October 24, 2005
For More Information, please contact: Mark Latti Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife mark.latti@maine.gov 207-287-6008 fax 207-287-6395 284 State Street 41 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333
October 24, 2005 Outdoor Report
Region A- Southwestern Maine
One of the hot topics this fall has been the pheasant stocking, particularly around the Windham/Gorham area. Several incidents occurred that caused quite a few hunters to call the Regional Office and state that there were no birds being stocked at the designated release sites.
First, I need to provide an explanation of how the pheasant program is set up. The program is funded 100% from the sale of pheasant stamps and is carried out by several Fish and Game Clubs with oversight from the Regional Department staff. Six-week-old pheasants are purchased and distributed to the cooperators, and these birds are then raised over the summer and are released during the hunting season at approved sites. Initial stocking is generally prior to the opening of the season, however, due to man power issues during the week - the majority of the Windham/Gorham Club pheasant committee work and were not able to take time off during the week for releases. The Club also schedules releases for each Sunday in October. What this meant was that hunters who went afield on October 1st, opening day, found no birds at the designated sites. The Club did in fact release 470 birds at their 19 sites on October 2nd.
A second issue arose on the second Sunday, October 9th, when there was heavy rain, and the club decided that for the good of the birds, they should not be released during the bad weather. This provided no new birds for hunters who were out on Columbus Day when the weather was somewhat better. The major issue with releasing birds during a heavy rain is not so much the rain after the release but the wet, muddy conditions that develop during the catching of the birds in the pens. This produces a wet and muddy bird that is very likely to be stressed when released and mortality will be increased. Even though hunters expect to have pheasants available when the season opens they need to understand that conditions can alter release schedules. As I mentioned earlier the Windham/Gorham Club is comprised of dedicated individuals who donate considerable amounts of time to the pheasant program and they do a commendable job in raising a good bird, and they do their best to make the birds available to the hunting public. I am sure that if any readers are interested in the Windham/Gorham Club's activities, they would be willing to have new members and additional people to participate in the pheasant program. I hope this provides some clarification to the many questions that have been asked at the Regional Office regarding the pheasant stocking this fall.
-Phil Bozenhard, Regional Wildlife Biologist
Region B - Central Maine
Keel and I have been out the last week getting our managed flowages in shape for the winter. We normally put flashboards on our dams in the spring and pull them in the fall. This allows us to capture the spring run off at the beginning of the season. More wetland habitat is flooded getting water back into areas with overhead cover for nesting birds. Then in the fall we lower the level back down to minimize ice or water damage to the water control structure. With the heavy rains these past few weeks, it has been more of a challenge than usual.
At both Madawaska Bog in Palmyra and Ruffingham Meadow in Searsmont, the water levels have been running very high. In fact, at both locations we split the task up, pulling off the upper layer of boards on one day. Then we let the water drop down over the course of several days before finishing the job this past week. The last weather forecast was talking about another hurricane affecting our region before the week's end. These flowages are a prime example of the benefits of management activities planned for game species that benefit non-game species as well. At Madawaska Bog, black terns are found nesting, in between the duck boxes, that house hooded mergansers and wood ducks. At Ruffingham Meadow, many local folks visit for a little fishing close to home or bird watching. It certainly is a pleasant place to fish or even just paddle around in your canoe or kayak. All of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's Wildlife Management Areas serve many roles, not only for the wildlife found on them but the visiting public as well. All folks that make use of these properties would do well to keep this in mind. Please treat this valuable resource with respect, as well as the other users you encounter.
-Jim Connolly, Regional Wildlife Biologist
Region C - Downeast
The Youth Deer Hunt is very popular here in eastern Maine. Just casual observation seems to indicate more orange clad hunters around than most days during the regular deer season.
This last week brought our first killing frost and the first sightings of buffleheads in the tidewater. Wood ducks have suddenly become less common by demonstrating their usual tendency to head south with the first frosts.
