AUGUSTA, Maine – Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner, Roland “Dan” Martin announced today that the Annual Moose Lottery will be held on Thursday, June 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Kittery Trading Post in Kittery.

“We are excited to partner with the Kittery Trading Post for such an anticipated event,” said Martin. “At 6:00 p.m., we will commence the drawing and announce the name of the first hunter fortunate enough to be selected.”

Since 1999, the Department has rotated the lottery throughout the state. Prior to 1999, it was always in Augusta. Over the past nine years, lotteries were held in Millinocket, Boothbay Harbor, Old Town, Bucksport, Scarborough (twice), Presque Isle, Rumford, and Phippsburg.

“We are extremely pleased to host the Moose Lottery, and we plan on making it a great event to be enjoyed by the whole family,” said Fox Keim, Vice President of Hunting and Fishing at the Kittery Trading Post. The event will be held outside in a large, enclosed tent at the Kittery Trading Post. Food will be available, and other surprises are being planned to make it unique.

“We’ve moved the drawing to all parts of the state so that people can have the opportunity to be part of it first hand,” stated Commissioner Martin. “Nothing pleases us more than to have members in the audience react to being selected,” he said.

Martin said that staff from IF&W including local biologists and game wardens will be on hand.

“This is an opportunity for sports enthusiasts and the general public to interact with IF&W personnel”, said Martin

Admission to the event is free. In the past, the event has lasted approximately three hours. The Kittery Trading Post is located on Route 1 in Kittery.

Posted by Tom Remington

Today closes out the 2007 hurricane season for the United States. So let’s review quickly. Prior to the start of this season, hurricane experts predicted there would be seven to nine hurricanes, three to five major hurricanes and 13-17 named storms. And what did we get? There were five hurricanes, two of which were major and 14 named storms. But there’s more.

We are now finding out that the hurricane forecasting people are using different criteria to name storms. First of all, in 2002, scientists began naming subtropical storms along with tropical storms. There is also significant discussion as to whether or not at least 6 named storms this year should have been named at all.

Here’s what David Ridenour, vice president of The National Center for Public Policy Research, said about NOAA’s changing policies.

“NOAA correctly predicted the number of named storms, but it’s not clear this statistic has any meaning, as the agency is inflating today’s storm numbers relative to storms in the past,” said David A. Ridenour, vice president of The National Center for Public Policy Research and author of a forthcoming new report on this year’s hurricane season. “NOAA is doing so both by changing the criteria for naming storms and by failing to account for changes in technology that make detection of storms much easier.”

Yesterday, while listening to the radio, I heard an interview with the local Fox Television affiliate, chief meteorologist Paul Dellegatto, out of Tampa, Florida. He was reiterating the same claims that he also believes that at least six of the named storms would never have been named a couple of years ago.

Is there something behind this? Perhaps but people need to understand what it is like to live in Florida which is susceptible to hurricanes. My problem is not with the hurricane service changing their hurricane naming policies per se. Much of the reason they are naming more storms is due to the fact that more sophisticated equipment allows them to detect weather systems better. As a matter of fact, the QuikScat satellite measures roughly 200 times the amount of surface winds than previous methods.

The problem is this information about NOAA’s changing policies and information gathering is not being made known to the public and is being kept from the public by much of the media and global warming alarmists. For those who don’t know, let me explain briefly what this means for people like me who live in Florida.

Because we hear that global warming is causing more and bigger hurricanes, which by the way is inaccurate, insurance companies use this to bolster their demands to raise insurance rates. Here’s what that means in real terms. People by the hundreds in Florida are being dropped by their insurance companies everyday because they don’t want to assume any kind of risk. It also means everyone who is insured has to pay ridiculous rates for minimal coverage. Let me give you a first-hand example.

Previous to where I am living now, I owned a three bedroom home in a quiet neighborhood. As the crow flies, I lived about 2 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. It just so happens that I lived at 65 feet above sea level, one of the highest points in all of Pinellas County.

When I bought the house, my insurance cost me about $800.00 per year. I owned the home three years. The day I sold my house, my insurance was costing over $3,500.00 a year. Now you know why I sold it. By the way, I never made a claim during that time.

Insurance companies are being allowed to rape the public with their rate increases because “global warming is causing more and bigger, more destructive storms”, as is being bought by the public.

There is also another issue that affects not only home owners, buyers and sellers, but is a direct reflection of the growth of the economy here in Florida. Any time there is a named storm in the Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico, no insurance company will take on a new policy. While somewhat understandable, home sales are halted while everyone sits and waits. Sometimes these storms can be hanging around for weeks.

With the increased technology and changes in policy for naming storms, this is destroying the economy in Florida, as well as much of the Gulf Coast states and forcing many home owners to sell their homes at a loss.

Now I know there will be those who will say I never should have moved to or lived in Florida because it is hurricane prone. The truth is, the last time a hurricane directly hit Tampa, Florida was, I think, 1921, or something like that. Unless you live right on the beach, there is probably less risk than most people in New England encounter with Noreasters.

I have repeatedly heard people ask what harm can be done even if global warming isn’t real and we all work toward making our environment better. Well, here’s one answer. People are being asked to pay more and more taxes to pay for global warming studies. There is talk of carbon taxes and other such nonsense. People are being asked to drastically alter their lifestyles while reacting in ways that will cripple our economy. What harm can be done?

In my opinion, I already pay far too many taxes and I can guarantee that payment isn’t going to decrease any. Our politicians don’t know what it’s like to earn a dollar. They don’t know how to stop spending. I’m tired of it and I’ll be damned if I am going to sit idly by while a politician flies about the world in his private jet, leaving his caravan of gas guzzling SUVs behind in the yard of his multi-million dollar mansion, telling me I have to pay more taxes, drive less, find alternative ways to heat my home, pay tens times the amount to have electricity in my home, etc.

For those of you who don’t have any sympathy for me, don’t be asking for my sympathy either when every American is paying triple electric bills, quadruple home insurance bills, more in gas taxes, increased health care costs, all because of global warming overreaction. If it hasn’t come to your home town, just wait, it will.

