I couldn’t suppress a chuckle on Wednesday morning when I saw a photo of a mottled beast in the pages of this newspaper. The photographer, Mo Fer, had snapped the picture and wasn’t entirely sure what he’d seen.
His thought: Was it, perhaps, an albino deer?
My chuckling soon abated, and I began to think more clearly. “Uh-oh,” I thought. “Here we go again.”
Over the past several years, I’ve learned quite a bit about the newspaper business. One of the hardest-earned lessons is this: If you publish a photo of a wild critter … any wild critter … you’re likely to find out that you didn’t know as much about the furry or feathered beast as you thought you did.
If you call a bird a crow, you’re likely to find out it was a raven. (Who knew?) If you publish a photo of a ruffed grouse, a dozen readers will call to tell you that your bird wasn’t ruffed at all … it was a spruce grouse (dummy). The most fervent readers will include burdensome Latin names for the maligned critter, and perhaps a reference or 20, so that you’ll be sure to get it right the next time.
And though the process can be a bit humbling, it’s also important to us; our goal, after all, is to give you accurate information, not to lead you astray.
The point is, Mainers love their critters, and though they may make their livings performing other tasks, many are accomplished amateur naturalists who have spent their lifetimes accumulating an impressive arsenal of critter facts.
Having made the mistake of calling a mottled deer “an albino” myself (and mistaking a raven for a crow), I suspected that our editors here at 491 Main would get an earful from a few of our more knowledgeable readers.
They did.
The critter in question was, in fact, a deer. But it was “piebald,” not albino.
Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have known that. Then I called a piebald deer an albino (once … just once) and a bit of a ruckus broke out.
Albinos, a sizeable herd of readers rushed to inform me, possess no pigment, and are exceedingly rare. Most of the deer we call albinos, they told me, are in fact mottled, with patches of brown fur speckling their coats. They are, therefore piebald (or they got a bad dye-job at the local salon).
At least, that’s what some knowledgeable people tell me.
If you think I’m wrong, feel free to call … I’ll be glad to forward you a list of other critter-watchers you can argue with.
Millinocket Lake meetings set
I had an enjoyable chat with Dave Basley last weekend when the veteran fisheries biologist stopped by to check on our party during the 4th annual Long Lake Ice-Fishing Derby.
Basley, the regional biologist in charge of fisheries management in northern Maine, works out of the Ashland Regional Headquarters building.
After talking about Long Lake and the derby, Basley said he’d forward along a bit of information on some proposed regulation changes on another lake in his region.
In his subsequent e-mail, Basley explained that he and his staffers are looking to make some significant changes on Millinocket Lake, which is located at the headwaters of the Aroostook River in T7 R9. The Millinocket Lake in question is north of Baxter State Park. There is another Millinocket Lake south of the park.
“The proposed plan for Millinocket Lake identifies a management goal to provide principal sport fisheries for salmonids based on natural reproduction with a primary focus on brook trout,” Basley wrote. “Management objectives and strategies to attain the objectives will be presented for public review and comment. The plan may be modified based on comments received at these two meetings.”
The first meeting will be held at the Patten Fire Station, 37 Dearborn St., on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The second is scheduled for Feb. 24 at the Ashland Municipal Building, 17 Bridgham St., also at 6:30 p.m.
Basley explained that improving the wild brook trout fishery is the goal, and in 2008, 33 anglers were surveyed while ice fishing on Millinocket Lake. Of those anglers, 23 supported replacing an ongoing splake-stocking program with a program that favored managing for wild trout.
Basley and his staff have compiled four possible proposals that would change management tactics on Millinocket Lake, but all of the proposals share a few key components:
— End all stocking of fish.
— Provide fish passage at the dam.
— Support removal of the dam, given approval of dam owner Wisconsin Public Service Inc.
— End the present extended fall fishing season.
The various proposals call for different bag limits, with the most liberal allowing for two trout to be kept either through the ice or during open-water season, and the most restrictive calling for catch-and-release fishing on trout during the winter and open-water seasons.
In addition, Basley said he has been instructed to solicit comments on the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife’s impending wild trout initiative. Among that initiative’s goals is to improve the marketing of the brook trout resource to Internet users and to seek input on the effectiveness, satisfaction and improvement of man-aging those wild brook trout resources.
Pine Tree Ride-In this weekend
If you’re a snowmobile enthusiast, you probably already know that the annual Dead River Co. Snowmobile Ride-In is taking place in Newport today.
If you’re not … don’t fret. You’re still invited, and there are plenty of events you might find interesting.
The Ride-In is a major fundraiser for the Pine Tree Camp, and since 1974 it has generated more than $3.4 million for the Rome summer camp for children and adults with physical or developmental disabilities.
The festivities begin at 7 a.m. with a breakfast buffet at the Hungry Hollow ’76ers Snowmobile Club in Levant. Another breakfast will take place simultaneously at Meridian Splendor Lodge in Newport.
At 9 a.m., a pack of egged-up riders will embark on the Q106.5 Celebrity Egg Ride. Those riders, accompanied by plenty of other snowmobilers, will arrive in Newport at about 11 a.m.
From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., visitors can enjoy a chicken barbecue or take horse-drawn wagon rides.
A Ride-In Queen and Princess pageant will take place from 1-2 p.m., and children’s activities will run from 2-4.
A public supper runs from 4:30-6 p.m., and a fireworks show will start at 6:15.
Finally (if you haven’t run out of steam), the awards ceremony and tote board tally will take place from 7-8 p.m.
