A bill in Maine that would have put an end to all game farms, including a handful that offer shooting opportunities, got killed in committee by a 12-0 vote – the vote for “ought not to pass”. Under Maine rules, a unanimous vote effectively kills the bill.
One member of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Chairwoman Rep. Wendy Pieh, D-Bremen, was quoted as saying the following:
…..whether it’s fair-chase hunting or farming, or whether it offends the morals of some, is not for the Legislature to decide.
Spectacular! That is the best adjective I can come up with to describe East by North East, produced by Matt Stanton and Carter Davidson for Gray Ghost Productions.
I’ve seen my share of outdoor films, from hunting, fishing, kayaking and an myriad of good movies aimed at teasing the senses, creating fidgety in your pants and to get you off the couch. East by North East is really in a league of its own. It’s hot!
Let me first be a bit forthcoming in that some may think my review of this movie would be influenced by the fact that I know many of the players. In another life, I coached a little soccer, baseball and skiing. Carter Davidson, Luke Gray, Nathan Harvey, Jen and Stephanie Percival and Mitch Cummings all at one time or other were a part of my life and I coached them in various sports. At times some of them might have wished I wasn’t part of their life (as coaches sometimes can be) but I have to admit, I stand in awe of their accomplishments and the lives they lead.
Little did I know at the time, some 15 or so years ago, that Carter Davidson would find his passion behind the lens of a camera, that Nate Harvey would be navigating some of the most exciting white water in his kayak, or that the Percival girls loved fly fishing and Mitch Cummings would be the master of landing the big one.
What sets East by North East apart from other fishing movies is simple really. ExNE is original, creative and complete. ExNE isn’t like “all the others” but you need to get a copy to view for yourself.
Creativity begins with the title itself and never quits through 70 minutes of fun and adventure. Davidson and crew have captured the thrill that drives all avid fishermen, through unique shots, camera angles and the presentation of one-of-a-kind characters, all in some of the finest fishing waters in North America.
East by North East is a movie that isn’t afraid to expand the limits of fly fishing. The DVD begins with a trip to the British Virgin Islands, fly fishing for bonefish. Through the journey on film, the cast wets lines on the Upper Magalloway River with Rick Estes, hits some isolated back country native brook trout ponds with Erik Lippman and dazzles us with bass fishing with Mike Jones.
But it doesn’t end there. I laughed so hard I nearly spit on my computer screen watching Bill Pierce and Mike Jones trying to net a huge pike caught in downtown Lewiston, Maine on the Androscoggin River, a place that once was famous for toxic fumes peeling paint off houses.
Jump from there to Winterport, Maine and you’ll find the McKay brothers, Tait and Jax, all of perhaps 8 and 10 years of age, wielding their fly rods like pros and hauling in fish seemingly with little effort. Davidson says the two boys were born with fishing rods in their hands. I believe it.
The show isn’t all about success with every cast or fishing only. As Luke Gray physically headlocks and drags “Stoo” Mason from his distillery at the Sunday River Brewing Company, they head for Canada to do some Atlantic salmon fishing. They soon find out why the Atlantic salmon is called the fish of 1,000 casts as Luke exclaims, “It should be called the fish of 5,000 casts!” as he and the others got skunked.
Adding even more variety for your viewing pleasure, Davidson explains that Nate Harvey, an accomplished whitewater kayaker and instructor, finds fish for him while spending time upside down in some pretty wild and deep pools.
Of interest to me personally was a segment of the movie that touched on the history of the Androscoggin River. The Andy begins in the Rangeley Lakes area, meanders into New Hampshire for a spell, returning to Maine and eventually merging with the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay on the coast.
I grew up on that river many years ago. At one point of the film, Rocky Freda, a Maine guide and outfitter who utilizes the resources of the river in his business, tells viewers that few houses can be found built directly on the river because it once was so polluted, nobody wanted to live next to it. I did. I played on the banks of that river as a kid. I watched as the river went from one of the 10 filthiest to what it is today. It’s an incredible success story achieved mostly because the people wanted it to happen.
East by North East gives all a chance to witness the bounty this spectacularly scenic river now brings.
Still not complete, you’ll be entertained with legends and characters like Charlie Lowe, Will Gilson, Lefty Kreh and Rik Dow. There is nothing more entertaining than listening to Dow’s unique and often bizarre perspective on life in general, say nothing about fishing. Combine the two and you’ll walk away either scratching your head or laughing it off.
If all of this isn’t enough to capture your attention and hold it for 70 minutes, no other fly fishing film breaks between scenes with fishing tales as told by noted Maine humorist Joe Perham. I have to admit that the stories told in this movie are more on the line of “Tall Tales and Damned Lies” than the more believable fishing yarns often spun by some of Maine’s more colorful characters.
And to polish things off on a very complete and expansive movie, the camera zooms in on Charlie Lowe, to a face that has seen many years on the water, slipped on more rocks than most people see in their lifetime and caught more fish than………well, let’s just say he’s caught a lot of fish. His parting words to the camera, “Fish more and you’ll live longer.”
Now that’s complete!
