Outdoor News February 2012 Edited by V. Paul Reynolds February. Not a bad month for outdoor types. If you look closely, you'll notice longer days. Cabin fever sufferers take heart. There are sportsman shows and ice fishing derbies that make a relatively short winter month go even faster. On late afternoons toward the end of February, when the sun's rays begin to hold promise and the wind stays down, it can be downright pleasant near those icefishing holes. If you're shopping for winter diversions beyond the bunny hunts or fly-tying bench, don't forget to check out the many sportsman shows, ice fishing derbies and bait dealers whose ads appear this month in the Sportin' Journal. As we said in this space last year at this time, the best part of the month is the perennial promise that helps Mainers endure the abbreviated days and prolonged nights: the coming of March, then the April thing, and then spring! CAPTION FOR PHOTO ABOVE: Canadian Lynx Club News If your club or outdoor organization has news or photos that warrant publication in the Northwoods Sporting Journal, send them to: Club News, NWSJ, P.O. Box 195, W. Enfield, ME 04493, or e-mail news to: paul@sportingjournal.com Outdoors Woman Workshop Registration is now open for the 2012 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Winter Workshop, a one-day program where women can learn outdoor skills to enjoy during the winter months. The workshop will be held on Saturday, February 18, 2012 (snow date Sunday, February 19), at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department's Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness, N.H. The workshop costs $55, which includes lunch and most equipment. Participants must be at least 18 years old. New Hampshire BOW programs are co-sponsored by N.H. Fish and Game and the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation. Winter BOW participants choose a single activity to explore during the daylong workshop. They can learn how to ice-fish, explore winter outdoor survival skills, track wildlife on snowshoes, try snowmobiling (beginners only) or experience the popular 'Shoe and Shoot class, which is woodland target shooting on snowshoes. To register, download the registration forms and workshop brochure at http://www.nhbow.com, or email Lisa.M.Collins@wildlife.nh.gov or call 603-271-3212. Sign up soon, because BOW workshops fill up fast. The New Hampshire Wildlife Federation is a nonprofit group that advocates for the promotion and protection of hunting, fishing and trapping, as well as the conservation of fish and wildlife habitat. Visit http://www.nhwf.org. Two Plead Guilty in VT Two Burlington, Vermont men pled no contest on December 23rd to taking an endangered species of fish in Addison County. Dhan Gurung, 27, of Winooski and Kamal Pradhan, 31, from South Burlington were apprehended by game wardens in July after illegally taking a lake sturgeon from Otter Creek in Ferrisburgh. A concerned fisherman witnessed the two men catch the sturgeon and called a Vermont State Game Warden. With assistance from a Vergennes police officer, the 35-inch fish was seized and the two men were apprehended before they could leave the scene. The lake sturgeon is on Vermont’s State Endangered Species List. A species is determined to be endangered in the state of Vermont if its continued existence as wildlife or a wild plant is in serious jeopardy. A sturgeon does not begin reproducing until it is approximately 20 years old. This sturgeon is believed to have been in its late teens, however, an exact age will not be known until it is inspected by a Fish and Wildlife Department biologist. Gurung and Pradhan were fined $516 apiece and must pay $1000 in restitution for taking the sturgeon. In addition, any licenses they have to hunt, fish or trap in Vermont will be revoked for three years, and they will be required to take a remedial course before being eligble for licenses again. Anyone who witnesses a Fish and Wildlife crime is asked to report it immediately directly to the local Game Warden by calling the state police dispatch or dialing 1-800-75ALERT (1-800-752-5378). New Fishing Regs New Hampshire anglers take note: a few new fishing rule changes take effect on January 1, 2012. "With the exception of the new rule related to the number of lines allowed while being guided, these rules don't reflect major statewide changes for anglers," said Scott Decker, Inland Fisheries Program Supervisor for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. "However, it is important for anglers who fish certain waters to be aware of specific changes affecting those waterbodies." Administrative freshwater fishing rule changes that take effect on January 1, 2012: * While anglers are being guided, as defined in RSA 207:1 XII and XIII, and taking freshwater fish by trolling, the number of lines being used for angling must not exceed the total legal number of lines allowed (2 per angler), excluding the guide(s). For example, if a guide is taking two clients trolling, the group may fish with up to four lines. * On the Connecticut River, the daily bag limit for black bass from January 1 to March 31 is now two fish, of which only one bass may be greater than 16 inches. * In New Hampshire/Massachusetts border waters, the daily bag limit for black bass from ice-in to ice-out is now two fish, of which only one bass may be greater than 16 inches. * In Dublin Lake (Dublin, N.H.), the daily bag limit for trout increases from 3 to 5 fish. * Perch Pond (Lisbon, N.H.) is no longer a designated trout pond, so general fishing regulations now apply: no closed season; ice fishing allowed, with a two-trout bag limit through the ice. For more information on New Hampshire