TUCKER RIDGE OUTDOORS

Homestead chickens: Lessons learned (Part 1)

When my wife Moira and I decided to raise homestead chickens we already had a fair amount of working knowledge. Building on a foundation of experience stemming from keeping backyard chickens for the last few years, we made the next step to raising a full on homestead chicken flock last year. That ‘step’ actually turned out to be a leap.

We learned quite a few lessons during the transition from backyard chicken hobbyists to homestead chicken farmers. Factors such as flock health, care and security all increase comparatively when the numbers of birds climb northward.

Add the fact that our Maine homestead is in a remote area of the central highlands, issues such as weather and predators also played a significant role. Here is the first installment of a three part series on what we learned and how we adjusted.

Pets or poultry

By far, the biggest difference in raising poultry in a homestead setting for meat and eggs versus keeping a backyard chicken flock is getting used to the idea that these birds are not pets. Backyard chickens frequently end up with names, endearing them to us much the same as our indoor pets.

In a backyard flock that isn’t an issue as most backyard birds are treated as pets and unlikely to see the business end of the butcher knife any time soon; the eggs are mostly a byproduct of keeping a small flock.

In a homestead flock however, the intended purpose is food and sustainability. These birds are raised to feed us and developing too much of an attachment can cause a lot of emotional strain at processing time. While that is bound to happen to some extent, keeping the birds anonymous helps.

The compromise we found was to name the roosters solely for identification purposes – they usually get culled first to keep the hen to rooster ratio correct. The hens all get named ‘George’ in a nod to former heavyweight champion George Foreman naming all of his sons after himself.

It may sound corny, but it works for us.

Interaction and stimulation

Chickens get bored; keeping them active and stimulated helps to keep fighting and pecking to a minimum. While you can never eliminate all chicken shenanigans, keeping them busy ensures that the only pecking is the natural type to establish the ‘pecking order’.

I throw a few intact hay bales around the run every month or so and let the birds have at them. They waste no time in jumping on them, tearing them apart and spreading the hay about the run area. This provides exercise while keeping the mud, snow and ice covered and reinforces their foraging instincts – especially during the winter months when grass and soft earth are hard to come by.

Interacting with the birds as chicks and later as pullets makes for easier handling as the birds mature into roosters and hens. Chickens spook easily. Moving stubborn hens on or off roosts, broody birds off of nests or snatching up excess roosters all get easier when the birds are used to human interaction.

Regular proximity to the flock also means the occasional peck or bite. After a George took a swipe at my wedding ring while I was filling the feeders, I learned to wear gloves every time I enter the coop or run at feeding time. The Georges also like to peck at boot eyelets and absolutely love to make sport of untying Moira’s shoes for her.

Our alpha rooster jumps up on a sawhorse roost when I fill the feeders to watch his hens and lookout for their safety while they eat. He likes to snatch my shirt back once in a while with his beak if I hang around longer than his liking. We’ll talk more about roosters later.

Water and feed

Chickens drink a lot of water. A backyard flock of six to eight hens or so can get by with the water fonts typically sold at your local hardware store. When you keep a homestead flock of 60 birds though, you need to start thinking in terms of gallons.

Through trial and error I have learned some basic must do’s when it comes to watering poultry. First, you have to get the water off the ground. Chickens will find a way to knock it over, roost on it, poop in it or fill it with bedding if you do not.

My solution was to make my own waterers out of five gallon buckets and commercially produced chicken nipples. I use four nipples per bucket, making water stations capable of handling 16 – 20 birds each. These buckets get hung by sections of chain with an s-hook attached from a bracket mounted to the outside of the hen house.

Second, keep the water out of the coop. Keeping the water outside may seem counter-intuitive, especially in winter, but the benefits outweigh the cons. Chickens will fly into and try to roost onto hanging waterers inside the coop and the result is a soaking wet floor, contaminated water or no water at all. It is imperative for flock health to keep the coop dry but chickens don’t know that.

I also use a bucket de-icer with a built in thermostat to keep the water from freezing during the winter and swap out buckets daily to keep the water fresh.

Laying hens eat a lot of feed. They expend a lot of energy and nutrients making eggs. While we supplement them with leftovers and garden scraps, they still need a feed that will provide the right amounts of calcium, protein and other ingredients to maintain regular egg production.

A homestead flock of sixty birds can easily devour 150 lbs. of feed a week. That was a huge eye opener. We mix in lower cost cracked corn and scratch grains with regular layer feed to stretch out the amount of higher cost laying hen feed we use per week. It works very well and the corn gives the hens a boost in energy during the frigid winter months. Of note, our hens prefer the mix over straight feed and lay at full strength all winter long.

Next week in Part 2, I’ll talk about flock safety and predators; our losses to coyotes, foxes and a near miss with a black bear coming out of hibernation hungry for chicken. I’ll also discuss roosters, how many to keep and eggs – lots and lots of eggs.

AR-15: America’s Next Iconic Firearm?

Samuel Colt’s Single Action Army. John Moses Browning’s 1911. The Winchester Model 1894. These iconic guns are legends in American firearm history. They all have been lionized in print, film and pop culture. Even people who are not familiar with guns easily recognize them.

Continue reading “AR-15: America’s Next Iconic Firearm?”

Why focusing on the border wall misses the point

Donald Trump made big political hay out of immigration and border security during his campaign for president. He repeatedly made headlines as he discussed building his “big, beautiful wall” to the horror of open border leftists.

