Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine, Summer 1996

Maine State Library

Maine State Documents Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

6-1-1996

Maine Fish and Game Magazine, Summer 1996 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalmaine.com/ifw_magazine Recommended Citation Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, "Maine Fish and Game Magazine, Summer 1996" (1996). Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Magazine. Book 130. http://digitalmaine.com/ifw_magazine/130

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MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE SUMMER 1996

MAINE STATE LIBRARY LIBRARY USE D~JLY ·

EDITORIAL

by Ray B. Owen, Jr., Commissioner

Forest Practices As summer progresses, temperatures continue to rise-but not just from the sun's warmth. Maine is embraced in a heated debate over a referendum question which would greatly reduce the forest management options available to landowners in northern Maine. At issue is the right of forest landowners to manage their land in variety of ways, from selective harvests to clear cuts or not even harvesting at all. At issue is the public's desire to protect more fundamental "common" interests. On the other side is the public's perception that certain forest practices, such as clearcutting, have become excessive and some "common" interests, such as soil fertility, biodiversity, water quality and fisheries, are being jeopardized.

Clearly over the past 15 to 20 years, the amount of land clearcut and managed on an even-age basis has increased dramatically. This was partly due to extensive defoliation ~': ¡ by the spruce bud worm and the need for large salvage operations. But added to this . A.11/ ~ ¡ was a trend by some large owners toward even-age management, driven by the /J )l' _.-.,.-""'.,;!:il• development of large mechanized harvesting equipment and the belief that this :S form of management enhanced softwood production. Is this necessarily bad?

The answer is no, as long as it is done in moderation and spread out over the landscape with a variety of age classes and harvesting methods interspersed.

From a wildlife standpoint, a variety of harvesting techniques provides a diversity of forest types and structure which, in turn, supports a wide diversity of wildlife species. (See Ken Elowe's reprinted legislative testimony on page 18 for a more detailed discussion of forestry and wildlife.) The proposed referendum goes far beyond banning clearcuts, as it greatly restricts all forestry and thus has the potential to negatively impact wildlife management. The Wildlife Management Institute, The Wildlife Society, The Ruffed Grouse Society, and many more national and local organizations representing thousands of professional wildlife biologists have issued statements against this referendum simply because it goes too far. Even-aged management and small-tomedium sized clearcuts are wildlife management tools to provide habitat for early successional species such as ruffed grouse, woodcock, moose, and morning warblers.

However, I do not support all of the forestry practices that have occurred in the past. Large creeping clearcuts, lack of protection of small streams, lo s of older growth stands qf trees and lack of adequate defini-

/I' .. :

Editorial continued on inside back cover

AINE

- NE VILDLIFE

FISH AND WILDLIFE A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

VOL. 38, NO. 2

SPECIAL HALF-PB.ICE OFFER! D 1 year only $9 D Payment enclosed

D 2 years only $18 D Please bill me later

by Keith Sutton on might surprise yo u!

Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

FOB FASTER SERVICE, CALL TOLL-ll'REE 1-800-288-8387

by William B . Krohn & Bradley F. Blackwell they so important to us?

AINE

J9620

by Tim Obrey

FISH AND WILDLIFE 1d other businesses to crow

A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

SPECIAL HALF-PB.ICE OFFER! D 1 year only $9 D Payment enclosed

by Kenneth D. Elowe he department's position

D 2 years only $18 D Please bill me later

by V. Paul Reynolds Whoa! What?

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~ - - - ~ Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ come "o utdoors savvy"

City/State/Zip_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

FOR FASTER SERVICE, CALL TOLL-FREE 1-800-288-8387 :heck out this Sebago Lake beauty!

AINE

J9620

FISH AND WILDLIFE A quarterly full-color magazine about hunting, fishing, or just plain recreating in Maine's outdoors

SPECIAL HALF-PB.ICE OFFER! D 1 year only $9 D Payment enclosed

by Butch Carey

D 2 years only $18 O Please bill me later

Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~ Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

City/State/Zip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

ii from a painting by David ' writing to the artist at 151 by calling (207) 783-3501.

FOR FASTER SERVICE, CALL TOLL-FBEE 1-800-288-8387 nks on recyclable paper

el p

re

EDITORIAL

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

el p re

As summer progresses, temr embraced in a heated debate O\ forest management options ava of forest landowners to managE cuts or not even harvesting at a "common" interests. On the otl such as clearcutting, have beco1 fertility, biodiversity, water qm Clearly over the past 15 to 20 even-age basis has increased dr by the spruce bud worm and th, was a trend by some large own development of large mechanize form of management enhanced The answer is no, as long as i landscape with a variety of age From a wildlife standpoint, a v, diversity of forest types and str sity of wildlife species. (See Ker page 18 for a more detailed disc referendum goes far beyond ba and thus has the potential to ne Management Institute, The Wil, many more national and local c professional wildlife biologists dum simply because it goes too medium sized clearcuts are wil1 early successional species such a However, I do not support al clearcuts, lack of protection of s

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

Pla.oe Sta.mp Here

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE VOL. 38, NO. 2

SUMMER 1996

Features 2

Have You No Ethics?

by Keith Sutton

What do YOU think? Parts of this probing discussion might surprise you!

1996 Maine Duck Stamp

7

A Durham artist submits the 1996 winning entry

The Double-Crested Cormorant In Maine, Part I

8

by William B. Krohn & Bradley F. Blackwell

What do they do? Where do they go? And why are they so important to us?

Five-Year Splake Study Yields Good News

13

by Tim Obrey

The splake scores highly in these research findings

Outdoor Roster

16

Here 's an opportunity for Maine camps, guides, and other businesses to crow

Wildlife Director Testifies On Clearcutting Ban

18

by Kenneth D. £/owe

This transcript of public hearing testimony states the department's position

Hold It! Game Warden...

20

by V. Paul Reynolds

Wardens working wardens ...while wardens watch? Whoa! What?

Becoming An Outdoorswoman

24

An intriguing special opportunity for women to become "outdoors savvy "

Black Bear Study Update, Sebago Record Fish!

27

Bruins still studied-here are some findings . And check out this Sebago Lake beauty!

Departments KID-BITS

22

FROM THE FLY TYING BENCH: The Golden Eagle Streamer

25

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS

28

by Butch Carey

The Front Cover: "Free Spirit." Detail from a painting by David A. Footer. Prints may be ordered by writing to the artist at 151 Golder Rd., Lewiston ME 04240, or by calling (207) 783-3501.

....*'·

Printed with vegetable-base •

j

inks on recyclable paper

by Keith Sutton

Have

The

blacks flew in swarms that December morning.

By 7:30, you had a limit. Still, you weren't content. You returned to camp, dressed the ducks and put them in the freezer. After lunch, you went out to hunt again. Your son was with you morning and afternoon.

Have you no ethics?

The shot was perfect. The buck fell at the edge of the country road. You should have field-dressed it away from the road, but you didn't. You left the steaming gut pile in the right-of-way. A little girl and her mom found it next day on their morning walk.

Have you no ethics?

The property wasn't posted, so you opened the gate, traipsed on in and caught a couple of nice bass in the pond down the hill. You never thought about finding the landowner and asking permission first. And you never thought to hitch the gate when you left. Three of the landowner's cows escaped. He was sued after his neighbor hit one with her van. Lucky someone wasn't killed.

Now the property is posted, and the owner is scared to allow visitors. They might forget to hitch the gate, and he couldn't afford another lawsuit.

Have you no ethics?

The ice fishing trip was successful. Your partner had two nice pickerel ; you had three, and a perch. Your friend offered you his share of the catch, even though he and his family like fish. You accepted.

"Want me to help you clean them?" your buddy asked.

"No, I'll do it when I get home," you said.

It was late when you got in. You were tired and weren't in the mood to clean fish. So you didn't. You just tos ed them in the garage patch and forgot all about them until they had spoiled.

Have you no ethics?

You knew the shot was beyond your range of accuracy.

But the huge buck was getting farther away with each step.

It was now or never. So you drew the bow and let the arrow fly.

Building a better outdoors has to start with an outdoorsman 's attitude.

2

Mame Fish and Wildlife

The broadhead penetrated the deer' right hip.

The buck wheeled and ran. You never found the deer, but then you only spent an hour looking. It died from infection a month later. A hiker found it on a nearby trail, the arrow protruding from a horrible wound. "Damned hunters," she said.

You No Ethics?

Have you no ethics?

You took your 10-year-old squirrel hunting, hoping she'd learn to be a hunter, too. As you walked together through the woods, you spied a squirrel nest in a big oak. "Could be one there," you thought.

So you instructed your little one to shoot it and see.

"What if there are baby squirrels in there, Daddy?" she asked.

Keith Sutton is the editor of Arkansas Wildlife.

Summer 1996

3

"Don't worry about that, honey. All the babies are grown now."

You helped her aim and shoot. Leaves flew, and an animal fell to the ground. Your daughter ran to pick it up. It was a flying squirrel.

"Oh, Daddy. I told you there was a baby in there. Look at his big brown eyes. I've killed him." Tears streamed down her cheeks.

She is 23 now, and an activist for the Fund for Animals.

Have you no ethics?

Do

you consider yourself an ethical hunter and angler? I do, and probably most of you do, too.

But at one time or another, most of us have been in situations similar to those presented here.

When I think back, I can remember many times I failed to make an "ethical" decision.

A few seasons ago, I was hunting rabbits with some friends.

Our beagles were hot on the track of a big rabbit, yipping and howling as they raced through the bottoms. Then, suddenly, the dogs fell silent. The rabbit had holed up in a hollow tree.