Here’s an added feature for you home entertainment. The American Thinker has compiled a list of over 600 links to websites, articles and the like that blame global warming for an array of things that you just will not believe. You still think the world hasn’t gone mad over global warming? CLICK THIS LINK!

Tom Remington

Region A- Southwestern Maine

The recent flare-up of wildlife in Malibu, California brings to mind the question of whether or not those types of fires could occur here in Maine. The 60th anniversary of the 1947 fires in Maine just occurred, and having spent a large amount of time on these lands over the years, I think about the chances for a recurrence.

Natural phenomena such as fire, hurricane, drought, ice storms, and volcanic eruptions bring on changes that vary in degree and intensity. Some, such as drought and ice storms, pave the way for others, such as fire by creating tremendous amount of dead and dying material that becomes what we call the fuel load.

While such events can become catastrophic, the results in many instances provide a special niche for many species of plants and animals. Such a special habitat is the pitch pine-scrub oak forest type that is home to over 50 species of rare butterflies and moths, as well as some groups, or suites, of songbirds.

Another special habitat is the grassland uplands that were once common and are found adjacent to coastal wetlands and salt marshes. Many species of birds utilize these areas to nest and raise offspring. Over time, this habitat in southern Maine has been reduced by development and the decline in active agriculture. At the Scarborough Wildlife Management Area, we have about 20 acres fields that were developed as ‘goose pasture’; an area maintained to provide respite and food resource for migrating geese. Because of changing priorities and increasing demands on the regional staff, this pasture has started to revert to woody shrubs, which reduces the value of this area to migrating geese, several species of sparrows, bobolinks, and meadowlarks. On the other hand, I have noticed an increase in yellow warblers. I expect there are many other wildlife species that have increased or decreased here, but my expertise is quite limited.

In Region A we are initiating a program to turn back the clock a bit by applying controlled prescribed burns on appropriate areas. Putting together a planned burn such as this is incredibly complicated. You need to have the right weather conditions, adequate trained manpower available at a moments’ notice, and approval of state and municipal fire departments. I was not aware of several key aspects of a project of this nature; fortunately for me, I had the support of Maine Forest Service Forest Rangers who provided much needed expertise, advice, assistance and supervision.

Our experimental burn turned out quite well. The weather and wind co-operated and about 9 acres of field was burned. We had luscious herbaceous plants grow, removed a tremendous amount of fuel load, and had two pair of Willet, Tringa semipalmata, a large shorebird of the sandpiper family, nest within the burn area. I had not seen a Willet before, as they are not common and the species is considered at risk due to loss of habitat.

The regional staff is planning to get the required training in wildfire applications, and will be planning for our next project. The results are well worth the effort.

-Norman Forbes, Wildlife Biologist Specialist

Region B – Central Maine

Today we started to wind up another season of deer biological data collection. At this point, we don’t have a final tally of the harvest. However, the harvest numbers alone won’t explain what happened. Those numbers must be pulled together with population estimates, effort estimates, hunting conditions and other data to begin to understand what happened. That analysis comes after the season; for now we are focusing on getting any needed samples for our Chronic Wasting Surveillance effort (none found yet) and our biological sampling. I do want to take time to thank all of our meat cutters who process the harvest for hunters and collect data for us. Without the help of these great folks we would not be able to gather so much data so efficiently. So thanks to Ken Ballard and his workers at Ballard’s Meat and Seafood in Manchester, the Barrows Family of Manchester, the Geidel Family of Oakland, the Ludden Family of St. Albans, the Gray Family of Newport, Todd Tibbetts of Dexter, and the Bemis Family of Levant. Thanks for all your help in collecting data and welcoming us into your businesses this past season.

On another note, visitors to the Jamies Pond Wildlife Management Area will find the Meadow Hill Road closure effort has been completed. Parking areas, gates, waterbars, footbridge, and road closure barriers are all in place. The Jamies Pond access road has been regraded and resurfaced getting it in shape at last.

At the same time, the roadwork at Frye Mountain on the Getchell Road has been completed. As part of that effort we have added another gate so that we can secure the roads in December. The last few years we have noticed the worst road damage occurs in December with the freezing and thawing that goes on this time of year. We have found, based on the deep ruts left behind, it is difficult for some users of Frye Mountain to stay away when the roads are soft. The gates will be used to secure the roads during this time and help preserve IFW’s investment. Your cooperation in this effort will pay off in roads that are ready to drive earlier in the spring. In the mean time, please think of it as creating more hunting opportunity.

-Jim Connolly, Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region C – Downeast

Except for this week’s attempts at muzzleloading, another deer season has gone by. Most deer hunters are likely pondering their collection of mental notes as to what to do, where to go, what to try, etc., for next season. We had another snow-less season this year in coastal eastern Maine, but the deer kill is up and most hunters are in agreement that before and during the season they saw more deer than previous years. Hunter effort is hard to measure and harder to anticipate; and is always a wild card in predicting and interpreting the results of the deer harvest when it’s all said and done. Likewise, so is trying to gauge what effect high priced fuel has … everyone talks about it but does it change a person’s plans and driving habits? One fact is that the closer to coastal Route 1 you are in this Region, the greater the density of deer. That is also where most of the human population is. By hunting closer to home, you are hunting a larger deer population and the projected deer kill and success rate will increase. But there is a downside … you don’t have the free open expanses of ground to hunt like you do on paper company lands. Instead, you have to deal with posted land, safety zones in residential areas, and more contact with humans, both hunters and non-hunters alike.

Who would of thought twenty years ago that driving around and observing various fields of Washington County would get you observations of Canada geese by the hundreds and wild turkeys in flocks of 10 or more … and even some fields with both. What you don’t usually see are deer, but you may see them on people’s lawns, gardens and under apple trees in the yard. Like the geese and turkeys, the deer have found where the good food is and where there is a relatively safe haven from both two and four-legged predators. Unfortunately, this assumption doesn’t always hold, and often places them in more contact with traffic and its associated dangers.

