FISHERY PROGRESS REPORT SERIES NO. 2

MEDUXNEKEAG RIVER SALMONID FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

By Frank O. Frost
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Fisheries and Hatcheries Division
Augusta, Maine

July 2002

Jobs F-103 and F-104

Progress Report No. 1

SUMMARY

The Meduxnekeag River in Southeastern Aroostook County, Maine, supports popular sport fisheries for wild brook and brown trout. Resident and nonresident anglers frequent the river during April to September, depending on river conditions (flow and temperature), and experience trout fishing in a relatively remote setting near the population center of Houlton. The lower mainstem River is surrounded by agricultural lands whereas the drainage upstream from Houlton is mostly forested. Pollution during the 1950s severely limited trout habitat in the mainstem, but environmental regulation has since improved water quality.

During the late 1980s, anglers petitioned the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to change regulations on the River to conservatively manage the trout fishery. Anglers wanted to protect the populations from over-harvest, increase population size, and increase size of trout caught. In 1990, the bag limit was reduced from 10 fish to an aggregate of two brown and brook trout, the minimum length on brown trout was increased from 6 to 12 inches, and terminal gear was restricted to artificial-lures-only (ALO). In 1992, the special regulation section was expanded an additional 5 miles, including all tributaries downstream of the first road crossing, from the Route 1 bridge in Houlton to the Maine/Canada boundary in Littleton. At this time the brook trout minimum length was increased to 10 inches. The biological basis for the new regulations was to increase survival of trout by reducing harvest in the fishery and reducing hooking mortality of legal and sublegal trout caught. Increased survival of trout to older ages might result in increased spawning escapement and ultimately increased populations.

The sport fishery and fish populations were monitored through intensive creel and electrofishing surveys. Creel surveys were conducted during 1988-1994 and focused on the lower mainstem River. Electrofishing surveys were conducted at Big Brook, a tributary to the lower mainstem River, 8 years during the 1990s, and surveys were also made in 1973, 1977, and 1987 while the study area was under general law fishing regulations.

The reduced bag and length limits met the objective of reducing trout harvest in the lower mainstem River, but did not definitively increase catch rates during this study. In 1988 when general law regulations were still in effect, brook trout harvest was 18 times higher than the level observed during 1992-1994. However, catch rates (number of trout caught per hour), increased during 1991-1992 but then decreased to levels lower than those observed during general law regulation. Voluntary release of legal trout increased after 1990, but it was relatively high even under general law during the late 1980s, indicating a strong conservation ethic among most anglers participating in the fishery.

Average size of harvested brook trout was 10.3 in and 0.47 lb during this study based on 45 trout sampled during 1988-1994. Average size of brown trout was 14.1 in and 1.2 lb based on 21 trout sampled. The new regulations probably did result in higher trout survival: older-age brook trout (age 3-4) and brown trout (age 4-5) were present in the harvest late in the study whereas age 2 brook trout and age 2-3 brown trout supported the fishery during 1988-1990.

The increased number of older trout likely resulted in higher spawning populations and increased recruitment of young trout within the Big Brook study section after special regulations went into effect. At Big Brook, the densities of trout, particularly brook trout, increased dramatically during the mid-1990s. Brook trout young-of-year (generally 2-3.5 inches) increased 11-fold during the 1990s, and the numbers of brook trout >6 inches increased 2-3 fold, whereas during some years prior to 1991 trout of this size were non-existent. The brown trout population was higher than brook trout for all years sampled except 1993 and 1996. Population estimates at Big Brook, particularly of brook trout, were generally much higher after 1991 than estimates in 1973, 1977, and 1987.

Trout populations in the lower Meduxnekeag River were likely being over-fished prior to 1990. Trout survival, spawning, and recruitment likely increased after 1990 when special regulations were first implemented. Most importantly, however, definitive positive results were not seen in the sport fishery during this study. Depressed catch rates were likely due to high harvest during the late 1980s, producing weak year classes of trout (documented in Big Brook in 1990-1991) that subsequently would have supported the fishery in 1993-1994. Weather and river conditions can influence success of anglers in catching trout, and certain environmental extremes (e.g., drought and mid-winter flooding) can affect trout populations and fishing many years later. Special, conservative regulations provide many benefits to maintaining healthy trout populations. However, trout angling may be no less variable under special regulation than under general law. The conservative fishery regulations on the Meduxnekeag River should be maintained and fully evaluated with an additional 3 years of creel survey.

