Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Winter 1989-90

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NIAINE

FIS H AN D WI LDLIFE

WINTER 1989-90

$3.50

Snowshoe hare

Photo © Leonard Lee Rue Ill

~AINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE Governor John R. McKeman, Jr.

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife William J . Vail, Commissioner Norman E. Trask, Deputy Commissioner Frederick B. Hurley, Jr., Director, Bureau of Resource Management Charl es A. Atwater, Director, Bureau of Administrative Service Larry S. Cummings, Director, Bureau of Warden Service Advisory Council F. Dale Speed, Princeton, Chairman Alanson B. Noble, Otisfield, Vice Chairman F. Paul Frinsko, Portland Carroll York, West Forks John Crabtree, Warren William Sylvester, Clayton Lake Dr. Ogden Small, Caribou Eugene Churchill, Orland Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine W. Thomas Shoener, Editor Thomas J. Chamberlain, Managing Editor Thomas L. Carbone, Photo Editor Dale S. Clark, Editorial Assistant All photographs in this issue were made by the Public Information & Education Division unless otherwise indicated.

MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE (ISSN 0360-00SX) is publ ish ed qua rterly by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fishe ries and Wildlife, 284 State Street, Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04330, under Appropriation 4550.

Subsc ription rate: $14.00 per year. No stamps, please . Second class postage paid at Augusta, Maine and at additional mailing offices. Š Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 1989. Permission to reprint text material is granted, provided proper cred it is given to the author and to MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE. Clearance must be obtained from artists, pho tographers, and non-staff authors to reproduce credited work.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send both old and new addresses to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE Magazine, 284 State St., Sta. #4 l, Augusta ME 04333. Please allow six weeks for changes to take effect. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Circulation Section, MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE, 284 State St., Sta. #41, Augusta, Maine 04333 .

WINTER 1989-90

VOL. 31, NO. 4

Features Mission: Middle East by Henry Hilton A biologist takes some experience to Jordan - and brings some back!

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The First Five Years by Alan E. Hutchinson How's the chickadee checkoff faring on the Maine tax return?

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Volunteerism Goes Outdoors

by Joan Saxe SERVE/Maine -what is it, how does it work, who benefits?

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Maine Wildland Lakes Plan

by Caroline Eliot An innovative plan emerges for managing Maine's wild waters

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Governor's Gallery Art Contest The winners, and runners-up, for the 1989 competition

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Outwitting Busy Beavers

by Paul Fournier How Jim Dorso of Gardiner - and others - battle the "big flooder"

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Depart1nents BOOKS OF INTEREST

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KID-BITS

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FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

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

The Front Cover "Mt. Katahdln - Moose." From the original oil palntJng by Adriano Manocchia. limited edltJon prfnts available from the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine - details on page 27.

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Mission: Mid le East

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by Henry Hilton Photos by the author

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II TLl h~ e ~m~a[je~ssty o,:__f_.:a:.. .Jnri.a. .-ti-ve- -wildL.liJfeiJslpJe~c,ie~s!Jo~nci e..:::i lo~ caEl~ ly~extjin c,t,. ~ such as these two Arabian oryx in Jordan, is the catalyst which may generate a stronger desire for conservation among the people of that country. The oryx herd began with four individuals from the World Herd at San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1978. Additional animals were provided by the Prince of Qatar, and finally, a breeding herd of 31 oryx was released into the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve. The animals currently breed under near-natural conditions with minimal human interference.

My

first sight of Jordan was a bit shocking. I was en route to that middle eastern country under the auspices of the University of Maine to give a special workshop on wildlife management, and from the window of the airplane the

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country looked like a limitless brown desert. There was no trace of green, and I couldn't see any signs of fencing for the animal enclosures we would need. It seemed a very brown, desert-like country.

How was I going to relate to it? How would I be able to accomplish what I'd been sent here to do?

Above: newborn oryx calves are captured, ear-tagged and then quickly released. Calf #141, a female born during Hilton's visit to the Reserve, was named Elspeth, after his younger daughter.

Right: this female Arabian oryx is anxious for her newborn calf to rejoin the herd. Density dependent mechanism within the herd of about 95 animals may be limiting further expansion in the limited space of Shaumari Reserve. Ultimately, this herd should be distributed over several separate areas to reduce its vulnerability to disease and genetic in-breeding, as well as to allow for herd expansion in Jordan.

The author is a wildlife biologist with the department.

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

What's a Yankee Like Me Doin' In I knew some of Jordan's pastoral history of overgrazing and the consequent pressures on the land. I also realized that animals are remarkably adaptable over time, often adjusting their survival techniques and life cycles to available supplies of feed and water. I thought about my native Maine with its millions of acres of green plants and copious water supplies, and I was very much aware of the ecological challenges facing this country below me.

The Shaumari Wildlife Reserve is home to a number of once indigenous wildlife species including this ostrich, as well as gazelles, ibex, onager, roe and fallow deer. Workshop field exercises were held here with participants practicing the use of various capture and immobilization techniques, including immobilizing an oryx and an ibex for treatment.

HOW ARE INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS SELECTED?

by Dr. James A. Sherburne What do I look for when choosing someone to travel to a foreign country and facilitate part of a project under the auspices of the University of Maine's International Natural Resources and Agriculture Program? There are two major components to such a choice.

First of all, an Individual must have the necessary skills and training to carry out his or her mission. In Henry Hilton's case, training and experience in wildlife management, technical skills, experience with outreach activities, and ability and training with immobilization techniques made him a good choice.

There's more to the choice than skills; also pivotal to such a decision are personality characteristics. Henry Hilton and others chosen for international missions require a certain amount of flexibility in their personalities. This is not flexibility In the sense of being indecisive, but flexibility which allows them to adjust to circumstances and tailor their materials to Individual situations.

It Is almost certain that a prearranged workshop or conference In an international context will require last-minute changes, and a facilitator must be able and comfortable making those changes. In general terms, an Instructor or facilitator is far more effective, and by extension, the program Is more successful, if he or she has some sensitivity to other cultures, different needs, and circumstances which may be initially surprising.

Maine boasts a substantial number of well qualified wildlife biologists, and I'm especially interested in hearing from any who might like to consider working on a temporary basis In an international context such as the Jordanian program described in the accompanying article by Henry Hilton.

Contact me at 15 Coburn Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469.

Dr. Sherburne is Director of the International Natural Resources and Agriculture Program for the University of Maine.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

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Once our plane had landed, the problems did not seem as bad as they had looked from the air.

There were some plants but they were shades of brown which blended into a general sense of desert. The land seemed tired, and clearly demanded action if it were not to become the total desolation it suggested from the air. The question kept turning over in my mind: how can this country reverse something induced by humans over thousands of years?

I was visiting Jordan in my capacity as a wildlife biologist to give a special workshop on wildlife management as part of a cooperative effort involving the University of Maine and international agen-

cies. Perhaps best known in the western world for its biblical history and more recent Palestinean political turmoil, Jordan is a nearly landlocked country catved out of the Arabian Peninsula. Bordered by Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, its single access to the sea is at Aqaba which is located at the northern tip of the Red Sea. Jordan once sustained great herds of wild animals and domestic sheep on extensive grasslands, but today it is a dry country with poor range conditions. Its population consists largely of nomadic tribesmen, the Bedouins, who graze their herds incessantly over the semi-arid plains, steppes and desert-like valleys called wadis of the Arabian

Registered participants in the wildlife workshop numbered 19, with an additional 12 individuals sitting in at the lectures in Amman and participating as their schedules aliowed. Among participants were the administration and staff of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, wildlife observers (technicians), as well as veterinarians and academic professionals from the Ministries of Agriculture and Education and the University of Jordan. A contingent of German scientists working at the Jordanian agricultural vaccine laboratory was intensely interested in the wildlife topics under discussion and joined the class for the field exercises at Shaumari. In the class picture above, taken at the Shaumari, Maher Abu Jafar, RSCN General Director, is seated at the far right, first row. The author is to his right.

Camels are ideally suited to the desert conditions, and were once the principal beast of burden among the Bedouins, serving as transportation as well as a food source. Their grazing, together with that of sheep and goats, is responsible for the decline in available nutrients and the integrity of the soil which blows away in hot desert winds and washes away in torrential winter rains.

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

In addition to the practical advantage of wildlife protection, the Shaumari near Azraq oasis is used by the RSCN to galvanize public support for conservation, and is visited by a growing number of people annually.

"Plant a Tree" is the Arabic message on this RSCN sponsored bumper sticker. In a land where the trees in a forest are often individually numbered, this conservation message strikes an increasingly sympathetic nerve.

Peninsula. The constant assault on the plant root structures has diminished the integrity of the soils which are severely eroded and can no longer adequately retain moisture provided by a long winter rainy season.