A wall may or may not be built. All indications are that President Trump is serious about it; but if someone is determined to get around a wall, they will more than likely find a way.

While Democrats were busy screaming racism, they failed to see what made Trump’s immigration stance so appealing to the American working class.

A nation of immigrants

One of the most popular talking points the progressive left likes to use when discussing the issue of illegal immigration is: “America is a nation of immigrants.”

Sure it is. A nation of legal immigrants.

Since the founding of our nation, people seeking to emigrate from their home country and set sail for the United States have had to follow procedures set forth in law to gain lawful entry. There is a very good reason for this.

America, like many countries, wants the best and brightest of potential new citizens. No country wants someone else’s ‘deplorables’. Our nation was indeed built by immigrants, all chasing a dream that only America could provide. They worked hard, integrated into society and embraced what it meant to be American.

The values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence are what immigrants came here for – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution of the United States of America guaranteed their opportunity, as we are a nation of laws – not a nation of social justice.

Fast forward to modern day America.

The left would have you believe that illegal immigrants flooding through our borders are modern day Ellis Island arrivals. That’s absurd.

Where is the integration into society? Why all the hyphenated American descriptors? Why must English speakers press “1” for a representative? Most of all, where is the dedication and unwavering loyalty to your new country?

We have an immigration policy in place; it’s just not being enforced. Scores of people are standing in line, following the law and becoming citizens every day the hard way. These people want to be Americans; not to just reap the benefits of being in America. Why should immigrants who wish to flout our laws and sovereignty get a first class, nonstop flight to America’s resources?

Undocumented workers

A seventeen year old working a summer job tossing hay bales for cash under the table is an undocumented worker. A foreign national secreting across the border with the intent of making a home in the U.S. is an illegal alien.

The very act of bypassing Immigration and Customs border checkpoints to enter the country is a crime. Hence, it is illegal.

If you are not a United States citizen and are present on U.S. soil, you are an alien.

No amount of double speak, word manipulation or interpretation can change these two facts. Americans have shown that they are sick and tired of these ridiculous false narratives.

If illegal immigrants truly are bolstering the economy by performing jobs Americans don’t want, they should apply for a green card and do it legally.

Separating families

Compassion is a human quality, not a government function. No one, including President Trump, wants to rip families apart. But that decision should not be the government’s to make in the first place. When an illegal immigrant makes the decision to travel to the U.S. for sake of giving birth to a citizen or any other reason, they are making the decision themselves.

It’s certainly understandable why illegals do it. We all want what is best for our children, regardless of our race, creed or country of origin. However, breaking the law and putting the onus on American law enforcement is unacceptable. This was not the intent of birthright citizenship.

The irony here is that the left believes our law is vitally important when it comes to the ‘rights’ of illegal immigrants, but not so much when a crime is committed and the law is broken by illegal entry.

Refugees and asylum seekers

What started as a noble and gracious policy has morphed into an abused, twisted back door social engineering experiment. Intended to give oppressed peoples an opportunity for safe harbor, to welcome those hunted for their religious beliefs into the warm and reassuring embrace of Lady Liberty, this provision of immigration law so thoughtfully enacted is now exploited for political gain.

Admitting foreign nationals from terrorist hot spots with the barest of vetting is not only bad policy, it is downright negligent. The national security implications are unfathomable.

The point

A nation without borders is a nation no more. While globalists would cheer this idea, the reality is stark. Who can the world look to when Uncle Sam exits stage left and the bright spotlight of liberty winks out of existence?

President Trump’s promise to build a border wall resonates with Americans not because they want to keep people out or believe he will build it, but because Americans demand law and order from our government. It is one of the key missions the federal government is charged with.

While working class Americans watched their livelihood decline, their liberties threatened and futures compromised, they also saw benefits and unearned rights heaped upon illegal immigrants and ‘refugees’ with the intent of fostering a new generation of dependent, progressive voters.

If you think the idea of a border wall is just about fence posts and lumber, you are probably missing the point.

How to easily fillet your bass: Tips from a Maine guide

Ice fishing season in northern Maine is in full swing. Lakes and ponds throughout the region are filling with ice shacks; die hard fisherman staking their claim on the ice like the frontier land rush settlers of yore. Augers have bored access to the lunkers waiting beneath the ice. The tip ups are being set and the jigging rods are in hand.

While pan-fried trout and smoked salmon are regarded by some as the logical menu choice for their ice fishing endeavors, don’t overlook bass that come through the ice. Garlic and lemon bass fillets over white rice will give your palate a taste of summer, even after the coldest of ice fishing trips.

Here is a quick and easy method I use to fillet fish.

What you’ll need and preparation

The basic items you will need are: two sharp knives (one for cutting, one for filleting), wood or polymer cutting board, access to water for rinsing and a discard container. If you plan on freezing your fillets for later use, a roll of paper towels and a vacuum sealer will come in handy. Regular freezer bags will work just fine if you don’t own a vacuum sealer.

While it is not an absolute necessity to clean fish before filleting them, I recommend it. Best practice is to “Gut & Gill” the fish immediately after the catch. In Maine, we are required to either release the fish alive after the catch or immediately kill it and add to our daily bag.

TIP: Cleaning the fish and removing the gills after the catch keeps the fish fresher and helps avoid spoiling. It also makes for much neater work on the cutting board.

Making the cuts

Make your first cut just behind the pectoral fin vertically, using your cutting knife. The scales are very tough and will dull a knife quickly – use one knife for cutting and use the other only for the actual filleting step.