I had two rabbits in my game bag, and I certainly wouldn't have gone hungry had I allowed this one his sanctuary. But that day, I wasn't willing to admit defeat. I built a fire to smoke the rabbit out. When that failed, I pushed a pistol in the hole and killed it. What I did was not illegal, but it wasn't ethical. I know, because my conscience told me so.

At age 19, I trespassed on posted property to hunt squirrels. I knew the landowner and knew he

4

, Maine Fis/, and Wildlife

would be upset if he caught me. I also knew he lived several miles away, and there wasn't much chance I would get caught if I slipped in on foot and hunted with a .22. The temptation of shooting a mess of squirrels in that never-hunted woodlot was just too much.

As I drew a bead on squirrel number three, a hand gripped my shoulder. It was the landowner. He slipped up on me undetected.

What I did was illegal and highly unethical, and the landowner made sure I knew it before he let me go. Twenty years have passed, and my conscience still won't let me forget my stupidity.

Being ethical is rarely easy, because it requires us to ignore our own wants and needs.

Ann Causey, a professor of humanities and environmental studies at Prescott College in Arizona, expressed this thought quite well when she addressed the Governor's Symposium on North America's Hunting Heritage in Bozeman, Montana in 1993. "Moral hunters do not mindlessly follow rules and lobby for regulations which serve their interests," she said. "Rather, they follow their consciences, sometimes setting their own interests aside. In short, ethics is guided by conscience and gives us something to aim for beyond self-gratification."

In his nature classic A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold also addressed the topic of ethics and its connectiqn to conscience. "A peculiar virtue in wildlife ethics is that the hunter ordinarily has no

gallery to applaud or disapprove of his conduct.

Whatever his acts, they are dictated by his own conscience, rather than a mob of onlookers. It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of this fact."

Conscience. Notice how often that word keeps popping up?

A friend and I have been discussing ethics. His philosophy shakes down to this basic premise: A legal sportsman is an ethical sportsman. I feel otherwise.

An ethical sportsman knows and obeys the law.

On that point, we agree. An ethical sportsman always studies the regulations carefully. He or she obtains the proper licenses and hunts and fishes only during designated seasons. Bag and possession limits are always obeyed, and only legal equipment and methods of harvest are used. Yet a person can do all these things and still not have one smidgen of ethics. Let me offer an example.

John is a law-abiding hunter. "I always obey wildlife regulations," he says. "I have to, because if I got caught breaking the law, I could lose my job.

I'm an outdoor sports writer for a big newspaper."

"I love to hunt," he continues. "If they made it legal to spotlight deer, I'd go out tonight and shoot one. But unless it's legal, it's strictly a no-no as far as I'm concerned. I can't take the risk."

Bill is also a law-abiding hunter. "I always obey wildlife regulations," he says. "I enjoy hunting, but I realize that without laws to regulate how we do it, there wouldn't be much to hunt. Our first responsibility is to preserve wildlife populations.

And if we do a good job of that, maybe there will be a surplus of animals we can hunt."

Both hunters obey the law, but does that mean they're both ethical hunters? No. John obeys the law because he's worried about himself. In his case, conscience might get a lot of credit that belongs to cold feet. Bill obeys the law because he's concerned for the resource. Who do you think is the ethical hunter?

To fully grasp the concept of ethics, we must understand the difference between legality and ethics. Many unethical activities are illegal, but not all legal activities are ethical. Therefore, in order to make an ethical decision about a certain behavior

Exercise Your Ethics • Memorize the Fish and Wildlife Department's toll-free Operation Game Thief (OGT) Hotline 1-800-253-7887. When you witness law violations, call with details.

• Volunteer to teach the ethics section at a Hunter Safety course.

• Trade your fishing pole for a garbage bag. Instead of fishing, spend a day cleaning the shoreline of your favorite lake or stream.

• Organize a "Hunters for the Hungry" program in your community. Projects like this help foster a favorable image of hunters among the non-hunting community.

• Write an essay titled "Why I Hunt," or "Why I Fish." Share it with a friend who doesn't hunt or fish.

• Read the hunting and fishing regulations guides cover to cover this year, and stick by the rules - all the rules - all season.

• Pass up a shot at the next game animal you see while hunting. Prove to yourself that killing isn't the only reason you hunt.

• Discuss sporting ethics with your son or daughter who hunts or fishes. Explain your personal code of ethics and encourage them to do the right thing when outdoors in Maine.

• Share this article with a hunter or angler whom you consider unethical.

Sum mer 1996

5

or activity, we must first ask, "Is it right?," not "Is it legal?" In other words, we should be guided by our conscience first, a regulations guide second.

Ethics are more a matter of attitude and awareness than of rules and regulations.

As hunters and fishermen, we must be concerned about ethics for very important reasons.

Foremost is the fact that we are a very small minority in this country. Only six percent of Americans are hunters; 17 percent are anglers.

Presenting a positive image to the majority of citizens who don't hunt or fish is crucial to the continuation of both sports. Society has a legitimate voice in curtailing hunting and fishing activities if they fail to meet social expectations.

Unfortunately, problems with irresponsible outdoor activity seem to be worsening. Each year, I run across more and more people to whom hunting is shooting and everything between shots is time wasted. I meet more and more anglers who believe that catching a limit is the only triumph. I see many - far too many- who think it is no big deal to violate fish and game laws. Many hunters show no respect for the game they hunt, and many fisherman have no concept of the word "conservation."

I've also noticed that opposition to hunting is widespread and growing. So far, anti-fishing groups haven't materialized, and the impact of the antihunting sentiment has been slight. But if we don't get serious about cleansing our ranks of irresponsible participants, we put our sports at risk. We must be sure hunters and anglers are good environmental stewards whose images are not tarnished by unethical behavior.

The strongest influence on hunter/ angler behavior is peer pressure from parents, relatives and friends. Negative peer pressure - a father urging his son to kill an out-of-season deer, for instance - is equally as strong as positive peer pressure - a father telling his son why he will not condone out-of-season hunting. That's why it's important that we express our feelings to others.

Let your hunting and fishing companions know you are proud to be an ethical sportsman, and insist they behave likewise. Do your best to set high ethical standards for your children.

Should you witness illegal acts, your reaction should be swift and firm, whether you know the lawbreakers or not. While rabbit hunting last year, a friend of mine was approached by another

6

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Maine Fish and Wildlife

hunter. The guy seemed nice and offered my friend 10 rabbits (two over the limit) he killed that morning. My friend refused the offer but did nothing to express his outrage that the man had intentionally broken the law. He told me later it made him "uncomfortable" to confront a stranger in the field.

Yet he didn't even copy down the man's license number and report the violation to a wildlife officer.

Apathy and apprehension must not override our obligation to respond to unethical behavior. We must send a message, loud and clear - to our children, to our friends, to fellow hunters and anglers, to the slobs within our ranks: It is not OK to violate wildlife laws.

It is not OK to trespass.

It is not OK to litter, or to drive across a farmer's crop field, or to waste game, or to disregard safety.

We should insist that all hunters and anglers behave in a responsible manner. We should teach our children and fellow outdoorsmen that being a sportsman is more important than being a hunter or an angler. We should be guided more by conscience and less by legality alone.

As you hunt and fish this year, you will have to make many decisions. Please do your best to make the right decision, the ethical decision.

Will you take a limit of ducks both morning and afternoon? Or should you be content with one or two for supper?

Will you leave a stinking pile of entrails on the roadside when you field-dress your deer? Or should you thoughtfully return them to the earth in a place where others won't be offended?

Will you walk uninvited onto private property?

Or should you ask permission before hunting or fishing?

Will you take a poor shot on the off-chance it might find its mark? Or should you wait until you're confident of a clean kill?

When facing such choices, let your conscience be your guide. Think carefully about the potential impact of your actions, then do what you should do. Do what you know is right.

Show respect and consideration. Demonstrate forethought. Aim for something beyond selfgratification. Set a good example for others to follow. Leave positive images of hunters and anglers for those who don't hunt and fish.

Have you ethics, or have you not? For all our sakes, I hope you do. •

Durham artist has won the 1996 Maine duck stamp art competition sponsored by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Paul Fillion, who was last year's runner-up, took top honors in the annual contest during the March judging.

Fillion' s winning painting, an oil of a pair of bluewinged teal, will be reproduced on the state's migratory waterfowl conservation stamp, available to hunters and collectors beginning Sept. 1.

The contest runner-up was Jeannine Staples of Topsham, who has won top honors in two previous duck stamp art contests.

Honorable mention placements were won by William King of Gorham, Brad McFadden of Orr's Island, and Michele Witham of Augusta.

A self-taught artist, Fillion grew up in Lisbon, Maine. He started painting about 10 years ago after attending some art shows. He has received honors in a number of Maine art shows including two first place awards and three honorable mentions in the Maine Sportsman Art Show.

Contest judges this year were Matt Scott, Fish and Wildlife Deputy Commi sioner; Tom Shoener, retired information director for Fish and Wildlife;

Brad Allen, wildlife biologist with the Department; Susan Knowles Jordan, Waltham

The Department uses income from the sale of the $2.50 stamp to buy and manage waterfowl

wildlife artist and 1994 winner of the duck stamp competition; Rick Alley, Islesford wildlife artist and winner of the 1995 duck stamp competition; and, Reed Johnson, Oakland resident and state chairman of Ducks Unlimited.

This year's was the 13th duck stamp art contest, each featuring a different species of duck or goose native to Maine. Four previous stamps were commissioned to nationally prominent waterfowl artists.

habitat in Maine.

As winning artist, Fillion will receive a cash award of $1,000 and a sheet of stamps reproduced from his painting. For the subject of next year's competition, Commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen has selected the greater scaup.