In addition to the overgrazing problem, recent trends toward urbanization and the resettlement of thousands of people from Palestine have taxed land and water resources to a newly intensified degree.

One of the first to feel an impact from this combination of circumstances is wildlife.

Several years ago the country established a private , basically voluntary, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) to promote greater public awareness of nature, encourage conservation, and implement the establishment of game reserves for the protection and reintroduction of native wildlife.

In 1975, the Shaumari (show-Marie) Wildlife Reserve was established as a breeding center for locally extinct indigenous species. It was here that the Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx), a handsome white and black relative of the gemsbok was reintroduced to its ancestral homeland in the Jordanian desert near the Azraq Oasis. Other species, including two gazelles, (Gazella subgutturosa marica and G. dorcas dorcas), the onager or Syrian wild ass (Equus hemionus hemippus), and the Somali ostrich to replace the now extinct Arabian ostrich (Struthio camelus syriacus), were also introduced to protected, fenced wildlife reserves.

The animals' protection from illegal hunting and overgrazing enhances the potential for dramatic success with the recovery programs. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and zoos throughout the world specializing in captive breeding of endangered species have contributed to Jordan's reintroduction programs.

While fencing the wildlife reserves was accomplished by army reserve units, and meager private funding provided skeleton crews to manage the reserves and monitor the wildlife, there was little Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

formal training and few technical resources to carry out effective wildlife management. Furthermore, the great success of the Arabian oryx program became at risk because of the animals' vulnerability to disease and the genetic liabilities of inbreeding. The need for qualified professionals to deal with these problems was obvious, and Jordanian officials realized that their country simply did not have any trained individuals with relevant expertise in wildlife management and problem solving.

To deal with the problem, Jordanian officials asked for international assistance with their wildlife management needs. That request was channelled through United States international aid agencies to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which quickly turned the matter over to Dr. James Sherburne, Director of the University of Maine's International Natural Resources and Agriculture Programs. One of the major objectives Sherburne set for his unit is the collaboration of Maine institutions and agencies in such international projects.

Sherburne was well aware that Maine wildlife biologists have been active in a variety of wildlife management and research programs for several years, and many of the projects have involved the capture, relocation and management of wildlife species ranging from deer, moose, and black bears to forbearing animals.

Most of these projects were made possible by the contribution of federal aid for wildlife restoration through the USFWS and with participation of personnel from the University of Maine and Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. From this work, a high level of expertise, both collectively and individually, has developed among many of the departments' career wildlife biologists. One of Sherburne's goals is to facilitate sharing that expertise with other countries of the world. (continued on page 26) 5

Maine's Chickadee Checkoff

The First Five Years

by Alan E. Hutchinson Photos by the author This report summarizes and highlights the Department's accomplishments in its fifth year of a program for rare and endangered wildlife conservation. This work is made possible largely by the generous donations to the Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Checkoff on the Maine income tax form. Through the Checkoff, Maine people are giving, on average, more than $100,000 each year. That generosity has built a safety net under Maine's rare and endangered wildlife and has resulted in some very noteworthy conservation accomplishments.

There are about 450 species of nongame wildlife in Maine, including some very rare and endangered ones. For many, little if anything is known about where they exist, how many there may be, whether they are OK, whether they need help, and if so what kind. The Department's rare and endangered species program targets four things: 1) natural history surveys; 2) species recovery projects: 3) habitat protection; and 4) public service and education.

Saw-whet owl.

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NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS Grassland Bird Survey

Grasshopper sparrows, a Maine endangered species, are known to nest at only four sites in Maine. They and several other uncommon grassland nesting species were the target of a study begun in 1989. The purposes were to look, across the state, for nesting sites, to determine population sizes, and to determine any special management or habitat needs. Other target species were the upland sandpiper and vesper sparrow.

Wetland Bird Survey The least bittern, black-crowned night heron, sedge wren, and black tern are wetland birds species of special management concern to the Department. The sedge wren is listed as Endangered.

A study began in 1989 to determine their distribution, any special habitat needs, and, for the more secretive ones, to develop a reliable inventory technique.

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Amphibian and Reptile Atlas For five years the Department has been supporting a statewide, baseline survey to identify Maine's native reptiles and amphibians, their distribution, and their rarity or abundance. The Nature Conservancy, Maine Audubon Society and University of Maine are coordinating the effort which relies on volunteer observers across the state. Thirty eight species have been documented in Maine: 8 turtles, 11 snakes, 10 frogs or toads, and 9 salamanders.

These findings will be published soon. The volunteer reporting will continue, focusing on species or locations with sparse information.

Woodland Raptors Maine woodland nesting raptors include such uncommon species as Cooper's hawk and goshawk.

Little is documented about their numbers, distribution, or population trends in Maine. This is largely due to there not being a good survey technique for them. A study to develop and test an inventory technique for them has been funded through the University of Maine and is nearing completion.

The author is the endangered and nongame project leader.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

Leach's Petrel This seabird is on the Maine "Watch List" because of its restricted distribution. Leach's petrel nest on only a few coastal islands, with almost all of them on just two. This makes them vety vulnerable to any change on either of these two islands. A two year study of the petrels nesting biology is underway on one of these islands.

Bats

Eight species of bats are listed in Maine as "Indeterminate Status", which means we lrnown veiy little or nothing about them in Maine but based on information from surrounding states they could be rare or declining. A study is ongoing to tiy and determine whether some of the uncommon ones occur in Maine. Information is also being gathered on special habitat needs such as hibernation sites.

Top right: black guillemot chick and egg in nest. Right: adult guillemot on island ledge. Below: savannah sparrow.

Golden Eagles

The golden eagle may be one of the most endangered species in Maine. This bird once nested south to Virginia. Today, there is only one pair of golden eagles left nesting in the eastern United States: Maine's last pair. No young have been produced for the past six years. Although the cause of their decline is unknown, DDT is strongly suspected. Searches for nesting pairs have been done each spring, focusing at historic nest sites.

Maine's last pair is being closely watched from a safe distance, minimizing disturbance, to learn as much as we can in an effort to prevent their permanent loss from Maine and the eastern U.S. Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

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SPECIES RECOVERY PROGRAMS Bald Eagle

Status in Maine: Endangered Population estimate: about 100 pairs Location: Statewide Threats: Loss of nesting sites and chemical pollution Actions: A statewide nesting and production smvey are done by plane each year. In 1989, 109 pairs of eagles nested but they only produced 70 young, not enough to maintain the population. A secure population should have produced more than 109 young eagles. Management efforts are aimed at protecting the nesting areas while working towards a reduction in chemical pollution in the environment.

Above: black-crowned night heron. Left: bald eagle.

Peregrine Falcon Status in Maine: Endangered Population Estimate: 3 nesting pairs Location: mountain areas Threats: restricted nesting habitat, human disturbance, chemical pollution Actions: The peregrine falcon was completely lost from Maine. The last pair was recorded in 1962. In 1989, after 5 years of an intense reintroduction program 3 pairs of peregrines nested successfully in Maine. They raised a total of 6 young. Adult birds were also seen at several other, potential nesting sites. This five year reintroduction program has involved the raising and release of about 100 peregrines into the wild from 7 sites throughout Maine.

Baxter State Park, Acadia National Park, several private landowners, and many others are contributing to this project's success. Six falcons were released in 1989 from a site near Greenville. The goal is to reestablish a population of about 12 nesting pairs.

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

SERVE/Maine

''We Take Volunteerism Outdoors"

by Joan Saxe Photos by Libby Siegars The SERVE/Maine motto, "We Take Volunteerism Outdoors," adds a new dimension to the traditional role volunteers have held. The State Environmental Resource Volunteer Effort for Maine, SERVE/Maine, works with public agencies to develop natural resource related volunteer projects and to recruit volunteers.

Increased demands on Maine's natural resources have created a need for volunteers concerned about Maine's environment and recreational and historic resources. In 1985, the first year of the volunteer program developed by the Department of Conservation, SERVE /Maine placed 18 volunteers who contributed just over 1,000 hours of work to five natural resource agencies. In 1989, just four years after the program's inception, more than 400 have volunteered, from Aroostook

Experienced docent and retiree from Texas, Sally Baugh of Brunswick, explains marsh ecology to a group of school children at Wolf Neck Woods State Park.

One of three SERVE/Maine International Work Camp teams atop a picnic shelter roof at Camden Hills State Park.

Following a trend in Europe, volunteer work camps are a growing phenomena in the U.S. Coming from as far away as Czechoslovakia or as near as Canada, international volunteer groups also worked at Baxter State Park and Moosehorn NWR. Photo by Scott Woodruff.

A University of Maine at Orono wildlife student, interning in game bird study with the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Department, bands ducks on the Penobscot River.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

The author is External Affairs Intern with the Maine Conservation Corps.