If you would like to purchase a copy of East by North East you can find it at the following locations:
AUGUSTA – This spring, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will conduct a nearly statewide census for nesting great blue herons and other colonial wading birds. This large-scale effort will be conducted primarily by state biologists, but there are a couple of opportunities for the public to become involved.
Information regarding the location of active heron or other wading bird colonies is needed. In addition, a new volunteer-based adopt-a-colony program called the Heron Observation Network (HERON) will begin this spring – and members of the public are encouraged to join. These efforts have been prompted by recent concern over the status of Maine’s breeding population of great blue herons.
The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is often touted as one of the most widespread and adaptable wading birds in North America. It certainly is no stranger to Maine. The birds can be seen foraging in tidal marshes, along riverbanks, and even in open grasslands. In flight, their form is reminiscent of a prehistoric creature: large body, long snake-like neck with a sharp dagger for a bill, all carried about by those ever so graceful wings that when wide open may stretch two meters across. Upon liftoff, their squawk further confirms their prehistoric essence.
Though they tend to forage alone, their nesting habits are the complete opposite. Colonies can contain anywhere from a few pairs to several hundred, and often multiple nests occupy the same tree. Location of a colony is somewhat predator driven, but is also determined by the proximity of quality foraging habitat. In addition, human disturbance can be a real threat to a colony’s continued occupancy.
Recent observations have indicated that colonies in Maine may be declining. Colonies that once held scores of active nests, have dwindled to a few pairs or have been abandoned altogether. Have the birds simply redistributed themselves across the landscape, occupying different sites that support fewer pairs, or is there a true decline in the number of breeding “great blues”? North American Breeding Bird Survey data for Maine indicate a significant declining trend in the number of birds detected between 1980 and 2007. Although most would still argue the great blue heron is a common sighting in Maine, this declining trend is somewhat alarming.
Consideration of this decline, evidence of fewer active nests in recent years, and observations of predation by an increasing eagle population prompted MDIF&W to list the great blue heron as a state Species of Special Concern in 2007. Unlike Endangered or Threatened status, Special Concern is an administrative category established by policy, rather than by regulation, and is used for planning and informational purposes only. Basically, it’s a way of saying, “let’s keep an eye on this species and make sure it’s not really in peril.”
MDIF&W conducts periodic breeding censuses of heron colonies, primarily along the coast. The last thorough census was done in 1996. Observations and reports of numbers of nests for most colonies have filtered in over the past 13 years, but have primarily been incidental and opportunistic in nature and therefore haven’t shed enough light on the situation. A thorough nest count is long overdue.
In late April through early May, MDIF&W will fly over the state in search of nesting colonies of great blue herons and other colonial wading birds such as snowy, great, and cattle egrets; little blue and tricolored herons; glossy ibis; and black-crowned night-herons. All historical wading bird colonies, including more than 180 that have hosted nesting great blue herons, will be checked for use in 2009. Suitable habitat en route to these locations also will be surveyed.
The formal census will be performed by state biologists, but reports of active colonies from the public are extremely helpful. As mentioned earlier, many of the larger colonies documented in past censuses have since broken up into smaller colonies and moved to other locations. Herons nest in a wide variety of habitats including coastal and freshwater islands, beaver flowages, small and large wetland complexes, as well as upland sites that may be fairly close to good foraging areas. Maine has no shortage of these habitat types, so finding colonies may be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
In order to maximize the efficiency of the aerial census and minimize flying time, information is needed from on-the-ground observers regarding the locations of active colonies. In addition, more detailed information regarding the use of these colonies over time will aid in assessing the population’s trend and planning future surveys and management activities.
During their 2009 springtime adventures, members of the public are encouraged to take note of active breeding great blue heron colonies and share their findings with MDIF&W. Nesting herons can be extremely sensitive to human disturbance, and may even abandon a colony as a result of human intrusion. From the onset of courtship behavior through fledging, it is extremely important to keep a distance of 300 meters (984 feet) from the colony. Without causing any disturbance to the birds, record the location on a DeLorme atlas, the approximate number of active nests (if visible from less than 300 meters), and the date(s) of your observation(s).
To take an even more active role in this project, the public may sign up to be part of the Heron Observation Network. HERON volunteers observe known active colonies one or more times between May and July to determine the number of nesting adults and the vegetative structure and health of the colony. Aerial censuses are expensive and time consuming; therefore they cannot be done on an annual basis. The information collected by HERON volunteers will assist with assessing the breeding population over time. An added benefit of this volunteer-based program is that the time contributed by volunteers can help to leverage federal dollars to perform future aerial censuses.
To help state biologists better understand the status of the great blue heron in Maine by reporting active colonies or becoming a HERON volunteer, please contact Danielle D’Auria at danielle.dauria@maine.gov or 941-4478.
A Pennsylvania couple that left a Greenville area hotel on Thursday morning for a snowmobile ride was found this afternoon in Moosehead Lake, according to the Maine Warden Service.
Clifford Achenbach, 41, and Denise Achenbach, 42, from Pen Argyl, Pa., left the Moose Mountain Inn in Moosehead Junction Township, north of Greenville, on Thursday, March 16, to ride on trails north of the town, and told a hotel attendant they were going “exploring” Maine’s outdoors.