We all know that time and tide wait for no one. But, it's sometimes entertaining to have your mind wander, as we all do, and just what we would do if we could change reality to our personal preferences. So, if duck hunting is Job 1 in your life and you could wave that magical wand, these are some of the things you might change.
1. Making waders that are warm, flexible, lightweight and puncture proof. Don't forget self-sealing so you never go over the tops or forget to roll them up and end up with wet feet.
2. Warm, waterproof and lightweight hunting jackets that are summer weight but will keep you warm on the most exposed ledge outcropping in December. You won't feel confined and restricted like a mummy. The downside is that there wouldn't be any excuse for missing birds because your swing was like that of a rusty gate from the bulky clothes.
3. Dull dead grass paint would be offered in ten different shades.
4. Outboard motors would always start with the first pull as well as boat trailer winches that always worked right.
5. Decoy anchor lines would be self-untangling. There would be non-glossy when wet, ice shedding decoy paint. Decoy makers would offer different color patterns on decoys besides the typical full breeding plumage that is customary now. They would offer developing plumage coloration that most of the ducks we encounter the first part of the season.
6. Remember the movie, "The Stepford Wives?" What is needed is the "Stepford Bird Dog", all trained and disciplined. Imagine having a retriever who could mark and retrieve, be steady to shot, know to avoid decoys, and know enough to shake outside the blind. On upland birds, one who would always work close and push the birds back to you.
7. You and your significant other agreeing on the "no brainer" decisions in life. The choice between a new duck boat or a living room set let's say. You both agree some new foam in the folding lawn chairs and a new cover for the piece of plywood that is your coffee table will get you by for another year.
One can dream, can't they?
-Jim Hall, Wildlife Biologist
Region D - Western Mountains
Deer and acorns were on my mind this weekend as I moved firewood from the woods to the house. Acorns were falling on my head as I worked, then during a break a friend called to tell me his wife hit a deer with their brand new car. These events gave me the idea for this week's report.
About two years ago, and out of the blue, we started receiving comments and complaints that turkeys were harming the deer because they were eating acorns the deer could utilize. I really don't know how this issue came to be but it seems to be building momentum. Turkeys have been restored to their original range in Maine via trap and transfer over two decades. They are now doing well in areas beyond their former range. I'm not sure if there is concrete evidence to support or refute the sentiment that turkeys impact deer due to competition for acorns, at least in Maine. That said, let me share a few angles why acorn-eating turkeys are probably of little or no impact to Maine deer. Conversely, over the long run they may benefit deer.
While acorns are a bonus food for deer, they are not a limiting factor for deer. At the far northern end of their range, winter shelter is the single greatest limiting factor for Maine's whitetails. Turkeys do not compete for this component of habitat so critical to deer.
There are vast areas within Maine where there are deer and little or no oak at all. There are turkeys where oaks are scarce. Further, oak trees do not produce good acorn crops every year. If deer numbers were dependant on oak availability, they would have this food only two out of every five years. While a good food source for both species, acorns can't be a factor limiting deer numbers.
Both turkeys and white-tailed deer are native to Maine. At times both will exploit an acorn crop. If they were direct competitors for a crucial resource, one of the species would have lost out a long time ago. While turkeys were nearly wiped out, that was due entirely to humans converting forestland to agriculture, and more important, over-harvesting.
Turkeys are beneficial to oak trees and therefore are a benefit to deer. The most important factor for oak regeneration is the squirrel. One gray squirrel will cache hundreds of acorns via burial, fully intending to return and eat them. This puts acorns in direct contact with mineral soil, greatly enhancing germination success. Despite a squirrel's best intentions, many caches are abandoned. Either they forget where they all were, or die from predation, road kill, etc. These events lead to acorns germinating into seedlings. Young oaks will start producing fruit in 25 years, assuming the deer does not browse them. To a lesser degree turkeys also aid in the regeneration process. While feeding, turkeys scratch and turn over leaves in search of acorns as well as small animal life. In doing so they inadvertently put acorns in direct contact with mineral soil, and out of sight of other animals that would eat acorns. Do turkeys eat them all? Consider that mature tree will produce about 1,000 acorns. And that 80-100 mature oak trees could fit on one acre, that is potentially 100,000 acorns per acre if fully stocked with oak trees. Since turkeys can only consume a small amount of food per day (less than a pound fits in their crop) it's not physically possible for them to eat all the acorns. However their feeding behavior is a big plus when it comes to regenerating new oak trees.