fishing rules, see the 2012 New Hampshire Freshwater Fishing Digest, available at http://www.fishnh.com/pubs/fishing.html or from Fish and Game license agents across the state. Fisheries management in New Hampshire is funded by the federal Sport Fish Restoration Program, supported through the purchase of fishing equipment, motorboat and small engine fuels. Learn more at http://www.wildnh.com/SFWR_program/sfwr_program.htm. NH Apprentice Hunters Have you ever had a friend who you know would enjoy hunting if they only had a chance to try it? Or perhaps you're a non-hunter who has always wanted to go along on a hunt to see what it's all about. Now you can have your chance. A new law takes effect January 1, 2012, that allows people who are interested in trying hunting or bowhunting an opportunity to do so under the guidance of an experienced hunter without having to take a Hunter Education course first. It's called the New Hampshire Apprentice Hunting License. Here's how it works: * The licensed apprentice hunter is allowed to hunt only when accompanied by a properly licensed hunter who is 18 years of age or older. "Accompanied" means maintaining actual physical direction and control -- keeping the apprentice within sight and hearing at all times (without use of electronic devices). * The apprentice hunting license is the same price as a regular resident or nonresident hunting license. It can be purchased only at N.H. Fish and Game headquarters, 11 Hazen Drive in Concord, N.H., or by mail (visit http://www.wildnh.com/Licensing/license_forms.htm). * You can purchase an Apprentice Hunting License only once in your lifetime. It is valid from the date of purchase through the end of the calendar year. * If you want to hunt in a future year, you must first complete a hunter education or bowhunter education course, then buy a regular New Hampshire hunting license. Register for Hunter Education at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed.htm. "The Apprentice Hunting License is an exciting new opportunity for sharing the hunting experience," said Steve Weber, Chief of the N.H. Fish and Game Wildlife Division. "Like our successful youth hunting program, in which youngsters go afield under the supervision of an adult mentor, this program is a great way to provide a positive first-time experience for older new hunters who never had the chance to go hunting as a youth." In instituting the program, New Hampshire follows the lead of approximately thirty states that have established some kind of apprentice hunting program over the past five years. Want to know more? Fish and Game has put together some Frequently Asked Questions about the new Apprentice Hunting License, at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/apprentice_FAQs.htm. Ice Fishing Derby - Maine The Maine Royal River Rod & Gun Club, in cooperation with Sabbathday Lake Grange, is pleased to host our annual ice fishing derby Saturday, February 4th on Sabbathday Lake. Proceeds from this event will benefit local charities. Registration starts at 7:00 a.m. at the Grange Hall and final weigh-in will be at 3:55 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the three largest fish caught and weighed. First prize is a gas powered ice auger donated by Kittery Trading Post. Second prize is a portable 2-man ice fishing shelter donated by Cabela's in Scarborough. Third prize is a $100 gift card. Food and beverages will be available and door prizes will be awarded at the conclusion of the event. The Sabbathday Lake derby was started two years ago and grown in participation each year. Proceeds from the event stay in the community. Sponsors and donors for this year's event include Kittery Trading Post, Cabela's, Dag's Bait Shop, Hammond Lumber, MDIF&W, Stabilicers of Saco, Lonnie Dogs and Jess & Nicks of Gray, and Mario's Restaurant of New Gloucester. We look forward to a robust turnout for this years derby. All tickets are $15.00 and are available in advance from Roger Hines or may be purchased on the day of the derby. For more information and tickets, please call or email Roger Hines, 926-3943 RHines@maine.rr.com or Pete Thoits, 657-4184 PeteThoits@maine.rr.com.News from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Canada Lynx Study Sightings of the elusive Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) have been on the rise over the past decade in the Granite State - including the exciting observation of four lynx kittens this November in northern New Hampshire. A special fundraising effort is now underway through the N.H. Fish and Game Department's Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program to develop a conservation plan for Canada lynx, document their presence in the state and determine the location of prime lynx habitat. "Our current fundraising appeal is centered on the lynx project, making it especially exciting to get confirmation of the news of the lynx kittens in the midst of it," said John Kanter, Nongame Program coordinator. "To support and participate in this work, people can help with their donations." Tax-deductible contributions to help fund the New Hampshire Canada lynx effort and other critical Nongame Program projects may be sent to the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301. (Make checks payable to NH Fish and Game/Nongame Program.) For a print-and-mail contribution form, visit http://www.wildnh.com/Wildlife/Nongame/support_nongame.htm. Canada lynx are endangered in New Hampshire and were added to the federal list of "threatened" species in 2000. Lynx are large cats (15-38 pounds and three feet long) distinguished by tufts on their ears, short tails that are often ringed and tipped with black, and large paws that help them