There is still time to work your bird dog and chase grouse. The birds have changed their habits from early fall and now often utilize the cover of mixed wood stands. So now, instead of leaf cover to contend with you have evergreens. But unlike the early fall, when the bird breaks above or beyond the cover, you may actually have a truly visible target. As the hunting conditions change, so too should the hunter’s armament for best results. Retire that open bored 20 gauge for the year and dig out the old trusty tight bored duck gun for those 35 yard shots with larger shot sizes.

-James Hall, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region D – Western Mountains

While the 2007 firearms season on deer came to a close Saturday, we will continue to visit the meat cutters to sample deer that were brought in over the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

In the old days we collected most of these data at roadside check stations throughout the state. Biologists and students from college and university wildlife management programs spent entire weekends stationed at roadside pullouts from Kennebunk to Greenville. I did this for three seasons as a college student. The experience and extra money were most appreciated. Though the number of stations declined due to efficiency of collecting harvest data, several still existed when I came to Strong in the late 1980s.

Collecting biological data through meat cutters greatly increased data collecting efficiency but we did lose a lot of contact opportunity with hunters. Some of that contact has been replaced with camp and house visits to collect hard-to-get samples for Chronic Wasting Disease monitoring. Still, folks who own or work at meat cutting businesses are our largest source of most CWD samples. Without their volunteer assistance it would be difficult and very costly to collect the data we need for the management of the white-tail deer resource that so many enjoy. Shortly I’ll be off to make my last rounds of the season so at this time I’d like to thank Stephen and Dora Boyd of Strong, Lew Richards of Wilton, and the folks and R&B Meats in Livermore for their valued assistance this season.

- Chuck Hulsey, Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region E – Moosehead Region

The project has since been discontinued, but for about ten years, I enumerated tracks in the snow in early winter to produce information on changes in numbers of furbearers, particularly bobcats. During that period of time, some of this was done in all seven of our regional districts. A problem for some regions in the south was that they didn’t always get the requisite snow often enough.

My assignment amounted to about 120 kilometers per year (= 75 miles). The counting was always done at least 24 hours after it stopped snowing. My batch of routes was in randomly chosen locations, geographically, in hopes of making the numbers representative, but limited to Wildlife Management Districts 8, 9, & 14.

Since I was out there, I recorded everything; that is the numbers of track intercepts for all the larger animals. We were supposed to record which animals had crossed within each 1 km segment examined. While there were some gyrations (especially for the scarcer kinds of animals although it was probably related to the limited amount of looking done), things appeared to be on an even keel. Bobcat tracks were observed on 2-10% of 1 km segments, marten on 8-20%, fisher on 12-25%, coyotes on 20-50%, fox on 25-50%, deer on 38-50%, and moose on 18-40%. During those examinations, lynx tracks were observed on less than 1% of 1 km segments examined. Had this been done further north, I believe the result would have been higher with respect to lynx. Forty to 50% of the 1 km segments had no rabbit tracks. On about 10% of segments, rabbit tracks were rated as abundant (by our definition, more than 20 intercepts per km). There doesn’t appear to be a rabbit cycle here. Maybe someone will look back to this endeavor if there’s a question out in the future.

-Bill Noble, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region F, Penobscot Region

The Thanksgiving week brought the end of the regular firearms season for deer. Additional hunter effort due to the holiday resulted in the anticipated higher deer kill down the stretch. However, hunting conditions the back half of the week were less than favorable, with a good cold rain on Thanksgiving, and blustery winds on Friday and Saturday. Still the meat cutters were busy and I saw deer hanging while I was out and about this past Sunday. Hunters in this part of the state never did see any snow that allowed for good tracking conditions. Many a hunter I have spoken with over the past week or so have felt that the bucks were only now really starting to move. If the above is indeed what is happening across the landscape, then muzzleload hunters should be right in the thick of it starting this week. The one-week statewide season opens November 26 followed by the second week for selected WMDs including WMD 17 and 18 that are included within Region F. Good luck to all!

December 1 is the date that brings in the remainder of the WMDs within Region F not already open to beaver trapping. The opening couldn’t come sooner as heavy rains over the last several weeks have brought several problems to DOT road crews and private landowners. Roadside beaver flowages are still very accessible to trappers. Addressing road safety and maintenance concerns along with trapper opportunity will hopefully take care of the problems that have erupted over the last several weeks. Trappers play a very valuable role here in helping to reduce nuisance beaver problems associated with roads and therefore public safety concerns.

Grouse hunters still have the month of December to hunt. Reports are still favorable with regard to seeing grouse. I saw several myself while out deer hunting. December grouse hunting usually means hunting thicker covers of mixed hardwood and softwood regeneration during the day, and by late afternoon, looking higher up into the trees of aspen, birch, and high bush cranberries, for budding or feeding grouse.

-Mark Caron, Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region G – Aroostook County

The third week of deer season ended with torrential rain and low registration numbers, while the fourth week ended with snow and freezing rain. In my hometown of Portage, deer hunting conditions were blustery and snowy on Thanksgiving Day and extremely icy and noisy Friday, enabling any wary deer to figure something was coming through the woods. Trying to be stealthy Saturday was impossible with over ¼ inch of ice on top of 6 inches of snow. Well, I guess you figured it out; this biologist didn’t put any venison in the freezer this year. The regular firearm season is over with one additional week of muzzleloader season in the north and two weeks in the south.

Deer registered in the North Country were up about 10% the first four weeks of the regular firearm season compared to last year. Checking deer registration stations Monday morning indicated that all were selling muzzleloader permits in good numbers with hunters hoping for a productive week. This year is indicating a similar trend in good numbers of deer registered throughout organized towns along the Route 1 corridor in the County. The reason for these higher numbers mirrors what our neighbors to the east are also observing in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. With the milder winters, habitat, and ample food supply in these agricultural areas, deer seem to be doing well. This is in contrast to the industrial forestland where deer registration numbers have been declining.

Grouse season is still open through the month of December, so don’t put the gun away yet. Presently it might be hard to run dogs with crust on the snow but all indications are pointing toward good numbers of birds off the beaten paths and roads. On a side note outside the game harvest, I noted large numbers of red squirrels around this year and the office is getting numerous calls concerning damage and ways to alleviate the problems. Due to last year’s tremendous cone year offering an abundance of food, the number of offspring is at a high. This causes problems for homeowners and those individuals feeding birds.