Make your cut to the backbone and stop, being careful not to cut through it. You can cut off the pelvic fins at this point if they are getting in your way. The pelvic fins are the ones on the belly near the head of the fish.

Next, insert the tip of your knife at the leading edge of the first cut you made at the top of the backbone. Make a cut along the backbone about an inch deep all the way to the middle of the caudal peduncle. That’s the place where the back and the tail meet. This will act as your guide when you start to fillet.

TIP: Be careful of that dorsal fin. It’s the spiky fin on the spine and will poke you if you grab the fish the wrong way!

Start the fillet

Run the fillet knife flat on a 45 degree angle from the top of the backbone where your first two cuts meet and “swing” the tip down and in along the rib cage until the knife is perpendicular to the backbone.

Let the fillet knife glide over the ribs and along the backbone in one long slow motion. Avoid “sawing” with the fillet knife. If you find that you need to saw, your knife is too dull.

Continue the cut until you reach the caudal peduncle. Use the backbone cut you made as your guide for depth and end the fillet where you stopped the backbone cut before the tail.

TIP: Use the palm of your hand to keep slight downward pressure as you glide the fillet knife. Make sure to keep your hand flat!

Flip and finish

Next, flip the fillet away and over with the skin still attached at the caudal peduncle. Use the same method as before to get the fillet knife started. Ease the knife between the fillet and the skin, bringing the knife perpendicular again.

As before, using the flat palm of your hand on top of the fillet, glide the fillet knife along the skin all the way to the edge. Your fillet can now be trimmed of any rib meat or skin left attached. Flip your fish and repeat for the second fillet.

TIP: The bigger the fish, the easier it is to fillet; a fish smaller than 14 inches will be difficult and will not yield much.

A taste of summer

Whether you are back at home or at a remote fishing camp, preparing this meal is quick and easy.

Saute your fillets in a hot pan with butter and garlic. Sprinkle some lemon juice across the top for added flavor. As soon as the fish is white and flaky, it’s ready. Serve over a steaming bed of white rice.

Summer…I can taste it already.

What rural Mainers want and expect from President Donald Trump

Tucked away on the northern edge of eastern Maine, Webster Plantation rarely shows up on mapping software and there is a good chance your phone’s navigation app won’t find it. There are two roads, no stop signs and more wildlife than residents.

The folks that live here like it that way.

Webster Plantation cast a total of 32 ballots on November 8, 2016. Republican Donald Trump received 26 votes while Democrat challenger Hillary Clinton tallied up five. The remaining ballot left the choice for President blank. The surrounding communities of Prentiss, Springfield and Lee all saw similar results.

I sat down with several area residents to discuss their thoughts about the election, the decisions they made and their expectations for the incoming administration.

All in for Trump

John Mast, a retired Teamster, met Donald Trump years ago in one of Trump’s casinos in New Jersey. He says he would have voted for him any chance he got leading up to the general election. “He was like one of us…he walked in, shook everyone’s hand” Mast said, “He was a real down to earth person.”

“It was always Trump” said Dawn Mast, John’s wife. The Mast’s noted they supported Trump from the start and never considered an alternative candidate.

“I think this country needs change…I think he’s the guy who’s going to change it for us” said Roger Walton, a retired military veteran. “I like him…I like what he had to say.” Walton said Trump was his first choice among the large Republican field.

Never Hillary

Trump’s status as an outsider, not as a career politician, appealed to Dawn. She told me, “I was totally afraid (Clinton) was going to screw us more than Obama did. She was only out for her. She wasn’t out for us, no matter what she said on her campaign.” She added, “She was too corrupt to start with.”

“For the first time in my life I voted Republican…there were too many unanswered questions with (Clinton) that didn’t sit well with me at all…she came with too much baggage. I did it because I didn’t feel comfortable with her, I don’t really feel comfortable with (Trump) either…but we had to make a choice.” said Bill Orr, a retired union plumber and lifelong registered Democrat.

Orr cites the Benghazi scandal, immigration policy and a continuation of “the status quo” as his biggest concerns in deciding to vote for Trump over Clinton. He also notes that he only crossed party lines at the top of the ticket.

Platforms and Politics

By far, immigration and border security was the campaign issue most folks I spoke with felt the strongest about. Trump’s immigration stance has been branded by his detractors with terms ranging from nationalistic to outright racist. The voters of northern Maine I spoke with disagree.

“You know, as far as immigration goes, I agree with him” said Orr, “we’ve got to shut the borders. We can’t keep absorbing the world’s population the way we are. We just can’t do it.” He mentioned the Brexit movement as an example of citizens’ wrath at the loss of a national identity in the wake of unsustainable open border immigration policy.

Dawn says wanting to take care of our own citizens before somebody else’s doesn’t make you a racist.

When asked about allegations made against Trump in regards to women, Dawn said “Everybody has their own quirks. I mean…yeah, you don’t like what he said. But that doesn’t mean he’s not going to make a good President.”

“It’s a hard subject” she said, “but he’s still the better pick, regardless.”

Expectations and Advice

To a person, every resident I spoke with was adamant that President-elect Trump should remain steadfast, keep his word and fulfill campaign promises. The positions Trump took resonated with voters up here in the sense that people heard a candidate saying the very things long on their minds. More importantly, they believed him.

“Give the working man a fair shake, give us our due…I think he needs to take care of us first, we are paramount. I think that would turn this country around.” was Orr’s advice. He also wants to see corporate tax code fixed, allowing more companies to keep their money in the U.S. and stimulate economic growth. It’s something he believes Trump is uniquely qualified to do.