For more information or a complete report, please contact:

Frank Frost
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Fisheries Division
PO Box 447
Ashland, Maine 04732-0447
Tel 207-435-3231
Frank.frost@maine.gov

This was in 2002…….it’s 2010!! Come on Frank.

Send him an email and tell him we need an update……..thank you!!

Dave and His boar

With the hunting seasons just around the corner I thought we should cover some safety. The kind folks at TMA had this available for reproduction.

Treestand Safety Guidelines

ALWAYS wear a Fall-Arrest System (FAS)/Full Body Harness meeting TMA Standards even during

ascent and descent. Be aware that single strap belts and chest harnesses are no longer allowed Fall-

Arrest devices and should not be used. Failure to use a FAS could result in serious injury or death.

ALWAYS read and understand the manufacturer’s WARNINGS & INSTRUCTIONS before using

the treestand each season. Practice with the treestand at ground level prior to using at elevated

positions. Maintain the WARNINGS & INSTRUCTIONS for later review as needed, for instructions

on usage to anyone borrowing your stand, or to pass on when selling the treestand. Use all safety

devices provided with your treestand.

NEVER exceed the weight limit specified by the manufacturer. If you have any questions after

reviewing the WARNINGS & INSTRUCTIONS, please contact the manufacturer.

ALWAYS inspect the treestand and the Fall-Arrest System for signs of wear or damage before each

use. Contact the manufacturer for replacement parts. Destroy all products that cannot be repaired

by the manufacturer and/or exceed recommended expiration date, or if the manufacturer no longer

exists. The FAS should be discarded and replaced after a fall has occurred.

ALWAYS practice in your Full Body Harness in the presence of a responsible adult prior to using it

in an elevated hunting environment, learning what it feels like to hang suspended in it at ground

level and how to properly use your suspension relief device.

ALWAYS attach your Full Body Harness in the manner and method described by the manufacturer.

Failure to do so may result in suspension without the ability to recover into your treestand. Be aware

of the hazards associated with Full Body Harnesses and the fact that prolonged suspension in a harness

may be fatal. Have in place a plan for rescue, including the use of cell phones or signal devices

that may be easily reached and used while suspended. If rescue personnel cannot be notified, you

must have a plan for recover/escape. If you have to hang suspended for a period of time before help

arrives, exercise your legs by pushing against the tree or doing any other form of continuous motion

or use your suspension relief device. Failure to recover in a timely manner could result in serious

injury or death. If you do not have the ability to recover/escape, hunt from the ground.

ALWAYS hunt with a plan and if possible a buddy. Before you leave home, let others know your

exact hunting location, when you plan to return and who is with you.

ALWAYS carry emergency signal devices such as a cell phone, walkie-talkie, whistle, signal flare,

PLD (personal locator device) and flashlight on your person at all times and within reach even while

you are suspended in your FAS. Watch for changing weather conditions. In the event of an accident,

remain calm and seek help immediately.

ALWAYS select the proper tree for use with your treestand. Select a live straight tree that fits within

the size limits recommended in your treestand’s instructions. Do not climb or place a treestand against

a leaning tree. Never leave a treestand installed for more than two weeks since damage could result

from changing weather conditions and/or from other factors not obvious with a visual inspection.

ALWAYS use a haul line to pull up your gear and unloaded firearm or bow to your treestand once

you have reached your desired hunting height. Never climb with anything in your hands or on your

back. Prior to descending, lower your equipment on the opposite side of the tree.

ALWAYS know your physical limitations. Don’t take chances. Do not climb when using drugs,

alcohol or if you’re sick or un-rested. If you start thinking about how high you are, don’t go any

higher.

