neck, and at the tip of its tail feathers look like seaweed washed up onto the beach. Adult piping plovers have yellow-orange legs which speed them along as they search the shoreline for marine worms, crustaceans, sand fleas, and various insects. After wintering on beaches from North Carolina to Florida, and occasionally south to the Bahamas and West Indies, piping plovers migrate north, some as far as Canada, to breed. Arriving in Maine by late March

or early April, they remain until September, when they migrate south again for the winter. The piping plover's nest-or "scrape"-consists of a small indentation made in the sand above the high tide line and lined with seashell fragments or small stones. Sometimes the birds choose to shelter their nests under a tuft of vegetation. Unlike most of the other breeding coastal birds in Maine, nesting piping plovers are not colonial. During courtship, a male bird makes numerous scrapes before his mate chooses one in which to lay her clutch of four eggs. Usually, she will lay one egg each day, incubating the clutch only after laying the fourth egg. Piping plover chicks hatch after approximately four weeks and are precocial, meaning they are already fully feathered, ready to walk, and able to find food for themselves. They fledge (begin to fly) in approximately 30 days and if they are lucky, may live as long as 14 years.

Least Terns Least tern, with egg (quite well camouflaged).

The Least Tern At only nine inches in height, the least tern is the smallest North American tern (it was once known as the "sea swallow") . The least tern has a gray back, white chest and belly, the black cap characteristic of the tern family, and orange legs. But the most observable field mark for identification is the white wedge on the least tern's forehead. Although least terns will eat crustaceans, they are more likely to hover above the water before diving to catch small fish. Least terns winter in Brazil, but migrate annually to their breeding habitat on the sandy beaches along North America's Atlantic coast. They reach Maine-their northernmost destination-by mid-May and begin their courtship rituals. Least tern nests consist of small scrapes in the sand above the high-tide line. A female least tern will lay two or three eggs in a nest. The chicks hatch after approximately 21 days of incubation but are unable to feed themselves at first. This keeps

them close to the nest where adults can provide protection from predators. The least tern's colonial nesting habit enables the birds to gang up against predators, "dive-bombing" them and pelting them with droppings. Least tern chicks fledge three weeks after hatching â&#x20AC;˘and are known to live 20 years or more.

Threats and Protective Measures By the end of the 19th century, both piping plover and least tern populations were only a fraction of what they once had been. Victims of fea ther and egg collectors and market gunners (at that time piping plovers were hunted for food), which sometimes took as many as 1200 least terns in a day, the birds' demise helped ignite a public outcry for their protection. Finally, in 1918, federal lawmakers passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Under the protection of the law, least tern populations began rebounding by the late 1930s, although the birds didn't return to Maine to breed until 1961.

Maine's least tern population increased until the 1970s when it began to decline once again. Piping plovers are believed to have increased to peak numbers in Maine by the 1940s, but its population also declined again as shorefront property was developed and recreational use of beaches increased. Maine's least tern population has been monitored closely since 1977 by the Maine Audubon Society. Numbers have fluctuated during that time, with a low of thirty-nine nesting pairs on five Maine beaches in 1982 and a high of 125 pairs nesting at six sites in 1993 (75 pairs nested in 1994). While these numbers are encouraging, they do not necessarily indicate that the state's least tern population is on an upswing. The greatest continuing concern is low survival of young-less than one chick per pair, on average, survives long enough to learn to fly. In 1975, the Maine State Planning Office designated least tern nesting sites in Phippsburg, Wells, and Scarborough as Fall 1994

official "Critical Areas," thereby encouraging their preservation. The least tern was classified as an Endangered Species under Maine's Endangered Species act in 1984. Although the Maine population is not federally endangered, other populations in the U.S are listed as such, and the Atlantic Coast population, including Maine, is considered a species of management concern by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Maine Endangered Species Act establishes penalties for taking, harassing, or harming least terns or their nests and includes measures to protect their habitat as well. The piping plover has received much conservation effort in Maine since 1981; at that time, fewer than 1,000 pairs remained nesting along the entire Atlantic coast; approximately 10 of these pairs existed in Maine. The piping plover was classified as an Endangered Species under both the Maine and the U.S. Endangered Species Acts in 1986. As a result of intensive conservation actions since then, their decline has been halted, and piping plover populations have recently started to increase. In 1994, 35 pairs of piping plovers nested at 11 beaches.