navigate through deep snow. "Historically, lynx were found in the White Mountains and to the north," said Lindsay Webb, a biologist with the Nongame Program. "We are excited to get out and do surveys this winter and look for evidence of them." Work of the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program is made possible by the generous donations of individuals and businesses, which help N.H. Fish and Game qualify for critical Federal and State matching funds. Wolf Delisting Decision a Big Win for Sportsmen The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that gray wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes region have exceeded recovery goals and should no longer be protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Once official, this move will return wolves to state management in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and some portions of adjoining states. In an even bigger victory for sportsmen, the Service also announced that it has reversed its previous view that two wolf species exist in the Western Great Lakes region. This previous stance by the Service, that two separate wolf species were present in the region, could have easily derailed any delisting of the wolves. The announcement recognized that the scientific evidence submitted during the comment period was crucial in reversing its position. In July and September, the USSAF submitted extensive comments supported by wolf and genetics expert Dr. Lisette Waits refuting the two wolf theory. A two wolf position, which was not based on leading research, could have led to additional lawsuits from animal rights organizations aimed at preventing wolves from being returned to state management. “This announcement is a major victory for sportsmen, conservation, and wildlife management,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation senior vice president. “We applaud the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their decision to recognize the scientific facts regarding wolves in the Great Lakes region. This is how the Endangered Species Act is supposed to be implemented. When animal populations recover, those species should be removed from the list and returned to state management. This has been a long, hard fought battle and is not likely over as we expect the animal rights lobby to turn to the courts to stop the delisting. We will be ready.” Wolf populations have far exceeded recovery goals and have become an increasing threat to other wildlife, livestock, and hunting and other dogs. The delisting rule will become effective 30 days after it has been published in the Federal Register. Official publication in the Federal Register is expected to take place next week. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation has been on the front lines working to ensure that wolves in the Western Great Lakes region were removed from the ESA and rightfully returned to state management. In May of 2010, the USSAF and its partners petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist wolves in the Western Great Lakes region. After the Service failed to respond to the request as required by law, USSAF notified the Service that if it did not act on the wolf petition USSAF and our partners would file a lawsuit. Subsequently, the Service started the delisting process which led to today’s announcement of its intent to delist gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes region. Joining the USSAF in these efforts are the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Hunters Rights Coalition, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc. Moosehead Lake Fishing Report When I first started work in the Moosehead Lake Region back in the mid 1980’s, First Roach Pond was one of the places an angler could catch some very nice salmon. In fact, First Roach Pond and Chesuncook Lake had some of the best salmon growth and quality fish in the region. Around 1994, we put some very restrictive regulations on both waters in an effort to maintain the high quality fishing. These regulations included a 1 fish bag limit and 16 inch minimum length limit. But, a funny thing happened on the road to trophy management…we began to stockpile fish which caused the smelt populations in both waters to decline. The result in both of these lakes was slower salmon growth and many smaller fish. The salmon at Chesuncook Lake are all wild, so our strategy for correcting the situation focused on removing more salmon by liberalizing the bag limit. However at First Roach Pond, the salmon fishery is maintained primarily with stocked fish. Therefore, not only could we liberalize the bag limits, but we could also directly attack the problem by reducing the stocking rate. We slashed the stocking from 3,300 salmon each year to 2,200 and then again to 1,000 fish in an effort to rectify the situation. Prior to the 1 fish/16 inch length limit, the 2 year old salmon averaged 17-18 inches in the fall under general law regulations. This was outstanding growth. We are generally pleased to see 16 inch 2 year old salmon in nearby Moosehead Lake as a comparison. But age 2 fish averaged 15-16 inches soon after the restrictive regulations were imposed and from 2005-2010 they were just 14-15 inches on average. They were also very skinny. There is good news from our fall work on First Roach Pond. This year we saw a significant improvement in salmon growth. Last year the age 2 salmon averaged 14.8 inches and this year they jumped to 17.0 inches! They were also very fat. The age 3 fish were also very nice. As you might imagine, the catch rates for salmon on First Roach Pond are much lower because we are stocking fewer fish, but this is the price we must pay for improving