NEVER use homemade or permanently elevated stands or make modifications to a purchased

treestand without the manufacturer’s written permission. Only purchase and use treestands and

Fall-Arrest Systems meeting or exceeding TMA standards.

For a detailed list of certified products,

contact the TMA office or refer to the TMA web site at http://www.tmastands.com.

NEVER hurry!! While climbing with a treestand, make slow, even movements of no more than ten

to twelve inches at a time. Make sure you have proper contact with the tree and/or treestand every

time you move. On ladder-type treestands, maintain three points of contact with each step.

Copyright © 2010 by TMA

Thank You TMA……….

New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME)!  

Since the Pledge of Allegiance  

And  

The Lord’s Prayer  

Are not allowed in most  

Public schools anymore  

Because the word ‘God’ is mentioned…..  

A kid in   Arizona wrote the attached  

NEW School prayer:  
 

Now I sit me down in school  

Where praying is against the rule  

For this great nation under God  

Finds mention of Him very odd.  

If scripture now the class recites,  

It violates the Bill of Rights.  

And anytime my head I bow  

Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,  

That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene..  

The law is specific, the law is precise.  

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.  

For praying in a public hall  

Might offend someone with no faith at all..  

In silence alone we must meditate,  

God’s name is prohibited by the state.  

We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,  

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks…  

They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.  

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.  

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,  

And the ‘unwed daddy,’ our Senior King.  

It’s ‘inappropriate’ to teach right from wrong,  

We’re taught that such ‘judgments’ do not belong..  

We can get our condoms and birth controls,  
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles..  

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,  
No word of God must reach this crowd.  

It’s scary here I must confess,  

When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.  

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:  

Should I be shot; My soul please take!  

Amen  

If you aren’t ashamed to do this,  Please pass this on..  

Jesus said,  ’If you are ashamed of me,  I will be ashamed of you before my Father.’  

Not ashamed. Pass this on.      

licensed image ...c 2010 Broderbund ..used by permission

 ©2010 By Brent Reece

In this day of “catch and release”, to step up and admit that I kill trout and other game fish for my table, almost seems like a sacrilege. Some of my fly fishing friends are quite adamant that I am a “horrid beast” for killing such wonderful game as these. All I can say is…Oh Well!!

I make no apology for my carnivorous nature and the love I have for the fishy flesh of a good brook trout, nor the battered paradise of a big bass fillet. Turning countless pickerel into fishcakes and chowders. The consumptive use of the resource is in fact the original purpose of my fishing. Oh I love to “sport” fish for big browns and derby fish for smallies in the Mattawamkeag Region. But at the heart of all of it is…my love of creels.

Now I am not talking about the basket so much as I am talking about the daily limits I can catch. See I am an old school Neanderthal in that my license allows me to catch and keep my creel limit daily. Now I avoid pressured waters and thrive on backcountry cornucopias of fish. I love diverse waters that have multiple species and multitudes of fish. These sketchy “stocked” waters are not for me and I refuse to fish them. In fact I use the stocking list to rule out waters worth fishing.

Wild Trout are the main target and a lot of them can be found here in Aroostook. Spring is not spring until I catch a mess of trout. Grab up some fiddleheads and get that first feed under my belt. Then when all the “sports” are having a tough time finding trout all summer. I am in the backwoods hitting the beaver flows and creeling some really nice fish. Switching from fly rod to spinning as needed to get fish in the basket. Hackles to worms and back again as the seasons dictate and conditions change.

I make it a point to only hit each deadwater once or sometimes twice per summer, to insure that my fishing will remain top notch for years to come. I also never share my finds with other anglers. Sounds selfish but if I told others about these places they would get “fished out” very quickly. My “creeling” is minimal and I move on to another each trip. Upon rare occasion I can double back a week or two later and try it again. But that all depends on how well I hid my tracks the first time. See the problem here is that a lot of lazy fisherman will not bust out and go in the backwoods off road unless they see a path or can spot a trail. These “heater hunters” stay on the roads and will not bust brush to catch brookies or bass. The latter traditionally being shunned by most Aroostook anglers.