-Rich Hoppe, Regional Wildlife Biologist

Posted by Tom Remington

IFW to turn over the oars to the lucky winner of its Classic Rangeley Boat Drawing

Augusta- Commissioner Roland “Dan” Martin will award a beautiful handcrafted Rangeley guide boat to Pierre Corbeau of Portland at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday Nov. 28 at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in Augusta.

Mr. Corbeau qualified to win the new watercraft earlier this year by purchasing his fishing license online at www.mefishwildlife.com. The Department offers the annual prize incentive to encourage customers to use the MOSES electronic licensing system to buy a license, enter the moose hunt lottery or apply for an any-deer permit. Customers at more than 200 MOSES equipped agents statewide also were entered to win. In 2006, the grand prize winner received a refurbished 1957 classic warden truck.

“The MOSES system and online purchasing have provided greater convenience for our customers, and has saved the department tens of thousands of dollars in costs associated with the administrative expense of manual paper licensing. These savings can instead be applied to the important management of our fish and wildlife resources,” Martin said. Customers using the MOSES system can access their account any time day or night and print multiple copies of their license. These copies can be conveniently placed in various boats, fishing vests, vehicles or hunting apparel.

“The costs incurred for the prizes and managing the contest are generated by sales of the department’s logo merchandise,” Martin said. “These funds are specifically earmarked for promotion and are surprisingly minimal compared to the combined savings achieved in converting customers to the MOSES system.”

Posted by Tom Remington

One of the most fascinating times in Maine is during the colorful fall foliage season. Usually by the time I arrive in Maine for the first week of deer season, the leaves have all but finished dropping and the most of the color is gone. This fall the leaves seemed to be hanging on a bit longer than normal.

I was making my way back to an agreed upon meeting up point for the remainder of the hunting party when I notices these leaves from a small dogwood tree showing off with the sun shining brightly behind it.

Tom Remington Photo

Tom Remington

Some things you see with and without a gun. I certainly got a kick out of this picture. This is actually one of the younger members of our hunting party at hunting camp. Once out of school for the weekend, he and his brother beat a hasty retreat to hunting camp. I captured one brother in the act of acting like a teenager.

Tom Remington Photo

Tom Remington

It’s interesting how this picture came out. It wasn’t exactly what I was after but nonetheless it’s kind of cool I think.

One of my favorite places to go during my Maine hunting trip is a visit to the top of a nearby mountain. We usually plan to be there around sunset. The view is 180 degrees to the south and east.

Tom Remington Photo

Tom Remington

We often hear the comment, “There’s a lot more to hunting than……”. Here’s an example of one of those something else. While in Maine on my annual hunting trip, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon an incredible stone wall in the middle of the forest. I have hunted this general area before and done recall coming across this piece of man’s art before.

For those who have never spent time in the Maine woods, these stone walls are remnants of the days when early settlers cut timber to make fields. They picked up the stones, sometimes bigger than a team of horses could handle, and piled them in rows. These rows served several purposes. They often marked a property boundary line, delineated a field or was used to separate livestock etc.

Tom Remington Photo

Tom Remington

I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving Day and take just a moment to share with all of you a few things for which I am truly thankful.

There once was a day I would have laughed at anyone who said they were thankful for waking up and finding themselves alive. Today, do that with much different meaning than a few years ago.

You know, last night I was coming home from my daughter’s home, where I had spent some time with my granddaughter after picking her up from recreation camp. I stopped in at a Walgreen’s drug store to pick up a couple of items. As I got out of my car and began to walk toward the entrance, it hit me like a ton of bricks……..I was walking and I had no pain. It was truly a great moment and one in which I am thankful.

But that is minor. I am thankful because I have a wife who loves me despite everything. She is supportive, understanding and we share in all that we do. My daughter and son are the best. There once was a day when I wanted them to look up to me, to use me as a reference point and someone they could fall back on. Now that they are both into their thirties and I am…..let’s see, um, er, ah, 39 (man they are catching up to me), my perspective has changed. I now look up to them. My wife and I did our thing and raised them in the way in which we thought they should go and we hope they will not depart from that. When a man can look upon his own children and his grandchildren and rest in the fact that they all have happy and fruitful lives, he is truly thankful.

I could go on forever about how thankful I am for everything but instead, I want to take a minute and express my gratitude toward everyone who plays a roll in serving this great nation and fighting for our freedom. Listening to the radio yesterday, I heard a man speak about how thankful he was about everything………and this coming from a man who had lost his son in the war on terror in Afghanistan. I was without words.

There are those who wear the uniform and some that don’t. They risk their lives everyday for me and my family. For nothing else can a man expend such gratitude. Each of those individuals have families who have sacrificed and for that nothing I could ever say could express my ultimate thankfulness but I need to try.

All too often, many of us forget or never knew how much we have to be thankful for. Thankful that we can wake up each day living in a free country, a country where we can pray to God without fear of reprisal. I am thankful I can sit in front of my computer each day and express how I feel and share that with others. And yes, I am thankful that others can disagree with me because with that dissension comes the reassurance that we are free to do just that. It’s only part of what makes the nation great. For that I am thankful.

So, I hope you are finding your Thanksgiving Day wanting to give thanks, with the emphasis on giving.

Thank you to all my friends and readers of these blogs and all that you do. You have helped to make my life just that much better and for that, I am thankful.

Tom Remington

AUGUSTA, Maine — Commissioner Roland D. Martin announced today that Maine Warden Service Major Gregory Sanborn was named Acting Colonel of the Maine Warden Service.

“For the past three years, Major Sanborn has displayed strong leadership skills, and I am pleased that he has agreed to lead the warden service during this transition,” said Roland “Dan” Martin, Commissioner, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “His expertise will allow the Warden Service to continue to move forward while performing their mission.”

Sanborn, of Sidney, Maine, has served as the second in command of the Maine Warden Service since July of 2004. As the second in command, he worked directly under the colonel and was responsible for the oversight of all field law enforcement and search and rescue activities. As Acting Colonel, Sanborn will oversee the supervision and oversight of nearly 125 officers in the areas of conservation, recreational vehicle law enforcement, and search and rescue. Other responsibilities will include policy, budget, and personnel management.