“Everybody gives promises in their campaign, they’re going do this, they’re going do that…he needs to stick with his campaign promises.” said John Mast. He added “He promises to try and make America great again and we need to.”

Dawn Mast explained why fixing The Affordable Care Act was her top priority, noting her premiums have skyrocketed in just three years. She says she can’t afford independent insurance either.

“I’m a preexisting (condition); it would cost me a fortune to get independent insurance. I’ve gone that route and went to a broker to find out – $1600 a month…I don’t have that, you might as well just shoot me.”

“He said he was going to change it…let’s see what happens.” When asked if she thinks Trump will keep his campaign pledges, Dawn replied “I would like to believe so. He knows us; he’s a regular Joe…just a richer Joe.”

Walton’s response was pure no nonsense Yankee, “Keep the promises you made when running for President.” He also recognizes the challenge Trump will face. “I know that’s going to be difficult. He’s got the hardest job in the country.”

My take

While it’s a stretch to say Donald Trump is a conservative, he ran as a Republican and championed several conservative causes. My hope is that President Donald Trump can cast aside the rhetoric of the campaign trail, leave Twitter alone and put America back on the path to prosperity.

He should start with reintroducing free market economy principles instead of government subsidies for favored industries and business. Next, reestablish law and order and clean house throughout the Department of Justice including the Attorney General’s office.

Appoint a Supreme Court justice that is not a judicial activist.

Secure our nation’s borders. Then we can have an honest discussion about legal immigration and the reforms needed.

Finally, repeal the Affordable Care Act and put healthcare in the United States back in the hands of doctors and healthcare professionals, not the federal government’s.

That would be a great start.

As Donald Trump raises his right hand, places his left on the Bible and swears the oath of office, there is a clear, unified message from the top of the country in rural Maine.

Mr. President: Stick to your guns.

Trump tweet is much ado about nothing

Trump really crossed the line this time. His detractors, the Never Trump movement and liberals across America are up in arms over his latest statement. It’s hard to say if he can even rebound from such depravity.

What did he do? He encouraged people to buy American.

President-elect Donald Trump set the Twitter-verse afire when he tweeted “Buy L.L. Bean” in response to calls for boycotting the Maine based outfitter.

L.L. Bean came under fire from an anti-Trump advocacy group earlier as the personal campaign donations of Linda Bean, the granddaughter of founder Leon Leonwood Bean, became public.

Media outlets decried the fact that Trump, in his capacity as the President-Elect of the United States, would encourage people to buy from a particular retailer or endorse a specific business.

In a Washington Post article, a Harvard business professor said “It’s unprecedented for someone of his power voicing his support or being against particular companies.”

An advertising and social media lawyer quoted in the article acknowledges Trump broke no laws with his tweet, but instead insists it’s just poor form. She also lamented, “…for hundreds of years, it has been understood that the ruler of the land shouldn’t be picking and choosing which companies to endorse or otherwise.”

Ruler of the land? Hundreds of years?

Promoting American businesses by United States political figures actually does have precedent. Here’s two off the top of my head.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District repeatedly called for the Department of Defense to work with New Balance to outfit new military recruit’s running shoe needs as part of their initial clothing issue. He even sponsored legislation in the form of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was signed into law December 23, 2016.

In press releases and radio interviews discussing his amendment, it was all New Balance, all the time. No mention of any other athletic shoe maker was to be found.

It’s also hard to say how much endorsement value BlackBerry received in 2009 as newly elected President Obama made headlines for his refusal to give up his PDA. Countless stories detailed his love of his trusty BlackBerry. Not his PDA, not his mobile phone – his “BlackBerry”.

“I don’t text. I email. I still have a Blackberry,” he said in an interview on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live”.

But, that isn’t what this latest dust up is really about. Donald Trump wanted to take a jab at the group boycotting L.L. Bean because of an employee’s personal political donation. He knew exactly what he was doing and the ire it would draw.

Trump haters on Twitter took the bait and media outlets, whose relationships with the Trump campaign could be described as frosty at best, couldn’t wait for another gotcha story to run with.

Did he literally say “Buy L.L. Bean”? Yes, he did.

Was he “hawking” the outfitters products? No, he was not.

Was he lobbying for one specific company over another? No, he was not.

The core of the matter is this: Is it proper for a United States official to endorse a private business? The simple answer is no.

However, when it comes to discussing President-elect Donald Trump, I’m not sure there is ever a simple answer.

3 easy ways you could break the law fishing in Maine

Ever since the introduction of laws regulating the taking of game and fish, people who rely on wild game for subsistence along with those who fish for sport have unwittingly broken those laws. What started out to be a reasonable and noble attempt at conserving wildlife has morphed into a complex bureaucracy replete with complicated and unintelligible regulations. To make matters worse, stiff penalties and fines are levied by the Maine legislature for innocent mistakes made inside the boundaries of good faith and common sense but outside of Maine’s general fishing provisions and special rule.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights of the 2017 Open Water & Ice Maine Fishing Laws and some example scenarios where you may break the law without realizing it.

The law: Removal of Heads and Tails

“It is unlawful to alter the length of landlocked salmon, trout, togue, lake whitefish, and bass unless the fish are being prepared for immediate cooking. It is unlawful to possess or transport fish dressed in such a manner that the species of fish cannot be identified; unless the fish are being prepared for immediate cooking (smoking does not constitute cooking) (Title 12, §12601).”