A Lack of Nesting Habitat Since World War II, development along Maine's coastline has reduced available nesting habitat for these birds. Increasing presence of humans and their pets on the nesting beaches keep the birds from attending their eggs or chicks, which are then vulnerable to the elements and to predators. In addition, because the nests are hard to see, beachgoers can inadvertently cru~h them under foot. The birds

Maine Fish and Wildlife

will sometimes try to nest again, but a second nest is even less likely to survive amid the increased presence of both humans and predators on the beaches later in the summer. Drawn by garbage and food scraps left on the beach, increasing numbers of predators, such as foxes, gulls, crows, skunks, and raccoons, are preying on eggs and chicks. Least terns will aggressively attempt to chase a predator away, but are not always successful. When a piping plover perceives that a predator is threatening its nest, the bird will attempt to distract it by moving a few feet away from the nest, feigning a broken wing and sounding a distress call. But even if this ruse works, the adult bird's absence leaves the eggs or hatchlings vulnerable to the elements. Researchers have recently discovered that daytime beach use by people causes piping plovers to wait until dark to feed. When humans visit beaches at night, the birds' feeding time is limited even more. Nature itself can cause problems for least terns and piping plovers. Winter storms erode nesting areas, and exceptionally high tides during the nesting season routinely wash out entire nests or even much of a colony. The winter of 1992 was especially hard on Maine's beaches. Coastal beaches are dynamic systems, and species found there are well adapted to surviving losses natural to such systems, if the system is intact. The problem is that Maine's beach systems, like all others on the Atlantic coast, are not intact. Historically, Maine had more than 20 miles of suitable nesting beaches that may have supported up to 200

pairs of nesting piping plovers and 1,200 pairs of least terns. However, construction of seawalls, jetties, piers, homes, parking lots, and other structures has reduced the amount of suitable nesting habitat available to these two species by more than 70%. Adding to the problems facing these two species, the capability of this remaining habitat to support nesting plovers and terns is further reduced by intense recreational use and continued development. Due to the special management required, and the importance of landowner understanding and involvement in these issues, these few remaining sites are being proposed as Essential Habitats under Maine's Endangered Species Act.

Conservation Measures For the past 17 years, a coalition of groups (starting with the Maine Audubon Society, and now including the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Recreation, and municipalities) is working with local residents, landowners, and beachgoers to protect these endangered shorebirds. The goal is to increase their populations in Maine to where they are truly self-sustaining. Each year at the beginning of April, Maine Audubon Society staff visit nesting sites to observe any changes winter storms have made. Once birds arrive and begin to nest, conservation staff, working with landowners, restrict access to nesting areas, marking them with stake and twine and posting them with signs.

Intensive protection and monitoring efforts are the key to recovering these species. Once piping plovers return to their Maine breeding grounds, Maine Audubon staff and volunteers visit the sites weekly until the pairs begin to nest. Visits then increase to three per week. Each nest is surrounded with a circle of wire-mesh fencing, called an exclosure. The openings in the mesh are large enough to allow birds to easily walk through, while preventing predators from getting in. A loose grid of monofilament strung over the top of the exclosure keeps winged predators from swooping down on the nest. Studies in Maine and elsewhere show that these exclosures greatly increase

the likelihood piping plover eggs will hatch. Least terns nest in large colonies, and it is difficult, costly, and ineffective to erect exclosures around their nests; past attempts have not stopped predators. Instead, nests are protected from human disturbance by erecting stakes, twine, and signs, live traps are occasionally used to remove predators from nesting sites. As efforts to protect endangered birds continue in Maine, the state is meeting its interim goal of at least 20 nesting pairs of piping plovers annually. Protective measures have led to a gradual increase in the piping plover population in the state over the last dozen years, and

nest exclosures have allowed the birds to reach productivity levels of 1.5 chicks fledged annually per pair. The least tern population, however, has continued to remain well below desired levels until recently. In 1992, for the first time in eight years, least terns reproduced above the rate needed to increase their population, producing 1.4 fledglings per pair. Nevertheless, efforts to protect least terns by restricting access to their nests and controlling predators must persist to maintain this success.