I have gone to great lengths to hide my prime spots. I never approach the deadwaters accept by walking up the brook. Leaving no telltale path or track to follow. I also never mention them by name here on the blog. Seems a few intrepid readers have located my area but are not having much luck finding my “ secret” trout spots. In fact a couple of locals tried using a photo I posted of one really large deadwater. Seems it didn’t match their own satellite searches. Flipping the pic and reversing the image worked to reorient the image. Making their attempts futile. Sounds simplistic, until you look at Aroostook and see how many beaver ponds and deadwaters we have up here.

Another great thing is that logging crews often alter the deadwaters by blasting dams to keep the roads open. So a picture today can alter itself tomorrow. In some cases a great deadwater can be made greater by roads being left to get flooded. The area near the road is usually impassable for access to the deadwater. Do to the large amount of brushy growth and trees that line them over time. This limits access by the road and usually the flooded areas all around the pond is nastier too. But a canoe-toting woodsman can “drop in” from above using the source brook to gain access. These trickles are waded down and the canoe floated behind. Again access allowed but no visible track to follow. To insure that these bountiful waters are left unmolested an alternate departure point is selected to avoid detection.

I have been known to carry a canoe up and over a ridge to gain access to a hidden paradise. Then float out the lower end to hide my egress. A good partner is essential, but it’s not impossible to do it alone. Upon rare occasion I have found the trip in so arduous that I have had to leave the canoe behind. Only to return later in better condition to retrieve it. Fishing the spot one last time before another cross-country trek to get the vessel home. On one occasion I floated down steam out of one deadwater to cross another one and pulled out next to a bridge on a main logging road. Then walked 5 miles back out and around to my Old Dodge and had to go back after dark to get the canoe. So nobody would see my pull out point.

Now based on all that you can see how I feel I have earned a few good trout meals. Not only do I protect the resource from over use. I go out of my way to find untouched and unmolested bounties. Carefully concealing them is part of the allure as well. I have untapped waters that I can fish and never see another angler in. So yes I kill a few fish.
But I never waste a one and never aid “the Lazies” who would never bust the brush to find them.

Why do I go to such lengths? Have you ever seen a deadwater free of human hand…trout the length of your arm…and the silence of nature unmolested? Pristine beauty all around you and trout numbers unheard of these days. I have this…

If you know what I mean…please post a comment!!

©2010 Brent Reece

In the heat of July many things run through an anglers mind. The key item on that mental list is where are the trout Now!! Sure he thinks about hatches…flies and breaking in a new set of waders. But the most important thing on his mind…WHERE ARE THE FISH!!

In a nutshell, where is the coolest water in any body of water or flow. The answer is always the same. Find the springs and inlets and you will find the fish. The key here is springs. An inlet from some heated up brook is useless. But a cold clear one is gold for the summer angler. Spring creeks being best and good spring holes all the better.

Shown above is a picture of a spring…. and the multitude of trout that are holding in it.
(click on Picture to see all of the fish!)©2010 Brent Reece

It is common to see huge “balls” of trout holding in these places all summer. The trick here is to catch them. If they see you they will not hit anything that comes by. Not fly or hardware, ok maybe a fat crawler. But for the most part these fish are locked down all day. So you have to coax a hit first and last each day. Keep in mind the bright sun and all of those shadows make trout very skiddish after a day of it. So I prefer to fish the earliest hours of the rising day. A night of cool darkness calms them down and the trout will feed again.

Brookies in the spring hole!!

©2010 Brent Reece
Here is another holding area, notice the sandy bottom where the spring flow has pushed out the muck from the bottom.

If an evening jaunt is all you can do, than wait until the falling light of sunset. I prefer the last hour of light to any other time, other than dawn. It’s at these times that other life is also more active. Among them is the hopper and locusts. Granted they move all day. But up here I see more movement in them late in the day. This increased movement often means that the wind often tosses them into the water. So the next item on the list of things is to use big gawdy hopper imitations. The next best fly is the Moorish mouse. Preferred by my northern Brown Trout. But brookies will hit them too. Any good deer hair mouse will work. A preference towards darker over light colors for me in my stone strewn rivers and brooks.

