Black duck population appears to be on the increase

Out and About: A fog-shrouded dusk arrived early Saturday to close sodden curtains on Maine’s regular duck seasons. Usually, I regret having the season come to an end. This year, however, I’m glad it’s gone. For the most part, what I brought home between opening day and Saturday were wet clothes and frustration. I’m happy to say, though, that it wasn’t because of lack of game.

In fact, I can’t remember seeing so many ducks and geese and firing so few shots. It seemed that rain, warm weather, lack of other hunters moving ducks, and tides worked in the wildfowls’ favor throughout the 30-day season. The bright side of the picture, however, is that black duck populations, hereabouts at least, appear to be increasing.

On Saturday afternoon, for example, my hunting partners and I watched hundreds of black ducks leaving the coastal cove where we rigged our decoys in a steady, straight-down rain. A few of the blacks eventually came back, but they ignored our decoys and lit far up the bay. The majority of the ducks apparently found shelter on the outer shores, where they rafted contentedly in the downpour. We never fired a shot – but what the heck, look at the shells we saved for sea duck shooting.

Maine’s sea duck season closes on Jan. 20. If you head for the offshore ledges to gun eiders, scoters, or old squaws, be sure to bring enough boat. The forces of winds and tides are nothing to fool with, especially during the winter months. Also, to compensate for steel shot’s lack of punching power, set your tollers in close and stay with the duck you knock down. If it’s alive when it strikes the water, kill it immediately. Far too many sea ducks are being wounded and lost.

My personal feeling is that the daily bag limit on sea ducks (7) is too liberal. I’m willing to bet a painting that when four hunters come ashore with 28 eiders, many – probably most – of those ducks are wasted; not to mention those that swam away wounded. The old story about giving them awas much water as a landing net. Perhaps a few will be given away the first time around but not 28 or even a dozen. After two or three trips offshore it’ll be difficult to give any away. To shoot that many ducks if they’re not going to be eaten amounts to nothing more than wanton waste.

Yet, you’ll hear people say: “There’s thousands of ’em out there, we’re not not even puttin’ a dent in ’em.” That’s the same attitude that led to the extinction of the Labrador duck – greed and thoughtlessness. Since regulations on black duck hunting have become more restrictive, sea duck hunting has attracted the attention of waterfowlers. Accordingly, guided hunts to offshore ledges are becoming a part of the Maine hunting scene.

Consider, then, the present 107-day season and daily bag limit of seven for sea ducks and you’ll be correct in assuming that thousands of eider ducks are being shot along the Maine coast. My questions are: how many are eaten, and how many swim away wounded? Now is the time for sea duck hunting regulations to be given serious consideration. Every wildlife resource is precious, no matter how abundant it appears.

Speaking of eider ducks, If you’re a member of the camouflage clan, the image you’ll see on next year’s Federal Duck Stamp is that of a spectacled eider portrayed in an Arctic seascape. The original painting that was declared the winner in the recent Federal Duck Stamp competition was done by Joe Hautman of Jackson, N.J.

You could say that winning the contest sponsored by the Dept. of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has become a family affair. Two years ago, Hautman’s younger brother Jim won the contest with a painting depicting a pair of black-bellied whistling ducks. Interestingly enough, a third brother, Bob, placed fourth in this year’s contest. What is it they say about things running in threes? That could be a prediction for next year’s competition.

Moosehead Lake Region fisheries biologists will hold an informal public meeting tonight at the Rockwood Community Center. Beginning at 7 p.m., an analysis of the lake’s various studies conducted in 1991 will be presented and discussed. Similar meetings held in recent years were well attended by area sportsmen, who obviously appreciated being informed of the results of studies and surveys, as well as the opportunity to offer their views, opinions, and possible alternatives.

In regard to fishing, here’s another well-placed cast. The Point Sebago Outdoor Resort in Casco has been selected as the site for the 1992 B.A.S.S. Federation Eastern Divisional Tournament. National media coverage is expected for the tournament that will be held Sept. 20-25.

“We are delighted and honored to have been chosen as the site for this tournament,” said Don Toms, general manager of Point Sebago. “We know that being selected shows a great deal of confidence in the facilities that Point Sebago offers, and we are equally confident that having the tournament here will be a great boost to the local and state economy.”

The top 12 two-person teams from each of the 13 northern states that make up the Eastern Division will compete for a prize package of about $44,000. “These people are `weekend anglers’; they are `grass-roots fishermen’ – men who work during the week but who love to fish on the weekend,” said Don Corkran, national director of B.A.S.S., whose national headquarters is in Montgomery, Ala.

Corkran said that Point Sebago was the only facility considered for the Eastern Divisional Tournament. “We flew up there in October and just fell in love with the place,” he said. “The management and staff were wonderful, and the facilities were beyond our wildest dreams or expectations.” Point Sebago is located on Sebago Lake and offers 800 acres of natural pine forest and 500 campsites.

No doubt about it, bass fishing is becoming big business in Maine.