Sanborn, a game warden for nearly 18 years, was awarded the “Supervisor Of The Year Award” in 2000 for his work as a sergeant. In addition to his past duties as major and sergeant, Sanborn he was an incident commander for the search & rescue team. Sanborn began his Warden Service career as a District Game Warden in Kittery in 1990. He transferred to the Sebago Lake District in 1993 and patrolled there until he was promoted to sergeant in 1997. As a sergeant, he supervised sections in downeast Washington County and in the Katahdin region.

With the announcement that Sanborn was named acting Colonel, Commissioner Martin also stated that a search will begin for a new colonel. No timeline has been set, but Commissioner Martin will appoint a committee to review applications and interview candidates for the position. Commissioner Martin said the ideal and successful candidate for the position of warden service colonel is one that possesses strong leadership and management skills as well as good communication skills – a person with a vision on how best to manage the warden service. The colonel of the warden service serves at the pleasure of the commissioner. While Martin could simply select the next colonel, he has stated that the selection process will be deliberate and complete.

“Statutes require that the Game Warden Colonel be selected from among the game wardens of the department. I will assemble a diverse selection group that will include people from within and outside the department, as well as other branches of law enforcement,” said Commissioner Martin.

Acting Colonel Sanborn stated that Maine Warden Service Captain Joel Wilkinson of Windsor has agreed to perform many of the Major’s functions. Currently as Captain, Wilkinson oversees the Wildlife Crime Investigations Division, the personnel complaint investigation process; the training program for the Bureau; whitewater boating enforcement and safety; and landowner relations. Wilkinson has worked as district game warden, an investigator and a sergeant. He received an exemplary service award for his work as in investigator in 2004, and a State Police Colonel’s award in 2001 for his work in locating the body of a homicide victim. He also served as the incident commander for the Maine Warden Service’s Search, Rescue and Recovery team, and currently is the administrative dive team leader. Wilkinson started as a deputy game warden in the Gray-New Gloucester area in 1992, and his first district was patrolling the Rumford area. He has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Southern Maine Community College.

Commissioner Martin also swore in two new lieutenants last Wednesday in a brief ceremony at Department Headquarters in Augusta.

Game Warden Shon Theriault of Hartford was promoted to Lieutenant of Special Services. Warden Theriault joined the Maine Warden Service in 1999 and initially patrolled the Rumford area. Warden Theriault has been working out of Augusta the last two years, implementing the Warden Service’s technology initiative in order to automate the operations of the Maine Warden Service. Lieutenant Theriault’s duties will include supervision of all Warden Service’s special services units and continued oversight of the technology initiative.

Game Warden Sergeant William “Adam” Gormely of Greenville was promoted to rank of Southwestern Division Lieutenant. Gormely will oversee 35 game wardens in the southern third of the state, and will be stationed in the Gray Regional Headquarters. Gormely has worked with the Maine Warden Service for 18 years and first started his career in 1990 as a Deputy Game Warden. He was hired full time as a District Game Warden in 1995. Sergeant Gormely was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2006.

Commissioner Roland “Dan” Martin, pictured right, swears in Lieutenant Shon Theriault, left, and Lieutenant Adam Gormely, center. (IFW Photo/Bill Pierce)

Acting Colonel of the Maine Warden Service, Greg Sanborn

Region A- Southwestern Maine

A few weeks ago, as I was leaving the voting booth on Election Day, an old friend stopped me to tell me about a piece of land his is donating to the local land trust. For several years now, he has made his property available to me for the annual Christmas Bird Count so I was very pleased to hear it will be permanently protected. Before leaving, he also mentioned that he had recently seen a rabbit on his property. Somewhat surprised by the report, I queried him, “A rabbit, are you sure it wasn’t a snowshoe hare?” No, he was positive, it was a cottontail. Freeport, although not considered a hotspot for New England cottontails, is on the northern edge of their range in Maine. The prospect of a Freeport population was exciting indeed. New England Cottontail populations have significantly declined in Maine, so much so that they were listed as a state endangered species this past September under the Maine Endangered Species Act, and are currently listed as a candidate threatened species with the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Federal Endangered Species Act. New England cottontail numbers are believed to have dropped to only a few hundred individuals, and their range, which used to extend as far as Fryeburg, Lewiston, and Belfast, now includes only York and Cumberland Counties, 17% of its former range. The reasons for this decline are twofold, a shift in habitat through natural succession and loss of available remaining habitat from development and associated increased predation. New England Cottontails need brushy, early successional upland habitat. Given that their remaining range lies in the heart of southern Maine’s development activity, old fields, and shrublands have been replaced by subdivisons, or have reverted to forest stands. Add to this loss of habitat, increased human activity and an increase of outdoor pets such as free roaming cats, and the future for New England cottontails can appear bleak.

For years, I operated a banding station at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth, and up until about two summers ago, we would see New England Cottontails almost every morning we banded. As much as I love birds, it’s hard not be smitten with a rabbit. I would often stop and watch as they fed on the edge of a shrub thicket, their ears perked up, whiskers twitching, all the while chewing a favored plant. Always very alert and rather jumpy; as soon as they caught wind of you, they would retreat back into the thicket where they would remain for the next few minutes, until they felt secure enough to slowly venture back to the edge of the grass. New England Cottontails, unlike Eastern Cottontail, are not likely to venture too far into the open. In fact, their preferred habitat is very dense thickets or shrubs, with as much as 50,000 stems per hectare. Here in Maine, we just have New England Cottontails, so the only species you might confuse them with is a snowshoe hare. New England Cottontails are a medium sized rabbit, 15-17 inches, with a dark brown to buff coat that has a slight black wash. The back edge of their ears is black, and they have a distinct black spot between their ears. Eastern Cottontails, the rabbit so commonly seen on lawns and pastures in southern New England, were introduced to the region by local hunting clubs and don’t occur in Maine. Snowshoe hares have much larger ears and hind feet, have brown fur in the summer, which turns white in the winter.

