Monthly Archives: August 2015

Pingree picks ticks and deer get sprayed with chemicals to kill them

  “As the deer snack, their ears, heads, necks and shoulders rub against vertical rollers that are treated with acaricide. Through grooming, the deer also transfer the acaricide to other parts of their bodies.” Yes, some places, worried about Lyme disease, are spraying deer with chemicals to kill the ticks that carry the Lyme virus. […]

What weaknesses do you see in Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife?

This is the second in a series of columns about the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s very-much-needed and very-exciting project to improve its communications with the public and, eventually, grow its market. Two outstanding and experienced national consultants, Mark Duda of Responsive Management and Jodi Valenta of Mill Creek Communications, have been retained to […]

National Expert chosen to improve communications and marketing of fish and wildlife

Mark Duda has worked on more than 1000 marketing, communications, and public relations research, plans, and projects involving fisheries and wildlife, for state agencies, universities, businesses, and all the major hunting and fishing national organizations. And now he’s coming to Maine. Our Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has launched a very-much-needed and very-exciting project […]

Goodbye Salmon Hello Rainbow Trout

“Once noted as one of the top salmon waters in Maine, it’s now rare for a salmon to survive for more than one year in Long Pond,” wrote Jason Seiders, DIF&W Regional Fisheries Biologist. I can only add, boy, did I enjoy catching big salmon at this beautiful pond, part of the Belgrade Lakes and […]

Surprising opinions expressed on outdoor issues from moose to brook trout

Moose and private land access have been major issues this year for readers of this outdoor news column, and it’s time to share with you the views of readers on these and a few other important issues including brook trout. The Sportsmen Say Survey on my website, www.georgesmithmaine.com, is sponsored by Moody’s Collision Centers and […]