Outdoors

Published
August 31, 2013

Wilderness on the main line

Thanks to the Seashore Trolley Museum and the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, the Smith Preserve is more accessible to all.
Published
August 31, 2013

North Cairn: Dog gone, she’s too demanding

She would always have been a tough act to follow, the golden retriever I lost to epilepsy after 10 years. But tossing that German shepherd into the mix, that was nerve-wracking for me, a person who’s only known the cheerful, slightly loopy personality of goldens. If I had imagined the dog was a basket case, […]
Published
August 31, 2013

Canoeing: For quintessential Maine: Take Dyer River, head north

For end of summer peace and quiet in a beautiful setting, put your canoe in at the mouth of the Dyer River in the village of Sheepscot and head north for a few hours. The Dyer River meets the Sheepscot River at the launch site behind the Garrison Hill Grange. You can park in a […]
Published
August 31, 2013

Carey Kish: An under-the-radar spot that shouldn’t be missed

There are only two places along the Maine coast where you can tote your backpack to a remote ocean-view campsite for the night. One is Down East at the popular Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land, and the other is on the midcoast at Camden Hills State Park. If this second spot wasn’t particularly on your […]
Published
August 31, 2013

Josh Christie: Something for everyone on Tumbledown hike

A bonus about Maine hiking is that the state offers so many different things to so many people. Many of Maine’s hikes allow access to dramatic cliff faces, Alpine ponds, bald ridges and closely-clustered peaks. One reason that Weld’s Tumbledown Mountain is my favorite hike in the state is because it offers all these features […]

Published
August 31, 2013

Hunting: Why hunting on refuges is a vital use

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently released a Draft Hunting & Fishing Strategic Plan for our national wildlife refuge system. Among the 24 recommendations is a directive that FWS work closely with state fish and wildlife agencies to first review current hunting and fishing opportunities, then prepare a strategy for increasing quality opportunities on […]
Published
August 31, 2013

Allen Afield: Attempting to catch bluefish with fly rod? Try a little cleverness

For much of my adult life, I had fished for Atlantic salmon in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where guides told me long-lining was illegal for the king of freshwater game fish. That law struck me as odd, even though I seldom resorted to using the tactic in Maine, where it’s legal. Some Mainers […]
Published
August 31, 2013

Birding: Similarity doesn’t mean sameness among birds

Recognizing the limits of species is one of the great challenges of biology. Some species are remarkably variable; humans with our ranges of skin color provide a nice example. On the other hand, some separate species can scarcely be separated based on their morphology. The willow flycatcher and alder flycatcher are dead ringers for each […]
Published
August 31, 2013

Best Bets

WEDNESDAY Salt Marsh Exploration 10 a.m., Boothbay Harbor The Boothbay Region Land Trust is exploring the Ovens Mouth East Preserve salt marsh this week. Learn about plants and animals that call this harsh environment home, and the adaptations that allow them to do so. To register, write to thall@bbrlt.org or call 633-4818. New Hayfields Project […]
Published
August 24, 2013

Best Bets

UPCOMING Striper Hunt through Sept. 15, Casco Bay The Casco Bay Anglers Club and Coastal Conservation Association-Maine are co-hosting the state’s largest striped bass tournament. All proceeds from this monthlong catch-and-release tourney will benefit the Coastal Conservation Association of Maine. The tournament involves a fly fishing division, spin division and youth division. To register their […]

Sign In:

Outdoors