Its very common for us all to feel one wildlife population harms another. This occurs all too frequently when an exotic species meets a native. It's not common when native meets native. Many years ago I was reading a nationally syndicated cartoon called Frank and Ernest in which Frank, portrayed as Noah, was directing the loading of animals onto the ark. He yelled down to Ernest, on land and guiding the animals onto the ark's ramp, "Load two of everything, except for scapegoats. We'll take all of those you got". While some wildlife species do deserve blame for creating problems, more often than not that blame is misplaced due to not fully knowing the complex relationships between plants and animals.
-Chuck Hulsey, Regional Wildlife Biologist
Region E - Moosehead Region
In case you're curious, Lynx persist in the Moosehead area. Last winter Allen Starr of our Bangor office, one of our contract workers, biologists from our Strong office and I looked for tracks in various townships scattered between Millinocket and the New Hampshire border to test and refine a predictive model, and round out the picture of where lynx occur and where they don't. During that undertaking, tracks were found only in the Kokadjo area, and lacking in a few places where they were noted not long ago. In those instances, there was perhaps only a couple individual lynx when present. A camp owner with a camp on Third Roach clued us in to some near Crawford Pond and caretakers Dana Delisle and Lisa Wilson to another batch in Tomhegan. In both those instances tracks appearing to represent a female with several young were found. Further north, tracks were seen in Prentiss Twp, near Fifth St. John, along the Raggmuff Road, and on the Golden Road in the vicinity of Shack Pond. I did not venture up to the Telos area last winter, but believe they were there once again also. We will possibly hear about that from Skip Bates, the warden in that district.
-Bill Noble, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist
Region F, Penobscot Region
Saturday marks the beginning of regular firearms season on deer. Residents start this day, with nonresidents able to start the following Monday, the 31st.
The outlook for the region appears good for this fall. Last winter we had average to below average winter conditions in much of the region, permitting good survival of fawns to the yearling class as well as enhancing older buck survival. I had many reports of does with twins during the summer.
Anyone interested in transferring their any deer permit needs to do it by October 28, 2005. Following is the directions copied from the department's web site, <http://www.state.me.us/ifw/hunttrap/anydeerpermits.htm#transfer>. Transfer of Any-Deer/Bonus Deer Permits Any person who has been issued an Any-Deer permit or a Bonus Deer permit can transfer the permit to a junior hunter, a person 65 years of age or older, or to a person with ambulatory disabilities (suffering from the loss of, or the permanent loss of the use of, both lower extremities). A resident permit may only be transferred to another resident, and a nonresident permit may only be transferred to another nonresident. The transfer can be done online until 11:59 p.m. October 28, 2005 <http://www.informe.org/ifw/nedeer/netransfer.html>. Permits can also be transferred by completing the 2005 Any-Deer/Bonus Deer Permit Transfer Request Form that is mailed along with your permit. In order to complete the transfer in person or by mail, you must fill in all required information for both yourself and the transferee on the transfer request form and return it to the Department. The Department will assign an authorization number for your permit transfer, and mail the form back to you. When you receive the authorization number, you must enter all transferee information on both portions of the permit in order for the permit to be valid. Once this is done, the transfer is complete and you may give the permit to the transferee. Transfer request forms must be received by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State Street, 41 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333 no later than October 28, 2005. Please allow at least one week for processing. Print another Any-Deer/Bonus Deer Permit Transfer Request Form <http://www.state.me.us/ifw/hunttrap/anydeertransferform.htm>, if you have misplaced your original. NOTE: Do not Mail Your Permit Back to the Department....Mail only the Deer Permit Transfer Request Form. With the record rainfall hitting Maine this month, nuisance beaver complaints have been pouring in. Regular beaver trapping season starts in much of the region November 1. If you are having water problems caused by these busy dam builders, contact your local trapper, (or the Enfield regional office for some trapper names), as the regulated trapping season provides the most cost effective control method.