The scenario:

It’s a crisp spring morning and the sun slowly rises over East Grand Lake in Danforth. The boundary waters shimmer with the promise of monster landlocked salmon lurking below. You and your spouse each catch your daily limit of two large salmon. Already, visions of a Maine-style surf and turf, venison loin and salmon steaks, are dancing through your head.

When you get home, the vacuum sealer comes out and the preparation begins. You cut the salmon into fat steaks, portioned out to go with the already portioned venison loins from November’s buck in the chest freezer. You look forward to an amazing meal several times throughout the year.

You also just broke the law. The rule states that you cannot remove the head or tail unless the fish is being prepared for “immediate cooking”. Freezing or smoking your catch does not count.

It’s understandable why you cannot lawfully remove the head and tail of fish after you’ve landed and are cleaning them as a game warden has no other way to determine if the fish is of legal length. Dressing the fish in a manner that makes the species indistinguishable is also prohibited and rightly so.

When does the regulating end though? By mandating how fish must be preserved for future consumption and how much must be eaten at once in your own home, Maine may be unduly creating law breakers out of responsible fishermen.

The law: Possession Limit (All Fish)

“A person shall not possess at any time more fish than may lawfully be taken in one day (Title 12, 12602-2).”

The scenario:

You’ve waited all winter for the opening of Mattagodus Stream. The ice is finally out and you make your way to your honey hole with fat brookies on your mind. The water is still ice cold, but the fishing is hot. You catch your daily bag, a pair of nice eight inch brook trout. They go in the freezer, with heads and tails attached of course, for grilling this weekend.

The next morning, you meet your neighbor in the dooryard. He regales you with tales of monster rainbow trout he was seeing in the West Branch stream. You grab your tackle and fly rod; you thank your neighbor and bee line to the banks of the stream. Your first cast lands the biggest rainbow you’ve ever caught. As you drop him in your creel, you are also breaking the law. Daily bag limit notwithstanding, you possess two trout in the freezer at home; that’s all you get to keep at one time.

This rule may be the most concerning to subsistence fishermen. The days of putting fish away to feed your family over the course of the year are but a memory with this regulation. The idea that you are forced to purchase commercially produced fish within an already constrained household budget instead of being permitted to catch and store your own legal daily bag mystifies me. This rule may be championed by catch and release sport fishermen but I suspect it puts an unneeded burden on those who fish for food and makes lower income rural families poorer.

The law: Failure to Label Fish / Possessing Gift Fish

“It is unlawful to keep bass, landlocked salmon, togue (lake trout) or trout at any sporting camp, hotel, public lodging place or any place other than a person’s residence without attaching the name and address of the person who caught the fish (Title 12, §12608).”

“A person who does not possess a valid fishing license issued under chapter 913 may not possess a fish or any part of a fish given to that person except a person may possess in that person’s domicile a gift fish that was lawfully caught and is plainly labeled with the name of the person who gave the fish and the year, month and day the fish was caught by that person. This section does not apply to baitfish (Title 12, §12613).”

The scenario:

You have finally made time for a fishing trip up north. The cabin and canoe rental are paid for, the gear is loaded and you are on your way for some relaxing time on the water. Your first day on the lake is a productive one. You bring your catch of five brook trout back to your cabin and realize it is more fish than you need for your campfire meal this evening. You decide to give two fish to some elderly folks who live down the lane and are very welcoming every time you visit this lake.

You jump on the ATV with two fish bagged and wrapped in freezer paper leaving the other three in your cooler for dinner tonight. When you get back to the cabin you find a game warden waiting. He’d like to see your fish.

Having no worries about size or bag limits, you pop the cooler top for the warden to inspect. He informs you that because this is not your permanent residence, every fish you keep here must be tagged with your name and address. That’s three counts of failure to label fish.

What about the two fish you gave away? The game warden informs you that unless you tagged those fish with the same information, as well as the date on which you caught them, the elderly couple is breaking the law as well by possessing gift fish without a label.

Under these regulations, a simple act of kindness can put an unaware person, who may not even fish, outside of the law. The temporary lodging rule can also be a costly one. Why is there is no requirement to tag every ruffed grouse, snowshoe hare or squirrel taken during hunting season?

There has to be a better way

Each one of these example violations is punishable by a fine of at least $100 up to a $500 maximum. That fine is also per fish. While game and fish conservation laws may be necessary to ensure the health, vitality and continued population growth of wildlife, they do not need to be counter intuitive or financially debilitating.

Consider this: You are an avid bass fisherman on vacation at Mattakeunk Lake in Lee. You’ve picked this lake because it has a special rule designation allowing for no limit or size restrictions on bass. It is a spring fed, cold water fishery that is being overrun with warm water species. You are going to do your part in helping the native cold water species survive.

You fish for five days, taking six bass a day. Every night back at camp, unaware of the not so common sense rules outlined above, you fillet out your fish and package them on ice in your cooler to take home.

At the end of your trip you would have racked up 30 counts of removing heads and tails along with 30 counts of failure to label fish. The minimum fine accrued would be $6000 and the maximum fine you could receive would be a whopping $30,000.

Is it just me or is there something fishy going on here?