For more information, call (207) 287-5248.

Prints of this years winning painting are available for sale. For information call (207) 353-5146. •

Sum mer 1996

7

'The¡ci)ouble-Crested

8

'Mame Fish and Wildlife

Cormorant in Maine ine whether or not major predator of bscot f{iver

•

by William B. Krohn and Bradley F. Blackwell

~

double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), because it's a fish eater, has long been a controversial bird. These birds, also known as shags, were eliminated from New England after Europeans first settled in coastal areas. Cormorants started nesting in Maine again around 1925. The population increased between 1925 and 1945 was rapid, but slowed between 1946 and the early 1970s due to a variety of factors, including widespread shooting, government spraying of eggs, and the unintentional effects of pesti-

Bill Krohn is employed by the National Biological Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and is leader of the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Maine. Brad Blackwell recently completed his Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Maine where he studied cormorants, with Bill serving as his major advisor. Bill also took the photographs for this article.

S11111rner 1996

9

cides. With Federal protection in 1972, and the banning of DDT, Maine's cormorant population has expanded rapidly in the past two decades, with more than 15,000 nesting pairs counted on approximately 100 coastal islands in 1977. Today, the Maine coast supports 22,000 to 28,000 breeding pairs on approximately 120 islands. Although the increase of the cormorant breeding population on the Maine coast apparently stopped during the late 1980s, the species has recently established at least one colony inland.

Along with this remarkable increase in the size of the breeding population, controversy surrounding the cormorant has also grown. To many people who fish for a living or for recreation, the cormorant is viewed as a competitor. For every fish taken by the birds, many believe that there is one less fish for the table. Of course, nature is rarely so simple. By removing a few fishes, cormorants might actually improve the survival of the remaining fishes, which now have more food and space. Nevertheless, cormorants have been accused of interfering with the restoration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Maine, specifically by preying upon the salmon smolts as they migrate downstream in spring to saltwater. Secondly, many consider the cormorant to be a major predator of commercial fishes, including alewives, lobsters, and various species of groundfishes important to the fishing industry in the Gulf of Maine (i.e., cod, flounder, and pollack).

Cormorants feed by day and roost together at night.

10

•Maine Fish and Wildlife

The Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, with financial support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently completed a three-year study of cormorants on the Penobscot River and Penobscot Bay to better understand the ecology of this bird. We asked a number of questions during our study, including the following: Are cormorants a major predator of (1) Atlantic salmon smolts in the Penobscot River during early spring, and (2) commercial and noncommercial groundfishes in Penobscot Bay during early summer. This article addresses the first question, whereas the second one will be answered in the next issue of Maine Fish and Wildlife Magazine.

Salmon Restoration Efforts by Federal and state agencies to restore the Atlantic salmon in New England were increased in the 1970s. In Maine, the Penobscot River has been the center of attention with the number of salmon smolts stocked in the Penobscot River averaging 49,000 per year in the late 1960s, 170,000 in the 1970s, and 475,000 per spring in the 1980s. Today, the Penobscot River is the largest effort to restore the Atlantic salmon in the U.S.A. In 1966, tags from hatchery-reared smolts were recovered from two cormorant breeding colonies in eastern Maine.

Smolt tags from fish released in the Penobscot were later found on colonies in northern Penobscot Bay. In addition, cormorants were seen feeding on smolts during the spring, and in a sample of 315 cormorants collected in 1986 on the Penobscot River, 28 % contained one or more molts. Thus, it was

After feeding, cormorants get out of the water and rest on ledges, rocks, logs, and other structures. Periodic counts from the air in the spring allowed us to determine where the birds feed in the Penobscot River and major tributaries where Atlantic salmon smolts had been stocked.

clear that cormorants were eating smolts, but questions still remained. How many were being eaten? Was there an effect of these losses on the restoration program?

During our studies, we found that in the spring cormorants feed during daylight singly or in small groups, whereas during the night they roost together in large groups. In the springs of 1992-94, we periodically counted cormorants at both their daytime feeding/resting sites, and nighttime roosting sites just before sunset. To determine the relative distribution of feeding birds, the Penobscot River south of Mattawamkeag, and the lower reaches of the Piscataquis and Mattawamkeag rivers (i.e., all of the waters stocked with smolts), were flown every 8-10 days.

Because not all birds can be seen from an airplane, we needed a means to estimate the total number of cormorants using the study area. To estimate total cormorant numbers, we located all roosting sites and counted the maximum number of birds at each roost the evening of, and immediately before or after, the aerial surveys. Cormorants roost

in large groups, often numbering in the hundreds, and we found, almost without exception, that spring roosting sites were repeatedly used, both daily and yearly. Thus, aerial counts allowed us to estimate the distribution of the feeding birds.

Variety of Prey Eaten Spring is a time of rapidly changing environmental conditions. Water flows are decreasing while water temperatures are rapidly increasing, thus affecting the abundance and composition of fish populations as well as cormorant movements. To obtain an adequate sample of the birds' diet during this time of change, we used data from the stomach contents of 757 cormorants (200 collected in 1992-1993, and 557 in 19861988). The rapidly changing spring conditions were reflected in the cormorant diet with the major kinds of prey eaten changing both with location and season (Table 1). Overall, we found 32 different types of aquatic organisms were eaten between April and June. During early spring, cormorants foraged both above and below the

head of tide (just above Bangor), and their diet consisted primarily of freshwater fishes. As the season progressed, cormorants mostly used areas below the head of tide, and their diet expanded from freshwater prey to include saltwater species as well as those that live where fresh- and saltwater mix. Salmon smolts were a major prey throughout May, especially when cormorants foraged at and near four dams in the mainstem of the Penobscot River.

Predator Effort & Distribution Cormorants returned from their wintering grounds in late April, and usage of the Penobscot River quickly increased. We found that late evening counts at the roosting sites peaked in early May each year (1992 = 969 birds, 1993 = 532, and 1994 = 792). During May, when salmon smolts were eaten by cormorants, the number of DOPs ranged from 13,497 to 18,119. The greater use around dams in 1992 versus 1993 and 1994 was due to normal water levels in the first year versus exceptionally high levels during the last two years of Swm11er 1996

11

TABLE 1. ESTIMATES OF THE CORMORANT DAYS-OF-PREDATION (DOPs)• IN MAY RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF ATLANTIC SALMON SMOLTS STOCKED IN THE PENOBSCOT RIVER, MAINE.

Est. number Number of % of stocked of smelts eaten smelts stocked smelts eatenb

Year

DOP•

1992

16,138

78,675

865,000

9.1%

1993

13,497

43,318

580,433

7.5%

1994

18,119

52,021

567,630

9.2%

"One DOP equals 1 cormorant spending 1 day on the Penobscot River. bThis assumes that only stocked smolts were eaten, while in fact some wild smolts were also taken, thus lowering these percentages somewhat.

study. Relatively low water levels increase the availability of daytime resting sites adjacent to dams, thus possibly resulting in increased use by cormorants.

Putting the Facts Together Based on research and laboratory measurements, we estimated the number of smolts eaten per bird per day relative to the three river sections and two time periods. Daily estimates of smolts eaten per bird ranged from 7.0 at dams during early May to 0.2 below the head-oftide in late May (when many alternative prey species were available).

Smolt Predation and Dams The 43,318 to 78,675 salmon smolts estimated to be eaten each spring by cormorants represented from 7.5 to 9.2 percent of the stocked smolts (see table on page 12).

An average of 41 percent of the total number of smolts estimated as eaten by cormorants were taken at dams, ranging from 31 % in 1994 to 48 % in 1993.

It is clear that dams are a major factor affecting the loss of smolts

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Maine Fish and Wildlife

to cormorants in the Penobscot River.

Management Implications The Penobscot ecosystem supports, in addition to cormorants, 15 other species of animals that are potential predators of juvenile salmon (4 species of fishes, 3 mammals, and 8 birds).

Thus, a species-by-species approach to reducing predation on smolts would be expensive and ineffective. While our data indicate that cormorants eat, on average, less than 8% of the Penobscot smolts (stocked and wild), we believe that losses to cormorants and other predators can and should be reduced.

Although not tested during our study, other research suggests that maintaining maximum water flows increases the successful downstream migration of smolts. Assuming these findings apply to the Penobscot, and our observations that feeding cormorants concentrate at dams where water flow is disrupted suggest that they do, we recommend maintaining maximum water flows from between April and June. High water should assist

smolts in moving downstream faster, especially at dams, and high water also floods cormorant resting sites at dams, thus reducing daytime resting sites and possibly the number of foraging birds. In addition, the effectiveness of the best available fish passage facilities should be studied. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we recommend research to determine if hatchery procedures can be modified to produce wilder smo1ts. Laboratory research by fisheries personnel of the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit has shown that anti-predator behavior in juvenile salmon can be increased by providing cover, reducing human disturbance, and exposing fish to simulated predator attacks. We should now determine whether or not wilder salmon can be raised under hatchery conditions, and whether these fish avoid predators in the wild better than traditionally raised hatchery smolts.

Finally, we note that the life cycle of the Atlantic salmon is complex. Reducing predation on smolts during their downstream migration to the ocean will not guarantee greater numbers of returning adult fishes; indeed, many biologists now think that changed conditions in the North Atlantic may be affecting salmon during their oceanic phases. Each piece of the salmon's life history puzzle must be looked at in detail before we can identify limiting factors. Only with more information can management activities be evaluated and modified to restore the Atlantic salmon to the Penobscot and other New England waters.

•

•

Here they are: brook trout at top, splake at bottom. Note the differences, primarily in the tails (you can see where the name "squaretail" came from!)