Another great fly is the White Miller, a classic mothy looking double winged dryfly pattern. That Northern trout will hit in any back eddy or stuttering flow you can find. Typically tyed very small and dainty I prefer it larger and tyed on a #8 long shank hook.

Not to forsake my hardware anglers I also like to chase the summer trout with spinners and such. My brookies are suckers for “minnows”. Anything that looks and acts like a minnow, is going to get hit. But keep in mind that trout are lethargic in the heat and slow down your presentations.

Here are a few of my favorite lures:
1. Yozuri Pin Minnows: Dacey black and white, or silverish and Smelty colors of olive over cream.
2. Mepps Aglia Long: #0-#2 in gold/silver and dressed and undressed trebles. (To reduce fouling try switching out the treble for a single hook.)
3. Roostertail spinners in silver gold combos with white and yellow dressings.
4. Dardevle spoons in the smallest sizes: Red/white and metailics like gold/silver/copper
5. Rapalas (Floaters): black/white/silver classic, gold and orange, blue over white, and all white. (I have friends who night fish using all black with good success but I have not done that well at it.)

The list could go on and on. But you see what I mean about the key being “minnows”. As the light fades make more noise with you lures and offer more surface action to get them to key into it. A spinner swinging down stream and then skittering up to the surface upstream hollers FLEEING BAITFISH!!! So time the movement to cover like rocks and soon the trout will think your spinner is dashing away from THEM!! Hungry trout will dash upstream and hit the spinner full force. It’s genetic!!!

The key to morning is to go the other way. Quiet…calm and careful. Do all your fishing before 9:00 am to beat the heat. Use care or the skiddish trout of full sun will shut down on you and you can go home. Cast far, work the lures and flies with the utmost finesse of presentation, and control your shadows. Do not over-work an area. Cast no more than about 5 times in any stretch/hole. Then move!!

Focus all your efforts below water that riffles or has spring feeds. Looking for moving trout that are getting into the cooler holes they will need for the heat of the day. Look for deeper runs that may have trout. The mouths of feeder creeks are great choices. But go easy here. If you spook the holes that hold midday trout you can kill a lot of fish that get over heated in smaller holes.

Summer trout can be a lot of fun once they are found, if you understand their cycles and behaviors. Learn the patterns.

Do us all a favor…….take a kid fishing!!!!!

By Brent Reece©2010

Prepare Backpacking Food Ahead

One way to create quick, tasty backpacking food is to prepare many of the ingredients at home before you leave for your trip. That way, you won’t have to spend a lot of time prepping food in camp, and you won’t have to carry as many prepping utensils, either. Here are some quick backpacking food ideas for prepping items at home before you head for the hills.
· Place all the dry ingredients (including spices) you need for a recipe in one plastic bag, and then you can just add liquid.
· Put just enough dried pasta, rice, noodles, cereal, trail mix, or other ingredients for one meal in plastic bags and label them.
· Carry small containers of dehydrated onions and garlic to spice up your meals. A few dried herbs are good, too.
· Remove the packaging from everything you’re taking, repackage it in plastic bags, and label with cooking directions, if necessary. Removing the bulk lets you carry more food.
· Make your own trail mix by adding your favorite fruits, nuts, seeds, and sweets. Package in individual plastic bags that your group can carry with them during the day. If they need a quick snack, they’ll have one right in their pocket!
·
Preparing food ahead of time takes the guesswork out of camp cooking, and it will make backpacking food a lot more fun for the entire group!