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SERVE/Maine Volunteers in Action!

Herb Griffin, a retired Central Maine Power Company employee, tacks up a "Campsite Reserved" sign at Warren Island State Park as he makes his way across the island, brushing trails.

Backcountry Ranger and Campground Host Edwina French shares fishing information at the Bureau of Public Land (BPL) Duck Lake Unit camping area in Hancock County. In addition to accomplishing maintenance and welcoming campers, Edwina provided the BPL with much needed information about area usage.

Theresa Ceruti, a New York resident who summers in Maine, cont ers with Maine Parks and Recreation Resource Administrator Sheila McDonald about historic research on Fort Knox in Stockton Springs.

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

Campobello International Park will use data from the ongoing geological research project of Colby Professor Donald Allen. The research will be used in part for an interpretive brochure for park visitors.

Portland School of Art (PSA) students discuss brochure designs for SERVE/Maine. This studio course assists non-profit organizations by providing them with affordable yet professional design work. The St. Croix Waterway Commission recently chose a logo design by a PSA student volunteering through the SERVE/ Maine program.

Behind the Scenes at SERVE/Maine!

Internships and volunteer projects provide good experience for people changing careers. Ken Jobe, on the right, formerly part of a corporate management team, is seen here measuring salmon on the Penobscot River for the Atlantic Sea Run Salmon Commission.

Campground host Mickey Hall poses in front of his camper at the Lake St. George State Park.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

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Piscataquis County Boy Scouts from Troop 118 work as Backcountry Rangers on BP L's Little Squaw Unit, maintaining trails, picking up litter, and monitoring usage.

Coun ty to York County and from Campobello International Park to the Allagash Wilderness Wateiway.

The success of the program is reflected in the growing number of individuals applying for volun-

Much of the growth and success of the SERVE/Maine program is the result of the enthusiasm and dedication of its coordinator, Libbey Seigars who Joined the organization in 1988. Because Libbey has developed close relationships with many of the natural resource agencies sponsoring volunteers projects, she has a better understanding of their special needs. She offers assistance in developing projects and matching volunteers to projects and projects to volunteers.

Agencies can submit volunteer projects at any time. For prqjects to be included in the SERVE/Maine Volunteer Directory which lists volunteer opportunities and is published in February and circulated throughout the state, however, 12

teer assignments, and the increased interest that agencies have demonstrated in proposing a wide variety of projects. •

they must be submitted by January 17, 1990.

priate agency. A goal of the SERVE/Maine program is to develop and maintain a register of volunteers available to provide assistance to an agency at any time. Volunteers not matched to a project will remain on the SERVE/Maine Volunteer Register.

SERVE/Maine Coordinator Libby Siegars.

Individuals can apply for any of the specific volunteer positions that interest them.

Serve/Maine then foiwards the application to the appro-

For more information about submitting proposals or volunteer and internship positions, call or write Libbey Seigars at: SERVE/Maine Department of Conservation State House Station #22 Augusta, Maine 04333 (207) 289-4945.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

Farsighted Plan Created For Maine's Wildland Lakes Deboullie Pond in T.15,R.9, Aroostook County, one of approximately 1,500 great ponds in Maine's wildlands. Photo by Hank Tyler.

by Caroline Eliot

T.e

lakes of Maine's wildlands lie like jewels on the landscape and include some of the largest, most pristine waterbodies in the Northeast. A growing interest in recreational property and other factors have turned people's attention to Maine's wildland lakes in recent years, evidenced in part by a significant increase in lakerelated permit applications to the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC).

To address changing demands on wildland lakes, in 1986 LURC initiated a special planning effort, seeking creative approaches to management of this highly valued resource. Working cooperatively with other state agencies, including the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, LURC compiled detailed natural resource and land use information on the approximately 1,500 great ponds within its jurisdiction. The product of this effort, the Wildlands Lake Assessment, represents probably

the most comprehensive collection of information on lake resources in the Northeast and has provided a systematic basis for identifying especially valuable lake resources To forge a comprehensive lake management program using information from the Wildlands Lake Assessment, the Commission appointed a Lakes Policy Committee comprised of representatives of major landowners, statewide environmental and sportsmen's organizations, the University of Maine, and Commission members.

The Committee produced the Lakes Action Program, a comprehensive program for managing development around lakes while protecting important natural values. The program includes a classification system that allocates future development to lakes based on their

The author is a senior planner with the Land Use Regulation Commission. Article reprinted with permission from Maine Forests Parks & Lands, newsletter of the Maine Department of Conservation.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

natural resource values and land use characteristics. Under this system, about 60 high-value lakes have been targeted to remain essentially undeveloped, while the others are available for vaiying levels of development depending on sensitivity and suitability.

The plan introduces "lake concept plans," an innovative planning tool that has drawn positive response from many landowners. Lake concept plans give landowners greater latitude in planning future development in exchange for conservation of resources important to the public. The flexibility allowed by lake concept plans has been received as an altema tive to traditional shoreland zoning, one which ultimately promotes better resource management.

LURC's special planning effort has spawned a farsighted management plan that allows the Commission to guide, rather than follow, future lake development. Together, the Wildland Lake Assessment and Action Program dramatically strengthen the Commission's ability to make informed decisions regarding the use and protection of Maine's most precious lake resources.

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MAINE'S NATURAL HERITAGE Rare Species and Unique Natural Features

by Dean B. Bennett

Down East Books, P.O. Box 679, Camden, Maine 04843. Price: $39.95.

Bureau of Public Lands, Maine Department of Conservation, Station 22, Augusta, ME 04333.

THE LAND OF MAINE This 304-page hardcover book contains 15 abundantly illustrated chapters that define, catalog and explore Maine's most unusual features of land and water, rare and unusual plant life, uncommon wildlife, and natural regions. In short, it is a comprehensive and fascinating overview of just what makes Maine so special.

Dean Bennett lives in Mt. Vernon and is an associate professor of education at the University of Maine at Farmington. Born and raised in Maine, he earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Education from the University of Southern Maine, and his Ph.D. in Resource Planning and Conservation from the University of Michigan. He is well known for his pioneering work in environmental education in Maine schools and as the author of several previous books.

In MAINE'S NATURAL HERITAGE, Bennett presents an enjoyable overview of Maine's extraordinary natural heritage. His text is supplemented by more than 169 photographs, 245 maps and other illustrations, and comprehensive lists of the state's outstanding features critical areas, resource protection organizations, and natural areas open to the public.

The work is much more than nature essays accompanied by striking photographs. The author looks at what has been accomplished - and what remains to be done - for conservation of the state's natural areas.

He reminds us of what we stand to lose if we forget the values to be derived from preserving our natural heritage ... not only scientific, ecological, and environmental values, but recreational and aesthetic benefits enjoyed by both year-round residents and the state's many visitors.

The lessons of the past are clear, and Bennett's plea for future conservation is an eloquent one.

MAINE'S NATURAL HERITAGE is available at book stores and from

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WILDLIFE GUIDELINES FOR THE PUBLIC RESERVED LANDS Budget Wildlife Management Practices

by Joe Wiley

Landowners interested in improving the wildlife habitat value of their property might be interested in this 70-page handbook describing "lowcost, no-cost" wildlife management practices, available from the Maine Bureau of Public Lands.

WILDLIFE GUIDELINES was compiled by Joe Wiley, a Fish and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist permanently assigned to the bureau, which is in the Department of Conservation.

The handbook is primarily intended to aid land managers in making forest management decisions which will provide a variety of habitats for all species found on Public Lands. But the book will also help the private land owner who wants to improve wildlife habitat on his or her property.

The handbook places emphasis on practices that are relatively inexpensive to implement.

Topics covered include manage ment of waterfowl. furbearers, fisheries, riparian zones (a 330-foot area along both sides of all rivers and major streams, and around all lakes, ponds and wetlands), upland habitat. and special habitats.

The handbook is printed on reinforced paper and distributed in 3 ring binder form. It will be updated and enlarged as new wildlife management practices information becomes available.

WILDLIFE GUIDELINES is available for $6.00 per copy from the

Facts About The Land Mass That Is Maine A Joint Report by the University of Southern Maine Center For Research & Advanced Study and the University of Maine Land & Water Resources Center

Did you know that Maine was once joined to Europe? .. . that part of Maine is believed to be 1. 5 billion years old? ... that Maine's first inhabitants came here only 11,000 years ago? ... that Maine's most valuable minerals now sold are sand and gravel? ... that only 2 percent of Maine's land is now intensively developed? .. . that urbanization is spreading fast , now threatening many of Maine's scenic views?