Wild Splake vs.Ha tchery Trout

Five-Year Study Over, Results Good News!

by Tim Obrey

The

five-year splake study begun by the Fisheries Division in 1990 has been completed-and the results are good news for Maine anglers!

Splake studies started in the early 1980s to evaluate the performance of splake vs. hatchery brook trout. The project was expanded in 1990 to further evaluate the performance of splake in various habitat conditions in Maine. Originally, splake were stocked in just two waters, Basin Pond and Minnehonk Lake. The number of waters

stocked with splake has grown to more than 50--more than 30 of these are still actively managed for splake. The number of waters has grown rapidly because of the impressive fisheries that have been created by stocking these hybrids.

The main objectives of the study were to determine whether stocked splake provide a better Tim Obrey is Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist in Greenville.

Summer 1996

13

range of 2-8 percent (total weight stocked / total weight harvested) during the ice fishing season at Big Wood Pond in Jackman. All of these trout were from the previous spring stocking • • and we could not document survival past the first winter season. By comparison, splake returns from Big Wood ranged from 4060 percent in the first winter at large. And that's just the beginning!

Because splake survive to older ages, we were able to document an additional 37 percent return at Age 3. That's a total of 77-97 percent return, just in the winter months! Data from other waters were similar. Returns from a single stocking reached as high as 141 percent in one water (that's 141 pounds harvested for every 100 pounds stocked)!

We learned that splake are not a panacea for all waters in the state. Splake have certain water quality requirements for survival. They do not perform well in waters which lack cool, oxygenated water in the summer months-so shallow warmwater ponds will not be considered for future splake management.

We also learned that waters with excessive harvest, resulting in "put and take" fishing, are better off with hatchery brook trout than splake.

The benefits of splake are realized when conditions permit survival past the first summer at large.

Splake stomachs were examined from many waters during the study. Understanding food habits is important in assessing growth potential and competition with other species. Species like salmon and lake trout are very dependant on smelts for forage . Typically, if smelts become scarce, growth rates slow. Splake are very flexible in their food habits; they seem to take advantage of whatever forage is available, not relying on only one species. At Piper Pond, splake fed heavily on smelts in some years and on white perch in other years. Growth rates remained quite good despite obvious fluctuations in forage populations. Splake were found feeding on crayfish, bass, and sunfish in other waters. In one water with very few forage fish, splake fed on zooplankton during summer months. Growth was still very good.

.. .1mpress1ve fisheries have been created by stocking these hybrids.

The author holding a prime Age Ill+ splake taken from Piper Pond in the fall of 1993 as part of the five-year study. Research definitely points to a fishery management program involving increased use of this species. fishery than stocked brook trout, determine acceptable habitat conditions for splake, document food habits, and assess the effects of special regulations.

It became clear very early in the study that, in fact, splake provide a much higher return to anglers, in terms both of numbers and size. For example, we documented hatchery brook trout returns in the

14

Mni11e Fish and Wildlife

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Splake are a favorite target of ice fishermen because they are easy to catch. This is good for anglers, but excessive harvest diminishes the quality of the fishery. Winter anglers were removing nearly all the splake stocked in Piper Pond under a five-fish bag limit and six-inch minimum length limit. After a two-trout, 12-inch minimum length limit was adopted in 1992, the quality of the fishery improved dramatically. The number of Age 3 splake in the harvest increased from less than five percent to more than 30 percent in two years! These three-year old fish averaged 17-18 inches! Catch rates remained high and included much more desirable sized fish. The number of older fish in the catches continues to improve.

The oldest splake documented in Piper Pond was captured in the fall of 1995 in a trapnet. The fish was five years old and weighed 4 1 / 4 pounds.

The success of the regulation change at Piper Pond and other waters was the basis for the standardization of the splake regulations in 1995.

Three standard categories of regulations were adopted by the Fisheries Division this past year.

The first category is designed to protect splake through the first winter at large to provide some carry-over to age 3. The regulation is the same as our Class 1 trout regulation: a two-trout bag limit, a 12 -inch minimum length, and only one fish over 14 inches. This will be the regulation for the majority of Maine splake waters The second category is designed to produce a higher quality fishery.

Splake have demonstrated the ability to survive to ages 4 and 5 if sufficiently protected. A one-trout bag limit and 16-inch minimum length limit would provide this protection. Currently, we have four waters in the state with this regulation. The last category is designed to provide trophy fishing. A

Another Age Ill+ splake, this one taken for research in August of 1990.

one-trout bag limit with an 18-inch minimum length limit has been adopted on two waters as part of the Quality Fishing Initiatives. It is too soon to evaluate the success of this regulation, but hopefully in the near future, someone will break the state record of 10 pounds, 3 ounces (by the way, the world record is over 30 pounds!).

Many people have asked why the department would stock a fish that can't reproduce instead of stocking brook trout that could spawn, thus requiring no further stocking. Actually, splake do have the ability to spawn successfully. although it is very rare (only one case has been documented, in Canada). Hatcheries have been successful at crossing splake with brook trout, lake trout, and other splake. We don't expect to see any wild splake in Maine, but that's not a problem. The vast majority of waters stocked by the department are not stocked with the intention of starting wild populations. The fact is, many waters stocked with salmon, trout, or lake trout lack the habitat necessary for successful natural reproduction. There would be no coldwater gamefish in these waters without stocking.

The splake project has taught us that splake can play a significant role in fisheries management in Maine. Quality cold water fisheries, in terms of catch rates and size, can be created in many waters where currently there are no stocking programs, or where other hatchery fish have provided marginal results. Splake will play a major role in enhancing opportunity and creating quality fishing-two very important goals of the department. • Summer 1996

15

Maine Fish and Wildlife

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Summer 1996

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Wildlife Di ition Editor's note: Speaking for IF&W, wildlife director Ken Elowe this winter testified before a legislative committee about Maine's upcoming clear-cut referendum and its likely implications for the state's wildlife species, This fall Maine voters will decide at the general election whether to ban clear-cutting altogether as a forestry management practice. What follows is Elowe's te~timony in its entirety.

TESTIMONY OF KENNETH D. ELOWE DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE IN OPPOSITION TO L.D. 1819 Senator Cassidy, Representative Spear, and members of the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, thank you for the opportunity to present information here today. My name is Ken Elowe, and I am the Director of the Wildlife Division for the Department of Inland Fisheries and wildlife. I am here to present testimony in opposition to L.D. 1819, An Act to Promote Forest Rehabilitation and Eliminate Clearcutting.

There are many people that are more qualified than myself to comment on the impact of this legislation on future forest structure and the economic impacts to forest products and industries. I understand that the Maine Forest Service is continuing its efforts to predict the impact of this legislation on forest structure through the use of simulation models. The future structure and diversity of habitats on the landscape in Maine will determine the impact of this legislation on wildlife. At this

18

Maine Fish and Wildlife

time, it is impossible to predict the effect that the proposed restrictions will have on specific species, except in general terms.

Many species of wildlife in Maine are dependent on early successional forest growth as a major habitat component. Some species may use open areas for hunting or foraging, as is the case with some raptor species, or

the edges of forest openings where foods such as raspberries and other soft mast are in close proximity to the cover of the nearby forest. Other species, such as snowshoe hare and ruffed grouse, require areas that have regenerated with conifers, hardwoods, or poplar. Many other species, such as moose, deer and bear, require a diversity

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Strip clearcuts aren't much prettier from the ground!

To Clearcut of forest types and open areas on the landscape to provide a diversity of seasonal food and cover sources to carry them throughout the year.

Maine's wildlife diversity has evolved, to a large extent, as a result of a forest that was subject to regular and strong disturbance factors such as disease, wind and fire. The openings created by these disturbances provided essential food resources for a multitude of species in the form of new regenerating growth and berries of all kinds. Therefore, any future forest practices that seek to reduce, or eliminate to a large extent the forest openings and diversity of habitats required by many species, will have a negative impact on those species.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has realized, for many years, that habitat is the key to the continued presence and abundance of wildlife on the landscape. Most forest practices create conditions that benefit a variety of species, while at the same time adversely impacting conditions for other species. Forums such as the Governor's Council on Sustainable Forest Management, Maine Forest Biodiversity Project, and efforts such as the American Forest and Paper Association's Sustainable Forestry initiative also realize that we can improve

the way that Maine's forests are managed for many different values. From a wildlife perspective, these are exciting times. We have formed working partnerships with several large landholders allowing a cooperative approach for managing large tracts of timberlands for wildlife values as well as wood production. This is the way we must work now and in the future.

Essential and implicit in our approach when cooperatively planning landscapes for wildlife benefit, is the focus on outcomes - how the forested landscape will look in the future, in terms of stand types, structure' and juxtaposition on the ground as opposed to forest practices. For wildlife all forest practices have potential for beneficial results, depending on how they are applied to the landscape. Restricting the use of certain practices will not necessarily mean that the resulting forest will satisfy the needs of wildlife. This can only be accomplished by considering the needs of an array of wildlife and creating the desirable forest composition and structure through the use of appropriate forest management practices. Then, foresters can apply the full range of practices to achieve the desired outcome.

Forest practices can be tailored to specific sites to best achieve the cooperative goal

This legislation proposes a simplified formula to the management of Maine's forest. Since we are dealing with many types of forest and wildlife, one size simply does not fit all. In fact, the proposed restrictions will not satisfy the needs of many of Maine's most valued species. It would significantly impact the state's ability to effectively manage public lands for wildlife, and may negate this agency's ability to work with landowners and promote the use of forestry practices that address the needs of many species.

