Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Winter 1978-79

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE WINTER 1978-79

ISSN: 0360-00SX

75 CENTS

I~ 1 '

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Winter 1978-79

Vol. 21, No. 1

Governor Joseph E. Brennan Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Maynard F. Marsh J. William Peppard Kenneth H. Anderson David 0 . Locke Alanson B. Noble Lyndon H. Bond Peter C. Brazier Robert W. Boettger William C. Mincher Clayton G. Grant Richard B. Parks Lorenzo J. Gaudreau Alfred L. Meister

Commissioner Deputy Commissioner Director, Planning and Co-ordination Superintendent of Hatcheries Chief Warden Chief, Fishery Division Business Manager Chief, Wildlife Division Director, Information and Education Chief, Engineering Division Chief, Realty Division Director, Recreational Safety and Registration Chief Biologist, Atlantic Salmon Commission

Advisory Council Rodney W. Ross, Chairman Brownville, Maine Robert E. Moore Ralph L. Noel Auburn Casco George E . Prentiss Dennis L. Smith Rumford Otter Creek Nathan Cohen Alva S. Appleby Eastport Skowhegan

Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine

INSIDE "The Greatest Hunting Experience Of All"

4

Alanson B. Noble

Winter Fun Fish

7

Richard Arsenault

Stewardship And Our Natural Resources

9

Alan G. Clark

Voluntary Creel Census

10

The Maine Way

12

KID-BITS

14

Annual Report Section

16

Letters, Notes, Comment

30

Index To 1978 Feature Articles

34

William L. Woodward

THE COVERS Front and back: The related front and back covers - produced by Photographer Bill Cross - blend a touch of nostalgia with their main theme of game cookery. On the front are the key ingredients and several finished uses of venison mincemeat. On the back cover, Mrs. Polly Boggs of Warren prepares the mincemeat in the traditional manner on her handsome wood cook stove.

Inside front¡ Sights like this tend to make us forget the rigors of winter, and remember only the incredible beauty of the seasons. Photo by Bill Cross.

Inside back: A true symbol of wild Maine, the bobcat is a fitting subject to illustrate National Wildlife Week 1979. This year's theme "CONSERVE OUR WILDLIFE" will emphasize the vital role sound conservation practices play in maintaining healthy populations of all wildlife species. The National Wildlife Federation marks its 42nd annual sponsorship of National Wildlife Week from March 18 through March 24, 1979.

William C. Mincher, Editor W. Thomas Shoener, Managing Editor Thomas J . Chamberlain, Features Editor William W. Cross, Photo Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photographer Patricia J. Hogan, Circulation

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE (ISSN 0360-005X) is published quarterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State St., Augusta, Maine 04333, under Appropriation 4550. Subscription rates to United States zip code addresses: $2.50 for one year; $4.00 for two years; $5.50 for three years. No stamps, please. Second class postage paid at Augusta, ME 04330. ŠMaine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1979. Written permission must be secured from the Department before reproducing any part of this copyrighted material. No advertising accepted.

All photographs in this issue were made by the Information and Education Division unless otherwise indicated.

POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 with entire magazine to 284 State St., Augusta, ME 04333.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

3

Bobcat Caravan 65

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By Alanson B. Noble

Photos by Tom Carbone

Chief Warden THAD BEEN A FRIGID WINTER so far, and I don 't really know how cold it was that mid-February morning when we awoke to the first rays of a frozen sun. But even the lack of a thermometer there in the camp couldn't hide what the inch-deep frost around the door was telling us - that this was the coldest morning so far.

Ardent sportsman and Maine State Police Major Al Jamison, Warden Lt. and longtime cat hunter Gene Mallory, Department photographer Tom Carbone, and I had arrived at camp the previous evening, filled with the great expectations that eight inches of new snow can arouse in a cat hunter. The most important ingredient for a successful bobcat hunt, a fine black-and-tan hound named Diamond, was with us and eager to hunt.

After unloading supplies for the three-day trip from the vehicles, we hoisted them onto snowmobiles and made the short trip to camp. Tom, following my advice, had brought copious quantities of clothing - including the brightest red flannel pajamas I've ever seen.

" ... steaming fresh and obviously made by aBIG cat."

After a period of relaxation, Gene served up a meal calculated to feed a dozen hungry bruins, and we dug in. We all pitched in and cleaned up the mess, anxious to begin playing cards, swapping somewhat exaggerated bobcat hunting stories, discussing the ultimate serenity of that part of the world, and just generally relaxing. When Tom donned those red pajamas, we all, after a chuckle, took it to mean that it was time to retire.

HE SNOWMOBILES didn't start too well in the frigid morning, but a little Yankee ingenuity and determination finally paid off, and we were ready to go, having checked the necessary "equipment." Equipment to a cat hunter means a good dog, a good pair of snowshoes, a good firearm, com-

4

fortable footwear, some lightweight woolen clothing to be worn during the chase, and a certain vacancy in the cranial structure which in most people houses a degree of intelligence.

We had agreed to rely on Gene 's extensive knowledge of the area to provide the most necessary pre-chase ingredient - the fresh track of a bobcat. We journeyed six or seven miles down the St. Croix River, then up along Millberry Brook to a new logging road.

We stopped, and Gene described in detail how this country had looked before the mechanical genius of man had flattened the forest. For us, however, the salvation was the fact that the forest where the bobcat prefers to live isn 't mature enough to be harvested.

The only game signs we had cut so far were the tracks of one wandering weasel, a few snowshoe hare prints, and a trail which appeared to have been used by three

or four deer the previous evening. We continued following Gene, the route taking us in a great circle back to the St. Croix.

Gene 's sled came suddenly to a halt at about the halfway point in the trip. There, in the new snow, was as handsome a bobcat track as I 'd seen in 20-plus years of hunting. It was steaming fresh and obviously made by a BIG cat. It was difficult to believe that on this trip with a photographer, we had found such a fine track. These things usually don 't materialize when you want them.

Al was some kind of glad to bring the snow-sled caravan to a halt, as he didn 't have the protective luxury of a snowmobile suit. His ear-lappers were less than standard length, and his exposed earlobes had long since faded from cherry red to the colorless white of frosted flesh. He was anxious to hit the trail on foot, to relieve this near-frozen state, but there was some delay as Tom scrabbled through his mound of clothing for just the right pieces, and located and arranged the necessary photographic paraphernalia.

" ... Diamond ... began letting us know in ,o uncertain terms that the cat was up and running." the tree with an axe, the cat, a real master at concealing himself in any existing cover, moved to a location in the tree where he might be photographed.

" ... the cat, areal master at concealing himself ... , moved to ... where he might be photographed."

(He's really in there!)

The dogs were finally released from their snug little boxes, and my red pup was a little hesitant to put his feet down in this frosted snow. Gene 's dog, Barney, who hadn 't had much experience running cats, was to be kept on the leash until the cat was jumped. I didn 't mention these two dogs earlier because the only things they had learned well were to eat and bark!

After about ten minutes of real difficult snowshoeing, Diamond, who seemed to know quite a bit about bobcats, began letting us know in no uncertain terms that the cat was up and running. We had just paused to decipher the direction of the chase when right in front of us appeared a full-grown bobcat. We were able to observe the chase for only a few short jumps before Mr. Cat decided to take refuge in a small cedar, about six inches through. Unfortunately, this all happened so fast that Tom couldn't get a clear shot of the cat before it fled up the tree.

We waited for Diamond to settle well under the tree before moving in. After milling about under the tree, walking on each other's snowshoes, and pounding on

"... my red pup was alittle hesitant to put his feet down in this frosted snow."

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

Tom was a little hesitant about positioning himself directly under the cat although we assured him that if the animal jumped and did, in fact, land on him, it would in all probability jump off before biting. Once we assured Tom that the cat didn 't have any thing personal against him, the photographs were taken, and Al brought the animal to the ground with one shot.

E TREKKED BACK to the snowsleds, secured the dogs in their compartments, and continued searching for cat tracks. The chase and the slightly moderating temperature had produced the desired effect on Al's earlobes, which wern exhibiting at least some normal color.

5

" ... milling about under the tree, walking on each others snowshoes, and pounding on the'.tree with an axe ..."

"We paused ... to reflect on the last few gloriously spent hours, and on how fortunate we were to be a part of this tranquil countryside."

We completed the circle back to the river without locating further tracks. We paused for a moment to reflect on the last few gloriously spent hours and on how fortunate we were to be a part of this tranquil countryside.

Three hunters, three dogs, and one fine trophy of a winter hunt. Insets show some of the reasons why the bobcat is amasterful predator, and aworthy quarry for any hunter.

6

Gene was still leading the way, with Tom bringing up the rear. We had discussed the possibility of slushy conditions on the river and decided that if the track of our lead snow sled showed any discoloration, the other machines should steer either left or right to avoid the slush buildup which, in this super-cold weather, would soon immobilize the machines.

As the winter sun was dipping low in the west, we arrived back at the camp - all, that is, except Tom. We waited a few minutes before I started backtracking to see if I could find him . .After about ten minutes, I met Tom riding a snowmobile which had obviously become acquainted with SLUSH! Tom had done as suggested, steered to the left to avoid slush, and run into a hole that was being used by an otter! Somehow, he had freed the machine and was headed back to camp - slowly and wetly!

Dogs were fed, fires lit, and the perfect end to what I always consider the greatest hunting experience of all was provided by Gene and Al - a meal which outdid Gene 's culinary efforts of the preceding night, including homemade biscuits four inches tall! •

~

Richard P. Arsenault Fishery Biologist

YELLO\N PERC and PICKEREL ..

Action on the ice.. . enjoyment on the table. '

I

CE FISHERMEN in Maine sure are lucky!

The state abounds with lakes and ponds that are open to ice fishing, and they are often just minutes away from the homes of winter fishing enthusiasts. In many of these waters lurk two ¡of the most willing biters around fish that really make the flags fly and that kids just love to catch.

What are they? They're the yellow perch and chain pickerel.

Willing biters plus liberal bag limits (10 pickerel, and no limit on perch) will usually add up to a mess of good eating. Problem is, some

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

7

people don't know how to handle the pickerel's bones; many more don't realize that the yellow perch is equally as good a table fish as the white perch, which they cherish. Overcoming these minor obstacles will open the door to a lot of winter fun . .. and good eating!

So get your gear ready, then some nice winter day when you really want to be the children's hero and master sportsman, take the kids ice fishing for yellow perch and pickerel. Seldom is such a venture unproductive, and usually quite the opposite is true.

Now, what are you going to do with all those pickerel and perch that everyone has had so much fun catching? Simply clean them up, using the accompanying instructions. Enjoy some fresh and package the surplus for the freezer.

Those to be frozen should be put in air-tight freezer bags in meal-sized lots.

Although the techniques are different, the only equipment that you need to clean either of these species is a long-bladed fillet knife, a pen knife, and a plank to work on.

BONE-FREE PICKEREL PREPARATION Here is a simple way to prepare a pickerel for use in your favorite fish recipe. It works exceptionally well on small pickerel, less than 18 inches or so. You can bake the larger ones.