What You Can Do • Stay away from fenced and posted areas to avoid forcing birds off their nests or crushing hard-to-see chicks or eggs. If you want to observe birds, do so from a distance using binoculars. • Keep pets off the beach during breeding season (April 15-September 15). • Take your trash home with you; it attracts predators even when buried. • Don't fly kites over posted areas. They resemble hawks and may keep birds away from their nests. • Call the Maine Audubon Society or Maine Fish and Wildlife to report harassment of birds, disturbance of protective fencing or posting, or to find out other ways in which you can help. •

Signs such as these have done some good, but terns and plovers still have much to fear from beachgoing humans. Fall 1994

Why do some animals leave Maine for the . n+e r2.

Many animals change homes from summer to winter because they cannot survive in the cold and snow. Some, like deer, may move only short distances to group together in protected areas. Loons move from the freshwater lakes that freeze up in winter months, WI v to coastal waters. Many birds, such as swallows, geese, falcons-and even some butterflies-fly thousands of miles south to warmer climates for the winter. Animals may move together in herds and flocks or travel alone. These seasonal movements are called migration. DIRECTIONS Help the tree swallow and green-winged teal reach their winter homes-trace paths for them through the maze.

Thanks to Alberta Forestry, Lands and Wildlife for ideasl

How Do Animals Move? Animals move in many different ways. They walk, run, hop, jump, swim, fly or glide. Complete the following sentences from the animal names listed below. 1.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ glide from tree to tree.

2. The - - - - - swims from under the rock to catch a fly on top of the water.

BAT FROGS

3. A

RABBITS

4. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ tunnel under the ground.

BIRDS

5. A

WATER STRIDER

FISH COYOTES FLYING SQUIRRELS SNAIL WOODCHUCKS TURTLES

flies at night to catch insects.

slides along the ground leaving a silver track behind. and

jump to get away.

move slowly, and hide in their shells when danger appears.

8. A pack of

will walk, but can also run fast

when they are chasing prey. 9. Most

fly during the day; however, some do fly at night. is an insect that walks on the surface of water.

A portion of the Tucker Brook Wetland Complex is visible from the main access road.

STEEP FALLS continued from page 15

inventory procedures and evaluations. To date, several hundred acres have been inventoried and prescriptions developed. The enhancement of wildlife habitat at Steep Falls consists primarily of timber stand improvement operations; commercial thinnings utilizing whole tree harvesters; release of mast producing trees such as red oak; and the maintenance of forest stands that provide essential winter shelter for deer. This may involve the removal of overstory hardwood trees to release hemlock, pine, spruce, and fir, thinning of the forest canopy to promote vigorous softwood crown cover, and the timing of timber harvests to promote softwood regeneration. In conjunction with these activities, logging roads and log landings have been graded, seeded, and maintained by periodic application of lime, fertil-

Snag trees such as this birch are left standing during thinning and harvesting because they are valuable "homes" for many wildlife species.

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izer, and mowing to provide palatable grasses and legumes for many wildlife species. Wetland habitats are also present on the Steep Falls WMA. There are 83 acres of flowage and seasonally flooded woodlands, 20 acres of open bog, and two 10acre ponds. These areas provide nesting and resting area for waterfowl, as well as habitat for aquatic furbearers such as otter and beaver. Opportunities for public agencies to obtain large tracts of valuable wildlife habitat are limited. The people of Maine can be pleased that the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife had the foresight and resources to â&#x20AC;˘ acquire Steep Falls WMA.

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Selective cutting encourages new understory growth.

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Maine Fish and Wildlife

ram the Fly

by Butch Carey

Tying Bench

THE PATTERN

â&#x20AC;˘

HOOK: #9672, Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12 (ours is on a #6) THREAD: Black monocord RIBBING: Thin brown saddle hackle BODY: Orange or fluorescent red chenille (ours is fluorescent red) WING: Sparse brown bucktail

Cast on back of hook with black thread.

Tie in ribbing just ahead of bend.

Attach chenille at back of hook. Wind thread up to just behind eye (leaving room for head), then wind chenille forward in close even turns. Tie off and cement.

Fall 1994

Wind the ribbing up over body in closely spaced, even turns. Tie off and cement.

Attach sparse brown bucktail over ribbing on top of fly, at a slight angle, for wing.

Finish winding head, ~ cement (two coats), and your fly is finished!

