In the tiny sporting village of Grand Lake Stream, the seasons pass a bit differently — and are quantified differently — than in many other Maine locales.
Spring, for instance, officially starts on April 1, when a throng of diehard fly fishermen make their annual pilgrimage to the stream that runs through town.
Then comes early fishing season, when water’s still cool, but the anglers remain hopeful, followed by prime time, when the anglers turn optimistic.
Later in the year, it’s likely to be a hunting season — in one form or another — either for bear or moose or deer or bobcats.
On Wednesday, I took a detour into Grand Lake Stream and found the village fairly packed with cars bearing license plates from across the northeast.
That got me to wondering. What season is it now?
Over the years I’ve learned that when you start wondering about something and you’re in Grand Lake Stream, there’s only one place to go (Pine Tree Store), and one person to talk to (storekeeper Kurt Cressey).
Cressey, as I suspected, knew exactly what season it was.
“August is family vacation,” Cressey said. “Kids come up, everybody goes swimming, they do a little lake fishing, boating.”
Cressey said the jam-packed parking lot near the dam at West Grand Lake indicates how busy the town is right now … even if there were no anglers vying for position in the famous Dam Pool.
“That’s our stimulus package. They’ve all come to Grand Lake Stream. And it’s great. These people have been coming here for years, and they just love the area,” Cressey said. “People wonder about the economy concerning Grand Lake –Stream? These people are booked a year ahead of time. Regardless of the economy, regardless of the weather, this is what they dream about 51 weeks out of the year: They’re coming back.”
Instead of fishing the stream, some have taken to riding inner tubes down it, as often happens at this time of year, Cressey said. But there are some fish to be had for anglers willing to put in their time.
“Fortunately this year, because of all the rain, the stream has had a high water level and it has actually pulled more fish in [from Big Lake],” Cressey said. “But it’s tough to get at ’em because the flow is [high for this time of year]. But there are some local guys that go down there and they’re pulling fish out every day.”
Of course, those anglers may find themselves vying for space with a few tubers.
“July and August is fun time on the stream,” Cressey said with a chuckle. “Usually it’s about 200 [cubic feet per second at this time of year], so it’s just a lazy float down the river. Now we’ve got some jet propellant in there [because the stream’s flowing at 600 cfs].”
Any-deer deadline looms
As reported in this space on several occasions, hunters who want the opportunity to shoot an antler-less deer this fall are running out of time to apply for one of the state’s coveted any-deer permits.
The deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Monday.
Deborah Turcotte, spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, checked in via e-mail earlier this week, hoping to alleviate some confusion on the matter.
The only way you can enter the permit lottery at this late date is through the state’s on-line application process.
That doesn’t mean, however, that you need a computer.
“What many people don’t seem to know is that they can go to a licensing agent, and there’s more than 830 statewide, and apply online there,” Turcotte wrote. “There’s a $2 agent fee, but for people who don’t have a computer, we hope that it’s a convenience for them.”
As a cost-saving move, he DIF&W has stopped sending out paper applications to hunters who previously applied for any-deer permits. Instead, hunters have been encouraged to apply via the Internet.
The DIF&W is issuing 45,385 any-deer permits this year to lucky hunters in Wildlife Management Districts 15-17, 20-26 and 29. Hunters in all other WMDs will be targeting bucks this fall.
Moose hearing set for September
If you’re among the many Mainers who follows the state’s moose management decisions closely, an upcoming informational meeting may be of particular interest to you.
The DIF&W’s Wildlife Division will meet at the department’s office in Ashland at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 9, and the public is invited.
According to a DIF&W press release, a recent legislative resolve directed the department to adopt rules to manage moose hunting in Wildlife Management District 2 the same as it does in WMD 3. Both WMDs are in northern Maine. The resolve says WMD 2’s allocation of permits should be on par with those offered in WMD in 2008.
The DIF&W could not provide allocation numbers from 2008, but a similar discrepancy between the districts exists this year. A total of 95 permits have been allocated for this fall’s moose hunt in WMD 2, while 455 have been allocated in WMD 3. Route 11, where moose sightings are common, serves as the dividing line between the two districts, with WMD 2 on the west side of the road and WMD 3 on the east.
According to the release, during the meeting the DIF&W will discuss the requirements of that legislative resolve and will take a broader look at moose hunting in WMDs 2, 3, 6 and 11.
During the meeting the DIF&W will explain existing moose population goals and objectives and consider the number of moose permits that may be allocated in 2010. In addition, the DIF&W will consider extending moose season from two weeks to three weeks in duration.
The public will have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments and share ideas. The DIF&W will refer to that input when making rules governing the 2010 moose season in WMDs 2, 3, 6 and 11.