Peaks and valleys: A year in the life on Tucker Ridge

We all seem to reflect this time of year on things past while looking forward to a fresh start. Triumphs and achievements are warmly regarded, while our defeats and setbacks continue to needle us. From Tucker Ridge, I’ve observed and in some instances been involved in some of the major issues Mainers have battled for and against this year. I have also had my share of ups and downs in the not so public eye. It’s been an interesting year to say the least. Here’s a look back at 2016 from Tucker Ridge.

As we ushered in a new year I was looking forward to new opportunities and continuing work on my homestead. This year’s plan included getting the chicken barn ready, fencing and runs built in anticipation of raising our flock in the coming spring.

This was also the year I was going to sit for the Registered Maine Guide exam, a long held goal I had been studying and preparing for. I started writing this blog “Life on the Ridge” for bangordailynews.com in January as well.

Winter to early spring was a great time of year. Snowshoe hare hunting with my buddy Big John who lives down ridge a bit, the IFW Commissioner’s decision to an early fishing start and the new job opportunity my wife was exploring all made for a memorable start to the year.

My dogs Chuck and CJ played starring roles in my first article for “Life on the Ridge” as Chuck learned to flush ruffed grouse and hunt antler sheds. My beagle CJ was also doing well, her Cushing’s disease holding in check for the time being.

In March, I wrote about the coming fight gun-owning Mainers were going to face, and win, in the November election cycle as LD 1662 cleared the final hurdle on its way to becoming question three on the ballot. In an epic David versus Goliath battle, voters rejected Michael Bloomberg’s interference with Maine tradition and independence. Sportsmen, guides, instructors and enthusiasts celebrated a stunning victory.

It was clear to me by April that I was going to need some help to be ready for the hunting and trapping guide written and board examinations. I don’t think any amount of self-study can prepare you for the modern day guides exam. No official study guide exists in Maine and even the most experienced hunter may not realize the full breadth of what being a guide entails and what a guide must know.

I reached out to Fritz Todenhagen of Finns and Antlers Guide Service and Outdoors Courses in Molunkus to help me get squared away for the exam. After some skill assessments and general knowledge testing, Fritz tailored a course for me that corrected my deficiencies and filled in some blind spots. In July, I passed the board and written exam, fulfilling one of my top goals for the year. I have no doubt that without Fritz’s guidance I would not be wearing the Registered Maine Guide patch today.

May brought about the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument controversy. Of course in May, it was just land east of Baxter State Park. The ensuing debate about the proposed national park raged around Maine and I landed smack in the middle with an article opposing it. This was a hot topic and a call went out BDN writers to cover it. I answered the call knowing full well the majority of BDN readers, writers and editorial board lean left politically. Nonplussed, I wrote about the reasons I thought the monument was a bad idea. The result was my most read article and endless flaming by readers who confuse me with a journalist. I am not a journalist, I am a columnist. When you write opinion pieces flaming comments come with the territory.

My favorite comment on this article is by Mr. Albert Ross, “People in rural Maine need jobs not more anti goverement hate speach from some lost sport.”

As if I didn’t learn not to write about politics, I answered the call again in June when BDN was looking for articles and viewpoints concerning Donald Trump’s visit to Bangor for a campaign rally. Again, I knew what the tone of the majority of articles written would take. But to the BDN’s credit, I was asked to do a “pro” viewpoint; I suspect I may be one of few token conservatives writing for the website.

This article, my second most read, also made the front page on the BDN website. With such visibility, the flamers were out in full force again. Arthur Fern commented “November 8, 2016: That magical day when millions of racist rednecks turn into misogynistic rednecks.”

The funny thing is I’m not, nor was I ever, a Trump supporter. I’m just a conservative guy who wrote an article about his visit.

By the end of June, the chicken runs were ready and the first generation of chicks was hatched adding to our initial startup flock of six laying hens and one rooster. Two more generations would follow, eventually growing our flock to roughly sixty birds. I also learned some hard lessons about free ranging chickens in the Maine woods when my Dominique rooster was killed in a coyote attack. I lost a hen to a red fox two weeks later.

In July, my son John and his girlfriend Sarah drove up from Texas to spend a week with us here on Tucker Ridge. I played tour guide as they took in the sights of northeast Maine. From the view of Canada near East Grand Lake to the ridgelines and back woods of moose country, it was an experience we all enjoyed very much.

I rounded out the month cramming for the guide exam and bass fishing with another buddy, Bill, who lives on the other end of the ridge. Bill acted as my test client and the experience helped me understand a little better what I needed to do as far as client care in the future. He also caught some monster smallies.

All of the success I was having in my writing career and professional development as a newly minted guide were deeply overshadowed on the third day of August. It was the singularly worst day of 2016 for me. My beagle CJ, lungs filling with fluid and struggling for every breath, lost her battle with Cushing’s disease at age 12.

My wife and I were distraught. Even knowing that this day was soon coming, when the day arrived, it was devastating. My wife’s job opportunity exploration had become an employment reality by then and her new position had a rigid, no excuses attendance policy. As I wept and dug a grave for our beloved beagle in the shade of a stand of birch trees, I watched my wife head south, her eyes wet but refusing to yield their tears. Her grieving would have to wait.

As we entered autumn in Maine, I spent most of my time scouting and hunting. Being alone in the woods brought me peace and serenity during the incessant election coverage and ballot initiative debates. I also got back to writing about what I love – the outdoors and hunting.

Youth Day for deer was one of my most memorable of the season. I had the pleasure of guiding fellow writer Doug Alley and his son Will for the young man’s very first deer hunt. There is no greater honor than being trusted to help introduce a young sport to the traditions of deer camp and deer hunting.