Maine Fish and Wildlife

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS Game Wardens Sworn In The ranks of the Maine Warden Service were strengthened recently with the swearing in of 18 new game wardens. The newly appointed wardens, all of whom graduated from the Maine Warden Service Academy in August, have been assigned to fill vacant warden districts throughout the state. The new wardens also completed the Maine Basic Police Course conducted by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. The new wardens and their assigned districts are: James S. Davis, Topsfield; Michelle Belanger, Oakland; Robert W. Carter, Clayton Lake; Scott L. Osgood, The Forks; Dennis S. Wade, Sabattus; Gary B. Sibley, Eagle Lake; Durwood L. Humphrey,III, Hampden; Ralph Hosford, Wesley; Michael W. Joy, South Berwick; Glenn W. Annis, Rockwood; Daniel J. Menard, Scarborough; Scott W. Colter, Kennebunk; James Fahey, Caribou; Douglas R. Kulis, Presque isle; Alan K. Gillis, Unity; Irene L. Mottram, Albion; Natalie J. Wade, Rumford; and Galen D. Hall, Perry. In December, an additional ten game warden applicants out of a field of 1,240 will be selected to be Maine wardens. According to Warden Lieutenant Carter Smith, the newly appointed wardens will finish their training and receive their assignments in midsummer.

Deer Prospects Fair for 1994 Maine deer hunters face a slightly reduced deer population and fewer anydeer permit allocations this fall due to severe weather conditions last winter. Department of Wand Fisheries and Wildlife biologists this year reduced the number of any-deer permits by 25 percent after assessing the effects of winter weather on Maine's whitetail deer population. At a public drawing in Augusta, September 30, 32,800 resident and non-resident any-deer permits were drawn. Wildlife biologists expect that the doe harvest this season will be close to 5,250 statewide. If total projections are accurate, Maine's deer kill this year should approximate 24,600; in 1993, 27,402 deer were registered.

According to Deer Biologist Gerry Lavigne, "the winter of 1993-94 was slightly above the 20-year average severity in all but eastern Maine. Some northern and eastern districts are experiencing a slight decline in population size. To improve herd growth here and in other districts, we further restricted permit allocations during 1994 in a majority of our deer management districts." Districts 1, 2 and 3 in northern Maine will be bucks-only hunting this year, in addition to district 17 in eastern Maine. The 1994 firearms season on deer begins Saturday, October 29 for Maine residents, and runs from October 31 through November 26 for all hunters. No hunting is allowed on Sunday in Maine. Bow hunters may hunt deer from September 29 to October 28, and muzzleloader enthusiasts have a special season from November 28 to December 3. In Maine, all deer hunters are permitted one deer only per year regardless of hunting methods used.

More Turkey Permits in 1995 Although the National Wild Turkey Federation has been urging the Department of Wand Fisheries and Wildlife to adopt a split season on Maine's spring turkey hunt, that change is not anticipated. According to Regional Wildlife Biologist Philip Bozenhard, the number of turkey permits allocated to hunt participants next year will increased from 500 to 750.

YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! To place a display advertisement In

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine, please contact: Denise Brann Maine Fish and Wildlife 284 State Street, Sta. #4 l Augusta ME 04333

(207) 287-5244

Turkey hunters have participated in a spring hunt in Maine since the mid70s. Open season on male turkeys is during the month of May. While Maine's wild turkey population has begun to expand east of York and Cumberland counties, turkey hunting next year will continue to be permitted only in all of York County, much of Cumberland County and small portions of southern Androscoggin and Sagadahoc counties. Maine's current turkey population is estimated to be about 1,500.

Moose Permit Auction For Youth Conservation In an effort to increase the number of conservation scholarships available to Maine youth, the Department of Wand Fisheries and Wildlife will auction to the highest bidder five 1995 moose hunting permits. According to Bucky Owen, Maine's wildlife commissioner, the department expects the first year to generate in excess of $30,000 for youth conservation education at Bryant Pond. The moose auction will be advertised in national outdoor publications; both Maine residents and non-residents alike will be eligible to participate in the auction. Only written bids will be accepted; prospective bidders may write for a bid package to the Department of Wand Fisheries and Wildlife or contact the department's licensing director Vesta Billings at (207) 289-5209. There will be a $25 nonrefundable bid fee for those submitting a bid for a moose permit. Deadline for submission of all bids is March 30, 1995.