Day Hiking Recipes
When you day hike, you have a lot more versatility in the foods you can carry and enjoy. Most foods will last at least a few hours on the trail, so you can whip up some day hiking recipes at home, seal them in plastic bags, and hit the trail with a decent meal.
· Carry along fresh fruit for a quick snack along the trail or a healthy dessert.
· Create a healthy sandwich with pita bread, cheese, and lettuce, and tomatoes. If you place it in the refrigerator overnight, it should be just the right temperature when you eat lunch. Avoid meats and mayo on your sandwich if you’re going to be on the trail more than a couple of hours.
· Boiled eggs will last until lunch on a day hike, so bring some along for a snack, or make egg salad without the mayo for a sandwich.
· Cook a meal at home, such as chicken in sauce, or steaks with mushroom gravy, and carry in an insulated container to keep them warm. Then, just heat up some rice or noodles, and you’ll have another gourmet lunch.
· Carry food in a small insulated container (thermos Jugs)and you can take just about anything with you on your day hike.

Use your imagination and you can enjoy some great day hiking recipes on a short day hike!

Quick And Easy Backpacking Cooking
After a long day on the trail, the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot camp stove! Bring along some quick-cooking ingredients and enjoy great meals while you’re on the trail. Here are some tips.
· Save the small individual serving packets of honey, mustard, ketchup, and other condiments you get at restaurants for your backpacking trips.
· Dry ingredients, such as pasta, rice, cereal, and couscous make great staples for backpacking.
· Canned meats are easy to pack in, but you do have to pack the cans out again. (Chicken and Roast Beef are now commonly available.)
· Tuna blends and other meats come in foil packets now, and they make perfect additions to rice, pasta, and even Ramen noodles for a quick dinner.
· Dry mixes, such as gravies, sauces, and dressings are perfect for backpacking.
· Make sure you purify your water before you cook with it, unless you’ve packed it in yourself.
· Try carrying bagels instead of other breads, because they don’t get smashed as easily.

The more you backpack, the more you’ll discover your own way of cooking while you enjoy the outdoors. Backpacking cooking doesn’t need to be much more than boiling water and adding some dehydrated foods, but with a little ingenuity, backpacking cooking can be much more than boiling water!

Good Hiking Foods
Still at a loss about what to carry with you when you hike? Good hiking foods aren’t that hard to come by, and they don’t need to be expensive, either. Some staple hiking foods that should always be in your backpack include:
· Fresh fruit
· Hard cheese and sturdy crackers, or canned meat and crackers.
· Peanut butter.
· Candy (like a Snickers bar in cooler weather) or trail mix
· Beef or other meat jerky
· Dried Fruit
· Bagels or pita bread for shorter trips
· Spices and seasonings

Good hiking foods should fill you up but still have enough protein to keep you going. Remember, you’ll be using a lot more calories than normal if you hike all day, so you’ll need nutritional meals with plenty of energy-packing protein to keep you going.

Dehydrate Your Own Food for Hiking
If you’re a picky hiker, you can dehydrate your own food for hiking. Dehydrators come in all sizes, and once you learn how to use them, you can create your own jerky, dried fruits, and just about anything else you’d like to pare down for hiking.
Dehydrating is fun, too. The kids can help you place sliced meat, fish, vegetable, or fruit on the dehydrating trays, and after a few tries, you’ll learn how long to dehydrate each type of food. Often, you can dehydrate overnight and have dried delights the next day.
Once your food is dehydrated and sealed in plastic bags, you can safely carry it hiking or backpacking. Dehydrated food for hiking weighs much less, and it’s a lot easier to carry in a pack. All you need to do is add boiling liquid to reconstitute the food, or you can munch on it as is. Jerky is a great snack on the trail, for example. Invest in a cookbook or two on how to dehydrate, and you may become a dehydrating fool!

Easy Backpacking Food Recipes
Some backpackers swear by staples like pasta, rice, and macaroni and cheese. They’re quick to prepare, light to carry, and nutritious enough to keep you going for at least a few days.