1. Do not gut or cut head off pickerel.

2. Grasp wet pickerel by the head, and remove scales by scraping from tail to head with scaler or knife.

3. Lay fish on its side. With a sharp, long-bladed fillet knife, saw behind pickerel's head until the blade comes in contact with the backbone. Do not cut off head; it is your handle.

4. Slab off the side of the pickerel by sawing along the backbone.

Turn fish over and do other side.

This yields two nice fillets containing many of the pickerel's infamous bones. If you have done it right, the head, backbone, and innards are still intact for easy disposal.

TO FILLET A PERCH 1. Make an incision across the back, behind the head and above the gills, about a quarter-inch deep and an inch long.

2. Insert a smell blade, sharp edge up, under the skin at the incision and push it along the back on one side of the dorsal fin to the tail.

Repeat on opposite side of the dorsal fin.

3. Again insert the blade at the incision, sharp side up, and push the blade towards the vent and then ventrally to the tail. Repeat this procedure for the other side of the perch.

8

4. Grasp the head with one hand; using the dry cloth, grasp a corner of skin at the incision, and pull the skin from that side of the fish.

5. Now, with the large blade of the penknife, work the meat away from the dorsal fin and backbone.

Repeat steps 4 and 5 on opposite side of carcass. The results will be 2 nice boneless fillets, ready for cooking.

5. This step is very important.

Lay both fillets skin side down.

With your fillet knife, make parallel cuts about 114 inch apart; cut through the flesh and bones but not through the skin. Make cuts the entire length of the fillet.

6. Preheat at least 1/16 inch cooking oil in frying pan, then fry fillets, skin side up. The hot oil will work up into the cuts and quickly and thoroughly cook the bones.

When you eat the fillets, eat everything. The bones will still be there, but they will crumble in your mouth like those in canned salmon.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

ON RESPONSIBILITY

STEWARDSHIP AND OUR

NATURAL RESOURCES

I

F ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE should be aware of the value of their natural resources, it should be the residents of the State of Maine. We are richly blessed with a greater abundance and variety than many other states. Numbered among our blessings are the mountains, lakes, rivers, ocean, forests, and the wildlife and fish species of our state. The sources of greatest economic benefit to the citizens of Maine - including forest industries and tourism - are directly or indirectly related to these resources. In view of the great value of our natural resources, it is particularly important for us to have a proper attitude and understanding regarding our relationship to them.

People hold and are motivated by many different attitudes concerning the natural resources under their control. The approaches vary, from the person who feels that his use of natural resources should be unrestricted if that use pleases and benefits him, to the one who idolizes all of nature, which he feels should not be tampered with in any way.

Let us examine a different system which may not be familiar to many of us but which resolves many of the weaknesses inherent in the approaches that are usually taken today - the idea of '' stewwardship" of natural resources.

The stewardship approach to natural resources has been gaining in popularity recently, even

while having its roots in the culture of the Bible. In order to understand this approach, we must examine the role of a steward in a culture of many years ago. Historically, the steward was a slave or a freeman who was placed in a position of authority over his master's house. He had oversight of all his master's affairs and property and might even have charge over the master's family. For example, in Genesis, Abraham's steward was given the responsibility of finding Abraham's son, Isaac, a suitable wife.

The key characteristic of the steward was not only his freedom to make decisions but also his accountability for the results of those decisions. The steward had to make wise use of all the resources placed in his charge, even though he had the power to use them in any way he wished (perhaps even for his own selfish gain). The closest equivalent to a steward in our culture today is a trustee.

Let's apply this system to the field of natural resources. Rather than view ourselves as landowners or managers, let's view ourselves as stewards. Our rationale in making decisions we will call stewardship.

How will we make decisions about the natural resources in our charge? First, we will be aware of all of these resources and their interrelationship in the natural system. To make the fullest use of these resources, we must know what they are and how they work

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

By Alan G. Clark Wildlife Biologist

together. Instead of seeing a woodlot of trees ready to be harvested for the maximum immediate profit, we, as stewards, should consider the soils, streams, ponds, plants, wildlife, and fish present on the area, and how the use of one will affect all of the others. Second, once we have inventoried the resources, any decision made on the use of them should follow sound management practices, be they forestry, agriculture, fisheries, wildlife, or other applicable sciences.

Sound management might dictate that a mature stand of balsam fir heavily infested with sp~uce budworm be clearcut, while a softwood stand with a variety of ages and species - used by deer as a wintering area - be left relatively intact. Whether dealing with a plant, animal, or mineral, the wise steward does not waste any resource. A resource that will be wasted should not be utilized; it should be conserved for future use.

Finally, in making decisions, we as stewards must recognize value other than strictly in dollars and cents. Although financial income may not be obtained directly, there is value in maintaining non-commercial tree species, such as the alder, which is used extensively by wildlife and stabilizes and improves the soil, or in protecting the hawk that nests in an old snag at the edge of the field.

Stewardship is a balanced approach in which the steward wisely uses, but does not abuse, all of the resources over which he has control. He manages those resources as one accountable for all his decisions. He is in a position of great trust and responsibility. • 9

OES THE above caricature look familiar to you? It should, because it has been used for years to ask for volunteers to participate in the well-being of the United States of America. In this article, the picture has a different purpose. Its placement is there to inquire whether you readers would like to contribute to the well-being of the fish in Maine wa ~ers.

You may say, '' Heck, the Fish and Wildlife Department has fishery biologists who look after

D

By William L. Woodward Fishery Biologist

10

fish; I'll let them do it. " You should remember, though, that Maine is blessed with several thousand lakes and ponds and miles of rivers and streams, but there are only 24 fishery biologists throughout the state to cover the fisheries management of all its waters.

Usually, a fishery biologist can get to a water once every few years to acquire a working knowledge of its characteristics. Additional, current information, though, can be provided by those people who get to these waters more often. These people are the avid fishermen, who can report a tremendous amount of needed information useful for fishery management purposes.

When a fishery biologist studies a water, he collects much information on the fish. Often, the fish he is most concerned with are the cold-water species, namely the trouts and salmon. Warm-water species such as bass and pickerel are not forgotten, though.

The biologist collects length and weight data and in some cases checks for fin clips which would indicate a hatchery stocking. He sometimes checks stomachs in hopes of obtaining information on food conditions.

Well, what do the duties of a fisheries biologist have to do with a voluntary creel census? Valuable data from a conscientious fisherman could include where, when, and how long he fished, what he caught, and any other information such as fin clips, fish tags, etc.

In Maine, the greatest ¡amount of voluntary record information comes from a booklet entitled '' Personal Fishing Record.' ' These books are sent to volunteer fishermen by biologists every year, in hopes that information can be gathered to help the Department manage its fisheries better. If enough booklets are returned from fishermen who fish the same water, invaluable information can be obtained on fishing pressure and fish growth and survival. Two other

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

o.,.

0

U:lU.c

Time(. start of fishing

It'. 1919 >

'7f y

L,ko o, .....

v,m.

:hwdee£.~

Time at end Of fishing

Number of fishermen covered by report _

3.t()(2{?•flZ

methods for obtaining voluntary fishermen reports include placing boxes containing reporting cards at the major access points on a water, and issuing of post cards, sometimes given to anglers by creel census clerks for completion and return to the Department after their fishing trips. The majority of information, though, comes from the booklets.

At the end of this article you will find the address of the nearest fishery biologist to whom you can write and request the creel census booklet. Remember, though, a conscientious report is the most useful for the fishery biologist.

From past years, data have been faithfully collected by volunteers who have kept booklets. These records have been incorporated into progress reports and survey information. Other such records have been used to verify a need for a regulation change on a body of water. These are a few examples of uses of voluntary fishing records.

For those of you who have kept records, in the past, much thanks from the various biologists. Your continued support in the future will be appreciated.

•

t

__._i_-_.:;.~-'-------

RECORD OF FISH CAUGHT

Missing Fins 1234567 I 2 3~~6 7

1234567 1234~67 123~567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567 1234567

Sample page shows the information fishermen can provide to help improve their fishing .

Addresses of Regional Fishery Biologists

Thanks to you who have helped in past years.

-Iliologists at the addresses in the box, right, can furnish booklets for anyone interested in keeping these helpful records.

1.

4.

RFD #3 Bx 510 Farmington, ME 04938

5.

Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Greenville, ME 04441

6.

Enfield Fish Hatchery Bx 66 Enfield, ME 04433

Bx 570 U.S. Rt.# 1 Scarborough, ME 0407 4

2. 8 Federal Street Augusta, ME 04333 3. Water Street Machias, ME 04654 7.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

Station Street Ashland, ME 04732

11

GAME AND FISH COOKING ...

Visit a typical Maine kitchen and, chances are, you '11 find enough cookbooks to meet almost any occasion from the most humble of everyday meals to gourmet delights. Almost. These typical cookbooks in the typical kitclien will cover the preparation of almost everything that is edible and, no doubt, a few things that you might consider inedible.

Again, almost.

The typical Maine household will also have one or more sportsmen in residence, or at least a friend or neighbor who hunts or fishes.

And - tYI~ically - there is an occasional offering of wild game or fish to supplement the regular meal fare. More often than should be the case, this offering is accepted without real enthusiasm and is prepared only after a desperate search through the typical cookbooks and the selection of a recipe "that will have to do."

The results disappoint. And the next offering is greeted with even less enthusiasm. Typical.

If this sounds all too familiar, the cure for it is now available.

It's called THE MAINE WAY, a new cookbook devoted entirely to the types of game and fish that a Maine outdoorsman might bring home.

Published by the Maine Fish and Wildlife Department, THE MAINE WAY was the idea and voluntary project of two game wardens' wives, Judy Marsh of West Gardiner and Carole Dyer of Steep Falls.

12

As they noted in the book's introduction, the authors feel that too much of Maine's fish and game is not being properly prepared or fully appreciated, due mainly to the lack of such a book.

Three excellent reasons inspired them to begin making plans to fill the void: '' Prices of seafood and farm-raised meat are high and rising. Game meat and fresh-water fish can supply protein that often equals or surpasses in both quality and quantity the protein available from commercial products.

And finally, sportsmen should not leave themselves open to the charge that they waste what they take.''

To supplement their own proven recipes, the authors collected more from active and retired employees of the Fish and Wildlife Department and their spouses and from

friends of the Department. Then they blended them with voluntary typing, editorial, and artistic help from Department staff members and formed them into THE MAINE WAY. THE MAINE WAY covers everything from deer and bear to pickerel and eels, nearly 200 recipes. It's a paperback book, with a convenient loose-leaf binding. The total mail order price is $3.00.

To order your copy of THE MAINE WAY, write to COOKBOOK, Maine Fish and Wildlife Department, 284 State St., Augusta, ME. 04333. Enclose a check or money order in U.S. funds payable to "Treasurer, State of Maine.''

Here is a sample of the kinds of things you '11 find in your copy of THE MAINE WAY:

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

SAUTEED SORA RAILS

VENISON STEAK

Pluck rails after cutting off head, feet, and wings. Split up back and clean. Open ("flatten") and saute in butter, bacon fat, or a little oil.