Additionally, this legislation may negate the cooperative wildlife planning projects that the Wildlife Division has been involved in with an increasingly enthusiastic group of landowners that translates, potentially, into hundreds of thousands of acres over the next few years.

Also, the efforts of the Forest Biodiversity Project and the Sustainable Forestry Council will be severely compromised.

In an era of emerging yet enthusiastic cooperative forest management for an array of wildlife and biodiversity issues, this legislation would be a certain setback and would limit our options for creating a landscape that will benefit a great part of Maine's natural wildlife species.

Thank you, and I would be happy to answer any questions.

S11mmer1996

19

''Hold It! Game For a few days, Swan Island on the Kennebec River swarms with wardens and poachers. But what's up with that? lsn 't this place a wildlife management area?

Q. Where and when in Maine is the greatest single concentration of fish and wildlife poachers?

A. At the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on Swan Island in the Kennebec River for four days in late May.

Q. During this period, where is the greatest single concentration of Maine game wardens?

A. At the Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area on Swan Island in the Kennebec River for four days in late May.

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mmm. What gives? How could this be? It's all true, sort of. The caJ-ch is that the poachers are impersonators. That's right. The "bad guys," the bearded, bedraggled poachers in the old pickup trucks are none other than veteran game wardens who are dressing and acting the part. They are key players in an educational process that is all part of the Maine Warden School. Called "Practical Week," game warden recruits round out their 16 weeks of intensive training by participating in a round the clock week of diverse mock arrest scenarios.

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Maine Fish and Wildlife

Wdn. Terry Hughes writes a summons to the "poacher" (Wdn. Bill Livezey) for over-the-limit of brook trout. Wdn. Sgt. Tim Peabody (lower right) was rater for this "incident. " As you can see (top right), wardens at work are not always real easy to spot.

Can you find him?

arden ... '' It may sound like play, but it's serious business.

The guns shoot blanks, but the pressure on the recruit to do well, to translate classroom knowledge into performance in the field is very real.

Whether the mock scenario involves apprehending an "intoxicated" night hunter resisting arrest or making a routine check of a duck hunter, Practical Week is a meticulously choreographed simulation that tests prospective wardens in the field. For all warden recruits, Practical Week is an intense and at times - stressful, energy draining learning experience. According to Warden Sergeant Mike Marshall, who shares the planning responsibilities for this week with Warden Lt. Pat Dorian, it is important to test the warden recruit's performance under stress. "Stress is stress. And it can be applied to a learning experience in many different ways," says Marshall. We make it seem very real; hearts do get pounding."

At the onset of Practical Week, warden recruits receive the so-called "red book," which provides for them a short synopsis of each mock encounter with various wildlife violators. They are told very little, except where to be, what time and what sort

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Sgt. Mike Marshall, who is involved in planning the curriculum for warden "Practical Week," remembers his stint on the island, and has never forgotten his mistakes or the lessons he learned from them.

by V. Paul Reynolds

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During a decoy grouse scenario, Warden Steve Parker (middle) issues a summons to a violator (Warden John Blagdon, left).

Meanwhile, the "invisible" rater, Sergeant Brian Gray, assesses the recruit's performance. of' detail they will be working. For example, the Decoy Grouse exercise reads: "Wardens will set up decoy grouse at T-2. The date will be a legal hunting day for grouse. The scenario will be on a dirt road. Wardens will conceal themselves and vehicles and wait for possible violators.

Accompanying warden recruits in each arrest scenario are experienced game wardens who will grade the performance of the recruit during the mock scenario. Grading criteria include such categories as verbal communication, decision making, performance under stress, conflict resolution, observation skills and so forth.

As would be expected, some recruits put it all together better than others. But after this week of structured make believe, all new game wardens take with them - not only the benefits of the shared experiences of seasoned game wardens - but a personal awareness of themselves and what to work on as they head out for their districts to protect and preserve the resource and become a working conservation officer worthy of the name Maine Game Warden. • Summer 1996

21

Atlantic Salmon Sa/mo salar Large populations of this "king of the gamefish" were once found throughout New England from the St. Croix River to Connecticut's Housatonic River. By the early 1800s, salmon numbers had been severely reduced, and by the mid 1800s had almost disappeared from native habitat west of the Penobscot River in Maine. Dams for industry and overfishing were the major reasons for the decline.

Atlantic salmon are "anadromous" meaning the fish migrate from the ocean into freshwater to "spawn", or lay their eggs. Most adult salmon find the rivers in which they were hatched and migrate upstream in late spring, but spawning takes place in late fall.

Eggs are buried in the clean gravel of headwater streams, and develop through the winter.

Hatching occurs in early spring; the newborn fish are called "sac fry," feeding from the yolk sac still attached to their bellies and hiding in the gravel for protection.

When the yolk sac is completely gone, they become free-swimming "alevlns," eating insect larvae and nymphs. Alevins are tasty snacks for bittts, larger fish, and mammals like mink or otter.

22

Maine Fish and Wildlife

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. f spawn\ng sa\mon \nto sac frY· one pair o 4500 of these hatch the frY as theY eggs. On\Y d m\nk a\\ \ove to ea~ y are readY to 'Trout, b\rds, an \ a. bY the t\me t e \ow water, 50 are e,' Disease, grow, on\ty the ocean as smo\ts .. n the ocean, On\Y 2 ·grate o '\\more' m1 o\\ut\on kl to spawn\ f\sh\ng and P\t w\\\ make \t back t h of 7500 eggs adu s riginal ba c ent of an o ., 1) What perc hatch into sac f7o~ into smolts'? ., nt of sac fry g ack to spawn • 2) What perce f smolts make it b you'\\ see 3) What p~r:~;u: ed 0 ut thes~ :~;~;:-sa\mon\\ once you v \aws to protec uie Hl'IW :!Hl oa whY we have · li '.%09 l\. :slaMs . l£ •. %9000 000

Where do smolts go once they enter the ocean'? Fish biologists have just recently found that they swim toward Greenland, where they find lots of small fish, shrimp and other food to eat. And they keep growing!! After two to four years in the ocean, adult salmon return to spawn in the rivers and streams in which they were born.

As they eat and grow and grow some more, the young salmon get to about 2 inches in length and into a stage called "parr." The coloring they develop helps them blend into weeds, gravel and rocks, and hide from predators.

After 1-2 years growing in the parr stage, the salmon begin to transform into "smolts ", undergoing a physiological change in the spring that allows them to survive in salt water.

Smolts weigh about 2 ounces and are 6 inches long, yet when they return from the ocean 2-4 years later, they weigh up to 10 pounds!!

Smolts 'remember' the odor of their home streams so when they return from the sea to spawn, they smell their way " home!"

"Stages of Salmon " artwork by Carol Kutz, Shadowplay Artworks, Lagrange, Maine

Summer 1996

23

~ATTENTION OUTDOOR WOMEN!! ~ MAINE DEPT. OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE 284 STATE ST. #41 AUGUSTA, ME 04333

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THE GOLDEN EAGLE STREAMER rom th~ Fly Tying Bench

by Butch Carey THE PATTERN

HOOK: #94720, size 4 THREAD: Black TAG: Fluorescent red flat waxed thread BODY: Gold braided Mylar tubing

WINGS: Grizzly saddle hackles, ginger saddle hackles THROAT: Lavender calftail, white calftail CHEEK: Bronze ringnecked pheasant breast feathers EYES: Jungle cock (optional) HEAD: Red

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Tie down front of body with cast-on black thread. Cement.

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Cut section of gold braided Myler tubing to extend from bend of hook (just over barb ) to just behind eye. Put in position; tie down in back with fluorescent red flat waxed thread to form tag.

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Attach four strands of peacock herl just behind eye, sized to extend about 1/4" beyond rear of hook.

Summer 1996

25

Tie in matched pair of ginger saddle hackles, then add matched pair of grizzly saddle hackles on top. Cement.

Add a small bunch of lavender and a small bunch of white calftail under the eye to form throat. Cement.

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Select a matched pair (one left, one right) of bronze ringnecked pheasant breast feathers.

Tie one in one each side for cheeks. (Note: jungle cock eyes are optional, and would be added, one on each side, at this point). Finish the head with red thread, and your Golden Eagle Streamer is ready to hit the water!

, TIPS ON INSTALLING MYLAR TUBING BODIES 1. To prepare the tubing ahead of time, remove the tubing from package, pull out center thread , and rig up some way to stretch it good and tight (I use two fly vises spaced the right distance apart on my bench). Put some cement between thumb and forefinger and run them along the tubing , coating the entire length. Let dry; repeat two or three times. When dry, this treated tubing can be installed over the hook's eye without fraying , saving material and time and making for more rugged bodies as well.

2. When tying down tubing , make your wraps as close together as possible and cement well to hide fraying and help prevent the fish 's teeth from fraying the material.

3. With tubing , and as a general rule , don 't extend any body material into the bend area of the hook. Fish teeth will rapidly fray even the most carefully prepared and applied materials if they are too close to the point and barb.

26

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Bear Study Update

by Craig McLaughlin, Bear Study Leader Each winter, the Bear Study Team visits dens of radio-collared female bears to document their reproductive success and survival, part of our ongoing efforts to track the status of Maine's bear population. Last winter, we checked 49 dens in three study areas located in different parts of the state. The selected study areas are representative of the diverse habitat conditions bears experience in Maine. We handled 86 bears- 30 adults, 25 sub-adults, 24 yearlings and seven cubs. Much of the winter's work was completed by Randy Cross; we were helped by contract workers Chad McNeal and Tyler Gehr.