Mix instant potatoes with pouched meat for a quick, nutritious dinner. Carry along a little dry Parmesan or Romano cheese for added flavor.
You can carry some fresh foods, like carrots, fruit, nuts, and even potatoes and onions for a few days, at least. They add weight, but they add a lot of variety to your cooking as well. I would suggest you slice them at home and seal in vacuum bags to keep fresh and in good color.
Check out local grocers and food stores for dried mushrooms, and noodle mixtures that you might like. You can add canned meat to the noodles or mushrooms for a delicious sauce or one-pot meal. Although not considered gourmet, Ramen noodles can be a great change up meal and add salt to sweating hikers.
Carry powdered milk and eggs for a quick breakfast or dinner, just add water and cook into omelets, scrambled eggs, or fillings for tortillas or pita bread. ( I like the “complete” pancakes mixes and add water to make my pancakes. Toss in a few frozen berries just before you leave home. )

Creative Outdoor Cooking
Outdoor cooking doesn’t have to mean steaks, dogs, and burgers. You can cook just about anything on a camp stove or over a fire, and if you can boil water then you can enjoy boil-in-bag meals, pasta side dishes, and a variety of other convenience foods that just take boiling water to make them. You can even take along instant pudding; just add dry milk powder and water!
On a large camp stove, you can create gourmet meals just like you’d create at home and gourmet outdoor cooking is becoming much more popular. On a short hiking trip of a couple of days, you can carry insulated containers with food you’ve prepared at home, then heat up at the camp site.
Another quick outdoor cooking tip is to partially cook pasta at home, then put it in a strong plastic bag. You can finish cooking it in the bag when you’re ready for dinner. Marinate meats in plastic bags as well, and then cook them when you arrive at camp.
Practice outdoor cooking skills on your stove or on a grill at home before you hit the trail, so you’ll know exactly what you need to do when you arrive in camp. If you’re going for a shorter hike, you can carry more fresh foods and really enjoy outdoor cooking. Longer, multi-day backpacking treks usually call for more dehydrated and packaged dry foods.

Hiking Stoves for Gourmet Backpacking
If you want to kick up your hiking menu, don’t hike so far, and carry along some frozen or fresh foods you can cook in camp. You can cook on a small backpacking stove, in fact many now come with two burners. But if you want to really go gourmet, you’ll probably need a bigger stove and more fuel, which will be more difficult to carry long distances. Look for a two-burner stove with an adjustable flame, so you can simmer, boil, and everything in between.
Look for a sturdy stove that will stand up to your pots and pans, as well. Also, most manufacturers offer “boil and burn times” for their stoves, so you know how long it will take to boil water and how much time you can expect out of a fuel canister. Hiking stoves that heat up quicker and use less fuel may be more expensive, but they’ll save you time and money in the long run.
“Mixed-gas” supplies fuel a lot of these fast stoves. Butane/Propane canisters can even be found at your local Walmart.
These suggestions work well with camping, too, so you don’t have to carry your food and tools so far. Invest in a good hiking stove and it will last you for many years of fabulous meals on the trail!

Coleman Ultralight Packers Stove………………

Hilarious………..

5Th annual Derby

Here in the small hamlet of Houlton, Maine is a courageous and faithful group of Christain Men who believe it is their mission to hand on the Outdoor Traditions of our fathers. One way they do that and help area youth, is the annual fishing derby. This being the 5th annual here in 2010.

Now this same group, The MSBC- Christian Sportsman. A Chartered member of Christian Sportsman International. Is very active in a multitude of other activities. They host breakfasts and an Annual Game Tasting in January/February. The game supper has outgrown the church and now is held in the Agricultural Museum in Littleton, as it once was the Littleton School and as moore cooking and sitting room.

Back to the Derby:

Trophies are given and new rods and Tackle boxes are given as well.

The spirit of competition is healthy and all had a great time. Many Fish were caught from their stocked Church Pond, but many swam away as well. Each angler, all were under 14, had a 5 fish limit. Prizes were given in many categories, first..biggest..most..and so on.

Some really nice trout were caught………….

But the most important thing is the kids had fun..the parents did too and the CSF reached out to a gratefull community and taught some kids how to catch a few trout and love God’s great outdoors.

Sound like something you would want to do in your town? Contact Chris Marley @ 532-7069 ( CSF Regional liason/Rep)

Want to talk to MSBC-CSF? Call Military Streety Baptist Church 532-2783 and ask to leave a message for Ed Ellis/Louis Provost/Blaine Nickerson or Chris Marley. Let the Secretary know you are calling about CSF’s good work.