These and other little-known facts are presented in the heavily-illustrated 24-page report THE LAND OF MAINE. The report is one of a series issued as part of the Atlas of the Resources of Maine, which is published as a cooperative venture by the Center for Research and Advanced Study of the University of Southern Maine and the Land and Water Resources Center of the University of Maine.

THE LAND OF MAINE is highly suited for use by development and environmental organizations, schools, libraries, state and local officials, and other citizens interested in what makes Maine an exciting place to live.

Single copies may be purchased for $2.50. Ten or more copies cost $1. 50 each. Checks should be made payable to the University of Southern Maine and mailed to: Center for Business and Economic Research, USM, 96 Falmouth Street. Portland, Maine 04103.

PROBLEMS WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION??

JUST CALL, TOLL-FREE

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Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

NATURE IN WINTER

Cottontail Rabbit

There often doesn't appear to be much going on in the woods and fields during the long cold winter months. If you look a little more closely and carefully, though, you may be surprised to find the tracks and traces of mammals, birds, insects, and plants within the winter landscape. See if you can identify the living things on the poster - then try to find some of them in your own back yard. Good luck!

Red Fox

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Common, but seldom seen, fox tracks and traces can be found in woods and fields. Mice, voles and rabbits are its main diet. The fox spends much time hunting during the winter when the food supply is scarce.

/ Thistle

Crane Fly

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3

Evening Grosbeak

Snowy Owl

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4 This flashy bird is common at our backyard feeders. Their harsh screams alert all residents of the woods when a predator is around.

Jays often store seeds and acorns by burying them.

8 •~ " - -- ~ _G _o_ld_e_n_r_o_d_ _ _ _ l O~

Migrates south to Maine from Canada when winters are severe.

A bird of open country, this large white owl will hunt for mice, rabbits, hare and other small mammals during the day, as well as at night. ..

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Common in old fields and along roadsides, the yellow flowers fade to brown as the cold sets in.

Sparrows, juncos, and finches feed on its seeds. Look for 'galls', round swellings formed by insects laying their eggs inside the young stems.

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....

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Queen Anne's Lace

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Also calkd wild carrot, this plant has a thick white taproot with a shape & odor like a carrot. The dried flower head resembles a birds' nest in winter.

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Most often seen in large numbers in mid-winter, these bright yellow birds have thick, strong bills for cracking open seeds. A flock can clean out a birdfeeder in no time!

15',

A harmless insect resembling a giant mosquito; will emerge from soil through the snow in late winter to look for a mate. After mating, the female crane fly returns to the soil to lay her eggs.

/

Often found in dense forest, Maine's largest woodpecker is becoming more tolerant of man, often seen around houses and farms. Noted for the large holes it chisels in trees & logs.

Eats buds & twigs of saplings & shrubs; chews bark from apple trees. Rests in thickets where snow is shallow, wind doesn't penetrate, and is protected from predators.

This home is built of sticks and mud with 'rooms' and underwater entrances. 1-6 beaver may live in the lodge for the winter. A beaver can fell a 20" thick tree in just 15 minutes!

A common plant found in meadows and old fields, it is well protected by thorns on its stems, leaves, and even the flowers! One plant can produce up to 4000 seeds, which are an important source of food for goldfinches.

Pileated Woodpecker

Beaver Lodge

6

/----------------------.j

White-tail Deer

The deer's gray-brown winter coat protects it from subzero temperatures. Each hollow hair traps warm body air to create a thick layer of insulation. Look for deer tracks in the snow!

Chickadee

.

12'

Half of its winter diet is small eggs or the larvae of insects found in cracks of tree bark.

Seeds from pine & hemlock cones are also favored. Can be coaxed to take sunflower seeds \. from your hand.

/ Tent Caterpillar Egg Case

19' /' Cardinal

Eggs are deposited on apple and wild cherry trees by the small, brown Lasiocampid moth in masses that appear 'varnishcoated' and are well protected \.. from winter weather extremes. /

Burdock

'

13 ~ Ermine

This bright scarlet bird is just becoming more common in southern and central Maine. A seed & fruit eater, small winter flocks band together and can be attracted to your backyard feeder. Sunflower seeds are best!

The seeds of this plant are covered with small hooks that latch tightly onto animal fur and people's clothes. A man named Mr. Velcro was so impressed with this kind of sticking that he invented the Velcro fastener we use so much today.

Also called the short-tailed weasel, its fur color changes to blend with snow covered surroundings. Mice are its main food, and it may live beneath a log or in a stone wall.

.

14 ' /' Lady Bird Beetle 2 1 '

v

Hundreds of these adult beetles may cluster together under loose bark, or in leaves at the base of a tree for winter protection. A favorite food are aphids, and gardeners consider ladybugs a great friend. .

,.,,,.______________!\...______________ Vole 17 -TheMeadow vole's interconnecting tunnels

Bagworm

16

23

Snow Fleas

18

--------These wingless insects, also called springtails, emerge from the soil on warmer winter days in the thousands to search for food. They look like pepper sprinkled on the snow, & like to eat pollen, algae, and leaf mold - YUM!

Downy Woodpecker

The eggcase, or 'bag' created by an adult moth is dotted with leaves & in the snow are quite common and twigs, and hangs from branches by easy to find. The small brown silky threads. The female moth fills animal is an important part of the her bag with several hundred food chain - a major source of yellow eggs, which will hatch in winter food for the hawks and the Spring. owls that spend the winter here.

22

Maine's smallest woodpecker; common at suet and sunflower feeders. Woodpeckers do not sing, but will 'drum' on a chosen signal post - a tree, fence, or even the side ofyourhouse, to communicate or attract a mate.

•-------------•1

Slate-colored Junco

24

3

These little birds spend summers in northern coniferous forests, & move south to Maine for the winter. Look for their pink bills!

Fairly common at backyard feeders, although they prefer to feed on the ground.

7

9

Engraver Beetle Tunnels

20

Only 1/ 1O" long, bark beetles spend most of their lives under tree bark. Different species of beetle create different patterns in the wood. Woodpeckers feast on the larvae and adults in the winter.

16

10

11

17 12

15

1-!

Th anks to the New York Conservationist magazine for permission to reproduce the poster in this issue's centerspread.

18

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

Governor's Gallery Wildlife Art Show A Harrison artist was the winner of the 1989 wildlife art competition co-sponsored by the Maine Arts Commission and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Donna Chase's gouache painting of a black bear on a bluebeny field in autumn was selected by a panel of judges from among 44 entries submitted by 26 Maine artists.

Artists were each allowed to submit two paintings of Maine wildlife in the contest.

The winning painting and the eight others on the following pages will be on display this winter in the Governor's Gallery in the Maine State House.

Contest judges were Fred Hurley, director ofresource management for the Maine Fish and Wildlife Department; Kathy Ann Jones, visual arts associate for the Maine Arts Commission; Hank Tyler, an artist and manager of the Critical Areas Program of the

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

State Planning Office: Nina Gormley, director of the Wendell Gilley Museum of Art in Southwest Harbor: and Marshall Wiebe, director of public information for the Maine Department of Conservation.

The contest was the third annual state-sponsored competition with the subject limited to Maine fauna by Maine artists. The contests alternate annually between wildlife painting and wildlife photography.

Best of Show

Donna Chase, Harrison #Black BearN

gouache

19

Honorable Mention

Peter Thompson, New Sharon "On the Rocks"' (landlocked salmon)

watercolor and colored pencil

Honorable Mention

Thea Flanagan, East Holden "Four for Dinner"' (evening grosbeaks)

watercolor

-

Valfred Thelin, Ogunquit '" "'/Yow There Are Three" (common terns)

watercolor

Honorable Mention

Monica Russo, Arundel "'Elm

Sawny•

acrylic

Martin Keith, Auburn Mouming Dove¡ watercolor and gouache 11

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

Michele Witham, East Millinocket 0

Goldeneyes" (common goldeneyes) acrylic

Peter Thompson, New Sharon Cahin Fever" (brown trout) watercolor and colored pencil 11