Our winter's work confirmed our expectations of a light cub crop, with few female bears producing cubs in 1996. Beechnuts were scarce in northern Maine last fall, and bears entered dens early with low stores of body fa t; most females denned by early October. These bears rarely produce cubs, and lightweight cubs experience greater mortality during their first year of life.

Maine's beechnut crops have fluctuated over the past 14 years; beechnuts have generally been scarce in odd-numbered years and abundant in even-numbered years.

This p henomenon has been linked to the number of cubs in January and February of odd-numbered years following abundant beechnut crops.

Cubs remain with their mothers for 16 to18 months, and an adult female bear normally produces litters at two-year intervals.

Bears living in areas bordering agriculture or containing many different kinds of berries use a wider variety of fall foods, and are less synchronized in cub production.

Here, close to half of female bears produce cubs on any given year, and the number of cubs born year-toyear remains more stable.

This winter, many thin bears were encountered in the 25 dens we visited at Spectacle Pond in northern Maine, where beechnuts are bears' primary fall food source.

Survival of cubs born in 1995 was low, with 14 of 34 (41 percent) surviving to one year of age. None of the six adult female bears capable of producing litters produced cubs.

The nine dens we visited in Stacyville, where bears have access to agricultural lands, showed greater survival. Two of three cubs born in 1995 survived to become yearlings. Only one of four adults produced cubs this year, but age influenced the sample. The three adults which did not produce litters were four-year-olds, the youngest age at which females regularly produce cubs in Maine. The remaining adult, the oldest female we are currently following, produced a single cub at 23 years of age.

We visited 18 dens at Bradford, along the border of farming country in south central Maine, and experienced a few surprises. The light snow cover allowed three bears to elude us by simply running away from their winter "nests" on the ground as we approached. Repeated capture attempts were frustrating; we captured only one of these mobile bruins. We were pleasantly surprised to find four new yearling females in the dens of two adults newly radio-collared in 1995. Cub survival was high; eight out of nine cubs produced in 1995 remained alive at one year of age. Four of five breeding females actually produced litters in 1996, but one of these lost her cubs before we visited the den in early March .

We are now following 68 radiocollared female bears, including 27 bears near Bradford, 10 near Stacyville, and 31 at Spectacle Pond southwest of Ashland. These bears will continue to supply information on the status of Maine's bears for future management decisions.

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William Day of Kezar Falls holds his prize 27.05-pound lake trout, believed to be the largest ever caught in Sebago Lake. The monster togue, measuring in at 40 3/4" in length and 24 112" in girth, played on Dyer's Flatfish for nearly 30 minutes in the early morning of June 3.

Although this is a confirmed Sebago Lake record, it still leaves intact the state record of 31 lb. 8 oz., set in 1958 by a catch from Beech Hill Pond.

Nonetheless, what a beauty this Sebago catch is!

Summer 1996

27

FISH AND WILDLIFE BRIEFS Wiggie Robinson Named

Warden of the Year Named

Wilmot "Wiggie" Robinson, a wellknown Maine outdoorsman and columnist from Millinocket, was named chairman this spring of the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council. The 10-member council, which is made up of knowledgeable outdoor people from throughout the state, meets periodically with the Commissioner and his staff to approve policy and management recommendations from the Department.

A Warden from northern Maine stands out among his peers this year.

Fred Jackson of Stockholm is the latest recipient of the Warden of the Year Award, presented during the annual meeting of the Warden Service held March 29 in Brewer.

Warden Specialist Jackson is a 20year veteran of the Maine Warden Service. He has spent his entire career working in northern Maine as a dedicated district warden who focuses his efforts on curtailing all types of poaching.

Wardens Gary Sibley, Jr. and James Fahey recommended Jackson to the awards board. In their letter, they write: "Warden Jackson's success is, by design, cumulative. Fred is continually building and adding to what is seemingly an unlimited bank of skills, ability and knowledge of the job .. . It is because of this that Fred is able to apprehend and prosecute those who poach moose, deer, smelts and wild brook trout in areas that are both vast in area and sparsely populated."

Wilmot "Wiggie " Robinson Robinson, who has hunted and fished Maine most of his life, has been actively involved in various aspects of fish and wildlife issues for many years.

An enthusiastic upland game bird hunter, Robinson is founder and former president of the Maine Bird Dog club. A retired foreman from Great Northern Paper Co., the Millinocket native has served as a member of the Whitewater Rafting Commission, the Maine Guide' s Board and the Waterfowl Council. He has also worked closely in the field with a number of biologists and game wardens over the years. After two secondyear terms on the Advisory Council, Robinson was elected vice chairman in 1995.

Through his writing, the new council chairman has been sharing his outdoor knowledge and experiences with readers of a number of Maine outdoor publications, including the Maine Sportsman and the Northwoods Sporting Journal.

' 28

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Warden of the Year Fred Jackson Besides his success in catching violators, Jackson is a member of the Warden Service Search and Rescue Dive Team.

Warden of the Year is an honor bestowed annually to a Maine game warden who is selected by his peers. Last year's recipient was Warden Thomas Ward.

Additional accolades were handed out during the morning ceremony. The Search and Rescue and Reconnaissance Detachment (SRRD) of the Maine Army National Guard received the Colonel's award. The SRRD's pilots provided invaluable help to the Warden Service.

Special technology aboard the helicopter allowed missing-person searches to continue from the air at night.

Sgt. Mike Marshall of Princeton was named the distinguished supervisor.

Warden Lloyd Perkins of Manchester received the Operation Game Thief Outstanding Game Warden award.

Five wardens were given meritorious service awards: William Gormely, Dave Berry, Allen Later, Brian Cain, and retired warden John Ready.

Awards for exemplary service went to William Allen, District Wardens Douglas Kulis, Joseph Gardner, Joseph McBrine, Daniel Carroll, Dan Glidden, Warden Specialist Deborah Palman, and Chief Warden Pilot Roger Wolverton.

Hooked On Fishing In cooperation with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the national program "Hooked On Fishing- Not On Drugs" will make its Maine debut during National Fishing Week June 2-9. The "Hooked On Fishing" program has become increasingly popular around the country as more youngsters and their families discover the joy of sharing the fishing experience in the Great Outdoors.

Several activities are scheduled throughout the state to promote family involvement and interest in the "Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs" program.

A family fishing day will be held June 8 at the Birches Campground on Cobbosseecontee Lake. Activities will include a youth fishing class, fishing with families, awards, and a cookout.

The public is invited to the event, which begins at 10 a.m.

North Whitefield will sponsor a "Hooked On Fishing Day" Sunday, June 9 starting at 9 a.m. The activities scheduled include a cleanup of the Shecpscot River starting at the Route 26 bridge, adults and youth learning the basics of fly fishing and casting and exploring the entomology of the area. Also, a kiosk

designed to educa te the public about the river as a resource will be installed and dedicated.

Throughout Maine a number of organizations such as Trout Unlimited will be hosting similar events all intended to introduce youngsters to the fishing experience.

Hog Island to be Protected Hog Island, located in the biologically rich Machias Bay estuary, will soon be permanently protected and managed

by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The 30-acre island will be purchased with funds avai lable from the Coastal Wetland Conservation Grant program, matched by state and private contributions. This federal grant, gained through the cooperation of private, state and federa l partners, will protect a variety of natural resources.

Hog Island's value as premier wildlife habitat has been long recognized by state and federal wildlife biologi ts," commented Stewart Fefer, Project Leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Gulf of Maine Project. "Traditionally used by wintering bald eagles, the island has recently become a successful eagle nesting site as well."

Hog Island also provides nesting habitat for black ducks, and the surrounding coasta l waters provide one of the most important black duck wintering areas statewide. Expansive intertidal mudflats provide an internationally significant staging and feeding area for tens of thousands of migrating shorebirds. In addition, the area provides habitat for smelt, alewife, shad, eel, striped bass and native Atlantic salmon. Osprey, peregrine falcons, seabirds, great blue herons, seals and other wildli fe also find shelter here, contributing to the

state designation of the area as a "Class A Concentration Area," placing it amongst the highest value wildlife habitat in Maine.

Moose Auction Nets $35,629 Thanks to five moose hunters from Montana, Washington, Pennsylvania, New York and Maine, more than 200 Maine youngsters will receive scholarships this summer to Maine Conservation Camp.

The 1996 Maine Moose Auction, which was approved two years ago by the Maine State legislature, allows the Fish and Wildlife Department to publicly offer five moose hunting permits to the highest bidder - with all proceeds going to fund conservation education for Maine boys and girls ages 12 to 14.

According to Vesta Billing, the Department's director of licensing and registration who oversees the bidding process, 40 bids were received from the U.S. and Canada. The five top bids total $35, 629. The highest bid was $8,000.

The lowest among the five winning bids was $5,200.

The five successful bidders will be contacted by certified mail and will have until May 3 to select their hunting zones, name their subpermittees and submit their donations. The winning bids were submitted by Derril Lamb of Bowdoinham, Maine; Fred Murray of Shavertown, Pennsylvania; John Harry of Farmingdale, New York; Pete Papac of Montesano, Washington; and Rick Oncken of Missoula, Montana.

One of the winning bidders, Pete Papac, who is a logging contractor and avid hunter from Washington state, has never been to Maine. When notified of his winning bid, he said "We can't wait to see Maine in October. Virginia and I

want to see your famous coast and bag a trophy moose, if we can." Papac's wife, who is also an experienced hunter, will be his hunting subpermittee." Another wimung bidder, Fred Murray from Pennsylvania is a retired flight engineer for American Airlines. Murray, who hunts deer, bear, and grouse in his native Pennsylvania, said when notified of his high bid that he "was thrilled."