Other highlights from deer season, otherwise known as November to non-deer hunters, included rare glimpses at Maine wildlife in their natural element. I watched a big, silky black fisher stealing apples from a tree near my stand on opening day and stared in disbelief on another day as a bobcat came slinking by 25 yards away.

In December, I write more often, review where I’ve been submitting and look for new opportunities. I took another step in my writing career by accepting an offer from V. Paul Reynolds, the editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal, to come on board as a monthly columnist. Writing for one of the premiere outdoors and sporting publications in New England is quite the capper on my 2016.

Thank you for reading “Life on the Ridge” and be sure to check out my column “The Gun Cabinet” in the Northwoods Sporting Journal starting in February.

From Tucker Ridge, I wish you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year. – JF

Living sub-zero: The toughest aspects of winter homesteading

As the mercury plunges and the cracking of frozen tree branches echo down the ridge, my trepidation returns along with winter. I can’t help but wonder, sometimes to the point of minor hysteria, if I’ve made all of the necessary preparations around the homestead for the coming freeze.

There is no end to the number of potential disasters I envision if I come up short on planning. Frozen and burst water lines, well pump failure, an insufficient wood pile, generator failure, a chicken flock in crisis and the list goes on.

The joke I heard one time regarding Maine’s climate, “Winter in Maine is 10 months long, the other 2 are spent getting ready for winter” runs through my mind repeatedly.

While winter may not last 10 months long, the getting ready part rings true for the homesteader. These are my toughest challenges:

Buildings & Infrastructure

Winter in the northern back woods of Maine can be brutal. Far from repair facilities, home improvement stores and basic services, I need to make sure my buildings, utilities and fencing are squared away. But sometimes things just can’t stand up to the weather.

Fixing leaning porch roof supports after a heavy snowfall or the ground freezes is no easy task. Loose boards on steps, broken or frozen gate latches and metal roof patches from tree damage all have to be addressed. Mending and straightening fencing is tough too. The wire gets brittle and breaks, causing even more sections to be repaired. Trying to work in the ground when fence posts break or heave from frost is near impossible.

Regardless of the difficulty, these things have to be done, in the snow, in the ice or even sub-zero temperatures.

Water, by far, causes me the most consternation.

Because I live on a ridge, there is a lot of ledge just under the soil. My water source is a fairly shallow well with an above ground jet pump. More typical wells use submersible style pumps which greatly reduce freezing issues. Lacking that capability, I have to ensure my well house doesn’t fall into disrepair. Removing mouse chewed, soiled insulation, filling gaps and cracks from settling and making roof repairs are common (and frequent) tasks.

The home sits on piers and must be sealed off around the bottom to stop the frigid wind from whipping through underneath. This most commonly is repair work from where porcupines and other critters damage the siding in an effort to seek shelter.

If not properly done, I can be assured of frozen water lines and that makes for a very uncomfortable morning crawling through the snow and ice to get water flowing again.

Livestock

Over-wintering animals here is yet another challenge. They depend on me for every need. There isn’t any grass, bugs or other forage for them to eat and they need a healthy supply of fresh water daily. You see, there’s that water issue again.

Keeping waterers from freezing is a Herculean task through winter. I use an electric deicer in the buckets that work well most of the time, but the nipples where the water drips from when the chickens peck them tend to freeze up within hours when it drops below 20 degrees. That means chipping them free every couple of hours.

When we lose power, the deicer becomes useless and I have to run buckets of water from the house to the waterers and monitor them for freezing.

I need to shovel out paths after deep snowfall. I also spread hay around the run over ice and packed snow so the chickens feet don’t freeze. If I don’t provide them something to walk on they will stay in the coop and that can lead to health issues. They have to get outside during the day.

Heating & Electricity

We lose power throughout winter. A lot. Having a heavy duty generator and a wood stove aren’t afterthoughts, they are necessary. While I seek to use the least amount of electricity I can around the homestead, the well pump and chicken waterer deicers demand it. No electric means no water for the home or livestock.

My generator is a military surplus diesel unit. It can power the entire homestead. But in order for that to happen, I have to stay vigilant. Because it is diesel powered, it has an electric start that uses two 12 volt batteries. These batteries need to be trickle charged regularly so they are ready when called upon. Conversely, the fuel tank needs to be monitored for condensation and fuel treated to keep from gelling.

Cutting and splitting wood is a year round endeavor as my home is heated exclusively with the wood stove. I do have a furnace, but the high cost of fuel and dependence on electricity keeps me from using it as a primary heat source.

The wood stove needs no power, creates light and provides a cooking surface. It also requires a stockpile of cord wood. Having enough cut, split and stacked under cover is probably my biggest fear when the wind is howling and it seems we’ll never see the sunshine in earnest again. That would be February.

Once the snow piles high and the frozen tundra sets in, felling trees for firewood becomes miserable work. Green wood is by no means desirable, but if my supply runs low I do what has to be done, -10 degrees or not. Make no mistake, wood heat is the most warming of all and sure fire way to keep the chill out.

The price I pay for homesteading throughout the winter is repaid in spades. There is no place in the country that can beat a Maine autumn. Add the stars in the sky and the swirl of the Milky Way on a crisp, clear winter night on the ridge and most folks have never seen that kind of beauty.

Alas, the question remains. Am I ready? I think I’m about to find out.