Deer Hunter Update Deer hunters in Maine should remember that this is the second season under which some new regulations apply, according to the Department of Wand Fisheries and Wildlife. Enacted in 1993 by the state legislature, a new law makes it unlawful to hunt or possess a loaded firearm within 10 feet of the edge of a paved road or within the right-of-way of any controlled-access highway. It is also unlaw-

Fa/11994

ful to discharge a firearm across a paved road. Another new law allows anyone without a hunting license who takes a deer on their own land to move the deer or transport it to a regisration station provided that they first securely attach a tag bearing their name and address. The legislature also in 1993 passed a law stating that gift deer or moose need now be labeled only with the registration seal number and the name and address of the person who registered the animal. Also last year, the state legislature added a number of fish and wildlife offenses to those that require revocation of Maine hunting licenses. Depending upon the nature of the violation, hunting licenses may be revoked for a period of one year up to ten years.

Waterfowler Alert Contrary to popular beliefs among some duckhunters, the jury is still out on the use of bismuth shot as an alternative to steel shot. That's right. Bismuth shot is not yet approved for use during the 1994-95 duck season. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was notified in September by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that bismuth shot has not been approved for use this season. FWS reported that the awaited toxicity report from the makers of bismuth shot had not been received in time to approve its use for the opening of the waterfowl season. While it is possible that FWS could grant approval for the use of bismuth shot in time for the second half of the Maine waterfowl season, it seems unlikely. Bismuth shot has received conditional approval from the Canadian Wildlife Service for use in that country's nontoxic shot zones.

Landowner Relations Landowner relations remained on the front burner this fall as Maine's fish and wildlife commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen, as well as numerous state outdoor organizations, stressed the unique role that private landowners play in supporting the state's multi-million dollar recreation industry.

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Maine Governor John McKernan officially recognized Maine landowners with the signing of a proclamation on September 15th. "This is Maine's way of showing appreciation to landowners who are willing to allow public access to their property for outdoor recreation," said the governor. Maine's landowners were also recognized by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife on September September 23 with a special drawing of any-deer hunting permits.

Authorized by the state legislature, the new landowner drawing made 20 percent of the any-deer permits in each district available in a random drawing to eligible landowners. To qualify, private resident and nonresident landowners who own 25 or more contiguous acres must agree to keep their property opening to hunting. Successful landowners permittees have been notified by mail.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR About your ad (your ad could be here), let's not turn this magazine into another publication that is 90 percent advertisements and 10 percent news. Your magazine is already on track and it would be a shame to ruin it. My family has enjoyed your magazine for years and would hope to continue to do so.

Calvin F. Congelosi Machias â&#x20AC;˘ While we appreciate your concern, the State Legislature has urged that this magazine become self-sustaining. Advertising is one step recommended by the legislature to help accomplish that goal.

The series of posters that depict the boy asking about whether there will be any fish when he grows up also includes one that the lady from Frost Pond Camps mentions that she may have sold a few years ago. I am a retired game warden(1957-71) and had several of the posters and displayed them at the sporting camps on Big Machias Lake . I have two identical posters left (hunting) that were printed during World War II . The posters measure 22 X 28 inches. They show a wounded soldier laying on the ground with a blood-soaked bandage on his head. The poster says: "Gee Buddy, will there be 'pats and deer' when I come home?" I believe this is the poster that Jay Givens recalls seeing .

Ivan R. Porter Ashland â&#x20AC;˘ Thanks for your exciting news! See page 21 for news about another in our

series of old sporting posters, and check out the Winter 1994-95 issue for news of yet a third one, found at the same source as the second! Our plans are to make reprints of all posters available as soon as possibleand thanks again to all who responded to our plea for more information. We certainly received more than we expected!

KID-BITS ANSWERS

Flying squirrels Fish

2. 3. 4.

Woodchucks

Snail

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Frogs and rabbits Turtles Coyotes Birds Water strider

Bat

Coyotes howl; Moose bugle; Squirrels chatter; Bears growl; Owls hoot; Ducks quack; Frogs croak; Crows caw; Geese honk; Mice squeak