The Maine Conservation Camp is located at two sites, one on Lake Christopher at Bryant Pond in western Maine and one at Greenland Point Center on Long Lake near Machias. Throughout the summer, 200 boys and girls will attend one of the four weekly sessions.

Each youngster is provided with basics in being woodswise and safety conscious, as well as an awareness and appreciation of Maine's natural resources and outdoor traditions.

Interested youngsters may obtain an application for a scholarship to attend the Conservation Camp by calling or writing the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Maine's remaining 1,495 moose hunting permits will be awarded in mid-June during the annual moose lottery drawing.

Fallen Officers Honored The Color Guard of the Maine Warden Service joined with other law enforcement officers of the state May 16 in Augusta in paying annual tribute to fellow officers who have given their lives in the line of duty.

The annual ceremony is held at the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, which is across from the State Capitol on the State House grounds. During the ceremony, Gov. Angus King spoke of the courage and dedication which has been the hallmark of Maine's law enforcement community.

Over the years, 14 game wardens have died in the line of duty. Of those who lost their lives, five were murdered, four drowned, two were killed in vehicle accidents, two suffered heart attacks, and one was killed in an accidental detonation of dynamite.

Members of the Maine Warden Service Color Guard raise a salute to fallen comrades during a special ceremony May 16 at the Augusta site of the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

Summer 1996

29

Bozenhard Receives Award Phil Bozenhard of Gray has received the wildlife "Biologist of the Year Award" from the Sunkhaze Chapter of Trout Unlimited in recognition of his outstanding contributions to management of Maine's wildlife resources. The award was presented at the Chapter's annual "Biologist Recognition Night" last February.

Bozenhard, a Springfield, MA native, graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1969 with a degree in wildlife management. He started working with the Department as an assistant wildlife biologist in Ashland in 1969. In 1973, Bozenhard was promoted to Regional Biologist in Region A. Bozenhard has been actively involved with Maine's wild turkey restoration project, which began in 1976. He has also worked in recent years with deer overpopulation problems on some of Maine's coastal islands, as well as overseeing Damage Control Agents and managing a number of wildlife management areas.

Public-Private Partnership Protects Deer Great Northern Paper Company Inc., Maine's largest private landowner, and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife have reached an historic agreement for the conservation of nearly 26,000 acres of deer wintering area.

The newly protected deer wintering acreage is part of a 511,000-acre region surrounding the West Branch of the Penobscot River. A brief signing ceremony will take place at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's Hedin Hall facility, on the campus of the Bangor Mental Health Institute, at 2:30 p .m., Friday, April 12, 1996.

A long-term forest management plan that provides for the sustained yield of softwood trees necessary to provide both winter shelter for deer and raw products for GNP's paper and lumber mills.

"Our 15-year agreement is the result of five years of work by GNP and MDIFW biologists and foresters," said Lyman Feero, Great Northern's wildlife biologist. "It represents a significant commitment of time and effort by both organizations to get where we are today.

"The agreement with Great orthem is a major advance in deer habitat man-

30

Maine Fish and Wildlife

agement," said Mark Stadler, Regional Management Supervisor for MDIFW, whose responsibilities include administering MDIFW's deer wintering area program. According to the agreement, Great Northern will manage the 26,000 acres to ensure that half the land always provide deer with mature, closedcanopy softwood stands, which provide winter shelter. The remaining acres will consist of young forest stands, resulting from timber harvesting. These young stands provide food for deer, but more important, they will provide future winter shelter as they grow and mature.

As a result, they provide deer with a continuous source of winter shelter and Great Northern has a predictable supply of wood for its mills.

Feero and Stadler concur that the cooperative agreement provides greater opportunities for successful habitat management than are currently possible via regulatory zoning alone.

"This agreement provides a framework for future agreements between GNP and MDIFW in other area ," said Feero. "Great Northern is currently studying three additional areas."

More than two decades ago, the Land Use Regulation Commission, the entity responsible for land-use planning and zoning in the state's unorganized towns, and MDIFW addressed the biological importance of deer wintering areas and their pattern of traditional winter use by

zoning the shelter portion of specific deer wintering areas as P-FW (Protection-Fish & Wildlife) zones. Forest landowners often objected to the zoning because it restricted activities such as timber harvesting and forest road construction. P-FW zoning eventually ended in the Maine supreme court in 1981. Although the court upheld P-FW zoning, the controversy continued. To reduce the tension surrounding deer wintering area zoning and to achieve greater opportunities for successful deer management than were currently possible through regulatory zoning alone, MDIFW began talking with fores t landowner1> about entering into long-term, cooperative deer wintering area management agreements. LURC has endorsed the idea of cooperative, longterm deer wintering area management.

Currently, 14,382 acres are zoned as a deer wintering area in the West Branch region. ln Maine, deer select winter habitats that offer protection from the wind, reduced snow depth, and food," said Stadler. "These winter habi ta ts, commonly called deer yards or deer win tering areas, typica lly contain mature softwood forest stands, which provide shelter from snow, wind, and openings in hardwood areas that provide food. In addition, deer wintering areas often receive annual use by successive generations of deer. According to Stadler, some

Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Ray "Bucky" Owen and Marcia McKeague of Great Northern Paper Co. sign an agreement protecting some 26,000 acres of forestland in northwestern Maine.

deer wintering areas have shown documented deer use for more than 50 years.

Deer wintering areas are essential for the survival of deer, which are at the northern limit of their range, in Maine.

Hatcheries Establish New Brood Strains In the fall of 1995 , personnel from the hatchery division of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife conducted five wild and domestic fish spawning operations. From the five wild spawning operations, three new strains of future brood fish were established. These were lake trout from Cold Stream Pond in Enfield, brook trout from Nesowadnehunk Lake in Baxter State Park, and brook trout from the Kennebago watershed. These bodies of water were chosen for their large native trout populations.

Fish culturists and regional fisheries biologists used trap nets and seines to collect wild spawning fish. Eggs were taken, fertilized and disinfected. After spawning, these fish were released unharmed.

Before these new strains were introduced into the hatchery system, they were tested by the hatchery pathologist and certified disease-free.

This will be an ongoing program replacing aging domestic brood fish with native wild strains enhancing Maine's fisheries resources for generations to come.

Those Outdoor TV Shows Here is a broadcast schedule of the three Maine outdoor TV programs being produced by URSUS Productions. IF&W is a partial sponsor of Northeast Outdoors:

• Northeast Outdoors: Sundays at 10:30.a.m. and Thursday at 6 p.m. on MPBN • The Maine Outdoorsman: Sundays at 11 a.m. on WABI-TV in Bangor, WPXT-TV Fox 51 in Portland, and WAGM-TV in Presque Isle.

• Outdoors In Maine: Check your local cable listing: Waterville, Augusta,, Biddeford, Lewiston, Brunswick, Bangor, Sanford and Concord, N.H.

Mike Ritchie Memorialized Retired Warden Lieutenant Mike Ritchie, 45, died unexpectedly March 25 while teaching a conservation law enforcement class at Beal College in Bangor. A special memorial service was held in his memory at the Colby College Chapel.

A graduate of Presque isle High School and the University of Maine, Ritchie served as a game warden for 22 years, retiring in 1994.

An active outdoorsman who belonged to a number of outdoor organizations, Ritchie held a number of posts after leaving the Maine Warden Service.

At the time of his death, he was the program director and instructor in conservation law at Beal College.

Of Ritchie's years of service as a game warden, Col. Parker Tripp remembered him as a dedicated law enforcement officer who was totally committed.

Ritchie was the father of two daughters and was the husband of Sandy Ritchie of Smithfield.

Trespass Law Major changes in the state's trespass laws were enacted by this past Legisla-

tive session. Under the new law, landowners will be permitted to post against a specific activity, as opposed to simply "No Trespassing." The hope is that given this new latitude landowners may refrain from so-called blanket posting of their property against all recreational activity. Additionally, so-called nailless posting with silver paint marks will be permitted and will serve as legal posting against trespass. The law states that there must be two vertical silver paint marks, which must be between 3 and 5 feet off the ground.

Some changes, too, with regard to treestands. The upshot is that starting this fall tree stands will have to be labeled with the user's name and address.

Any permanent treestand erected anywhere in the state will require written consent of the owner.

The Deer Seasons: 1995/1996 Despite less than desirable hunting conditions at the beginning of the November deer season, Maine's 1995 deer kill was well ahead of the predicted harvest. The official harvest count for the 1995 season is 27,384. Last fall saw the third largest buck harvest in Maine history.

This figure represents an 11 percent increase over the 1994 Maine deer harvest of 24,683. Despite a decline in archery licenses, the deer kill for bow hunters was up 61 percent over the previous year. A record-high muzzleloader deer kill also occurred in 1995. Black powder hunters increased their deer harvest 139 percent over 1994.

According to Gerry Lavigne, deer biologist for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife whose harvest predictions tend to be very close, the

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Summer 1996

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higher than expected kill is "good news." Lavigne says "this is a welcome change. It means that the population (deer) has rebounded strongly." In fact, Lavigne reports that based on his analysis, Maine's post-hunt deer population is slightly over 250,000 animals. The good news is that this represents a 20 percent increase in the wintering herd over 1994 estimates. Lavigne says that mild wintering conditions coupled with several years of rather conservative doe harvests have set the stage for a strong deer recovery, particularly in central and southern Maine.

The state deer biologist attributes the higher harvest to three factors. First, says Lavigne is that "we underestimated the herd's response to last year's relatively mild winter." Second factor was a good tracking snow late in the season (which failed to materialize last season).

