MDIFW Blog
An Unusual White-Tailed Deer From Maine's 2018 Hunting Season
By Scott McLellan, Regional Wildlife Biologist Wildlife biologists with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) spend countless hours each deer hunting season interviewing hunters and collecting a multitude of information from white-tailed deer. This information includes, but is not limited to, collecting a tooth for aging, sex, harvest date and township, antler measurements and number of points, and retropharyngeal lymph nodes for testing of Chronic Wasting Disease. Our goal is to evaluate 15% of the harvested deer from each wildlife management distr
Efforts to Determine Maine’s Wild Turkey Population
By Allen Starr, Assistant Regional Wildlife Biologist Establishing a wild turkey population in Maine has been a biological success story. A few captures and relocations from other states followed-up by in state captures and relocations has resulted in a thriving turkey population in many parts of Maine, but, depending on whom you’re talking to, Maine has either too many turkeys, too few turkeys or about the right amount. To properly manage turkeys in Maine requires solid information on numbers of birds in various parts of the state.
Intervale Brook: Restoring a Historically Log Driven Stream in Maine
By Merry Gallagher, Native Fish Conservation Biologist Historically, many Maine streams were used to transport logs from the woods to the mills. To increase the efficiency of moving the logs, boulders, in-stream logs and other habitat features were removed, stream channels were often bulldozed and straightened to facilitate log transport, and side channels and flood plain access would be blocked or bermed. These operations degraded trout habitat by decreasing the overall quantity and quality of pools, removing in-stream structures and cover elements beneficial to fish, and
Who loves fresh powder more than a Ruffed Grouse?
By Amanda DeMusz, Regional Wildlife Biologist [caption id="attachment_3329" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo courtesy Amanda DeMusz[/caption] Recently Aroostook County received almost 2 feet of fresh light powdery snow. While those of us that maintain homes may not be enjoying the cleanup that ensues, there is a forest bird that welcomes the fresh powder. The Ruffed Grouse (AKA Par
The Christmas Bird Count: Over a Century of Community Science
By Regional Wildlife Biologist Susan Bard Each year, thousands of birders participate in what’s known as the Christmas Bird Count (CBC). This long-standing winter census is used for various purposes such as assessing the health and trends of bird populations, public education, as well as guiding organizations in their conservation efforts.
Lake Whitefish Research Underway
New study may shed light on how lake whitefish populations can persist in the presence of smelt By Dylan Whitaker, Whitefish Research Technician Lake whitefish, a Maine native, can be a prime target for ice anglers interested in jigging up large fish on small tackle.
Casco Man Donates Lifesaving Device to Maine Game Wardens
By Corporal John MacDonald Casco resident John Curtis has been an avid snowmobiler for decades here in Maine. John is married with two adult children, a son and daughter, and works as a project manager for Clean Harbors Environmental Services. John and his family have snowmobiled together since his children were young, often in the Sebago Lake region. John clearly remembers two situations where he and his family had close calls unexpectedly operating close to open water. One of those frightening times was on Sebago Lake.
Early Winter Conditions Present Unique Challenges for Fishery Management
By MDIFW Fisheries Biologist Kevin Dunham The fall of 2018 was a challenging one meteorologically for conducting some fishery management activities. After all, a large portion of our daily duties takes place outdoors (Yes!) and, somewhat perversely, most fisheries biologists don’t mind working in adverse weather and actually find it “relaxing”. To a point. Our
Monitoring Forest Carnivores
By Shevenell Webb, MDIFW Wildlife Biologist Forest carnivores are elusive and difficult to observe, but they have a hard time resisting the smell of skunk essence and beaver meat.
Branch Lake’s Coldwater Fisheries Have Come Roaring Back
By MDIFW Fisheries Biologist Greg Burr For years, Branch Lake in Ellsworth possessed a vibrant coldwater fishery, but in 2000, public access to the lake ended.
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