If you’re tired of riding on the oval track you’ve created around the perimeter of your house with a snowmobile this season, here’s some new terrain that’s worth straightening your skis and taking aim for – Buckhorn Camps.

They’re located on a 2-mile wooded island at the northern end of Middle Jo-Mary Lake. The island is decorated with a handful of rustic log cabins surrounding a huge two-story lodge that dates back to the late 1800s. These camps hold more than a century of memories, some of them hanging on the inside walls of the lodge in the form of antlers and deer mounts that almost take you back to the ridges the animals once roamed.

At the door you’ll be greeted by owners Leon and Linda Jones, who covered a lot of country and created years of memories of their own before taking up permanent residence at the lodge in June 1998. Today they’re at your service year round if you’re looking to escape from it all and be lulled to sleep by the sounds of loons echoing across the lake.

If you’re the hunter looking for new country to explore or the angler craving a little more elbow room on the lake, Buckhorn is holding your reservations. These remote camps are surrounded by acres of timberland and an endless supply of lakes and ponds. When night falls and your fishing pole is retired for the evening, you can reminisce about the day in the lodge as the fire from the fieldstone fireplace erases any worries and carries you back to the days when you didn’t have to travel miles to escape from the constant sound of everyday life.

The lodge can be reached by sled from a variety of locations. From Upper Jo-Mary Lake, prepare to cover about eight miles of trail; from Kokadjo you can expect to cover about 35 miles, and traveling from Medway on ITS 83, you’ll probably add about 43 miles to your odometer.

Whether you traveled for a hot meal or to spend a week breaking new trails on snowshoes, you can bet those miles of trail between you and the lodge will become familiar sites in years to come.

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Sebago Lake once again has lived up to its reputation for delivering trophy-size togue. This one was iced by Richard Crosby of Buckston, an avid fisherman who’s no stranger to the lake.

There was no wasted space in the 8-inch hole, when Crosby hauled his togue, which weighed more than 18 pounds and measured 371/2 inches.

In reality the hole probably was closer to 6 or 7 inches in diameter, because Crosby was forced to open a hole from a previous trip with his jackknife after his power auger failed to perform. The fish was caught using a Buck-Tail Stinger jig, with cut bait attached.

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It’s tournament time again and this year there’s a lot up for grabs, as the Windham Rotary hosts its first contest. The event will be held Feb. 24-25 on Sebago Lake. The angler with the heaviest togue will take first prize and be rewarded with $5,000. Second place brings $2,000, third, 25th, 50th and 75th place all pay $500. The angler taking 100th place will receive a handsome reward of $2,000. All entrants also have a chance to win a 2001 Chevrolet 4×4 extended cab pickup.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-866-375-FISH or write to: Windham Rotary Ice Fishing Tournament, P.O. Box 1941 Windham 04062. Only 2,000 tickets are available, first come, first served.

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Our happy wanderer Brad Viles checked in Monday. He’d been to Pleasant Pond Mountain in Caratunk on the Appalachian Trail section he maintains as a volunteer. Viles reported about 11/2 feet of snow in the woods, which still is not enough for good boulder jumping. He said the 1.1-mile hike to the 2,447-foot summit took him about two hours. The trek takes about an hour in warm weather. The snow was deeper by about a foot near the 2,000-foot elevation.

The views from the summit are excellent with Mount Katahdin just visible from 100 miles away. Viles said the descent took him only an hour.

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Answer to last week’s question: How many lakes and ponds in Maine carry the name Long Lake or Pond? 38.

Question: What’s the difference between horn and antlers?

– NEWS staffer Terry Farren

outdoor report@bangordailynews.net