Thea Flanagan, East Holden 0

Room to Grow" (purple finches) acrylic

Outwitting Busy Beavers

by Paul Fournier Beavers are famous for their water for use by rural fire devarious sluices and submerged strong work ethic. And the partments. troughs. The beavers, though, dams they build create ponds One man who spent years of usually figure out a way to rewhich provide valuable habitat his professional career working plug the openings. Some New for many other species of wildon beaver problems is James England states have estimated life. That's the good news. The Dorso of Gardiner, a wildlife they spend upwards of $2,000 bad news comes when a beaver technician for the Department of per culvert or bridge each year flowage floods a road or someInland Fisheries and Wildlife where beavers are active. one's valuable woodland. until his recent retirement. In After years of experimenting For decades, game wardens, his 20 years with the departwith water-level control techwildlife biologists and highway ment, Dorso not only dug out niques, Dorso finally came up maintenance crews have spend numerous beaver dams, but also with a technique which is both countless hours and dollars routinely live-trapped beavers in labor- and cost-effective - and removing beaver dams works. and repairing the It is, essentially, a damage they cause. framework of metal This has usually fence posts (supplied meant digging out by the Department of tons of intertwined Transportation) on sticks and mud the which are laid an beavers used to plug array of five or six culverts and bridges in four-inch perforated creating the backed-up plastic pipes. The ponds in which they downstream ends are construct their lodges anchored low in the and winter food piles. beaver dam strucMaking matters worse, ture, and the upthe ambitious rodents stream ends of the also have the habit of 20-foot pipes are rebuilding overnight held at the desired what humans have level over deep spent days removing. water. The pipes are Dynamite has Jim Dorso inspects "beaver foiler" at work- stabilizing the water level in a laid side-by-side, sometimes been used beaver flowage to enhance wildlife habitat and prevent property damage. several feet apart, to blow up dams when they had and a protective "cage" is fashto be eliminated quickly. This nuisance areas and released ioned over the ends to keep away can be effective, and spectacuthem in places where they would floating debris. not contribute to problems, and Dorso says the siphon pipes lar, but wardens have been seriously injured and even killed where their ponds may create continue flowing water through doing it. new wildlife habitat. the dams no matter how high Over the years, Dorso and the beavers build them, thus Digging out or dynamiting a beaver's dam can also be others involved with the perenmaintaining optimum water counter-productive, as there are nial problem have tried many levels for wildlife while protectbenefits deriving from beaver methods to take care of the ing roads and timberlands. They ponds if their high-water level situations. They have built require only occasional visits for can be controlled. Beaver ponds fences around the mouths of readjusting and clearing away and marshes make ideal habitat culverts, and tried building floating debris. for a variety of wildlife species Dorso constructed several of including waterfowl, aquatic The author is the news media cohis "beaver foilers" on flowages mammals, fish, moose and deer. ordinator in the department's Division this year. "So far, the beavers They also provide a source of of Public Information and Education. have been stymied," he says. • Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

23

The First Five Years (continued from page 8)

Piping Plover

Status in Maine: Endangered Population estimate: 15-20 nesting pairs Location: sand beaches in southern Maine Threats: human disturbance, loss of habitat, predation Actions: Maine Audubon Society, The Nature Conseivancy, Bureau of Parks and Recreation, MDIFW, and others combined forces again this year in a monitoring and protection program on the nesting beaches of southern Maine. People using the beaches, predation, unleashed cats and dogs, and the development of sand dunes are the problems facing this species. Fences around nest sites, signs, predator control, public education and nest site "guardians" on busy beach weekends protect the plovers. As a result, 16 pairs were able to nest in 1989 and they raised 38 young: a very good year.

Roseate Tern Status in Maine: Endangered Estimated Population: 70-80 nesting pairs Location: nests on a few coastal islands Threats: competition from gulls, limited habitat, and human disturbance Actions: The roseate tern is restricted to nesting on coastal islands. Competition and predation by gulls almost eliminated the roseate tern from Maine. The removal of gulls from a few islands has again given a toe-hold for this species in Maine. A coalition of groups including the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Maine Audubon Society, National Audubon Society, College of the Atlantic, and Bureau of Parks and Recreation is cooperatively inventorying, monitoring, and protecting the roseate tern in Maine. In 1989, 80 pairs of roseates nested on 6 coastal islands. Common and arctic terns, two other species of management concern in Maine, are also benefitting from this work since roseates are usually found nesting with them.

Least Tern

Status in Maine: Endangered Population Estimate: 75-100 nesting pairs Location: sand beaches in southern Maine Threats: human disturbance, loss of habitat, predation Actions: Like the piping plover, the least tern requires sand beaches for nesting. Also like the least tern, it's endangered because of disturbance from people and pets, loss of habitat, and predation. Fences, signs, public education, predator control, and nest site "guardians" are keys to maintaining these birds. In 1989, in spite of diligent efforts by Maine Audubon Society, The Nature Conseivancy, Bureau of Parks and Recreation, and others, 90 pairs of least terns produced just 5 young: a very disappointing year.

Top right photo: common tern. Right: aerial photo of Great and Little Duck Islands.

24

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

3

g

HABITAT PROTECTION Land Acquisition

Several key acquisitions were made by or with the help of MDIFW for the protection of rare or endangered species in Maine. Purchase of The Kennebunk Plains protects the most important site for gr sshopper sparrows (endangered) in Maine. It is also home for the black racer snake (endangered), upland sandpipers (endangered), and several species of rare plants. Two bald eagle nest sites were also acquired, as were three coastal seabird nesting islands. MDIFW, The Nature Conservancy, Lands for Maine's Future Board, Bureau of Public Lands, Parks and Recreation, and others have all contributed.

Cooperative Protection

Cooperative management of important sites for rare or endangered wildlife, on lands owned by state or federal agencies, by businesses, or by individuals is now a regular occurrence for MDIFW. In 1989 endangered species assessments and management plans were completed for four Navy installations in Maine.

Environmental Permit Review MDIFW reviews more than 5,000 land use permits annually, making recommendations on developments ranging from subdivisions to construction of major transmission lines and shipping ports. All applications are screened to ensure the protection of the most sensitive areas for rare or endangered species. In 1989 more than 80 sites important to rare or endangered wildlife received protective action from MDIFW through this process.

York County Significant Habitat Report A detailed wildlife habitat survey was completed for 15 coastal towns in York County. The most significant wildlife features were identified, including seabird islands, shorebird roosts, and rare turtle ponds. Town officials and local conservation groups are being assisted in using the information.

Mid-Coast Significant Habitat Report A detailed wildlife habitat survey was completed for 21 coastal towns in the mid-coast region of Maine . The most significant wildlife features were identified, including seabird islands, shorebird roosts, and bald eagle nests. Town officials and local conservation groups are being assisted in using the information.

Great blue heron.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

25

4

PUBLIC SERVICE AND EDUCATION Community Outreach

More than 50 talks, slide shows, and other presentations on Maine's rare and endangered wildlife were given to clubs, groups, and schools. Department biologists also participated in many radio and television shows, led field trips, and helped in training workshops. Many informational meeting were held with landowners and town planning officials. Several new publications were produced and hundreds of general requests for information on particular species or topic were answered. •

Black-crowned night heron chick.

Mission: Middle East (continued.from page 5) After a visit to Jordan a year ago, Sherburne, well known and respected for his many years of experience and participation in such international programs, developed a strategy for initiating the appropriate assistance.

When I received word that I had been chosen by Sherbume's office to go to Jordan and help with their wildlife management problems, I was delighted. I felt well prepared for the assignment because I had recently completed a USFWS wildlife immobilization and safety course and had more than 12 years of experience with the department in wildlife research, environmental assessment, and animal damage control. I also knew I was lucky to be chosen because I am just one of several Maine wildlife biologists having the requisite training and experience.

Fortunately my work schedule and personal leave time could accommodate an absence ade26

Return a gift to wildlife this year - take the opportunity to donate to Maine's Endangered and Nongame Wildlife Fund.

Just nput a check with the chickadee':____ on your tax return, and give Maine's wildlife a helping hand. And thanks!

quate to tackle the mission: to travel to Jordan and convey essential wildlife management principles to a corps of students the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature had assembled for this purpose. I was also to demonstrate the use of various immobilization and chemical restraint t echniques on animals at Jordan's Shaumari Wildlife Reseive.

It was a visit I shall never forget, and I am pleased to know that in addition to the workshops I conducted, continuing aid through INRAP will include training Jordanian personnel in this country, and further technical assistance by North American trained biologists in Jordan.

The exchange of personnel, ideas and information are of mutual benefit to both countries. We're all hoping that the efforts of the RSCN will produce a greater awareness by the Jordanian people of the value and fragility of their natural resources. In tum, this may well enhance greater public support for measures to improve the environment in Jordan, an improvement which will contribute to a more healthy global community. • Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS DEER SEASON LOOKS GOOD Maine's 1989 deer season was nearly over when this issue went to press, and hunter success was running ahead of last year's pace in spite of quirky weather that ranged from summer-like to cold rain and a pre-Thanksgiving blizzard.

When they went into the woods this fall, hunters should have found the largest population of white-tails in more than a decade. Before the season began Wildlife Biologist Gerald Lavigne, who monitors Maine's deer herd, was optimistic about the possibility of a nearrecord harvest of antlered bucks.

In 1988, when the total deer kill was 27,500, hunters registered 17,800 bucks - the fourth largest harvest of bucks on record. Lavigne said the buck kill this fall may reach 18,000, and the total deer harvest should be "in the vicinity of 31,000, given reasonable hunting conditions."

