Stump Pond Wildlife Management Area

August 17, 2015 at 10:31 am

by Regional Wildlife Biologist Chuck Hulsey Stump Pond WMAAlso known locally as “Baud’s Pond”, this wetland management area is perfect for a quick paddle and great wildlife viewing.  Visitors who arrive very early in the morning or after sunset are likely to see wood ducks, deer, moose, wading birds, or furbearers such as a muskrat.  The whole management area can be paddled in less than an hour. The description of the management plan reads as follows: “The Stump Pond Wildlife Management Area is an inland, freshwater wetland formed by the impoundment of Lemon Stream.  The area is approximately 40 acres in size and contains a diversity of wetland types including: shallow open water, shallow and deep fresh marsh, fresh meadow, and is fringed with wooded wetland.  This area provides habitat for numerous species of waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, aquatic and upland furbearers, as well as other wildlife species. The only upland associated with the management area is a 1.3 acre access/parking lot at the intersection of Route 27 and Taylor Hill Road”. We maintain four waterfowl nest boxes which are heavily used by both wood ducks and hooded mergansers.  A year ago we set up game cameras at two of the boxes to record use, and hopefully catch a glimpse of the young chicks exiting the box immediately upon hatching.  We got the footage we were hoping for. The first four video clips are from the duck boxes on Stump Pond WMA.  The remainder of the video shows MDIFW regional wildlife biologists in southern Maine banding waterfowl using the very same type of duck boxes on the Gregory Sanborn Wildlife Management Area in Brownfield. [embed]https://youtu.be/doMf0EaIdrs?list=PLPbLPUhTMHuuTmmkiMr7uISD8anJoRZVn[/embed] Directions: From downtown Farmington drive northwest on Routes 4 & 27.  Several miles west of downtown Farmington, turn right to stay on Rt. 27 and travel north towards New Vineyard, Kingfield, and Carrabassett Valley.  After several miles, Route 27 passes through the very small village of New Vineyard. Just past the village look for the brown “Stump Pond Wildlife Management Area” sign and parking lot on the left.  The launch accommodates hand-carry watercraft only. CLICK HERE for a map of Stump Pond WMA