Sprinkle with onion salt or garlic salt if desired. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, splash with white wine or good hard cider, cook a couple more minutes and serve with remaining liquid. Good with dark rice and current jelly.

2 lb. venison steak 4 tbsp. butter 3 onions chopped 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. marjoram 2 tbsp. paprika flour, salt, pepper, garlic 1 cup instant broth

Don Mairs Oakland

Rub mixture of salt, pepper, flour, garlic into cubed meat. Brown in butter. Remove meat from pan, and brown onions, add broth and spices. Return meat to pan, cover and cook slowty 1 hour. Serve with noodles or mashed potatoes.

Josie AuClair Rockwood

BAKED DUCK BREASTS Skin duck and cut out the breasts. Soak overnight in water to which 2 tbsp. salt and 1 tbsp. soda have been added. Rinse with fresh water, then dry. Arrange duck breasts in foil-lined pan; sprinkle with salt, pepper, little lemon juice; top with strips of salt pork. Bake 40 minut~s in 375째 oven and baste occasionally with a little boiling water or white wine and melted butter. Remove breasts to serving platter, pour drippings into saucepan and remove all but a little of the fat. Stir in flour, add water or chicken broth. Stir and cook until thickened.

BEAVER MINCEMEAT 9 cups meat (about 3 lbs. beaver meat and 1 lb. ground beef) 18 cups chopped apples 9 cups brown sugar (3 lbs.)

18 tbsp. molasses 19 tbsp. vinegar 18 tbsp. butter 3 tsp. cinnamon 21h tsp. cloves 3 tsp. nutmeg 9 tsp. salt 8 cups raisins (chopped or whole) Cut meat in chunks. Cook meat well done and put through grinder.

Simmer all ingredients until apple is done. Add 6 tbsp. jelly (apple or grape) and 1h cup brandy. Pack in pint Mason jars. Makes about 14 pints. Makes delicious pies and tarts.

Libby Collins Greenville Jct.

Ken Warner Winterport

RABBIT PIE One rabbit, soaked overnight and cooked in fresh water until tender in the morning. Cook 1 cup potatoes, 1 cup carrots and 1 onion. Add meat from rabbit, salt, pepper. Place in deep pie plate, dot with butter.

Cover top with cut out biscuit dough. Bake 375째 approximately 45 minutes. Do not drain liquid from vegetables.

Lila Speed Enfield

OVEN FRIED SMELTS

WHITEFISH CHOWDER Skin 1 large whitefish by nailing its head to a tree or post. Cut all the way around fish just behind the gills and pull down. Cut fish in several pieces and cook in 2 quarts salted water for 30 minutes. Remove all bones and save juice. Return to stove with 6 large Maine potatoes, diced fine, 1 onion, and several slices of fried bacon. Simmer all together until potato is cooked and only small amount of liquid is l.eft. Add 2 quarts of whole milk; heat but don't allow to boil. Serve with hot biscuits.

Serves 8.

Wilza Robertson Portage

Clean smelts. Mix in paper bag 1.4 cup flour, 1.4 cup cornmeal, and 1 tsp. salt. Drop smelts into paper bag and shake. Arrange smelts on biscuit tin to which 1/a inch of oil or Crisco has been added. Bake in 4 7 5째 oven until golden brown, turning fish once.

Raymond Curtis Sebago Lake

HEALD POND ROAD PARTRIDGE Chop equal parts of onion and crisp cabbage, then beat them with a wooden spoon and blend the two until each attains some of the virtue and flavor of the other. To thii;, add 1 lightly beaten egg, salt, pepper, a few bread crumbs and enough evaporated milk to make a wet dressing.

Fill the small orifices of partridge with the mixture, sew up neatly, then cover the birds with strips of fat bacon. Roast in a 400째 oven until tender-about 40 minutes. Remove bacon for last 15 minutes, if breast is not br(?Wning. The dressing becomes hot and the steam permeates the flesh of the birds; as a result, the meat is juicy and tender, full of rich flavor.

Mrs. Douglas C. Miner Hampden

VENISON STEW Melt Crisco or any grease in the bottom of pressure cooker. Use a couple of spoonsful (remember, venison is lean). Sear the venison directly from freezer. (I used to forget to take it out on time, and discovered it was better started frozen.) Peel potatoes, onions (galore), carrots and add to kettle. Pour about six tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce on vegetables and meat. I even pour some on meat when searing.

Add liquid to about half the level of meat and vegetables. Cook for 40 minutes plus, at thirty pounds pressure. Remove meat and vegetables.

Make a gravy mixture of flour, water and Worcestershire Sauce. Add to liquid and thicken.

Ginnie Peppard East Holden

BROILED WOODCOCK woodcock breasts salt and pepper bacon or salt pork

PICKEREL CAKES 1 lb. pickerel fillets. Cook in pressure cooker (15 minutes). Mash cooled pickerel. Add minced onion ( 1 small) then 1 1h cups mashed potatoes.

After this is cool, add a slightly beaten egg, salt and pepper, and shape into eight patties. Fry in hot fat until nicely browned.

Elaine Arsenault Gorham

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

Season pieces of meat with salt and pepper. Wrap well in bacon or salt pork. Place on a broiler rack to allow juices to drip off while cooking.

Broil for about 15 minutes or a little more. They are best when cooked only to the pink stage and not well done.

Judy Marsh West Gardiner

13

BUILD A DUCK NESTING BOX ...

HERE'S HOW! _\' u ~ I~-~

. J~

If you 're looking for a project to while away some winter hours, why not build a duck nesting box? The result will prove very helpful to Maine 's nesting ducks come spring, and the project itself is easy and fun.

The drawings on these pages should help you cut out and assemble the pieces. Each square equals one inch, so measuring the pattern is easy.

It is best to use rough-sawn one-inch boards which are well-seasoned. If you do use finish-sawn boards, a strip of hardware cloth will have to be fastened to the inside of the front panel to help the ducklings reach the entrance hole (see drawing).

Location and size of the entrance hole are important-the hole is four inches wide and three inches high and is in the middle of the 14

front panel, four inches from the top. Also be sure to include the sheet metal piece surrounding the hole, as it prevents raccoons and other animals from gnawing the hole larger and getting in.

Pine and cedar are good woods to use, but pine should be treated with a preservative (clear, not dark-colored, as we have found that the birds prefer it that way). It is especially important to treat the areas which will rot out the quickest (the back portion near the post, the bottom, and the portion of the sides which will be covered with nesting material).

Use nails long enough to hold securely during rough handling and harsh weather.

Galvanized tenpenny nails are good to use, especially if the box is treated with a preservative.

These boxes are used a lot by ducks nesting here in the spring-and your efforts will be appreciated by our biologists, as well as by the ducks to whom you 've given a home. Further facts about nesting boxes are contained in Wildlife Leaflet No. 393, "Better Nest Boxes for Wood Ducks, '' by Clark G. Webster, available free from the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240.

When you have finished the box, you may contact either this Department 's Wildlife Division or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service office nearest you for information as to how, when, and where to place the box. Or you may turn it over to our biologists, who will put it out early next spring in a suitable location; they will tell you where they 've placed it, so you can watch it in use.

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15

Annual Report of Operations, Fiscal Financial Statement The Department remains in good financial condition for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1978. However, inflation continues to erode the value of each dolbr available for expenditure. Revenue increased approximately 6.0 per cent from the previous year. Costs continued to increase largely as a result of inflation, but the additional revenue available allowed the Department to maintain expenditure for programs at approximately the same level as the year before.

We must continue to spend our dollars wisely in order to obtain optimum use of funds available. We expect that inflation will continue to erode the buying power of the dollar for some time to come. The Department will continue to re-evaluate priorities to minimize the impact of inflation upon our many necessary management programs.

The Income Dollar

Resident hunting licenses 9.5 % Nonresident hunting licenses 26.1 %

Other licenses allowing resident hunting AND fishing 13.8 % (includes resident combination licenses and guide licenses)

Nonresident fishing licenses 13.0%

All other revenues 2.3 %

Transfers from Watercraft and Snowmobile Registration 7.6 %

Fine and fees 3.7 % Federal aid 10.8% Miscellaneous licenses and permits 4.0 % Contributions from General Fund .1 %

16

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

The Expense Dollar

Departmental planning 3.5 %

Safety programs 1.1 %

Administration 6.5%

Support services 6.8 %

Wildlife management 13.3 %

Fishery management 17.3%

Summary of Operations Cash Balance July 1, 1977 Add: Revenues Transfers Federal Aid Deduct: Expenditures Encumbrances Net Decrease in Cash Balance

$2,523,250 $5,674,638 530,000 748,869 6,986,219 237,485

$6,953,507 (7 ,223,704)

(270,197)

Unencumbered Cash Balance June 30, 1978

Less Cash Reserves: Operating Capital Ultraviolet System at Enfield Fish Hatchery Balance of Unreserved Cash June 30, 1978a

$2,253,053

$ 500,000 275,000

(775,000) $1,478,053

aBalance available to cover salaries and other costs under collective bargaining, as well as other unspecified projects.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

17

Warden Service Alanson B. Noble, Chief Warden By mid-year, for the first time in a number of years, Warden Service enjoyed the luxury of being at full complement. However, retirements and resignations soon brought staffing levels to the point where there were six vacant districts.

Our 1978 spring Warden School was, by all reports, the best one yet. Warden Lieutenant John F. Marsh was appointed officer-incharge of training and did an excellent job co-ordinating the training session with Dr. Malcolm Coulter. Two weeks of intensive field training on Swan Island was added this year to the usual curriculum. Seventeen wardens were graduated, making this the largest class consisting entirely of Maine wardens ever to graduate from our University of Maine Warden School.

Collective bargaining got underway in October of 1977 and still no contract has been signed. We hope that by January of 1979, an agreement will have been reached.

Wardens once again did an outstanding job in enforcing the fish and wildlife laws, and the number of prosecutions rose nearly 13 per cent from the previous year.

There were 86 persons convicted of night hunting. The most frequent violation of law would appear to be fishing without a license; 687 persons were convicted of that offense. The total number of prosecutions recorded indicates that 4,925 persons were convicted of various violations last year.

Warden Service was involved in searching for 244 lost persons and 25 drowning victims while expending some 1,430 man hours at a total expense of $23,689.45.

The Maine State Department of Personnel has seen fit to abolish the Game Warden major position, and we are having a difficult time of re-establishing it.

18

There was no Warden of the Year selection this past year. The A wards Board di? not sit this year, although there have been several wardens nominated for the meritorious service award.

New wardens Daniel Tourtelotte (left) and Alan Rider (right) receive instruction from Warden Ralph Sarty, Jr. on hunting accident investigation. The " incident " took place during the warden school bivouac on Swan Island - the " victim " was posed at the accident scene, and " discovered " by the wardens .

The Warden Aircraft Division, headed by Chief Warden Pilot Dana Toothaker, was able to update its fleet by trading three Cessnas for one new Cessna and two new Super Cubs. We were also able to obtain a Super Cub from surplus property. These light planes seem to be working out well and should reduce operational costs significantly.

Many changes occurred in the Warden Service in the areas of recruitment, promotions, and retirements; those changes will be included in the Chief Warden 's Report that is being prepared for distribution to Warden Service personnel.