The couple was located at approximately 12:45 p.m. today (March 23, 2009) on Moosehead Lake above the East Outlet dam by a Maine Forest Service helicopter that was manned by MFS Forest Ranger Pilots Shawn Rogers and Lincoln Mazzei and MWS Sgt. Bill Chandler and Game Warden Mike Morrison.
Mr. and Mrs. Achenbach were recovered from Moosehead Lake shortly before 4 p.m., and transported to Crosby Funeral Home in Guilford, where they will be evaluated Tuesday morning.
The Achenbachs’ family was notified of the deaths when it arrived in Greenville from Pennsylvania after 4 p.m. today. Maine Warden Service Chaplain Kate Braestrup was available to help the family.
The Achenbachs had checked into the Moose Mountain Inn on March 16, and planned to stay until Saturday, March 21. Earlier in the week, Mr. Achenbach told a hotel worker that the couple had ridden to Pittston Farm and Northeast Carry.
The Maine Warden Service received the missing persons report at 7:30 a.m. today, March 23, 2009. Family members in Pennsylvania, concerned that the couple had not arrived home over the weekend, called the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office, which notified the Maine Warden Service.
Fifteen Game Wardens and two MWS aircraft searched for the couple. The Maine Forest Service assisted in the search with its helicopter because that aircraft is able to position itself closer to bodies of water.
The area where the couple was located today has been the scene of snowmobile-related fatalities in the past, according to MWS Lt. Pat Dorian. Open water and thin ice are normal conditions here as the water is continuously moving due to the following reasons: Moosehead Lake feeds into the East Outlet of the Kennebec River, creating headwaters; and as winter progresses, water is drawn down to feed the Dam at East Outlet, a hydroelectric generator. If a snowmobiler is unfamiliar with the area, they could encounter thin ice or open water as close to a quarter-mile before the dam.
Some of the fatalities have occurred at night, according to Lt. Dorian. Snowmobilers are drawn to the lights on the dam and at sporting camps on the other side of the dam. Sledders focused on heading towards the lights to get off of the lake may have believed they would be traveling on solid ice towards shore, only to encounter thin ice or open water, the Lieutenant said.
The time of the Achenbachs’ deaths is not known, according to Lt. Dorian.
Eight people have died in snowmobile-related incidents this season, which began mid-December 2008.
Photo courtesy of Maine Warden Service
The bodies of Clifford and Denise Achenbach of Pen Argyl, Pa., were located and recovered from Moosehead Lake near the East Outlet dam on Monday afternoon, March 23, 2009. (To the right is Route 15. Near the top of the photo you can see the East Outlet dam.)
Photo courtesy of Maine Warden Service
Maine Warden Service Game Wardens travel by airboat during recovery mission on Moosehead Lake.
Photo courtesy of Maine Warden Service
Maine Warden Service Game Wardens Mike Favreau, Dan Carroll and Eric Dauphinee begin the recovery of Clifford and Denise Achenbach of Pen Argyl, Penn.
This edition has a report and update on this year’s dismal Maine deer harvest, tips for a successful spring turkey hunt, information on feeding wildlife, a story on finding a rare black racer snake in Maine, an update on the harvesting of rockweed along Maine’s coast and other bits of news, information and photographs, including a photo of a record togue taken through the ice on Moosehead Lake.
The Maine Warden Service is conducting a search for a missing Pennsylvania couple that went out snowmobiling on Thursday morning and did not return to their hotel in Moosehead Junction Township, north of Greenville.
The Maine Warden Service received the missing persons report at 7:30 a.m. today, March 23, 2009. Twelve Game Wardens and two MWS aircraft are searching for the couple, and a Maine Forestry Department helicopter is en route to assist.
The couple is from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania. They planned to ride north and ride off trail, according to Lt. Pat Dorian of the Maine Warden Service.
Missing are:
Clifford Achenbach: 41 years old, 6-foot-2-inches, approximately 170 pounds, dark reddish hair, brown eyes.
Denise Achenbach: 42 years old, 5-foot-8-inches, approximately 140 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes.
They were riding a 2009 Polaris, red in color, and a 2007 Arctic Cat, green in color.
The couple checked into the Moose Mountain Inn on March 16, and planned on staying until Saturday, March 21. Earlier in the week, Mr. Achenbach told a hotel attendant that the couple had ridden to Pittston Farm and Northeast Carry.
The couple was due back at work in Pennsylvania today.
People with information about the couple should contact Piscataquis Sheriff’s Office 1-800-432-7372
A picture of Clifford Achenbach.
The red snowmobile on the left belongs to Clifford Achenbach. He is the person wearing a black snowmobile suit and waving. He was wearing that suit when he went out sledding on Thursday.
2007ArcticCat: This is a picture of the other model of snowmobile being ridden by Denise Achenbach. HOWEVER, the hood now is black.
Spectacular! That is the best adjective I can come up with to describe East by North East, produced by Matt Stanton and Carter Davidson for Gray Ghost Productions.
