MDIFW Blog
Wassookeag Togue Anglers Provide Invaluable Fisheries Data
[caption id="attachment_2225" align="alignright" width="458"] A nice wassookeag lake trout.[/caption] By Wes Ashe, IFW Fisheries Biologist Wassookeag Lake is a 1200-acre water located in the northeast corner of Region B.
That’s not normal, is it?
By Henry Jones, Wildlife Biologist, Region C There has been a recent flurry of reports of wildlife, ranging from deer to squirrels to crows, with odd growths or lumps in the Downeast Region.
A Hands-On Look at Maine's Deer Mortality Study
By Regional Wildlife Biologist Keel Kemper Regional wildlife biologists are frequently involved with a variety of tasks to support various wildlife work programs statewide, so imagine our excitement when we were asked to help live trap some deer! Wow, what a job assignment! Are you kidding me, I get to do that?
Understanding The S-13 Regulation -- Why Waters With Illegal Introductions Of Bass Have No Size Or Bag Limit On Bass
By IFW Fisheries Biologist Brian Lewis Part of the recent Fishing Laws booklet simplification process included multiple reviews by staff biologists to ensure major errors were not included in the final product. While going through one edition of the booklet I chose to focus on the S-13 special regulation. This special regulation allows unlimited harvest of largemouth and smallmouth bass with no minimum length limi
Maine's Wildlife Uses Different Strategies To Deal With Winter
By Scott Lindsay, IFW Wildlife Biologist [caption id="attachment_2192" align="alignright" width="601"] Wildlife in maine utilize a variety of strategies to deal with a Maine winter.[/caption] In southern Maine, winter rules for about one third of the year. To the north and west, due to latitude, elevation and distance from the moderating effects of the ocean, it can prevail for nearly half the year.
Habitat Improvement Work At Jamies Pond Concludes For The Season, Grouse and Deer Habitat Improved
[caption id="attachment_2185" align="alignright" width="384"] Regenerating forests provide ideal habitat for a variety of birds.[/caption] By Eric Hoar, IFW Lands Management Biologist Habitat work at Jamies Pond began in August of 2016 and is now concluding for the season in anticipation of spring breakup. The Department has created 14 grouse blocks totaling approximately 18 acres, enhanced deer wint
Why an Apple a Day Could be Bad for a Barred Owl
By Wildlife Biologist Erynn Call Have you ever thrown an apple core out the car window and thought it was a harmless action, or maybe even a nice snack for a little critter? Tossing out edible tidbits while driving can threaten wildlife, particularly raptors such as hawks and owls. These birds are attracted to roadways as they provide convenient perches on power lines with clear views of their prey.
Katahdin Forest Management Helps Out Wintering Deer in Rockabema Deer Winter Area
By Allen Starr, IFW Wildlife Biologist Maine winters can be critical period for wildlife survival. Fortunately, Maine’s wildlife has developed adaptations and strategies to get them through long periods of cold temperatures and deep snow. White-tailed deer have developed a strategy of seeking out mature, coniferous forests that contain trees at least 35 feet in height and provide dense cano
Moose Fatalities Can Take Many Different Forms in the Maine Woods
By Scott McLellan, Wildlife Biologist, Region E The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) recently entered its 4th year of a moose mortality study in western Maine (west of Moosehead Lake). This study aims at improving our understanding of mortality factors, mortality rates, calf survival and recruitment, just to name a few. To gain this understanding, moose are equipped with a radio collar that communicates information to wildlife biologists via satellites. Our findings thus far have been interesting and intriguing, and on December 18, 2016,
For A New Generation, Are These The Good Old Days Of Deer Hunting?
By Chuck Hulsey, IFW Wildlife Biologist I grew up in southern Maine in the 1960s. Nobody in my immediate family hunted. That said, my father grew up in Depression-era Arkansas and Oklahoma and hunted small game to help put food on the table. Later, with the exception of ports of call in foreign countries during WWll, he never again picked up a gun until I was 11 years old.
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