Support Services (Editor's note: The heading "Support Services" includes several activities. These are the three divisions reporHng below, plus the operations of the Department storehouse, regional headquarters, land acquisition program, and repellents.)

Information and Education Division William C. Mincher, Director Work on our deer management film, MAINE DEER, A PRODUCT OF THE LAND, was nearly completed at the end of the fiscal year. (The issue date of this magazine enables us to insert a postscript: the deer film has been

finished and prints sent to the University of Maine at Orono, which distributes this Department's films for us. A catalog is available on request to the I & E Division.

(Another late note concerning

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

films: we have bought from the federal government a movie called A MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING and have sent a print to the distribution center at the University. This one is an excellent film about the coyote, showing what are considered to be its good points and bad points. We ordered the film in March 197 8 and finally received it in October.)

Routine revision of publications included updating the regulations folders or booklets of regulations on ice and open water fishing, hunting, guiding and trapping, and migratory bird hunting.

An Administrative Procedure Act, created by the Legislature in 1977, went into full effect July 1, 1978. It applies to the formulating of rules and regulations and has changed fairly extensively the procedures the Department previously followed in making rules. Basically, we are still advertising about as before, but the internal procedures are different. Quite a lot of time was spent by a good many Department employees in redesigning our entire system to comply with the Act. I & E is now involved more deeply with rules and regulations than simply updating and supervising the printing of each annual revision, which we have done since 1968.

This change in emphasis, along with others, figures in the planning that went on during the fiscal year with the aim of devising a different operations plan for I & E. The new plan should make our work more valuable in the overall Department effort to attain various goals established in the comprehensive species-management plan that began taking shape in 1968. Our activities are expected to change somewhat, with the objective of devoting as much Division time as we can toward the specific goals of the species management plans.

Editing time during the year went toward the production of a cookbook the Department is publishing, expected from the

printer in the fall of 1978. Designed to help assure good use of fish and game taken by the angler and hunter, the cookbook features recipes from "all corners of Maine. '' We produced a revised version of the bear hunting guide after a survey of its list of guides and others providing services to bear hunters. We get many questions about bear hunting, and the folder serves as an information piece to answer with.

The 1978 increase in postal rates, along with other increases caused by inflation, had a considerable impact on the I & E Division. We mail numerous items, including correspondence, publications, and some materials for other divisions; and the rate hikes in postage and in printing costs present problems each year. We attempt to mail several different items in the same envelope whenever we can, and we attempt to keep printing costs as low as possible in all the items we

have printed.

Each winter or spring, we must, by law, survey those on our mailing lists who receive free materials from us, to see if they wish to continue. Those who do not return a form indicating a wish to remain on the lists are automatically dropped. In effect for several years now, this law has brought about a considerable saving; but we are now at the point where only a handful of disinterested persons are dropped annually. The yearly savings are, of course, becoming smaller.

Another annual activity for I & E is operating the Department's exhibit at Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Mass. We are responsible for the maintenance of the exhibit, obtaining fish and animals for display there, and supervising the staff (from other divisions) on hand at the exhibit during the September run of the exposition.

Engineering Division Clayton G. Grant, Chief Engineer Engineering Division personnel designed and built several major construction projects during the fiscal year. In addition, three contract jobs, funded by the federal government, were designed and supervised by Division per-

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

sonnel. Routine maintenance and force account construction projects were completed.

The salmon collection trap at Veazie dam was fabricated and installed under the direction of Construction Foreman G. Donald 19

Taylor. The summer 1978 issue of Maine Fish and Wildlife contained a photo-report of the project.

At New Gloucester hatchery, a major renovation of the fish rearing pools was accomplished through the summer months. Concrete headwalls, which were installed in the 1930s, had deteriorated badly and, in some cases, had to be entirely replaced. The gravel holding pools were re-shaped and graded to improve their efficiency. An 8' x 100 ' brood-stock pool was installed to provide a facility for gathering eggs. Renovations were also carried out on the superintendent's house.

At Enfield, one of the Department's major hatcheries, work was begun on installation of ultraviolet water sterilizers which are needed to improve the quality of hatchery waters. Our crew is now working on the building which will house the units and the necessary pipeline modifications.

Three public works projects were contracted and completed during

the summer. Effluent-settlement basins - necessary under current environmental legislation to settle out solid waste material - were built at Augusta, Emden, and Palermo hatcheries.

Routine, on-going-maintenance and repair jobs were carried out as the need arose.

Personnel complement remained at four permanent and four seasonal employees.

Realty Division Richard B. Parks, Chief More and more people contact the Department each year and ask t:s to buy this or that tract of land to save it from being developed. In spite of the high cost of construction, bulldozer blades are certainly busy in some areas!

While the Realty Division would like to accommodate many of these requests, our present bond reserves are committed to a wildlife area acquisition plan. To purchase a tract not within these goals simply subtracts money from our established objectives. Perhaps with additional money in the near future, more of these worthy requests can be met.

To date, 15,706 acres of land have been purchased with the InJand Fisheries and Wildlife Acquisition Fund-approved by referendum in 197 4-at a total cost of $2,730,896.60.

Major acquisitions during the past year included a special purchase of a large deer-wintering area in Steep Falls/Baldwin, containing 2,216 acres. Another major acquisition was 1,940 acres in the Dover-Foxcroft/Charleston area, which we hope will be the nucleus of a new, 5,000-acre management area. This tract was selected after inspection of a number of possible locations in the Bangor area.

A total of 1,023 acres was added to the Manuel wildlife manageWorking from an overhead cable transport , Engineering Division employees position another part of the hoist frame for the fish trap in the Bangor HydroElectric Company Dam on the Penobscot River at Veazie. The vertical beams will support the trap as it is raised and lowered .

ment area in Aroostook County, bringing our total to 4,357 acres.

Minor purchases during the year included 154 acres added to the Newfield wildlife management area in York County, 61 acres added to the Brownfield wildlife management area in Oxford County, 198 acres added to the Augusta/Windsor wildlife management area in Kennebec County, and a three-acre parcel added to the Sandy Point wildlife management area in Stockton Springs, Waldo County.

A gift of 39 additional acres was received to add to our small management area in Belgrade.

This brings the total land gift to 138 acres in this area.

Several sea bird nesting islands were acquired during the period.

Great Spoon Island off the easterly side of Isle au Haut, containing 4 7 acres, was purchased, as was Ballast Island off Jonesport containing about five acres. Vaill Island off Long Island in Portland was a gift to the Department, as was a 5/6 interest in Ram Island, also in Portland.

One conservation easement conveying a 175-acre tract on Wilson Pond in Greenville was accepted during the year.

A full time surveyor and cruiser has been added to the staff of the Realty Division. He is Forrest Smart and a familiar name in the Fish and Wildlife Department, having worked for us since 1958.

He transferred from the Engineering Division and has a tremendous task ahead of him in running out miles of property line and keeping track of several thousands of acres.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

Fishery Management Fishery Division Lyndon H. Bond, Chief REGION A: Sebago Region. Our regular work included routine lake checks for gamefish population status, by means of gillnetting and otter trawling. Electrofishing provided important stream inventory data relative to trout population levels.

Environmental investigations, perhaps somewhat fewer than in the past two or three years, still took considerable time and effort.

Investigations on salmon, togue, and brown trout study lakes within Region A continued. Data collected will aid greatly in managing these and other waters in the region, and quite probably other lakes throughout Maine.

For the first time ever, we were able to commit more time to winter creel censusing, mainly due to the longer season extending from January 1 to March 31. We got quite solid data on 21 lakes and ponds throughout Region A, and we hope to continue this commitment in future years because of the importance of creel census data in managing gamefish populations.

The Sebago Lake salmon and togue fisheries improved greatly during the current year, now that

the smelts are on their way to recovery and the initial impact of the togue introduction on Sebago Lake has stabilized. Anglers in general seem very happy with the dual coldwater fishery, and I doubt if many would trade it for the single salmon fishery they were used to before the togue introduction.

REGION B: Belgrade Region.

Evaluation of the new ice fishing regulations was done on Damariscotta Lake and Maranacook Lake, and rainbow trout stockings in Egypt Pond were evaluated.

The aerators developed in this region for fish stocking were constructed and units placed in all regions of the state. These aerators, used in the cans placed in the boats, enable us to spread the salmon, lake trout. and brown trout over the surface of suitable parts of the lake. This results in less fish and bird predation on newlystocked hatchery fish. With the cost of hatchery-reared spring yearling salmon now nearing a dollar each, anything that increases survival is an economic necessity.

Four waters were reclaimed to

remove rough fish populations.

These waters were restocked with trout.

Environmental reviews of various shoreland improvements were conducted under the Great Ponds and Stream Alteration permit system.

REGION C: Grand Lakes Region.

A greatly expanded stocking program using spring yearling brown trout was initiated on the West Branch of the Union River. Brown trout fry were stocked for the first time within the region in a coldwater tributary to the West Branch, the Middle Branch of the Union River, and Branch Lake Stream.

Winter censuses were conducted on Branch Pond, Hopkins Pond, and Long Pond (T.10,S.D.). Work was sufficiently intensive to enable biologists to estimate the total seasonal angler pressure and harvest on these lakes. The extra month (January) available to ice fishermen in 1978 under the new regulation did not result in any significant increase in fishing effort on most regional waters. Since an open water census was conducted on Branch Pond for the first time in 1978, estimates of total angler pressure and catch for the 197 8 calendar year on this important lake will be forthcoming.

Continued sub-par growth of landlocked salmon and togue in West Grand Lake has necessitated a further reduction in the stocking rate for .these two species. An initial transplant of smelt eggs into this popular lake was carried out in the spring of 1978.

A large amount of time in May and June was devoted to boat stocking of salmon, togue, and brown trout. It is believed that this technique, in conjunction with the

An aerial view of Vaill Island, a 16-acre island near Long Island in Casco Bay. Also known as Marsh Island , this was one of several gifts of land to the Department during the fiscal year.

21

use of portable aerators, will increase survival rates of freshly stocked salmonids.

The minimum length on togue in Hopkins Pond was increased to 20 inches and will be in effect for the opening of the 1979 ice fishing season on January 1. More restrictive length and bag limits on togue and brook trout were promulgated on several additional regional waters.

REGION D: Rangeley Region.

Several popular ice fishing waters were checked last winter to determine the effects of. the newly extended fishing season, with most showing no change over previous seasons. There was an increase in the number of fishermen at two waters, and one water showed a decline in use.

Quimby Pond received some attention this past year. Regional personnel assisted the town of Rangeley and the Soil Conservation Service in establishing a desirable water level before construction of a new dam. A study was also undertaken, in cooperation with a local campowner, which will result in more efficient management of this popular trout pond.

Two large scale proposals were investigated for effects on lakewater environment. One was the proposal to mine diatomaceous earth from the bottom of Umbagog Lake, and the other was to salvage sunken logs from the bottom of Wyman Lake.

Most of our time was spent keeping up to date on the status of fish populations, noting changes which might have occurred due to management or environmental alteration.

REGION E: Moosehead Region.

Much of this region's effort was expended on the Moosehead Lake study followup as in past years.