In June, a young fawn deer was discovered being carried off by a fox. Dorine Leighton of Otisfield was awakened from her sleep by the screams of a baby deer. Chasing the fox, she literally took the fawn out of the fox's mouth and then called the Maine Warden Service. I was doing a job shadow for a career unit in school with Warden Neal Wykes of Naples. When Neil and I arrived, the lady had the fawn in her arms. She told us she had seen a lot of foxes in her time and that this one with the fawn was the largest. Hearing the fawn scream, she opened her window to see the fox trotting through her back field with the fawn in its mouth. Dorine ran outside and took the fawn from the fox. She noticed teethmarks on each side of the fawn 's chest and behind each ear. Warden Wykes decided to bring the fawn to the Gray Game Farm. Dorine placed the fawn in my lap for the 35-minute ride to Gray. The ride from Otisfield to Gray

was wild. The fawn was bleeting and fighting to get loose, but Neal placed his jacket over the fawn's head, which quieted it down for the rest of the trip. The fawn will stay at the Game Farm until she can eat and live on her own. Then she will be released back into the wild. I would like to thank Warden Wykes for letting me shadow him; it was a great experience. Scott Doyle Otisfield â&#x20AC;˘ According to Dave Wilbur, superintendent of the Gray game Farm, the fawn has recovered nicely from its wounds.

I read with interest the summer edition of Maine Fish and Wildlife, especially the story about owls in Maine. I used to spend a lot of time roaming around in the woods in Piscataquis County. It was common in spring to have a number of saw-whet owls whis-

!ling in the woods around the house. They seem to prefer dense, dark stands of spruce and fir for nesting. Regarding using taped calls to attract owls, I found a way to bring them up close during my night-time coyote hunting years. I've actually called in more owls and hawks than coyotes in my winter varmitting career. They just swoop in for a close look and go on their way. I don't believe that calling them in this manner "exhausts, confuses or distracts them" to the point that the population is endangered. Like most predators, owls aren't going to waste a lot of time and energy pursuing something they cannot eat. I have never had one respond to a call during daylight hours, so the theory that avid birdwatchers might somehow disrupt the owl population by calling them is somewhat conjectural. I think the concerns about using calls for bird observations are unnecessarily cautious. Stephen 0. Carpenteri, Editor New England Game & Fish Magazine

MORE STUDENTS NEXT SUMMER AT BRYANT POND! A week studying wildlife, fisheries, and forestry, learning about archery, hunter safety, canoeing, and orienteering. Sound like fun? Well, 240 boys and girls, ages 12 through 14, enjoyed these and many more activities in our pilot youth conservation education program at Bryant Pond Conservation School this summer (see photo spread beginning on page 6). This type of program was pioneered by the Penobscot County Conservation Association (PCCS) some 40 years ago. This summer, our department joined PCCS and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine (SAM) in providing core support for scholarships to the camp; several other clubs and organizations also chipped in. Our department sponsored half the campers, while the other organizations picked up the other half. The program was a resounding success, to say the least! Most Mainers love the out-of-doors and have a deep respect for our state's natural resources. Yet

not all youngsters in Maine have the opportunity to enjoy these treasures. In an effort to provide this opportunity, the department was successful in gaining legislative support for us to hold a public auction of five moose permits, the proceeds to go entirely to youth conservation education. The first auction will be held in early 1995 and will have national exposure. This should enable us to support 300 to 400 youngsters next year; PCCS and SAM will add another 100. What can you do? For starters, contact local organizations-fish and game clubs, Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, the Grange, garden clubs-and ask if they will support one or more campers at $120 to $150 per scholarship. Their cooperation should help us reach our three-year goal of sending 900 to 1,000 boys and girls to conservation school each year-a legacy in which we could all take pride!

Owen, Jr. Commissioner

Ray B.

WHEREAS, many Maine landowners allow the general public to access their property for purposes of outdoor recreation; and WHEREAS, more than three quarters of a million people fish, hunt and view wildlife on prtvate lands; and WHEREAS, thousands of other Maine people enjoy snowmobiling, hiking and cross-country skiing on prtvate property; and WHEREAS, many landowners including industrial corporations, utilities and small wood lot owners employ land management practices which provide crttical wildlife habitat and clean water, essential ingredients for a high quality recreational expertence; and WHEREAS, the outdoor recreational opportunities made possible through the generosity of prtvate landowners are worth millions of dollars to Maine's economy, NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHN R. McKERNAN, JR., Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim the third Saturday in September as LANDOWNER RECOGNITION DAY throughout the State of Maine, a day when Maine people may pay tribute to the prtvate landowners whose lands support a diversity of recreational expertences which we chertsh so much. In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this thirtieth day of August in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety-Four .

.McKERN~o