Third factor, according to Lavigne, was the muzzleloader season, which is seen as " a wild card" when predicting seasonal deer harvests. The combination of the increasing popularity of black powder hunting in Maine along with the extended season makes this special

season more of a factor to be reckoned with in predicting harvests and managing the deer population, says Lavigne.

Wildlife biologists from the Department have submitted their any-deer permit recommendations for the fall of 1996. The recommendation is for the issuance of 34,000 Any-Deer permits this fall. This is an increase of 4,100 doe permits over last year. Included in the proposal, is a modest allocation of AnyDeer permits in Aroostook County in Deer Management Districts 1,2 and 3.

These districts were bucks only in 1996.

Deer biologist Gerry Lavigne says that he expects "deer abundance to be as good or better in 1996 than last year. "

New Record For Turkey Hunt Maine turkey hunters in Maine set a new record for birds taken during the 1996 spring season. The department expanded the hunting area into two zones and increased the number of permits from 750 to 1250 this year, and those 1250 hunters wasted no time-the 1995 season total was eclipsed at only the halfway point of the month-long season (May 1-May 31). The 1996 sea-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Just a brief note to tell you how much I've enjoyed your magazine in the past. Several friends have shared their subscriptions with me.

However, I've never read about nor seen photos about the Maine pheasant program in your magazine . Why? Did I miss an issue that was about the Maine pheasant program? If so, would you kindly tell me which one?

Many bird hunters purchase the $16 stamp (pheasant) and there seems to be an upward trend in pheasant stamp sales. Or so I've been told.

I'm a bird hunter who enjoys watching his dogs work this magnificent game bird. Surely there must be others out there who are like me. I believe that Hall Sawyer, Jr., Randy Grant, and Regional Biologist Phil Bozenhard are familiar with and involved in this worthwhile program for southern Maine. I, for one, would appreciate a story on this program.

John Bernard, Portland • Pheasant articles have been published in the past, but perhaps we need an update; thanks for your suggestion, John.

~~~~

son tally of 288 birds was more than twice that of 1995!

This 1996 season showed positive trends for the future of Maine's wild turkeys, according to Wildlife Biologists Phil Bozenhard and Keel Kemper. The harvest was well-distributed-139 birds were taken from the southern zone and 149 from the newly-formed northern zone. And several very large tom turkeys were taken from the new northern zone-a number of birds registered in Brooks, Morrill, and Unity weighed in at more than 22 pounds each, and one Morrill bird weighed 24 pounds!

Depa,tment employees themselves reported some respectable birds. Warden Kevin Adam, Wildlife Biologist Randy Cross, and Fisheries Biologist Fred Kircheis all bagged impressive toms in the northern zone, and Fisheries Biologist Francis Brautigam bagged a nice one down south!

The 1996 turkey hunting regulations restricted hunters to a particular zone for the first two weeks of the season. For the remaining two weeks of the season, permitted hunters were allowed to hunt in either zone.

Allagash

The story of Maine's legendary wilderness waterway as told by Master Maine Guide, Gil Gilpatrick. The colorful, 235 page narrative unfolds in three parts:

• Ancient Indian life.

• Two centuries of backwoods logging.

• A modern canoe trip that will serve today's Allagash traveler as a trip guide.

Only $15.00 Plus 2.00 P&H (ME addresses add .90 sales tax)

To order send $17.00 (+ .90 sales tax for Mainers) to: Gil Gilpatrick, P. 0. Box 461 W, Skowhegan, Maine 04976

Name:--------------------11 Let us know when you're moving. The money we spend sending you a second copy is sorely missed!!

Send change of address information to: MAINE FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., 41 State House Station Augusta ME 04333 or e-mail us: mag.mfw@state.me.us

32

Maine Fish and Wildlife

Street: ___________________ City: _ _ _ ___,_____ State: __ Zip: _ _ _ _....

D

Please send a brochure of other outdoor books by Gil. (Include a SASE). (Will be sent automatically with a book order)

inking that we see today. Is the teeds to be revisited by a y Council should provide :he public. And finally, there is

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

, for more than 25 years. Never ·nities we cherish so much. :ing of the entire forest ecosysre are a few examples. :ently hired from our agency. :ry and wildlife management ce linkages with state and ;ts, policy makers and acavelop biodiversity friendly 1 reserve network irt Maine. hat much stronger efforts to individual companies have protect biodiversity which are tside, riparian, management 1all headwater streams that are ~ir program also protects parian management program

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

Place Sta.mp

Here

MAINE

FISH AND WILDLIFE 284 State St., Sta. #41 Augusta ME 04333

to test a new forest manageesigned to maximize forest L research conducted by the :1sively by the forest irtdustry. tre dedicated to this test. y is working with at least five l forest management plans to Lter habitat. This is a nonould greatly expand the deer !rships. And sirtce wirttering .ds, all of those other species ·e carried along on the deer's greement with Great Northern ~d for deer on a 500,000 acre ·e happening and, frankly, if it would actually halt some of director, Ken Elowe, exa simplified formula to the re dealing with many types of ions will not satisfy the needs nd nurture the positive steps Joor forestry or who are not

•

higher than expected kill is "good news." Lavigne says "this is a welcom change. It means that the population (deer) has rebounded strongly." In fac Lavigne reports that based on his anal sis, Maine's post-hunt deer populatior is slightly over 250,000 animals. The good news is that this represents a 20 percent increase in the wintering herd over 1994 estimates. Lavigne says that mild wintering conditions coupled wi several years of rather conservative de harvests have set the stage for a stronf deer recovery, particularly in central and southern Maine.

The state deer biologist attributes t: higher harvest to three factors. First, says Lavigne is that "we underestimal the herd's response to last year's relatively mild winter." Second factor wai good tracking snow late in the season (which failed to materialize last seaso1 Third factor, according to Lavigne, we: the muzzleloader season, which is see as " a wild card" when predicting sea¡ sonal deer harvests. The combination the increasing popularity of black pov der hunting in Maine along with the extended season makes this special

LETTER TO TE Just a brief note to tell you how mL magazine in the past. Several friends scriptions with me.

However, I've never read about no Maine pheasant program in your mag issue that was about the Maine phea~ you kindly tell me which one?

Many bird hunters purchase the $1 there seems to be an upward trend in so I've been told.

I'm a bird hunter who enjoys water magnificent game bird. Surely there n who are like me. I believe that Hall Sc and Regional Biologist Phil Bozenhar, involved in this worthwhile program fa one, would appreciate a story on this

• Pheasant articles have been pub haps we need an update; thanks for .

Let us know when you're mo spend sending you a second c Send change of address MAINE FISH AND , 284 State St., 41 State Augusta ME < or e-mail us: mag.mfw

AINE

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Maine Fis/, and Wildlife

Forest Practices

continued from inside front cover

tions of clear cuts, residuals and regeneration have led to the polarization of thinking that we see today. Is the referendum a solution? Again a resounding NO! Maine's Forest Practices Act needs to be revisited by a diverse group of people crafting needed changes. The Governor's Sustainability Council should provide guidelines for the protection of many of the "common" interests of concern to the public. And finally, there is a revolution occurring.

I have dealt with most of the major land owners over forestry-wildlife issues for more than 25 years. Never have I seen such a positive attitude toward the stewardship of those forest amenities we cherish so much.

And I'm not talking just since the referendum question was posed. This embracing of the entire forest ecosystem and of the public's concerns has been evolving over the past few years. Here are a few examples.

Five companies now have practicing wildlife biologists on their staff, two recently hired from our agency.

A few years ago there were none. These people are helping to coordinate forestry and wildlife management over very large acreages. They provide a sensitivity to management and enhance linkages with state and federal agencies.

For two years, foresters have joined with environmentalists, wildlife biologists, policy makers and academic scientists to support a Maine Forest Biodiversity Project. Goals are to develop biodiversity friendly forestry practices, and explore the need for and possible design of an ecosystem reserve network in Maine.

Progress has been slow but forthcoming and I am confident that much stronger efforts to protect biodiversity will emerge from this process. Indeed, individual companies have been presenting their "in house" programs to monitor and protect biodiversity which are very impressive.

Champion International has, on its own, set up a streamside, riparian, management program that far exceeds state standards and will protect small headwater streams that are important for temperature regulation and organic input. Their program also protects , wildlife travel corridors and may be the most progressive riparian management program in the country.

Great Northern and S.D. Warren have agreed to test a new forest management concept called "The Shifting Mosaic" designed to maximize forest biodiversity over the landscape and based on research conducted by the Manomet Bird Observatory and funded extensively by the forest industry.

Approximately 100,000 acres are dedicated to this test.

And finally, our own agency is working with at least five major land owners to establish forest management plans to enhance white-tailed deer winter habitat. This is a nonregulatory approach which should greatly expand the deer wintering areas on these ownerships. And since wintering ,, deer require older growth stands, all of those other species _, .~ having similar requirements are carried along on the deer's 1 '. backs_ Recently we signed an agreement with Great Northern ;( to double the area to be managed for deer on a 500,000 acre /,) '¡, parceL / So you see, exciting things are happening and, frankly, if '..- the referendum question passes, it would actually halt some of the above efforts. As our wildlife director, Ken Elowe, ex"pressed it: "This legislation proposes a simplified formula to the management of Maine's forest. Since we are dealing with many types of forest and wildlife, one size simply does not fit all. In fact, the proposed restrictions will not satisfy the needs of many of Maine's most highly valued species." What we need to do is foster and nurture the positive steps being taken, and put some pressure on those landowners who persist in either poor forestry or who are not willing to embrace a more ecosystem approach to forest management.

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife • 284 State Street • Augusta ME 04333

Moose feeding at Mountain Brook Lake, West Bowdoin College Grant. · Photo by Diane D. Reynolds