Access is key to all of your outdoor recreational opportunities. Please ASK FIRST to ensure continued access for everyone. Visit the department's Landowner Relations web page at http://www.state.me.us/ifw/aboutus/landownerrelations/index.htm
-Vasco "Buster" Carter, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist
Region G - Aroostook and Allagash Region
A few weeks back I got a call from Andrew Brown, a student at University of Maine at Fort Kent. On Ocotober 3, Andrew had been grouse hunting in Wallagrass Plantation near the Belanger Settlement area and shot a ruffed grouse that was almost pure white. I had Andrew e-mail me some pictures and also contact Biologist Brad Allen, Bird Group Leader, at our wildlife office in Bangor for additional information. The condition of this grouse is referred to as "leucistic." A leucistic bird usually has white, off-white, or light tan plumage. They are able to produce some degree of feather pigment or color, but do not produce or lay-down enough melanin, the main coloring agent in feathers, to give feathers or plumage a normal appearance.
A true albino grouse, which is very rare, usually has no melanin, the feathers are pure white and its eyes, feet, and bill appear pinkish because of the absence of black pigment. A leucistic grouse is still quite rare and because of it's white plumage may have a very short life, not only does this white plumage catch our eye, but also the attention of many predators. Reports of leucism in other bird species have occurred in northern Maine. By reviewing the Mainebirding internet website (www.mainebirding.com), I found reports of bird sightings last October of a leucistic Canada Goose on Collins Pond in Caribou, a white, black-capped chickadee at a bird feeder last winter also in Caribou, and a white, common raven in the Fort Fairfield area. However, it's very unlikely that Andrew will ever see or harvest another leucistic ruffed grouse and he has wisely decided to send this grouse to a taxidermist for mounting. For a look at this unique bird, please open the attached jpg photos. <<leucistic grouse1.jpg>> <<leucistic grouse2.jpg>>
Last week Regional Biologist Rich Hoppe met with members from the National Wild Turkey Federation to tour potential wild turkey habitat and release sites in southern Aroostook County. In fact, we now have a few wild turkeys being sighted in the Linneus-Smyrna area. I find it quite ironic that we are now starting into a turkey management program in Region G because on one of the days Rich was looking at turkey habitat in southern Aroostook County, I was in northern Aroostook County (approximately 80-100 miles further north) assisting the Canada Lynx Project personnel with releasing a lynx that was accidentally caught in a land trap. Canada lynx is listed as an endangered species and cannot be harvested. The lynx, a 25 lb. male, was released uninjured, just a little wiser from the ordeal.
Having to manage for both of these species in Aroostook County really illustrates the diversity of wildlife habitats, wildlife species, and management programs we now have in Maine. Twenty-five years ago, Canada lynx were extremely rare and wild turkeys were nonexistent north of Augusta and I would never have guessed that today we would be dealing with management issues surrounding these two wildlife species. In fact, just this past September, I saw a hen turkey 25 miles west of Ashland near Machias Lake. Also in the same area last winter, I observed numerous lynx tracks. A lynx is fairly timid and hunts primarily small game, particularly snowshoe hare. Wild turkeys have proven to be very adaptable and quite capable of eluding many wildlife predators. As Canada lynx and wild turkey don't normally coexist in the same area, what do you suppose will happen when a Canada lynx and a wild turkey first meet?
-Arlen Lovewell, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist
-Mark
Mark Latti Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife mark.latti@maine.gov 207-287-6008 fax 207-287-6395 284 State Street 41 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333
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