The angler counts and interviews indicated about 51,700 angler trips for 1977, winter and summer, compared to approximately 40,000 for 1976. Preliminary estimates for

22

1978 indicate more than 60,000 for the year. The catch of salmon, togue and trout for 1977 was more than 40,000 pounds, which is approaching the limit we estimate may be harvested safely from the lake after the populations have attained their potentials. This high catch has probably contributed to the cause of the poorer fishing in 1978.

Extremely low bag limits and high length limits will have to be imposed to sustain a decent fishery with the tremendous increase in fishing intensity. These large annual increases in anglers during the past two or three years make it very difficult to evaluate the result of our management recommendations and changes in regulations.

Luckily, we have had several good years of stable water levels and good flows in streams, which resulted in greater survival of young salmon, trout and togue.

However, this year's drought period has certainly resulted in a high mortality of young brook trout and salmon in the stream habitat.

Another activity requmng a large amount of time is the remote trout ponds program. These ponds are in the process of being zoned on a permanent basis. Access roads were checked; maps and lists made, submitted, and revised; and hearings attended. Other activities included several biological surveys and revisions, check nettings and visits at problem waters; LURC, Great Ponds, and Forestry operations notifications and permit applications; several new dams with recommendations for fish passage facilities; special investigations on the Attean Big Wood chain of lakes in the Jackman area; special work and meetings on the West Branch of the Penobscot proposals and problems; helping with the Warden School and Boy Scouts' High Adventure program; smelt run evaluations; meetings and reports associated with all the above activities; regulations

recommendations and hearings; final survey maps for entire division; and new eletro-fishing equipment fabrication.

REGION F: Penobscot Region.

Again this year, substantial time was spent on me~tings, literature review, and monitoring planning for the 1978 spruce budworm suppression program. The Cooperative Fisheries Unit, UMO, contracted the monitoring, relieving involvement by this office considerably.

As in recent years, no direct fish mortality was observed by field crews. Studies of possible subtle, sub-lethal effects of the spray program are under way.

Fisheries management evaluations of stocking programs, effects of special regulations, and population/habitat inventories were augmented by highlights of the summer field seasons as follows: assistance to the Soil Conservation Service evaluation of biological impacts of proposed flood control measures for Molunkus Stream, Sherman Station; checks on brook trout populations in two streams affected by the Baxter Park area forest fire; supervision of fullseason creel censuses on Cold Stream Pond, the East Branch of the Penobscot River, Trout Brook (Baxter Park), and Upper Shin Pond; adult smelt transfers to two waters; and supervision of fish marking and stocking programs.

Much of the winter season was spent on creel census and aerial counts of anglers to document changes due to the January opening of the ice fishing season. Data evaluation is incomplete, but preliminary analysis shows little overall increase in pressure or harvest on a full season basis. Ice conditions were ideal for angler access and movement last winter in this region, an important consideration in evaluation. Similar censuses are planned for followup.

REGION G: Fish River Region.

Routine regional work consisted of six new lake surveys and a large number of check-nettings to

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

evaluate stockings of marked fish.

Electrofishing was carried out on the Meduxnekeag River tributaries to learn more about the only wild brown trout fishery in northern Maine.

In addition to our regular survey work, we spent many hours on creel census work. The additional month of ice fishing resulted in a need for many more days of creel census. The two permanent biologists conducted winter censuses on St. Froid Lake, Aroostook River, and Big Eagle Lake in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

Aerial counts of ice anglers were made on most of the remaining waters in the North Maine Woods area. Work-study students conducted both an open water and ice fishing census on Long Lake and ice fishing censuses on Cross and Square Lakes, all in the Fish river chain. These censuses were intensive enough to provide total use and harvest figures on three of our most important salmon waters.

Special regional projects included the live-trapping of wild brook trout from Island Pond, T.15,R.9, and their consequent transfer to Upper Pond for overwintering.

Island Pond, once an excellent wild trout fishery, had become infested by yellow perch via an unauthorized introduction. The pond was reclaimed in the fall, and reintroduction of the original wild trout was made this past spring.

For the third consecutive year, " dwarf" whitefish runs were livetrapped at Spider and Second Musquacook lakes, and fish were transferred by aircraft to Great

Three of these pool covers were constructed at the Palermo hatchery during the fiscal year, part of a long¡ range program to provide cover for salmon and lake trout raceways .

East Lake in southwestern Maine to provide a forage fish for a slowgrowing togue population. Data were collected on the intensity and length of the whitefish spawning runs.

Assistance was given to the Army Corp of Engineers ' contractor by collecting togue samples for mercury analysis on the Allagash and Fish River chain of lakes.

Region G personnel were provided the opportunity to attend a twoday fish pathology course in the spring and terminated the fiscal year with a five-day statistical workshop in Augusta.

TROPHY BROOK TROUT WATERS: Regulations intended to produce larger brook trout in the creel were proposed and implemented on 10 specially selected brook trout waters. These ponds are located in Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Washington counties.

The regulations include a 12-inch minimum size and two fish bag limit as well as a restriction allowing only artificial lures. Since the 10 specific waters chosen for this study are capable of producing larger than average trout, these regulations will allow higher survival and may provide some opportunities for catching brook trout of " trophy " caliber. Creel census and live trapping are underway to determine the effects of these regulations on the ponds involved.

Angler attitudes and preferences for this type of trout fishing are also being determined.

BROOK TROUT STOCKING EVALUATIONS: Field work is continuing on a number of aspects

of our brook trout stocking program. The investigations include effects of alternate year angling closure and reduced stocking rates on growth and on angling quality.

Other subjects under study include evaluations of longer-lived brook trout, brook trout in combination with brown trout, and natural reproduction from stocked trout.

SALMON HOOKING MORTALITY: Studies to evaluate mortality of landlocked salmon hooked and released by anglers were completed in 1978. The research was designed to evaluate salmon hooking mortality in various environmental situations and to evaluate factors influencing mortality. Final reports are available for fall and spring studies in the hatchery, spring, and fall lake studies and for spring studies in a typical river nursery area.

SELECTIVE BROOK TROUT BREEDING PROJECT: Our ongoing project designed to increase the longevity of brook trout through selective breeding continued throughout 1977 and 1978.

To date, no significant difference between survival of the selectively bred trout and our regular hatchery trout has been demonstrated at Eagle Lake, the testing water for the two strains. However, in the fall of 1977, viable eggs were taken from a trout of age 9 in the lake where we are rearing the selectively bred strain. Average survival of fall fingerlings from planting to one year later in this lake has averaged 2.08 per cent over a fiveyear period. Year-to-year survival of older aged trout has ranged from 24.7 to 69.9 per cent, (five year average), a much better survival.

The test lake is closed to fishing so all mortality is presumably natural. Indications are that if we can only add a year or two to the life span of the trout we are trying to develop, a significant improvement in survival will result. In fall 1976, we stocked large, age 1 + trout (10-12 inches long) to try and improve survival the first year at 23

large. Indications are that only a small increase in survival resulted.

The project is continuing.

SUNAPEE TROUT: Work continued on evaluating the new Sunapee trout introductions. Survival has apparently been good in most waters, but no reproduction has yet been discovered. A new stocking technique was tried in November 1977. Sexually mature Sunapee trout were taken from Floods Pond and stocked into Long Pond, TWPS D&E, and released in an area thought to be suitable for spawning. It is hoped that these fish will take to the new environ-

ment and produce a self-sustaining population.

Critical-areas proposals for the blueback trout waters and for Floods Ponds were written for the State Planning Office. In conjunction with this program, an effort has been made to obtain first-hand information, by surveys, on 11 of the blueback waters in the summer of 1978.

Work was completed on a monograph contribution for the genus Salvelinus to be published at The Hague sometime within the coming fiscal year.

hatchery. Three pool-covers were built at Palermo as part of the long-range program to provide cover for raceways used for salmon and lake trout. Federal Public Works grants were obtained to build settling basins for the treatment of hatchery waste discharges at Embden, Governor Hill and Palermo. Construction on settling basins was started by minority contractors by the end of the fiscal year.

Marlene Dean records data from a fur tag .

Data of this type are compiled each year for all trapped species, and analyses of the results by the Planning Division help provide species management direction to the Department .

Hatchery Operations David 0. Locke, Supt. of Hatcheries Furunculosis, a bacterial fish disease, continues to be a major problem at the Enfield and Casco hatcheries. Attempts to control it with antibiotics and disinfection of raceways have reduced the mortalities but cannot eliminate the disease. Ultraviolet light (UV) treatment of the hatchery water supply will eliminate furunculosis.

Stocking programs from these two hatcheries will remain severely reduced until UV treatment equipment can be installed. We cannot risk stocking carrier fish or " Typhoid Marys " into waters containing natural fish populations.

This expensive equipment is on order for the Enfield hatchery but will probably not be operational until 1979. Consequently, "clean" fish will not be available for stocking from Enfield until spring 1981.

Current plans call for the installation of UV equipment at Casco in 1979-80 with the first " clean " fish available in spring 1982.

Hatchery reared landlocked salmon of greatly improved quality, stocked from hatcheries such as Grand Lake Stream, Deblois, Embden, and Palermo, have survived so well that management biologists have had to cut the 24

stocking rates drastically to prevent over-stocked, stunted salmon populations . Ultraviolet light equipment at Grand Lake Stream, better diets, and improved hatchery management are some of the reasons for the improved quality and survival of hatchery reared salmon.

Expanding brown trout management requires more fish for stocking than we can produce at the traditional source , the New Gloucester hatchery. Browns are now being reared on a trial basis at the Deblois rearing pools, which are marginal for brook trout culture. Production of brown trout at Deblois will satisfy the increased demand for this species without costly expansion at other hatcheries and will also make better use of existing facilities.

Much-needed repairs to buildings, grounds, and rearing pools were made during this fiscal year.

Concrete pool repairs were completed at Dry Mills and Phillips and work started on the concrete raceway dams and brood stock pond at New Gloucester. Many years ' accumulation of silt was dredged from the water supply reservoirs at the Governor Hill

The division was saddened by the sudden death of a long time employee and foreman of the New Gloucester Hatchery, Walter Hinds. Tom Spring has been promoted to replace him. Four new employees were hired to fill fish hatcheryman vacancies at Casco, Deblois, Dry Mills, and New Gloucester. Peter Walker, a former hatchery employee and more recently assistant regional fishery biologist, Belgrade Region, has transferred back to fish culture as hatchery biologist. He replaces Sandra Beaulieu who resigned.

Following formal training in fish pathology at the National Fisheries Center, Leetown, West Virginia, he will be responsible for fish health at Maine 's ten state hatcheries.

