Outdoors

Published
July 31, 2011

What’s Up in August: Changes to space program, and summer sky

August is the last full month of summer, and there will be plenty of highlights to enjoy under our warm skies before autumn returns. The successful return of the Atlantis space shuttle on the morning of July 21 marked the end of our current space program. Thirty years and 135 launches later, we have gained […]
Published
July 31, 2011

It’s Worth the Trip: For a hot summer hike, hit the slopes

Given the recent heat here in Maine, I hope you’ll indulge my switching back to ski columnist mode for a week. Many of Maine’s ski areas open their miles of trails to hikers during the summer. Five of my favorites — Sugarloaf, Shawnee Peak, Saddleback, Sunday River and the Camden Snow Bowl — make for […]
Published
July 31, 2011

Hiking: Healthy, comfy feet make for happy hiking

It’s a fact that healthy feet are essential for happy hiking. Nothing will ruin a good hiking trip faster than ill-fitting boots, poor quality socks and a few painful blisters. Many of us have had to find this out the hard way, sometimes many miles, perhaps even days, from the nearest road. With no choice […]
Published
July 31, 2011

Tackling Maine’s pike problem

State biologists hope a catch-and-kill rule will help eliminate the non-native species.
Published
July 31, 2011

Outdoors Calendar

St. Joseph’s College will sponsor sunset kayaking tours on Sebago Lake today from 5:30 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. Experience a summer sunset as you explore parts of Maine’s second-largest lake. The kayak tour will launch from the college’s waterfront and include a stop on Frye Island to enjoy a snack on the beach. No prior kayak […]

Published
July 24, 2011

It’s Worth the Trip: Decades later, rediscovering Deboullie

I feel especially blessed that as a youngster growing up in Maine I was exposed to, and able to experience, the best of both worlds: living and going to school on the coast in Camden in the winter and cutting my skiing teeth at the Camden Snow Bowl, and spending the first 13 summers of […]
Published
July 24, 2011

Birding: Different birds, different ‘investment’ habits

Many of the birds that nest in Maine are feeding nestlings now. Some have already fledged young. This time of year is a good occasion to consider the striking variation in the reproductive biology of birds. Ornithologists use the term “life history” to describe reproductive traits of a bird species. Aspects of the life history […]
Published
July 24, 2011

Outdoors Dispatches

SEBAGO Trout Unlimited donates trailer to restore fisheries The Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited gave the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife a road trailer that will be used to transport equipment into ponds in southwestern Maine that have been targeted for pond reclamation. Region A fisheries biologist Francis Brautigam said: “Reclaiming ponds is […]
Published
July 24, 2011

Freshwater Fishing: Fish still biting if you know where to look

The dog days of summer are here and fishing has slowed, but some biologists blame the slowdown on more than the fish. Certainly trout are in the spring holes and togue are found down deep, but fishermen who know how to find and lure these fish to a hook are having success statewide. REGION A: […]
Published
July 24, 2011

Allen Afield: Fisher sightings rare but thrilling

One morning in early July, Jolie, my companion, and I were traveling on Route 27 to Augusta when a fisher ran across the road in that humping gait characteristic of the weasel family. The encounter occurred in Belgrade within sight of Christie’s Store, the Belgrade town office and a bank, and not far from a […]

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