This winter, MDIWF and USFWS will be working together on a project to document New England Cottontails throughout southern Maine. We’ll be conducting tracking surveys after snowfall, looking for browsed areas, and collecting scat samples. Our efforts will focus on sites where there have been known occurrences of NEC in the past, primarily on lands currently in conservation ownership. In addition, we will be working with land trusts and willing landowners to try and document populations at new sites. We are currently looking for volunteers to help us survey about 75 parcels in York and Cumberland counties. In early winter we will be conducting training sessions for anyone interested in helping with this project. You don’t need tracking experience, or a background in biology; just a willingness to learn, a flexible schedule, and a pair of snowshoes would be helpful. To learn more about this project, volunteer, report a sighting, or if you have a property you would like to have surveyed, please email me at judy-camuso@maine.gov

Additionally, our Department is working cooperatively with the Maine Department of Transportation through Maine’s Beginning with Habitat program to better understand the habitat requirements of Maine’s New England cottontail population. This past summer we collected genetics information from several individuals to better understand how populations move across the landscape especially given the extent of habitat fragmentation in their southern Maine range. Having this information on hand help us to recommend key habitat linkages and habitat appropriate corridors for preservation to best meet the long-term needs of this species and hopefully protect this important element of Maine’s natural wildlife diversity.

-Judy Camuso, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region B – Central Maine

Procrastination has always been my strong suit. I am truly a professional at it. November is a crazy busy month for all us IF&W biologists. This week’s Outdoor Report competes for time along with closing Swan Island for the winter and the collection of deer season biological samples. Add in personal chores such as raking leaves and replacing an old leaky toilet, yes, even the “honey do” list gets honorable mention here, and there is little time left for a rousing Outdoor Report. Yet my Sunday evening approach to this report has much more to do with waiting until the last minute than it does with too heavy a work load. Maybe I was just waiting for something to inspire me…pondering out of the ordinary topics rather than hurrying to the first fixation that landed in my lap.

I have had little time for hunting this season, but I have spent a lot of time walking in the woods. I consider that to be the best time for pondering…and observing. Like watching a chipmunk, cheeks filled, scurrying along a lichen covered stonewall. My grandfather from Caribou called chippys “short legged deer” because of the way they run with their tails in the air. I contemplate whether this nickname is commentary relating to his deer hunting experiences. While set in the momentary smile of my grandfather’s “short legged deer” reminiscence, I start to pay attention to the stonewall that this little deer was running on. Ah, I found my inspiration.

Throughout the history of agriculture in Maine, and New England for that matter, stonewalls played an essential role. Stonewalls were more than just the mere ornamentation that they serve today. Stonewalls were used as fencing, boundary lines and animal pounds. The period from 1775 – 1825 was known as the golden age of stonewall building.

By the mid-1800’s, more than 70 percent of the land in New England had been cleared for agricultural purposes. As farming grew more fashionable, the need for satisfactory fencing also increased. Before stonewalls were widely used, wooden rail fences were the sensible solution for fencing in a farm. This quickly became a pickle because once the land was cleared for a farm, few trees were left to build the wooden fences. In addition, these fences would also rot over time and need to be replaced. Farmers soon switched to using rock in their fences to replace the wooden rail fences and to make use of stone unearthed as fields were tilled and cleared. Oh, but there was a vicious circle. Although some farmers had ample stone with which to build their walls, others did not.

Once the act of making fencing out of stone became the standard, farmers were faced with the problem of obtaining the stone. Some farmers could build a wall with stone that was found on their farmland. Many farmers however, had to steal or buy the stone.

Interestingly, in the 1800’s when a stonewall was finished it needed to be inspected by a “fence viewer”. A fence viewer was a public worker that would inspect fences to make sure that they were structurally sound. If a stonewall was deemed sound, then the owner was not liable for damage done to another farmer’s crops by his animals.

Today, New England stonewalls are so popular that they are disappearing from their centuries old resting spots. These fencing relics are being dismantled, placed on pallets and shipped throughout the Northeast. It is now entirely possible to buy a 200-year-old New England stonewall at a local landscape center. In part, their value is derived from the weathered look that newly quarried rock cannot imitate. I have always wondered as I followed a stonewall or climbed over one, how old it is.

Dating a stonewall is actually accomplished, roughly, by “aging” the weathering. You see, the faded blue jeans look of an old stone wall is caused by the growth of lichen on the stone. Lichens are symbiotic plants composed of a fungus and an algae and grow on stones at a slow and regular rate, some only 1 millimeter per year. The lichen can be measured and then calculated to see how long it has been growing. This dating method is called lichenometry.

I think one of the most mesmerizing pleasures of walking in the woods is stumbling upon an old stonewall and realizing just how enormously changed the landscape has become. The old stonewall has a story to tell and I listen attentively. Sitting down and letting my eyes wander down its length is indeed inspiring. A worthy topic for this Outdoor Report and a grand playground for my grandfather’s “short legged deer”.

-Charles Dyke, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region C – Downeast

Most everyone is a collector or appreciates some form of items from the past. Whether it is dolls, paintings or hunting and fishing equipment, quality is evident and appreciated and admired. Recently while talking to an antique dealer, we both were speculating, what items of today are going to be collectables in 25 or 100 years from now? We are in the quick fix and throwaway generation. Most of the sporting good collectables from the past were made for a specific market and came in different grades with options, chokes, barrel lengths, etc. Coming from times when money was tight, if you bought it had to have a use, not to become a closet queen firearm or a dust catcher in the cellar.

Having all this in mind, while walking thru the sporting goods department in the different big box stores, I look up and down the aisles I try to imagine, what would take someone’s breath away 50 years from now. Everything is plastic, rubber or who knows what and mostly made overseas. If you were going to make a sporting goods time capsule for them for 2060, what would you put in it?

Everything is driven by the current demands, composite stocks and stainless steel barrels are great for adverse hunting conditions, much like the current military arms. But, what if you want something to use on “nice” days, wood on a firearm that has great burl and the metal has fiery casehardening on the frame and deep rust bluing on the barrel. Or, comparing a vintage bamboo fly rod to a current graphite production model. You don’t see current makers selling two tips with their rods.