Under rules in effect for the past sev~ral years, all hunters could legally hunt for bucks-only throughout the state, and those who possessed one of the state's so-called "any-deer" permits also had the option of taking an antlerless deer in a selected district.

In response to continued growth in Maine's deer population, any-deer permit allocations were increased this year in 14 of the 17 deer management districts. Quotas were reduced slightly in DMDs 11 and 15 due to a slight decline in the buck kill in 1988. No antlerless deer were to be harvested in District 17 for the seventh straight year in an attempt to encourage a herd increase in coastal Hancock and Washington counties.

The Fish and Wildlife Department issued a total of 56,219 any-deer permits for the 1989 season, an increase of 10,000 over 1988. Of these, 48,297 (86 percent) went to Maine residents, the remainder to nonresident hunters.

Lavigne said that since 1983, herds in most areas of the state have increased in response to doe

harvest restrictions and to "some rather mild winters." Deer population estimates made after each hunting season indicate an increase from 160,000 to 250,000 statewide over the past six years. "Although deer populations are approaching desired levels in a few deer management districts, the herd remains in balance with available food supply, and habitat in all districts is sufficient to support more deer," he said.

Lavigne added that recent estimates suggest a population of 300,000 deer can be maintained in good condition in Maine. "To achieve this level, population objectives have been set for each of 17 individual deer management districts. These objectives help determine and guide decisions concerning allocation of any-deer permits during 1989 and subsequent years."

DUCK STAMP ART CONTEST The Canada goose will be the featured species on Maine's 1990 migratory waterfowl stamp, which will again be designed by a Maine resident artist.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will conduct a contest next March to determine which artist will be the one whose painting appears on the stamp.

Artists interested in entering the competition may obtain a copy of the contest rules by

writing to: Duck Stamp Contest, Maine Fish and Wildlife Department, State House Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04333.

The winning artist receives a cash award of $1,000 and retains ownership of the original painting.

Previous winners have been Rick Alley of lslesford, in 1988, and Jeannine Staples of Topsham, in 1989.

Proceeds from the sale of the $2.50 duck stamp and limited edition art prints are used by the department to acquire and manage waterfowl habitat in Maine.

OPERATION GAME THIEF: IT'S WORKING! The Operation Game Thief antipoaching hotline is working, and it may even exceed the expectations of its sponsors.

Game Warden Sgt. William Allen, who serves as the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's liaison with the privately sponsored Operation Game Thief, reports that through mid-November over five hundred calls had come in on the toll-free hot line, and the number of resulting apprehensions was approaching one hundred.

Of the successful apprehensions by game wardens, Allen says the majority were for violations of laws protecting big game animals, including illegal possession of deer, illegal possession of moose, killing deer in closed season, killing moose in

THE COVER Limited edition prints of this issue's front cover - "Mt. Katahdin Moose," by noted artist Adriano Manocchia - are available through the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine. SAM commissioned Manocchia do this painting and two to follow: the white-tailed deer in 1990 and the black bear in 1991. Proceeds from print sales will be used to help finance acquisition of a permanent headquarters for the statewide sportsman's organization.

Only 350 prints were made, each individually signed and numbered by the artist. They are printed on neutral pH paper, with an image size of approximately 16 inches by 20 inches. Prints are $135 plus shipping and sales tax for Maine residents. For ordering details, contact the SAM office at PO Box 2783, Augusta, Maine 04330. Phone: (207) 622-5503.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

27

closed season, and illegal possession of bear.

Several of the callers whose tips led to arrests had already received payments ranging up to $500. A number of others were rewards were still pending payment. Some callers declined the reward money, apparently satisfied at the opportunity to report the violations.

An arrest, but not necessarily a conviction, must be made before callers are eligible for a reward.

Persons wishing to report fi~h and wildlife law violations are urged to use the hotline by calling 1-800ALERT US. Callers wishing to remain anonymous will be given a code phrase that is to be used on follow-up calls to verify the caller's identity.

The caller dials the hotline about a month later, after the wardens have had time to investigate the case, repeats the secret code and is told the status of the investigation.

If the tip pans out and an arrest is made, Hall Security of Bangor arranges to meet the tipster to pt'esent the reward.

Hall donates its services, as does People's Heritage Bank, which prints

brochures on the program, and Maine's television stations, which air public service announcements on Operation Game Thief.

Operation Game Thief is administered by an incorporated private citizens' group. The non-profit organization has a 15-member board of directors, who meet to decide the amount of the rewards. A reward fund has been established through donations by private individuals, sporting clubs and businesses in the state. Major contributers have included the Maine Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited, the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

The Operation Game Thief phone line is answered by the Maine· Warden Service during normal working hours. At night, conservation law enforcement students from Unity College take calls and pass the information to the Warden Service.

John Marsh, former chief of the Warden Service and a founder and chairman of Operation Game Thief, says the program is more successful than the numbers of violators indi-

Game Warden Donald Annis of Monson holds the trophy-sized antlers and head of a large buck deer killed by poachers and left to spoil in Blanchard several days before the 1989 deer hunting season began. Bird hunters found the buck and reported it to Warden Annis. The 17-point rack has a spread of 20 inches and might have qualified for Boone and Crockett Club recognition had it been taken by a legal hunter. Anyone wishing to report such violations can call the Operation Game Thief hotline, 1-800-ALERT US. Callers are eligible for rewards up to $1,000, and they may remain anonymous.

28

cates because it also discourages would-be poachers from hunting illegally. "The reward system keeps the heat turned up and the poachers off guard. There are many people who would poach that don't because they fear being turned in ...

MOOSE SEASON REPORT The annual 6-day moose hunt in October again saw hunter success exceed 90 percent. Nine-hundred resident and 100 nonresident permit holders registered 922 moose - ten fewer than the record moose harvest in 1988.

Law compliance was rated good, the weather poor (cold and rainy most days). and once again there were no hunting accidents.

The breakdown of the moose kill was 606 adult and yearling males; 284 adult and yearling females; 10 male calves; 19 female calves; and three moose of undetermined sex and age.

The greatest number of moose (269) came from the Central Zone, but the highest percentage of hunter success occurred in the South~entral Zone, where 99 percent of the permit holders registered a moose.

The largest moose taken in 1989 weighed 970 pounds, field dressed.

The adult bull was shot by Kenneth A. Butler of Milo, in Long A Township, south of Millinocket in Penobscot County.

COYOTE AWARDS Coyotes killed in Maine between this winter and spring are eligible for entry in a Coyote Awards Program established by the 114th Maine Legislature.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, charged with administering the program, has issued the following procedures for certifying entries in the awards program: • The coyote must be presented in its entirety, in unspoiled condition, to a game warden or wildlife biologist within 10 days of the time the animal was taken.

• An application certificate containing all requested information regarding the taking of the animal must be filed.

• Animals which are to be weighed as part of the certification

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

process must be weighed on the department's certified scales, which will be available at regional offices.

• If satisfied that the animal qualifies for entry in the program, the warden or biologist will remove the tail, or both ears (applicant's preference) from the animal, tag its skin, and certify it for entry in the awards program.

• The department may refuse to certify any animal for entry in the awards program if it was not taken lawfully within the state, the animal is badly decomposed, the weight of the .-inimal is misrepresented or if it is determined that the animal is not a coyote.

• For eligibility, coyotes must be taken in Maine, by hunting or trapping, between October 22, 1989, and April 30, 1990.

• Employees of the Fish and Wildlife Department and animal damage control cooperators, including volunteers, are not eligible to participate.

Cash awards will be presented by the department on or before July l, 1990, to individuals who entered coyotes in the awards program, as follows: Largest female - $1,500 Lar.gest'"male - $1,000 Most females - $500 Most males- $500 Most total - $1,000 Drawing from all entries - $500 Further information about the coyote awards program may be obtained from any office of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

80 MIDDLE STRECT

* PORTLAND, MAINE 04101-4250

SHORTENED BEAR SEASON PROPOSED Concerned about a continuing high bear kill by hunters in recent years, the department has proposed to shorten the hunting season by four weeks in 1990 and 1991.

Public comment on the proposal was heard at hearings in midDecember in Bingham, Ashland and Bangor, and it will be reviewed by the department's Advisory Council in January prior to adoption.

Under the fish and wildlife commissioner's present statutory authority, the only management method he can employ to reduce the bear kill is to shorten the season.

In announcing the proposed season reduction, Commissioner Bill Vail noted that black bear hunting has become "extremely popular in Maine, and with this popularity has come the need to closely monitor the status of the bear population and maintain haIVest levels within acceptable limits."

The commissioner noted that in 1985 a public working group comprised of guides, hunters, landowners and conseIVationists assisted the department with an assessment of bears in Maine which resulted in the adoption of the present management goal of maintaining the Maine bear population at approximately 21,000. This population level can be reached, without over-exploiting the resource, by sustaining a haIVest of 1,500 to 2,500 bears annually.