How do I know so much about CSF? I am Brent Reece and I am one of the founding members of the CSF in Houlton. I am also the Past Director and Assistant Director of the Chapter, and a key player in the rehabilitation of the farm pond used in the Derby. Louis Provost was the lead rehabilitator…..and I will always be in his debt for all his hard work. We convinced the Church to let CSF use the Pond, but it was Lou more than anyone else that got it cleared in time for the Derby that first year.

Lou is the Good looking Fella on the right…not sure who is Bud is..but CSF has many new members since my time there.

Thanks again Lou……….and Great job Blaine and crew……………………an excellant time was had by all!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Remington® set to introduce HyperSonic Steel™
The World’s Fastest Waterfowl Shotshell.
Featuring the New Xelerator® Wad Technology

Madison, NC – Few things are more challenging than hitting fast moving, high flying waterfowl. To meet this challenge, Remington is proud to introduce the fastest velocity, highest downrange pattern energies ever produced in the history of steel waterfowl loads; the revolutionary new HyperSonic Steel™. To put it simply, waterfowl hunters now have the fastest, hardest-hitting, steel shot shell in the world, resulting in shorter leads to help hunters be more successful.
At the heart of the new HyperSonic Steel™ load is the patent pending Xelerator® Wad. The newly designed wad features a unique Ignition Chamber which allows higher velocity with safe pressures.
How does the Xelerator® Wad work? The primer ignites a small portion of the powder charge captured in the “Ignition Chamber”, this captive charge accelerates the wad and payload forward until the remainder of the powder charge is ignited. The increased volume behind the wad allows for the remainder of the propellant to burn, driving the shot to 1700 fps without causing excessive pressure – all in just a fraction of a millisecond.
With the HyperSonic Steel™ producing velocities at 1700fps, the lead on flying ducks is shortened by 8-inches at 40 yards which gives the hunter a higher success rate and less crippling with fewer shots. Now waterfowl hunters have a load with the highest steel pattern energy ever produced; up to 16% greater energy than current steel high velocity loads, with longer-range lethality in 10 load choices. “ At 1700 fps HyperSonic Steel™ is the most innovative and exciting shotshell developed in decades. It will change the way that we hunt waterfowl”.
Kevin Cross, Remington Research Engineer – Ammunition.
Features for the New HyperSonic Steel Waterfowl Loads
• Patent Pending Xelerator Ignition Chamber Technology o Allows Highest Velocity with Safe Pressures

• The “World’s FASTEST” Waterfowl Loads Available
• Highest Steel Pattern Energy, 16% Greater Energy
• Longer-Range Lethality
• Industry-Leading 1700 fps Velocity – All Loads o Shortens Leads by 11% (8 Inches at 40 Yards) About a Duck’s Body Length

• Higher Success Rate – Fewer Shots Required
• For the same shot size- Same On-Game Lead in Every Load
Gauge            Length (In.)                      Velocity (ft./sec @ 3 ft)              Ounces of Shot         Shot Size Shotshells                 (per box) MSRP
12                     3”                                            1700                                                 1-1/8                             BB                                                          25 $22.99
12                     3”                                            1700                                                 1-1/8                               2                                                           25 $22.99
12                     3”                                            1700                                                1-1/8                               4                                                            25 $22.99
12                     3”                                            1700                                                1-1/4                              BB                                                           25 $23.99
12                     3”                                            1700                                                1-1/4                               1                                                             25 $23.99
12                     3”                                            1700                                               1-1/4                                2                                                             25 $23.99
12                    3”                                             1700                                                1-1/4                               4                                                             25 $23.99
12                    3- 1/2”                                   1700                                                 1-3/8                            BB                                                            25 $32.99
12                   3-1/2”                                     1700                                                 1-3/8                              2                                                             25 $32.99
12                    3-1/2”                                    1700                                                 1-3/8                              4                                                             25 $32.99