Definitely, “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”, when your grand kids ask, why didn’t you put some of those away, what will they be talking about?

-James Hall, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region D – Western Mountains

Like all the other regional wildlife biologists, all of last week was dedicated to collecting biological data from the deer harvest. The age and sex breakdown of the harvest, as well as antler beam diameter measurements from yearling bucks will be used in the Any-Deer permit allocations for the 2008 season. In addition to this information we are also collecting samples to monitor for chronic wasting disease. Collection of those samples is done both at the meatcutters and taxidermists we visit as well as locating deer at homes and camps. The latter is done by visiting game registration stations to search for deer killed in a town of interest, within the last few days, by a resident hunter who can be easily located.

Our CWD data collections are going well but we still need samples from the following towns: The Forks, Moscow, Brighton, Andover, Coplin Plt., Rangeley, and Kingfield. If you or someone you know takes a deer from one of these locations we sure would appreciate the opportunity discuss the collection of a sample. The best way to contact us is to call the Strong office at 778-3324 ext. 25. If we are out when you call just leave a voicemail and we will get back to you.

- Chuck Hulsey, Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region E – Moosehead Region

Last year about this time (actually a little prior to now), I was tasked with figuring out how many deer from WMD 14 would have to be examined to determine the “yearling frequency.” We examine the teeth up close to determine age.

Somehow, I knew the importance of that statistic from something I had read in the past; some biologist studying population dynamics had determined yearling frequency equals removal rate,. With removal rate, the population can be estimated. I took that assignment home, because statistical inference is a topic I’m not too conversant in. I was going to have to study this issue in a quiet atmosphere.

I skimmed thru an old text on statistics for the section that applied. I didn’t find it right away. Then I had a thought; couldn’t this situation be replicated using a table of random numbers such as odd = yearling, even = not yearling? Odd and even numbers presumably have an equal probability of being selected. And in some population ~50% of adults are yearlings. I worked with subsamples of 10, accumulating the result and studying the overall outcome. I determined this way that narrowly determining the percentage of yearlings in a population of unknown size was improbable without examining approximately 170 individuals drawn from that population. Regarding WMD 14, we could never expect to see that many shot by hunters, so the whole idea of trying was improbable. It wasn’t worth attempting.

After thinking more on this, I realized my trial was just one iteration, and that many more would be necessary to really determine what level of sampling would be necessary to generate an estimate in which you could put much confidence in (estimate +- say 15% and correct say 4 times out of 5 ). According to the textbook formula, the answer ranges between approximately 170 and 350, depending on how skewed the population is to the yearling age class. Who would guess such large numbers would have to be examined?

Science is very demanding.

-Bill Noble, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region F, Penobscot Region

Well, if you only have been able to hunt on Saturdays this year, then it has been a tough deer hunting season! Stormy or windy conditions have prevailed on all four weekends in the Penobscot Region this season making hunting difficult and testing the motivation to deer hunt at all. On the other hand, if you have had chances to hunt during the weekdays there have been some very good days to hunt with lighter winds and cooler temperatures.

As expected, week three showed a change in the composition of the harvest from large numbers of yearling bucks to fewer, larger more mature bucks. Yes, there’s still a good proportion of younger bucks being taken, but the peak of the rut is upon us making the mature bucks more active and hopefully more vulnerable.

In most years, the Thanksgiving week hunt falls slightly after the peak of the rut, but this year, due to the early start to the season, bucks should still be in hot pursuit of does. During my own hunting activities I have noticed that old scrapes have been freshened and that some new scrapes have appeared, indicating that the rut is still high gear!

If your one of those lucky hunters that has already tagged out there’s still plenty of other hunting opportunities available this season. In my travels I have observed hundreds of Canada geese utilizing corn fields. I have also noticed some sizeable flocks of Mallards and Black ducks using agricultural areas. Don’t forget about ruffed grouse either, the season extends to December 31st and I have seen plenty while sitting on my deer stand. It may be a little premature, but it should be a fantastic year for spring turkey season. Good nesting and brood rearing weather this spring has bolstered turkey poult production and has produced large fall flocks throughout the Region!

-Allen Starr, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist

Region G – Aroostook County

The big hunting news this past week has been the weather. We’ve had somewhat of a repeat from last year’s 3rd week of deer season. For those of you who may have forgotten last year, it rained, actually poured, most of the week. It was some of the most miserable extended hunting weather I can remember. Again this year, we got hit with a couple of days of very heavy rain. On Thursday and Friday, southern and central Aroostook County got approximately 2-4” of rain. This created not only miserable hunting conditions but swelled all rivers and streams resulting in widespread flooding, particularly in lowland swamps and floodplains. Walking any distance through the woods was a challenge, requiring rubber boots and lots of back-tracking and skirting around flooded lowlands. Flooded roads also made travel into more remote areas over lightly used gravel roads very difficult.

Also given the wet, muddy ground conditions in central and southern Aroostook County, hopefully hunters will respect private landowner concerns and refrain from causing damage to their field roads. In meetings with agriculture landowners, we’ve heard repeatedly that a major concern in regard to wildlife damage on their farms is not necessarily damage caused by wildlife, but damage to property caused by hunters.

The good news for deer hunters in the Allagash region was that some of this rain eventually turned to snow, dropping 4-10” of new snow. This is great for tracking deer but this additional snowfall, plus the existing snow from prior snowstorms, has made getting around in this region more difficult. Plan on having a 4-wheel drive and chains for icy roads particularly if hunting far from major roads. If possible hunt with a companion and always let a friend or relative know your destination.

Lately I’ve been seeing an unusually high number of hooded mergansers in the County. I passed Daigle Pond in New Canada two weeks ago and the pond was full of these little diving ducks. We also had some flocks on the Hodgdon Mill pond and surrounding wetlands. The males are now in their breeding plumage and are quite striking with their large white hooded crest. These little diving ducks feed mostly on small baitfish which are very abundant in small ponds and forested wetlands. The warm weather we had earlier this fall kept many small wetlands ice-free longer than normal providing for ideal feeding and staging sites. Unfortunately, with cooler temperatures in the forecast many of the remaining migratory birds will move south creating a noticeable void in the North Maine woods until next spring.