"Since that time," the commissioner notes, "the registered bear harvest has steadily increased from 1,533 in 1985 to 2,651 in 1988; and preliminary figures indicate that the 1989 haIVest will equal and likely exceed the record level recorded in 1988.

"Based upon the increasing hunting pressure which is being placed on bear, it is very likely that the 1990 kill will greatly exceed existing haIVest records. Current research being conducted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife indicates that the current bear population is below target levels and that the increasing haIVest trend is likely setting the stage for further and more dramatic declines in the population. Experi-

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

return--· ·· ·--;

Give a gift to wildlife this year - put a check with the chickadee! ence in many other states has shown that the black bear can be overexploited, and that excessive haIVest levels can quickly deplete a population to levels which take years to res tore.

"Implementation of this shorter season regulation will help insure that future bear haIVest levels will not adversely affect the population.

The goal is to maintain a sustainable haIVest while allowing the population to reach the target level. Achievement of this goal will insure that Maine's black bear resource and the array of benefits which it provides will be maintained in the years to come.

"Within existing statutory limitations, no feasible alternative has been identified that can achieve this goal.

The alternative of doing nothing would allow the haIVest to continue to increase, causing the population to be eroded to lower and lower levels.

Management actions to correct the situation after even one more year would have to be very radical compared to the rule we propose."

The department was concerned with the 1988 bear haIVest level but proposed no change in the 1989 season. Instead, wildlife biologists conducted a series of public informational meetings to set the stage for taking action if the kill was high again in 1989, which it appears it was.

29

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor: I've been hunting an excellent, unpasted woodcock cover in Wilton for several years. Each year I expect to see the land posted, but so far, the signs have not gone up.

Last week, I found enough trash to fill a 50 gallon plastic bag scattered around the place where I park when hunting the cover. Because I didn't want the landowner to see the trash and possibly post the land, I cleaned up the mess and hauled it away.

Among the trash were several envelopes (enclosed) addressed to the same person. I don't know if he is the person who dumped the trash, but it sure looks suspicious.

I thought you would be interested in this aspect of the "posted land story."

Maybe sportsmen should be encouraged to carry trash bags and clean up after others.

A Concerned Sportsman Readfield, Maine • Score: 1 for the good guy, 0 for the bad guy (whose envelopes we've mailed back with a couple of suggestions on landowner relations and proper trash disposal!).

Wll,DLIFE ].IBPORT AVAILABLE After an absence of several years, the Fish and Wildlife Department's pular annual report on wildlife research and management activities is again available.

Published by the Wildlife Division, the book.let contains detailed information about that division's activities in 1988 related to research and management of Maine's wildlife species.

Major sections are devoted to black bear and furbearers; cervids (moose, deer, caribou); coastal wildlife habitat protection; endangered and nongame wildlife; and game birds. The publication is illustrated with maps, graphs, charts and sketches.

The 50-page book.let is offered to the public free of charge.

Anyone wishing to obtain a copy should write to: Wildlife Division Report, Maine Fish and Wildlife Department, 284 State Street, State House Station 41, Augusta, Maine 04333.

30

COASTAL CLEANUP NETS NINE TONS OF DEBRIS Maine's 1989 Coastal Cleanup drew 2,800 volunteers to the shore on September 23, where they collected more than 18,000 pounds of debris.

Volunteers covered 176 miles of shoreline, picking up an average of l 03 pounds of trash per mile.

"The response to this year's cleanup was tremendous," observed Richard Silkman, State Planning Office Director. .. Even in the wake of Hurricane Hugo, with poor weather and rough seas, twice as many people turned out to clean shores as had in 1988. I think that demonstrates how much people in Maine care about their coasts and are committed to sustaining them."

While more people participated in the cleanup than ever before, they found less debris per mile than was collected in the 1988 cleanup. The pounds-permile average dropped from 133 in 1988 to l 03 this year. Flis Schauffler, who coordinated the statewide cleanup for the Maine Coastal Program, speculates on possible reasons for the decline ...We certainly hope that it's a result of people becoming more responsible in In spite of Hurricane Hugo, more disposing of trash. The Coastal Program has worked hard to impress on volunteers than ever participated in the annual Coastal Cleanup this people the danger that marine debris year. Photo by Flis Schauffler. poses for boaters and wildlife. But the decrease in trash this year may also be attributed to the high seas that we had in the weeks and days preceding the cleanup. Some of the shore debris may have been carried back out to sea during that period."

The debris data were broken down according to coastal region, with the southern coast having the highest pounds-per-mile average. At 137 pounds per mile, the southern coast had significantly more debris than either the midcoast (105 lbs/mile) or the downeast region (73 lbs/mile). "The Southern coast definitely has more traffic, along its shores and in its coastal waters," Schauffler observes. "The greater amount of debris may also reflect the dominant shore habitc:!-ts, though; debris tends to collect more along the sandy beaches and in the salt marshes that mark our southern coast than along the rocky shore that's prevalent downeast. .. One of the aspects of this year's cleanup that we found most encouraging," notes Schauffier, "was the number of children that participated. Last year, we had only half-a-dozen school classes and scout troops join in the clean up. This year, we had more than 25 scout troops and 30 school classes involved. It's¡ a great experience for the kids, and a real contribution they can make to maintaining the health of our shores."

Maine's September cleanup was part of an international effort involving volunteers in three states and two provinces bordering the Gulf of Maine.

Preliminary totals received from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia indicate that 7,400 citizens turned out along the Gulf of Maine shoreline, from Cape Cod Bay to the Bay of Fundy.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

New Laws of Interest To Sportsmen The First Regular Session of the 114th Maine Legislature made a number of changes in laws affecting sportsmen and others interested in the state's wildlife and fisheries resources. The following summary calls attention to the more important new laws; appropriate law publications should be consulted for full details.

Unless otherwise indicated, the new statutes are already in effect.

HUNTING • Bear, deer and moose, once they have been legally registered at a big game registration station, may now be legally transported without being open to view. ffhe .. open to view" provision still applies during transportation between where the animal was taken and the registration s tation.)

• The open season for bear hunting with dogs will now begin at the same time as the regular bear hunting season. The opening day of the bear trapping season remains unchanged (September 1).

• At any time during the bear hunting season a person on a hunting trip in unorganized territory and staying at a temporary place of lodging will be allowed to keep an unregistered bear at that location for up to 7 days or until that person leaves the woods, whichever comes first.

(Previously this provision applied only during the firearm season on deer.)

• A nonresident hunting bear with dogs must now "employ and hunt with a resident Maine guide." (The previous law required the nonresident to be .. in the presence of' -the guide and that presence could not be aided by visual or audio enhancement devices.)

• A resident guide is now allowed to guide a maximum of three nonresident hunters at a time while bear hunting with dogs.

• A nonresident who holds a license to guide in Maine, although he or she may not guide other nonresidents on dog hunts for bear, may use dogs to hunt for bear without employing a resident guide.

• The law has been repealed which required that archery-killed deer be inspected by a game warden prior to registration. Archery-killed deer will now be registered at big game registration stations in the same manner as those taken by firearm.

FISHING • It will now be unlawful to place (or cause to be placed)

an ice fishing shack on the ice of any inland waters more than 3 days before those waters open to ice fishing. (The law affecting removal of these structures at the end of the ice fishing season remains unchanged.)

• It now clear in the laws that adding antifreeze to the waters of this state is a violation of the DEP waste discharge law - Title 38, Section 413. (This change came about because of concern that ice fishermen sometimes use antifreeze to prevent ice from forming in the holes.)

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

• The provision which allowed for the sale of pickerel in Washington County has been repealed.

TRAPPING • Nonresident aliens will no longer be able to purchase a license to trap in Maine.

• Persons who hold Junior trapping licenses must now be accompanied by an adult while trapping unless they have satisfactorily completed a trapper education course. (Previously, only persons under the age of 10 were required to be accompanied by an adult while trapping.)

• Trap tending laws have been changed as follows: All traps set in organized towns must be tended daily except under-ice water sets for muskrat and beaver. All traps set in unorganized towns must be tended daily except for killer-type traps and water sets, which must be tended at least once in every three calendar days.

(Under-ice water sets for muskrat and beaver are exempt from the three-day tending requirement.) ..Water set" has been redefined to mean a trap set completely under water in such manner as to reasonably ensure the drowning of any furbearer caught in the trap.

(Previously, a water set was any trap set completely under water.)

BOATING • No person may operate any watercraft in the socalled "water safety zone" (200 feet from any...shoreline, including islands) at greater than headway speed, except to pick up or discharge water-skiers or while actively fishing. (Headway speed is defined as the minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage and control of the watercraft.)