the growth rates. The lack of smelt was the symptom, but the problem was too many predators. There was little chance for success until we reduced the number of mouths we were feeding. This has been a recurring theme on many of our salmon waters recently, especially those with wild lake trout populations that seem to be ever-increasing. We must be careful when attempting to grow larger fish (especially salmon and lake trout). Simply implementing higher length limits will not necessarily result in bigger fish. In fact, as we have learned, quite the opposite can occur, and it can take years and years to turn around once growth rates tumble. -Tim Obrey, State Fisheries Biologist/Greenville Illegal Moose Kill The major hunting seasons may be over, but New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officers are still busy responding to reports of wildlife violations. In two incidents, one in Ossipee and one in Tamworth, three men have been arrested and formally charged for several deer and moose hunting violations: As a result of a report of moose being illegally taken in Ossipee, Conservation Officers executed a search warrant that resulted in the arrest of two men, Shawn Emond, age 21, and James Armstrong Jr., age 38, both Ossipee residents. The men were charged with illegal take of moose, taking an overlimit of deer, and illegal possession of deer. In Tamworth, Jose Andujar, age 32, of Tamworth was arrested and formally charged with take of moose during closed season, taking a moose without a valid license, and illegal possession of moose. Information provided to Conservation Officers by sportsmen sparked the initial investigation. All three men have been ordered to appear at the Ossipee District Court on January 19, 2012. If you are you aware of a poaching situation, be sure to get Fish and Game on the case by reporting violations to Operation Game Thief online at http://www.wildnh.com/OGT, or call the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-344-4262. Confidentiality is guaranteed. Rewards are paid for tips that lead to arrest or citation. Poaching violations range from the illegal take of game or fish to trespassing, littering, theft or destroying property. When you make a report, please include as much of the following information as possible: Date; Vehicle Description; License Number; Road/Route; Time; Violation; Travel Direction; Description of Person(s). NH Hunting Tally The preliminary numbers for New Hampshire's recent deer and bear hunting seasons are in. The estimated statewide deer kill for New Hampshire's 2011 season was 11,167 deer, up 14% from 2010 (9,759 deer) and the highest harvest since 2007. It appears that the last weeks of the season were quite successful, because as late as Thanksgiving weekend, the estimated take was running just 4% above 2010 levels at that point in the season. New Hampshire has an estimated population of about 85,000 deer, with the 2011 kill representing about 13% of that total. Deer hunting closed in the state on December 15, the final day of the archery deer season. "The increased kill suggests that the state's deer population may have begun to recover from recent declines following some bad winters. Further analysis of the final harvest data by unit, age and sex will provide a better assessment of population status," said Kent Gustafson, a deer biologist at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The unofficial deer kill for New Hampshire's 2011 season by county, with comparisons to previous years, is posted at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/deer_hunt_take_by_County.htm. These figures are estimates based on the number of deer reported as being registered in each county, not necessarily killed in that county. New Hampshire bear hunters took a total of 418 bears (246 males, 172 females) in 2011. The numbers are still preliminary. Bait hunters harvested 193 bears, still hunters/stalkers took 155 bears and hound hunters registered 70 bears. The overall harvest sex ratio was 1.4 males per female. Regionally, 65 bears were taken in the North, 128 in the White Mountains, 147 in the Central, 46 in Southwest-1, 30 in Southwest-2, and 2 in the Southeast regions. The 2011 total of 418 bears is down from recent harvest levels (down 41% and 45% from 2010 and 2009, respectively). N.H. Fish and Game bear biologist Andrew Timmins puts this into perspective, saying, "It's important to recognize that the annual bear harvest has been high during several recent years as a result of a variety of factors. We have seen record bear harvests in New Hampshire during five of the last eight years. Some years have been abnormally high, which greatly influences recent averages and complicates comparisons to previous years. While the 2011 harvest may seem low, it actually is a more average year than some we've had recently. Low-harvest years help buffer high-harvest years, which generally gets us closer to our bear management objective of about 500 bears per year." Final official numbers from all the year's hunting seasons will be summarized in the 2011 New Hampshire Wildlife Harvest Summary, which will be issued in March of 2012. New Hampshire's successful hunting seasons are a reminder that hunting activities, made possible by science-based wildlife management, contribute significantly to New Hampshire's economy. The most recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey indicates that approximately 60,000 people hunt in New Hampshire, generating more than $75 million in hunting-related expenditures annually in the state. Click Here For Past Stories!! Story of the Month |  Current Stories |  Next Month's Stories |  Advertising Info |  Subscribe |  Related Links |  Home