The following fish were stocked during 1977:

Landlocked salmon Rainbow trout Brown trout Lake trout Brook trout Sunapee trout Total

Number

Pounds

282,150 44,044 69,700 394,408 586,006 4,500

33,928 5,096 17 ,926 18,043 54,499 87

1, 380,808

129,5 79

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

Planning and Co-ordination Division Kenneth H. Anderson, Director

Activities during the last year were focused on various aspects of the Department 's planning and environmental protection efforts. The information storage and retrieval capabilities of the Department's automatic data processing system were expanded. This change will allow us to provide the.information needed to update and refine species assessments and monitor the progress of fish and wildlife management programs. The system provides for the rapid summarization of fisherman, hunter, and trapper harvest-and-use data derived from questionnaires, surveys, and tagging records, as well as warden and biologist daily work reports, big game registration reports, fish and wildlife complaint records, pros-

ecution records, biological assessments ¡ of the impact of development on fish and wildlife habitat, wildlife census data, wetlands inventory, animal banding records, and beaver management data. In addition, we provided data processing services for numerous research, survey, inventory, and administrative jobs undertaken.

The progress of the fish and wildlife research and management programs which have been implemented as a result of the Department 's species management plans were monitored in cooperation with the Fisheries and Wildlife divisions, and additions and refinements were made as required. Work also began on the

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

evaluation of the Department's information and education program.

Needs identified in the species management plans were refined by the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Warden divisions and presented to the division chiefs for their consideration. Recommendations were then finalized and work began in co-operation with the Information and Education Division on the development of specific plans.

The Planning Division continued to administer the Stream Alteration Act and co-ordinate the Department's technical input to other agencies charged with administering environmental laws.

Division personnel co-ordinated the evaluation and processing of 140 Stream Alteration applications, 261 Department of Environmental Protection Great Ponds applications, 168 DEP Tidal Wetland applications, 204 DEP Site applications, 1"5 DEP Minimum Lot Size applications, and a total of 360 Land Use Regulation Commission permits.

This work is extremely important to the maintenance of the state's inland fish and wildlife since their long term welfare is directly dependent on the type, amount, and quality of land and water, commonly referred to as habitat, available to them.

The Planning Division coordinated Departmental support and input to the Governor 's Land and Water Council; the State Critical Areas Program; Dickey Lincoln impact evaluations; Tenneco Pipeline impact evaluations; Coastal Zone Management; State Planning Office studies; Bureau of Forestry planning; Bureau of Public Lands planning; Land Use Regulation Commission planning; Department of Environmental Protection planning; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Characterization of the Maine Coast; wetland inventory, critical habitat preservation, and impact evaluation programs; and numerous public and legislative functions.

25

Wildlife Division Robert W. Boettger, Chief Activities of the Wildlife Division continued at a varied level, including work on species planning programs, according to established schedules. Benefits to Maine's wildlife and human populations were realized through input to and liaison with several state and federal agencies including the State Planning Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Endangered Species Scientific Authority, Board of Environmental Protection, Land Use Regulation Commission, Bureau of Public Lands, and Department of Transportation. We also maintained liaison with and provided input to several private conservation oriented organizations.

Wildlife Division personnel worked co-operatively with many of these organizations, especially the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nature Conservancy, Maine Audubon, Bureau of Public Lands, and Land Use Regulation Commission, to protect and manage important coastal seabird islands and bald eagle nesting sites.

Efforts continued to have the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) permanently zone critical deer wintering areas as protection districts, to provide for the protection and management of these areas to benefit deer. Additional data to support these DW A zoning recommendations and a standardized format of presenting testimony were developed during the past year. This information helped LURC in evaluating and accepting testimony and resulted in adoption of our recommendations.

Permanent zoning hearings are scheduled to be completed during this coming year, and we will be preparing for them.

26

A more formalized and greater degree of co-operation has been developed between Department, University of Maine, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel responsible for approving, issuing, and enforcing scientific collection permits. This has resulted in better knowledge and control of organizations and individuals involved, with more assurance that their activities are justified and beneficial.

Reliable information on the status of Maine furbearers, plus adequate control of annual harvests by means of mandatory pelt tagging and reporting, resulted in the removal of Endangered Species Scientific Authority export quotas on all Maine furs. The ESSA has informed us that Maine's furbearer management program is considered one of the best in the country.

This statement has also been made at meetings of wildlife management personnel from throughout North America, and our program has been suggested as a good example for some other agencies to follow.

During the past year, fur trapping seasons were shortened, with outside dates remaining more liberal in northern Maine. Also, land and water trapping seasons have been consolidated so that they occur at the same time in a particular area. The basic reason for this is to reduce trapping pressure on bobcat and fisher, populations of which are at a low level, especially in southern Maine, by making it necessary for trappers to decide if they wish to concentrate on land or water trapping and also which species to go after.

It will no longer be possible to concentrate on some species for a while and then, after the season on them , closes, switch efforts to another group. This has been a rather controversial regulation, but we do feel that it is the most practical and effective way to reduce pressure on bobcat and fisher. Division personnel attended many trappers' meetings to ex-

plain the reasons for this regulation change, and acceptance among trappers seems to be slowly increasing.

In September 1977, a series of coyote trapping seminars were held throughout the state, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Maine Trappers Association, and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. They were presented to familiarize trappers with this new furbearer-predator and to demonstrate coyote trapping techniques.

A very well qualified government coyote trapper from the West was the principal instructor, and the seminars were well attended and accepted. (Due to the success of this progTam, plans were made for a second series of these seminars which were consequently held in September of 1978.)

Personnel of the Division's migratory bird project have been very actively involved with population problems of the black duck and woodcock. The Atlantic Flyway Council (a council of wildlife commissioners and directors from the Atlantic Flyway states) has assigned to state technical personnel the task of drafting flyway-wide management plans for the various species of waterfowl. Maine's migratory bird project leader was named chairman of a committee to formulate a management plan for the black duck. A draft of this plan will be ready this winter. To date, it is the only one of these species plans anywhere near completed. This prompt attention to the assignment should benefit the Atlantic Flyway black duck population and Maine duck hunters, whose most important large game duck is the black.

Woodcock are also important to Maine sportsmen, and our research personnel have been working hard toward having these migratory game birds managed on a flyway Or-regional basis in order that necessary conservation measures be

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

taken throughout the woodcock 's range. At present, Maine has chosen a comparat ively conservative season because ongoing investigations have indicated that Atlantic Region (including Maine) woodcock population trends are down. However, we suffer from the liberalized seasons in many other states and provinces in the Region.

Maine personnel, in co-operation with New Brunswick personnel, are also attempting to determine the extent of and reasons for the rather mysterious eye abnormalities that have shown up in woodcock from this area in recent years. To date, there are no definite answers, but investigations will continue.

Because of the high level of success of wild turkey reintroductions in other northeastern states, our Department decided to stock these magnificent game birds experimentally in what appears to be the most suitable habitat, in the extreme southwestern portion of the state. The final release of 22 wild

management was exchanged and new knowledge gained. Our bear management program profited from this meeting.

A project that required considerable time and effort of Wildlife Division personnel was the development and implementation of a new personnel evaluation system. This w~s conducted under the direction of the Maine Department of Personnel and should

result in more fair and objective evaluations of an employee 's job performance.

The amount of funding available from outside sources increased during this past year. These monies were available for high priority studies and management of bald eagles, black bear, sea birds, bobcats, and woodcock. Unfortunately, the Department was not allowed to accept all of these funds.

Mike Laughlin (center), assistant state supervisor of animal control for Nevada's U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service office, conducted a series of damage control workshops for Maine trappers last fall , focused primarily on the coyote. The seminars, well received by trappers, were co-sponsored by our Department, the Maine Trappers Association , and the USF&WS.

Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission trapped birds from Vermont was made this past year; 41 turkeys have been released over the last two years. So far, there have been confirmed sightings of on.e brood and reported sightings of two others. It is too early to tell whether these stockings will result in the establishment of a wild turkey population in our state, but we will be closely monitoring this situation and hoping for the best.

During the spring of 1978, Maine hosted a meeting of biologists studying the eastern black bear.

Much valuable information on bear

Alfred L. Meister, Chief Biologist The past year has seen a resurgence of interest in Maine's salmon program, and the resulting national publicity amply demonstrated the love affair that exists between the angler and Salmo salar.

The first bright salmon was taken from the Penobscot ' s Salmon Pool on April 20th, and by the end of the first week in May, fish had been creeled from the Dennys, East Machias and N ar-

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

raguagus rivers. The ideal angling conditions of June were followed by drought conditions that persisted throughout the remainder of the angling season.

The breaching of the Bangor dam dewatered the upstream flowage and provided anglers with an additional 2V2 miles of water to explore. By mid-season, anglers had located numerous pools and lies, and the rod catch had established a new modern record.

27

At season 's end, the rod catch of 350 had nearly exceeded the existing record set in 1926 when 354 salmon were angled from the Salmon Pool. On the other rivers, catches were reported as follows: Dennys River-70; East Machias -48; Pleasant-16; Narraguagus - 135; Union-20; and Sheepscot River-35 salmon. Miscellaneous catches were reported from the Ducktrap River, the Kennebec, and several coastal sites.

On the Machias where removal of dams in 1973 resulted in increased upstream escapement, the first

dam fishway. Completed and placed in operation on June 8, the new trapping facilities rapidly proved their worth. More than 75 salmon were passed through the facility in one day, and the season's count was 1,404 fish at press time.

In the spring of 1978, the salmon rivers of Maine received more than 320,000 hatchery-reared fish from the Craig Brook and Green Lake national fish hatcheries.

Disease problems reduced the production at Craig Brook, but all indications are that the diseases, although not eliminated, are cur-

1.5 million eggs will be obtained from the 400 fish being held as brood stock during the fall of 1978.

Drought during the summer of 1978 created problems for our fishery resources, and these adverse environmental conditions forced the fish to concentrate in spring seeps and in holding areas on the Kennebec, Penobscot, and other streams. Emergency conditions existed, and several areas were closed to fishing to protect the resource. On these areas, poaching was prevalent, and numerous violations were prosecuted successfully by the enforcement officers.

On the Dennys River, a critical area was established by the Pesticides Control Board to protect the aquatic resources of the

An aerial photo shows the breach in the Penobscot River dam at Bangor, a break which has caused many problems for Atlantic salmon management, and which aided anglers in setting a new modern rod-catch record on the famous Maine salmon river during the fiscal year.

returns were heralded home in 1978. Salmon were distributed throughout the drainage, and by season 's end, the rod catch had exceeded 100 fish and was the second highest catch of record for the Machias.

On the Penobscot, a new fish trap was installed at the Veazie

28

rently under control, and it is expected that normal production capabilities can be resumed in 1979.

During the fall of 1977, more than 1. 2 million eggs were taken from native brood stock to meet the production and research needs of the program. It is expected that

drainage. Controls on the application of pesticides within an area ranging from one-half to one mile on both sides of the river will provide additional environmental protection to the lower reaches of this river.

During the past fiscal year, major strides were made towards a co-ordinated restoration plan for the salmon resource. Staff members are revising and updating river management reports and in co-operation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are preparing a comprehensive regional salmon enhancement plan.

Meetings were attended to deal with in tern a tional boundary waters, and papers were presented at national meetings. Numerous talks were presented to local civic and fraternal groups by members of the staff of this Commission.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

Recreational Safety and Registration Lorenzo J. Gaudreau, Director During the fiscal year 1977-78, the Division registered 67,421 snowmobiles and 363 snowmobile dealers, and issued 106 duplicate snowmobile registrations. The Division also registered 39,445 boats, issued 305 boat operator licenses, and granted 33 permits for boating races and regattas.