• A person will now be considered in violation of the law if he or she operates a watercraft while having .08 percent or more by weight of alcohol in the blood.

• A person will now be required to submit to bloodalcohol testing when so requested by a law enforcement officer who has probable cause to believe that he or she is operating under the influence or was the operator of a watercraft involved in a fatal accident. (Failure to submit to a blood-alcohol test is a civil violation.)

• Penalties have been increased substantially for operating under the influence in a watercraft.

• Personal watercraft may not be operated between sunset and sunrise and may not be operated by persons under the age of 12. Anyone operating a personal watercraft, or any passenger, must wear an approved Type I or II personal flotation device at all times. (Personal watercraft is defined as any motorized craft less than 13 feet in length, capable of reaching speeds of 20 miles per hour and having the capacity to carry not more than the operator and one other person. It includes jet ski, wet bike, surf jet, miniature speedboat, hovercraft, and others.)

• People will now be required to wear an approved Type I, II or III personal flotation device while canoeing or kayaking on the Saco River between January 1 and June 1.

• The Fish and Wildlife Department, in consultation with the Department of Marine Resources, must report

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back to the Legislature in 1990, regarding the possible establishment of a mandatory- boating safety course.

This report is to include such things as the benefits of a mandatory- boating safety course, age limit recommendations, phase-in requirements, reciprocity recommendations concerning other states, a summary- of training currently available and who provides it, costs of such a program, etc.

ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE • It is now unlawful for a person under the age of 10

to operate an AT"! except on land where the operator lives or is owned by his or her parents.

• AT"! training is no longer required after a person reaches 16 years of age (previously 18).

LICENSES AND PERMITS • Beginning in 1990, bear hunters will be required to have a bear hunting permit, in addition to a regular hunting license, from the first day of the bear hunting season until the start of the firearm season on deer. The fees are $2 for residents and $10 for nonresidents and aliens. (This bear hunting permit provision is scheduled to expire after 2 years, and it does not apply to bear trapping.} • A Maine resident will now be able to exchange a 1day or 3-day fishing license for an annual fishing license, or a combination hunting and fishing license, upon payment of the clerk's fee and the difference between the license fees. (This exchange provision previously applied only to annual fishing licenses.} • A new breeder's license restriction makes it unlawful to engage in the business of breeding or rearing whitetailed deer, bear or moose. (This change does not affect holders of wildlife exhibit permits.} • Beginning in 1990, Maine residents will be eligible to obtain complimentary- hunting, fishing and trapping licenses (including archery- and muzzleloading licenses} at any time during the calendar year of their 70th birthday. In other words, any person who will reach age 70 any time during 1990 will be eligible for complimentary- licenses as of January- 1, 1990.

• Beginning in 1990, the fee for a permit to conduct bass tournaments will be $35.

• Beginning in 1990, all guide licenses will be valid through December 31 of the second complete calendar year following the year of issuance. (Example: A guide license issued on July l, 1990, will be valid through December 31, 1992.} • Businesses will no longer be required to pay an annual $30 fee in order to sell nonresident hunting and fishing licenses for the department. (The department will adopt rules to establish criteria for selecting nonresident license agents. Regardless of new rules, those currently selling licenses will be allowed to continue as long as their performance remains satisfactory-.} • In addition to other complimentary- hunting and fishing licenses, disabled war veterans are now eligible to obtain complimentary- muzzle-loading hunting licenses.

• Moose hunting permit holders will be able to name a new subpermittee, one time only, through written application to the department up until 5 business days

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before the start of the moose season. They will also have the option to select a primacy and an alternate subpermittee at the time the permit is issued. If this option is used, the alternate subpermittee may substitute for the primary subpermittee upon written notification to the department at least 5 days before the moose hunt.

• The commissioner of inland fisheries and wildlife now has authority to designate, through the rule-making process, up to two days in each calendar year as "free fishing days." During any free fishing day, Maine residents will be allowed to fish in inland waters without a fishing license. All other fishing laws and rules will be in effect on those days.

FINANCIAL • Beginning with fiscal year 1990/91 (July 1, 1990}, the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will be financed primarily from the state's General Fund. The department will submit a line-item budget just as it has since 1984; however, the Fish and Wildlife Committee will now review the budget and make recommendations to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, which will then make the final decisions on the budget and appropriate money from the General Fund to cover budget costs. In turn, money collected by the department from license sales, fmes, fees, and other sources will be deposited into the General Fund rather than into the former dedicated account. The new legislation guarantees the department a General Fund appropriation equal to or greater than the amount collected from those sources each year, ensuring continued eligibility for federal funds under the Pittman-Robertson (wildlife restoration} and Dingell-Johnson (fisheries restoration} programs.

LEGAL/LAW ENFORCEMENT • Municipalities which border inland waters have been given authority to appoint harbor masters to enforce the watercraft laws of the state on any water within the jurisdiction of the municipality. Harbor masters will have full powers to enforce watercraft laws within their jurisdiction, including powers of arrest, except as otherwise determined by the municipality.

• Penalties for the unlawful sale of wild birds and animals have been increased and standardized. Buying and selling bear, deer, moose, turkey or other wild birds in violation of law will be considered a Class D crime with a mandatory fine of not less than $1,000 and a jail sentence of not less than IO days (20 days for second offense}. these penalties not to be suspended. Included in this bill is language which makes it clear that the sale of plumage from lawfully taken birds is lawful, subject to any federal regulations.

• Penalties involving fish which are taken or possessed in violation of law have been increased. Now, in addition to any penalty which the court might impose for the violation, a convicted person will also be fined $20 (previously $5} for each illegal fish, this fine not to be suspended.

• The penalties involving illegal fishing for Atlantic salmon have been increased as follows: A convicted person shall be fined $500 for each illegal fish, not to be suspended, and up to $1,000 for each violation.

Maine Fish and Wildlife - Winter 1989-90

• Baxter Park rangers have been added to the statutory list of those who have the powers of game wardens. In a ddition, rangers of the Bureau of Parks and Recreation now have statutory authority to enforce the section of law dealing with camp trip leaders.

OTHER • A coyote awards program has been established on a one year basis. Any person who takes a coyote by hunting or trapping during the 1989/90 season will be eligible o enter the animal in the program and compete for cash awards in various categories, including largest male and female coyotes, most male and female coyotes, and most o al coyotes. The awards range from $500 to $1,500.

Department employees and certified animal damage coa rol agents, including those who volunteer their time, are not eligible to participate in this program.

• Shotguns with blank ammunition may now be used for dog training purposes. (Previously, only pistols loaded with blank ammunition were allowed.)

• The Legislature has mandated a landowner relations program within the department. The purpose of this program is to foster public use of private land for hunting and fishing and to promote high standards of courtesy, respect and responsibility by hunters and anglers for private lands. In preparation for the development of this program, the department's Planning Division has completed an assessment of all existing information related to public use of privately owned land, including a review of landowner programs in other states and a survey of

members of selected landowner groups in Maine. Commissioner Vail has established a working group of about 20 individuals representing landowner and recreational interests which will review the assessment this winter and make recommendations to him on the direction of the new program. (See future issues for details of the landowner relations program.) The department is to report back to the Legislature no later than 1991 on the progress of this program.

• Future fish and wildlife commissioners will be required to "have a record of demonstrated support for, and an understanding of the basics of modem wildlife and fisheries management and shall have experience in hunting, fishing or trapping."

• (The drain on Floods Pond in Otis to satisfy the water needs of the Bangor area poses a serious threat to habitat necessary for reproduction of the Sunapee trout.)

The department and the Bangor Water District have been directed by Legislature to develop a long range plan to assure protection of Sunapee charr habitat at Floods Pond and to report back to the Legislature by March, 1990, with the details of the plan.

• The protection of blueberry lands from damage by deer is now consistent with the protection afforded to orchards and other growing crops. The provision has been repealed which required written approval from a game warden for a stated period of three days prior to killing deer which were causing substantial damage to blueberry lands.

"Eagle In Snowstorm"

by Mark McCollough.

Original in pend/ and white charcoal on grey paper.

Limited edldon prints (Image size: 15 1/2" X 19 1/2") are available for $25 (Maine residents add $1.25 sales tax).

Make checks payable to: Maine Eagle Project.

Send to: Eagle Poster, PO Box 1298, Bangor, Maine 04401.

Proceeds from print sales will help fund work on bald eagles In Maine.

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Maine Department of Inland nsherles and Wildlife • 284 State Street • Augusta, Maine 04330

Tri-colored heron.

Photo by Alan Hutchinson.

Don't forget to give Maine's herons, and other endangered and nongame w!ldlife, a helping hand on your income tax return this year.

Just "put a check with the chickadee."