We have been getting reports over the last few weeks of moose showing up on roads particularly after dark. I’ve heard of groups of moose on Route 163 between Ashland and Presque Isle and on Route 161, but I’m sure there are others. Having all these roadside moose sightings just after the moose season is certainly not part of our moose management plan. In WMD #3 and 6 we’ve increased the number of moose permits to reduce moose populations and roadside moose numbers and vehicle accidents. However, even if we are successful in lowering moose populations in these wildlife management districts, motorists must still be vigilant in watching for roadside moose. This time of year moose tend to herd together in groups around abundant food sources. So, if motorists see one roadside moose keep an eye out for others.

-Arlen Lovewell, Assistant, Regional Wildlife Biologist

Posted by Tom Remington

An Op-Ed appears today in the Bangor Daily News from Steven Michaud, a self-proclaimed native of Caribou, Maine, current resident of Topsham, and an avid outdoorsman and hunter for over 35 years. Readers should take note of Michaud’s opinion as it is probably a decent image of the way the majority of hunters feel and in particular those in Maine. The title could just as easily contain your state’s name.

Michaud tosses out some anecdotal evidence of the demise of the whitetail deer in the northern half of the state of Maine.

For the past 30 years or so, quietly lost on the vast majority of Maine people and policymakers, a key aspect of our outdoor heritage has taken a dramatic turn for the worse and has declined so markedly that it is nearly non-existent. That is the hunting of whitetail deer.

Over this time while the deer population has grown in the lower part of Maine and in overall numbers, our rural areas in the north, east and west have experienced a steep decline to a level where it is near death. A quick look at deer kill numbers bear that out. In township after township throughout the vast North Woods the deer kill is either zero, one or two in number. A stunning and tragic decline over the past 30 years.

Michaud relates this demise to that of mostly large woodlot owners cutting of traditional deer yards that shelter and protect deer herds during the long harsh winters of the north. I must point out so that all readers understand, this is only one aspect of what is being perceived as a rapidly shrinking northern Maine deer herd.

The writer is asking for balance. A balance that will somehow prevent the cutting of these valuable deer habitats while somehow looking to protect the landowner of their property rights. Mixed in with this call for balance is the need to preserve Maine’s outdoor heritage. Michaud describes it well.

What is at stake? Some of the very experiences I referred to earlier that make us who we are and our lives rich. Is this only about killing deer? Not even close. It’s stopping into a coffee shop and seeing a sea of orange. It’s about being woken by your dad to head to the woods long before you’re ready to leave your warm bed. It’s meeting your sons, your dad or your best friends back at the truck at noon to compare notes on the morning’s hunt and warm up with a cup of coffee.

It’s meeting back at the truck at twilight when the cold has set in right through your green wool pants and your cheeks are numb from the cold. It’s long talks about life during breaks in the hunt. It’s passing on hunting stories to sons and grandsons over and over. These experiences have lifelong affects, deepen important bonds and change lives for the better. They need to be preserved.

Striving to achieve this somewhat mythical balance is difficult and complex. Perhaps not even realizing it, Michaud shows the contradictions that can exist when tackling this issue. This is Michaud’s plea.

We need to find a balance of private property rights and the rights of all Mainers to enjoy the outdoors and the pursuit of happiness. One need not be exclusive of the other, yet right now they are. We also need leadership on this issue. We need leaders willing to fight for the rural Maine way of life and take this issue head on even if they’re not outdoors people themselves. Without this leadership generations of young Mainers will never experience the full richness of November in Maine.

When seeking to protect Maine’s heritage, which in this case involves finding a way to preserve deer habitat, it seems that the call may be going beyond exactly what Michaud values most – the way life has always been in Maine. We are witness to landowners cutting their forests, their right as a landowner. Mainers have always respected the landowner, understood and stood up for their rights. That is the way Maine life has always been. Now we are looking at ways of crimping the rights of those same landowners that have made life in Maine what it is today.

This issue becomes confusing, difficult and complex, almost a “Catch-22″. We, the respectful Mainer, the ones who have perhaps preserved “the way life should be” longer than many other states, now are considering doing what in order to preserve this, “rights of all Mainers to enjoy the outdoors and the pursuit of happiness“, as Michaud says?

The difficulty comes in first determining what is balance. If somehow that could be determined, maybe how to achieve it would be simpler. Not knowing what the writer is thinking as tangible solutions to a problem, leaves us to only begin making our own suggestions.

While I am one who completely understands and embraces the outdoor heritage as described by Michaud, in my efforts to preserve that way of life, I cannot trample on the property rights of others. Some have suggested making laws to prohibit the landowner from cutting or disturbing prime deer habitat. What kind of a message does this send? How will this ultimately affect the relationship between us outdoor freaks who need their land to play on and the landowner? What kind of precedence will this set? Will we then need to make more laws to prevent the landowner from doing anything to their land to protect the famed, “Rubythroatedcrupplepoop”?(joke)

There has to be a way that we can achieve a better way of conserving our wildlife without destroying an economy and/or the magical Maine way of life. We the hunter, understand the value that protected deer habit has on our way of life, our heritage and the local economy. How can we translate a similar value to the landowner? There has to be a way that we can work with the landowner to find a solution that will provide them an incentive to change the way they are using their land now, in order to realize an equal or greater return on their investment.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has undertaken a program similar to this. I know very little about this program or what kind of successes they are having. We should find out.

I have even heard talk of finding ways to actually pay for or find recreational easements that will protect some of these deer yards and other valuable wildlife habitat. There are those out there that I’m sure are far more creative than I in finding ways to make this work without calling for the enactment of laws. Laws create only losing situations and the last thing Maine hunters need right now is to further alienate themselves with more landowners.

I too call for a protection of the outdoor heritage that much of America values. In northern Maine there is a definite need to do something about a dwindling deer herd. This shrinking deer herd is eroding a valued way of life. Let’s approach this task the Maine way by not forcing laws on anyone. Hunters have something to protect. Landowners have something to protect. Now let’s find out how both can continue to protect what they value without having to give something up. Can it be done? I guess that’s up to us isn’t it.

Tom Remington