Numerous hearings were held concerning requests to limit the horsepower of motorboats on inland waters. At the close of the calendar year, December 31, 1977, the watercraft registry showed 110,790 boats listed.

Hunting and snowmobile accidents again showed a decrease.

Volunteer instructors gave 132 courses and certified 3,000 students in the hunter safety program. Instructors gave 4 7 courses and certified 1,400 students in the snowmobile safety program. Numerous presentations on snowmobile safety were also given in clubs and schools. Presentations of boating safety instruction were given to about 10,000 students by our recreational safety coordinators in schools and in summer camps. Boating, hunting, and

SNOWMOBILE SAFETY CO-ORDINATORS Name and address

Region

Rick Vieta R.R. 1, Box 227 N. Windham, ME 04062 Tel: 892-5221

Counties

All of Cumberland and York counties and Fryeburg south in Oxford County

Albert D. Deraspe 10 Orchard Street Farmington, ME 04938 Tel: 778-3418

2

Franklin and Oxford counties except Fryeburg and south in Oxford County

Philip I. Morehouse Route #1, Box 87 Windsor, ME 04363 Tel: 549-5188

3

All of Kennebec, Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Knox counties

4

All of Somerset and Piscataquis counties

Donald H. Clark RFD #1 Hampden Highlands, ME 04445 Tel: 234-2627

5

Lorna M. Na son Duck Cove Road Bucksport, ME 04416 Tel: 469-3690

6

Harland S. Hitchings PO Box 145 Princeton, ME 04668 Tel: 796-2282

7

All of Washington County

Michael G. Sawyer RFD#l Smyrna Mills, ME 04 780 Tel: 757-8102

8

All of Aroostook County and Medway north in Penobscot County

All of Waldo and Penobscot counties except Medway north in Penobscot County

snowmobile safety slides were continuously displayed during the appropriate season in the Augusta office lobby near the licensing counter.

Anyone interested in participating in the programs as an instructor or sponsor or by taking a training course, may contact the appropriate recreational safety coordinator listed or write the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Division of Recreational Safety and Registration-Safety Section-284 State Street, Augusta, Maine 04333.

HUNTER SAFETY CO-ORDINATORS Name and Address

Region

Charlene A. St. Jean RFD#l, Box 102 Sanford, ME 04073 Tel: 324-5930 Woodbury D. Thompson PO Box 3573 Portland, ME 04104 Tel: 772-0179 or 797-2463

Philip I. Morehouse Route #1, Box 87 Windsor, ME 04363 Tel: 549-5188

Counties

York

2

Cumberland, Oxford (Fryeburg & south), Androscoggin (All south of Auburn) and Bath in Sagadahoc

3

Oxford (All north of Fryeburg), Androscoggin (Auburn and north) , Franklin, Kennebec, Somerset, and Sagadahoc (except Bath) Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Hancock, Kennebec (east of Augusta and south of Route 9) and Sagadahoc (east of Bath)

4

George L. Currier 209 Silk Street Brewer, ME 04412 Tel: 989-24 77

5

Piscataquis and Penobscot (south of Route 188)

Harland S. Hitchings PO Box 145 Princeton, ME 04668 Tel: 796-2282

6

Washington and P e nobscot (north of Route 108 to Medway)

Michael G. Sawyer RFD #1 Smyrna Mills, ME 04780 Tel: 757-8102

7

Aroostook

Charles L. Duggins 10 Old South Place Bath, ME 04530 Tel: 443-2601

8

Survival Techniques Specialist

All of Hancock County

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

29

DEER SEASON REVIEW If there was ever any doubt about the importance of decent hunting conditions to the outcome of a deer season, the events of 1978 should remove them. Exceptionally mild and dry conditions prevailed up until the last few days of the season - and the str.tewide deer kill was lagging about 20 per cent behind the '77 season at the same point.

Then by mid-week of the last week of the season - just in time for the traditional favorite Thanksgiving hunting period - the temperature plunged and light rain or snow fell in most sections. This improved things for hunters, who until then had been contending with noisy and unusually warm conditions in the woods. Finally, during the night before the last day of the season, the long-awaited good tracking snow arrived in most areas of the state, setting the stage for one really good day of deer hunting. Maybe not typical but illustrative of what happened on the last day of the season is the report that at the Medway tagging station, more deer were registered on that one day than during the entire season until then.

Statewide, the deer kill for the last week alone was 33 per cent higher than the previous year's last week figure and brought the season total up to a preliminary 28,991. This is down a bit from 1977 and from the ten-year average 30

deer harvest but not far from the Department's goal of an annual kill in the range of 30,000 to 37,000.

Kills in this range will prevent either over-population or herd depletion from occurring.

A future issue of Maine Fish and Wildlife will contain a more detailed report on the 1978 deer hunting season.

Skowhegan dentist replaces Dr. Alonzo H. Garcelon of Augusta, who had served on the Council since 1959 and as chairman since 1961.

Appleby, who will represent Kennebec and Somerset counties on the Council, was born in New Brunswick and attended high school in Skowhegan before receiving his degree in dentistry from Tufts University. He is married, and the father of two children, and brings to the Council an intense interest in Maine's fisheries and wildlife resources, developed during a lifetime of hunting and fishing activities.

Elected recently to succeed Garcelon as chairman of the Advisory Council was Rodney W. Ross of Brownville. George E. Prentiss of Rumford was elected vicechairman.

THE LABEL HELPS

TWO NEW PUBLICATIONS

The latest word on the status of deer, bear, and migratory game birds in Maine - and the work being done on behalf of these species - is contained in two new free publications available from the Fish and Wildlife Dept.

The 1977 Big Game Project Report and the 1977-78 Migratory Bird Project Report are the latest in an annual series of booklets published by the Wildlife Division and detailing research and management activities on deer, bear, woodcock, and waterfowl.

For either publication, write to the Maine Fish and Wildlife Department, 284 State St., Augusta, ME 04333.

If you are renewing your subscription, notifying us of an address change, or have any other reason to write about your subscription to MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE, please include a label from your magazine, or at least a copy of all the information on the label. It will greatly help speed the processing.

Of course, if you are moving we must also have your new mailing address, including zip code. We must have this information at least four weeks in advance of tlie next publication date. The magazine is not forwarded automatically.

ADVISORY COUNCIL CHANGES

Dr. Alva S. Appleby of Skowhegan has begun his first term on the Fish and Wildlife Department's Advisory Council, having been named to that post by former Governor James B. Longley. The

. ~ · L;,;E R I ~\ a. 1/ 1 1 .,

•:~

l'

,',''

THE TRASH yo u L EA.VE 9E HIND ON THE ICE DUl< IN G TH E WINTER CLUTTER$ ANO

POLLUTES OUli!. WATERWAYS • •• GOOD MANNERS IN THE OUT·OF·OOORS HELPS KEEP MAINE SCEHIC ALL '(ENl'l10UND.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED Listed here are books on subjects of interest to those who enjoy the outdoors. These notes are published mainly to call your attention to the publications. If we have been able to evaluate a book or booklet and recommend it, we will do so, but a lack of comment does not mean that the book is not deserving.

Getting the Most from Your Game & Fish, by Robert Candy, pub-

lished in late 1978 by Garden Way Publishing, Charlotte, VT 05445; 278 pages. Bob Candy is the information and education chief of the

Vermont Fish and Game Department, very familiar with his subject. The book is not a cookbook but does contain some recipes. It is loaded with fine sketches by the author and tips on how to care for almost any kind of game - furred, !'inned, or winged. Plenty of useful information in this one. Paperback; $8.95.

The Deer of North America, by Leonard Lee Rue III, published in 1978 by Crown Publishers, 1 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016; 463 pages. Lennie has been working on

test your outdoor knowledge

ecologogriphs ACROSS

1.

7.

9.

11.

13.

14.

15.

16.

18.

19.

20.

21 .

22.

25.

A group of fish .

The Pine Tree State (abbrev.).

Radium (chem. sym).

Juicy red fru it of a rose family plant. lndo-European (abbrev.).

A large f ish net dragged on sea bottom .

Brittle substance of sand, earth, melted lava, etc.

Where the sun rises.

Sound made by a hog.

Snake New (comb. form).

Wind direction.

Extinguished, such as a species of plant or animal.

Init ials of common names of: Anguillidae; Thymal lidae.

Awake.

Flat circular sea urchin: sand _ _ .

The California live oak.

Citrus fruits; fraxinella, etc ..

Young fish .

A f ish spear.

Gull-like birds.

26.

27.

29.

33.

34.

35.

36.

38. Greatest country in the world.

39. Fifth largest planet in our solar system .

41. Viviparous fish w ith flattened snout with toothlike edges.

42. Nat iona l organization of sportsmen , conservationists, etc ..

44. East Indies (abbrev.).

this book a long time, and it shows it. An internationally respected photographer, he has selected superb photos for this work and accompanied them with a tremendous amount of information on deer. It is nontechnical and extremely interesting. Hard cover; $12.95. (Autographed copies may be ordered from the author. RD 2, Box 88a, Blairstown, NJ 07825; add $1.25 for shipping.)

Fishing with the Fly Rod, edited

by Don Zahner and the staff of Fly Fisherman Magazine, published in

46.

47.

50.

52.

53.

55.

The Cracker State (abbrev.).

African antelope.

To inquire.

Ta ll t ree of the mulberry fam il y.

Picnic drink.

A fisherman may have done this at one time.

57. Direction .

58. To remove tops of trees.

59. Plants of little value.

DOWN 1. Lines holding fisherman 's catch .

2. A ta ll wading bird.

3. The osprey: fish

28. You invariably catch one when fishing (2 wds.).

30. Any large body of water in Africa.

31 . Nat iona l Intelligence Authority (abbrev.).

32. Settled by common consent.

34. Mold, mildew or mushroom.

37. A grassy surface of land; turf.

40. Species of Polynesian trees: _ pa lm.

43. Do this frequently on long trips.

45. A small island.

48. Chimpanzee, oranguta n or gorill a.

49. Any small dog: dog.

51. A young goat.

54. Opposite di rections.

56. Two compass po ints.

4. Silent flying nocturnal bird of prey.

ANSWER ON PAGE 33

5. Overboard (abbrev.).

6. Small , pla inly colored flycatcher: flycatcher.

7. Mister (abbrev.).

8. The center of a storm .

9. To su rface, as a f ish.

10. A deviation from a direct course.

11. A small piece of rock.

12. Swift moving current in a stream.

17. Un like horns, these are shed annually.

19. Chopping tool.

22. Living near the ground, as certa in insects.

23. The po lestar: star.

24. Lower corner of a square sail.

26. Underwater Current (abbrev.).

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

Š

Doug Jackson 197/J

31

1978 by Ziff-Davis Publishing Co., 1 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016; 272 pages. Information and illustrations (many in color) for the experienced and novice fly rod users, this fine book covers a range of useful topics from selection of equipment to use of the gear, fly tying, and directories on equipment and on fly-fishing opportunities in all 50 states, Canada, and tropical waters. Hard cover, $14.95; soft cover, $7.95.