Calling all predators

It’s no secret that the deer population in Maine has been on a downward trend for several years. While pockets of the state hold decent whitetail numbers, many rural and remote regions continue to see a decline in mature deer. A mild winter and abundant food sources this past year hasn’t changed that as far as I can see. One thing that has changed though is the ratio of predators to deer I see and hear on Tucker Ridge year after year. It’s time for us to get serious about predators.

Coyotes get a lot of the blame

According to the Eastern Coyote species assessment released by MDIFW in 1999, the coyote is the top predator in the food chain here in Maine. The report notes that coyotes are opportunistic killers of prey species, meaning they take healthy animals along with the weak. It also means they may kill more than they can eat. Also, the average size of a male Maine coyote is 35 lbs versus a typical 24 lbs for Western Coyote, enabling them to bring down adult deer.

In a 1981 study conducted in Alberta, deer remains were found in less than 10% of coyote stomachs collected during the winter. In contrast, a 1995 winter study of Maine coyote scats found that 60% contained deer material.

Curiously, the assessment comes to the conclusion that starvation and wintering affect deer mortality more than coyote predation does. I’m not a biologist, nor do I discount the findings of the smart folks down in Augusta, but I know what I see and hear.

Opening day of deer season I was perched in my tree stand long before first light, over watching a game trail that snaked along a ridge line. I had noticed plenty of game sign in the area including deer tracks, bear scat and a fisher that came to steal an apple from a tree 25 yards away as I was making final adjustments in my stand.

I started making some doe bleats to entice a buck, but to my surprise, the biggest coyote I’ve put glass on came in looking to kill that doe just 15 minutes later.

I shouldn’t have been surprised though. We hear several distinct packs of coyotes all along the ridge. At night we can hear the celebration of a kill. It can send chills down your spine when they are close and catch you off guard in the silence of the big woods. There seem to be more and more coyote every year and less deer.

Ask any deer hunter and they will tell you a coyote story.

Bobcats are deer killers too

Like coyotes, bobcats are also opportunistic killers. Averaging 3 feet in length and weighing in at around 30 lbs, male bobcats are big and strong enough to take down both fawns and adult deer. While snowshoe hare are the main staple of the bobcat’s diet, a 1984 study cited in the MDIFW’s 1986 Bobcat Assessment revealed that 40% of adult male bobcats had deer in their stomachs.

Bobcats are reclusive animals that thrive in habitats that sport rocky ledges, dense underbrush and woodland blow downs. That pretty much describes Tucker Ridge. Much of the preferred terrain bobcats use is also choice bedding area for Maine whitetails.

“Maine is near the northern edge of the bobcats’ range. When the temperature drops below 46′ F, a bobcat has to increase its metabolic rate (and therefore the amount of food it eats) just to keep warm (Gustafsen 1984)” notes Karen Morris, author of the MDIFW’s assessment.

To me that reads, “We have some hungry bobcats in Maine.”

MDIFW’s “Living with wildlife” bobcat page notes that these animals are “rarely observed in the wild”. I have no doubt that may be true in the more populated areas of the state, but here on Tucker Ridge we have a healthy population of them.

On Monday of the third week of deer season I was in a different stand about 300 yards away. I followed a similar routine as first light washed over the ridge and started calling for deer with a doe bleat.

Much the same as opening day, I was surprised by what came slinking in not 25 yards from my stand. A big bobcat moving left to right up the ridge, looking for a meal. These cats aren’t just in the deep woods though.

A neighbor down the road at the northern edge of the ridge sees bobcats moving through her property regularly. Just recently she captured a photo of an adult female with two young a couple hundred yards from the house. That’s two more bobcat than bucks she saw.

Hunting them

Night hunting is the most popular method for successful coyote hunters, while hounding for bobcats is the most preferred choice. These are the main reasons I haven’t pursued predators in earnest in the past.

While these methods are proven, my recent experiences tell me they aren’t the only way.

Coyotes use their sense of smell as the primary tool when hunting. Their vision and hearing are also remarkably developed. Bobcats are more sight and sound hunters. What these predators both have in common though are their choice of prey.

I keep a squirrel bag in the game freezer that I add to all year long. When snowshoe hare & ruffed grouse opened in October, I kept the carcasses after I processed them as well. I round out my bait collection with the viscera from the meat chicken flock that made it’s way into the chest freezer for the coming year.

A bucket with a plastic handle gets filled with bait and gets carried in to my hunt site, about 50 yards from my stand. I fix the handle in the up position and hang a squirrel tail from it so that during a gentle breeze, it provides a visual attraction on top of the smell.

I hunt from the tree stand and utilize those same doe and fawn calls, mixing in rabbit distress calls. Predators are smart for sure, but they aren’t going to think to themselves, “Wait a minute! That sounded like a deer and this here is snowshoe hare. Something is hinky.”

The calling gets their attention, the smell and visual seals the deal.

Let’s see more deer next year

So before you take down that deer stand consider predator hunting. If you decide to get after these deer killers, keep a couple of things in mind:

ANY bait site, not just bear baits, need permission on land you don’t own and require a 2 inch by 4 inch tag/sign with your name and address (Tree stands carry this requirement as well)
Get to know the differences between Canada Lynx and Bobcat and be sure you can tell them apart
If using a semi-auto rifle, you must have a magazine that is capable of holding no more than 5 rounds
Bobcats must be tagged by MDIFW personnel within 72 hours of harvest
Coyote hunting is open year round, Night hunting from December 16th through August 31st
Bobcat hunting opened December 1st and closes February 21st
Maine Hunting Laws can be found here

Be safe and shoot straight!