HELP US IMPROVE YOUR MAGAZINE Readers can save us quite a sum by making certain we have correct mailing addresses. Postage due charges for magazines returned as undeliverable we would rather put into magazine improvements.

Here's an example of how costs can add up: A recent new subscriber gave as his address the place where he lives (say, Podunk) but

Maine's Record Fish BROOK TROUT 8 lbs. 5 oz.

BROWN TROUT Norman Stacy, Fitchburg, Mass. 19 lbs. 7 oz.

LAKE TROUT (TOGUE) 31 lbs. 8 oz.

Hollis Grindle, Ellsworth BLUEBACK TROUT Merton Wyman, Belgrade 4 lbs. 4 oz.

LANDLOCKED SALMON Edward Blakely, Darien, Conn.

22 lbs. 8 oz.

ATLANTIC SALMON Harry Smith, Cherryfield 26 lbs. 2 oz.

SMALLMOUTH BASS George Dyer, Augusta 8 lbs.

LARGEMOUTH BASS Robert Kamp, Denmark 11 lbs. 10 oz.

WHITE PERCH Mrs. Earl Small, Waterville 4 lbs. 10 oz.

CHAIN PICKEREL Eugene Laughlin, Raymond 6 lbs. 8 oz.

WHITEFISH Neil Sullivan, Worcester, Mass.

7 lbs. 8 oz.

CUSK Edward M. O'Brien, S. Casco 15 lbs. 12 oz.

Dixon Griffin, Dixfield

L

Pierce Pond

1958

Sebago Lake

1958

Beech Hill Pond

1958

Basin Pond

1973

Sebago Lake

1907

Narraguagus River

1959

Thompson Lake

1970

Moose Pond

1968

Messalonskee Lake

1949

Sebago Lake

1969

Sebago Lake

1958

Sebago Lake

1977

isted above are the largest fish that we have verified in nine years since we first announced plans to compile a record freshwater fish list. We are still inviting verifiable challenges to this list - whether the fish was caught in 1908 or 1978. In fact, we hope we are challenged because we want to give proper recognition to these catches and also have our list as accurate as possible.

To qualify for state record honors, the fish must have been taken by rod and reel or handline in Maine. Ice fishing catches are eligible.

The fish must have been caught in accordance with state fishing laws. Fish taken in hatcheries or from private pools or ponds are not eligible. The weight of any fish entered in competition must be verified, preferably by an inland warden or fishery biologist.

Smallmouth bass must be positively identified by a warden or biologist.

Verified records are also sought for rainbow trout, yellow perch, • bullhead (hornpout), and other freshwater species.

32

didn't tell us the mailing address is RFD 2, Mudville. We sent the first copy (22¢), got it back as "undeliverable as addressed" but with no address supplied (postage due: 40¢). In 20 minutes of checking and making two phone calls (estimated cost: $1.00 or more), we got the mailing address, changed it on the computer file (cost: probably about 15¢), and mailed the magazine to the new address (cost: 22¢).

That's about $2.00 spent on one issue of a magazine that costs only $2.50 for four issues which are mailed for about 6¢ each if we have the correct address. This happens fairly often, and the money spent would go quite a way toward use of color pictures inside the magazine, for example.

Will you help us? Please be sure we have your mailing address, and notify us as soon as you can (four weeks ahead, if possible) when it is going to change. We'll be able to turn our time and money into producing a better magazine for you.

Thank you.

1979 LICENSE FEES Nonresident Citizen Big Game Hu~ting - 10 yrs. and over Alien Big Game Hunting Nonresident Small Game Hunting 16 yrs. and over Nonresident Junior S mell Game Hunting - 10-15 yrs., inc.

Nonresident Archery Hunting 12 yrs. end over (permits hunting, during ell open seasons throughout year) Nonresident Junior Fishing 12-15 yrs. inc.

Nonresident Season Fishing 16 y rs. and over Nonresident 15-day Fishing Nonresident 7-dey Fishing Resident or nonresident 3-day Fishing Resident Fishing - 16 y rs. and over Resident Junior Hunting 10-15 yrs., inc.

Resident Hunting - 16 y rs. end over Resident Combination Hunting end Fishing - Over age 70 Resident Combination Hunting end Fishing - 16 yrs. and over Resident Serviceman Combination Resident Archery Hunting 10 yrs. end over Resident Combination Fishing end Archery Hunting Resident Trapping (Statewide) Resident Guide - 18 yrs. end over

$ 60.50

100.00 30.50

15.50

30.50 4.00 25.50 15.50 12.50 7.50 7.50

1.50 7.50 free 12.50 3.50 7.50 12.50 13.00 32.00

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

FEDERAL AID

WE HA VE BEEN ASKED ...

The allocation of more than $70 million in federal aid to states for sport fish and wildlife restoration and hunter safety programs was announced recently by Secretary of the Interior Cecil Andrus.

The funds represent the first of two installments that will be distributed to the states this year from excise taxes collected in fiscal year 1978.

Funds for fish restoration programs come from a 10 per cent excise tax on fishing rods, reels, creels, and artificial baits, lures, and flies. Funds for wildlife restoration and hunter safety programs come from an 11 per cent excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition, a 10 per cent excise tax on pistols and revolvers, and an 11 per cent tax on certain archery equipment.

The funds are distributed according to a formula based on hunting and fishing license sales and the area of each state.

Where can I get information on roads and access to paper company lands in northern Maine?

By contacting either the company concerned, the Paper Industry Information Office (133 State St., Augusta, ME 04330), or North Maine Woods (Box 552, Presque Isle, Me. 04 769).

ANYONE FOR BANNING BEDS? Though firearms are thought of by some people as dangerous enough to be banned, it is interesting to note that the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission has not given them a very high rank on its list of "hazards" which cause accidental death in the United States.

Fish and Wildlife Department Safety Officer Gary Anderson reports that ahead of firearms on the Commission's list are bicycles,

stairs, motor vehicles, food, lawnmowers, football, baseball, playground equipment, tables, farm equipment, glass, beds, nails and tacks, doors, prescription drugs, chairs, swimming pools, and basket ball.

MAINE DEER FILM A new motion picture on Maine's white-tailed deer is now available for viewing.

Produced by the Fish and Wildlife Department, MAINE DEER, PRODUCT OF THE LAND shows how the past, present, and expected future of the state's deer herd is directly associated with changing land uses through the years and the quantity and quality of deer habitat that has resulted.

The film also explores the role of various deer mortality factors such as winter weather, hunting, and predators - in determining the size and condition of the herd.

The 18-minute film was produced

by William W. Cross, motion picture specialist in the Department's Information and Education Division.

Groups interested in booking the film should contact the film library at the University of Maine at Orono.

ANSWER TO PUZZLE ON PAGE 31

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' IL~ GIV~ HIM CREPIT FOR ON~ THING... HE rHINK6 SIG.'1 Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

33

ANIMALS

Tough It Out - Alan G. Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

HUNTING

. .... Fall '78

RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT (see also LAND MANAGEMENT) Conservation Careers: The Wildlife Biologist Robert W. Boettger ................ . ....... . .. Wntr. '77- '78

BIRDS

NON-GAME An Endangered Species: The Bald Eagle - Ray B . Owen, Jr. , Charles S. Todd, Patrick 0. Corr, Francis J. Gramlich .. . Smr. '78 The Mudflat Crowd - Peter A. Cross .... . ...... . ...... Smr. '78 RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT (see also LAND MANAGEMENT) Winter Black Duck Banding-HowardE. Spencer, Jr. Wntr. '77- '78 What Mallards Mean To Maine-HowardE. Spencer, Jr. . . Spr. '78 Conservation Careers: The Wildlife Biologist Robert W. Boettger ....... . .......... . ....... . ... Wntr. '77- '78 What's Happening: The Steel Shot Program JerryR. Longcore, HowardE. Spencer, Jr. , Patrick Corr .. Fall '78

What's Happening: The Steel Shot Program Jerry R. Longcore, HowardE. Spencer, Jr., Patrick Corr . . Fall '78 SAFETY Dealing With Cold Weather - Gareth S. Anderson ... Wntr. '77- '78 What We're Shooting For- Gareth S. Anderson . . ....... Fall '78 LAND MANAGEMENT

DEVELOPMENT/USE Hardwood Habitats -HaroldM Blanchard . ....... . .... Fall '78 Wildlife Management Areas: Jonesboro -Henry S. Carson Smr. '78 Wildlife Management Areas: Sandy Point Eugene Dumont . . ... . . . .... . . .. . .. ... . . . .. . .... . . Spr. '78 Who Owns Maine's Coastal Islands? Hugh MacArthur . ......... . ........... . .......... Smr. '78 LAW/REGULATION

Remote Ponds: Protecting Special Places PaulR. Johnson .................................. Spr. '78 What's Happening: The Steel Shot Program JerryR. Longcore, HowardE. Spencer, Jr., Patrick Corr .. Fall '78

BOATING

SAFETY "It's No Small Problem" -LorenzoJ. Gaudreau ........ Smr. '78

FISH

Let 'Em Go To Sea -AlfredL. Meister . . .

MISCELLANEOUS

Maine Streamer Flies, Part 1 - Peter G. Walker . . .. . . ... . Spr. '78 Maine Streamer Flies, Part 2 - Peter G. Walker .. . ...... Smr. '78 RIVERS & STREAMS

. ...... Spr. '78

RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT (see also LAND MANAGEMENT) Sea-Run Brownies- UrbanD. Pierce, Jr. .. ..... . ....... Smr. '78 Engineering Sex In Fish - Stan Allen, Jr. ..... . ..... . .. . Spr. '78 Moosehead: Then And Now -Roger P. AuClair . . ....... . Fall '78 Let 'Em Go To Sea -Alfred L. Meister . ..... . ... . ...... Spr. '78

FISH AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT, GENERAL

Do It Yourself- Department Style- Clayton G. Grant . .. Smr. '78

Maine Rivers: The Penobscot - Richard E. Cutting ....... Spr. '78 Maine Rivers: The Dennys -James S. Fletcher . .......... Fall '78 Maine Rivers: The West Branch-PaulR. Johnson ....... Fall '78 SAFETY

BOATING " It's No Small Problem" - LorenzoJ. Gaudreau . .... .. .. Smr. '78 HUNTING

What We're Shooting For - Gareth S. Anderson .... . . . .. Fall '78 Dealing With Cold Weather - Gareth S. Anderson . .. Wntr. '77-'78

FISHING

WILDLIFE

Hassing for Beginners - Peter G. Walker . . . . .... Wntr. '77- '78 Catch 'Em Bigger Later ..... . ......... . ... . ...... Spr. '78 How To Catch Pickerel - Ronald K. Brokaw .. . .. . .. Smr. '78

(see also ANIMALS, BIRDS, FISH, INSECTS) Tough It Out - Alan G. Clark ........ .... .. . ......... . Fall '78 Hardwood Habitats - Harold M. Blanchard ..... . .... . .. Fall '78

34

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1978-1979

RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Postmaster: If undeliverable, please return entire magazine with form 3579

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

284 State St.

Augusta, Maine 04333