Popular ‘Reliever’ dates set SAM meeting slated Jan. 8

The Penobscot Fly Fishers and Old Town Canoe have announced plans for their popular Cabin Fever Reliever.

For the second year in a row the free program will be held at the Old Town YMCA on Stillwater Avenue. This year’s event will be held Jan. 28-29.

The Cabin Fever Reliever brings more than 30 exhibitors to demonstrate and discuss a variety of activities ranging from fly-tying to bow hunting, use of a GPS, and wildlife art.

Speakers on fishing, dog training, turkey calling, and other outdoor activities will be present on both days.

In addition, Old Town Canoe will sell blemished and overstocked watercraft.

For more information, check www.cabinfeverreliever.com or contact Edwin Bruno at 942-3988.

Sportsman’s Congress on tap

The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine has scheduled its 11th Sportsman’s Congress for Jan. 8 at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell.

This year the Congress returns to its original concept as an event that brings together all the outdoor leaders of Maine for a discussion of the key issues and projects that will dominate their collective agendas for the coming year.

After 10 years of opening the event to the public, attendance at this year’s Congress will be by invitation only. Invitations went to groups representing sportsmen, conservationists, landowners, legislators, state agency staffers, and the outdoor media.

This year SAM made the Congress a partnership by offering major outdoor groups and agencies the chance to report on their key issues, projects, and concerns.

SAM hopes to identify the issues that concern all the outdoor organizations and also to make sure no one is surprised by an issue or initiative in the coming year.

Three panels will offer focused discussion at the Congress. One panel will present landowner initiatives, concerns, and issues. A second panel will alert participants to major issues and projects that state conservation agencies anticipate in 2006. The third will offer insights into the issues that each of the outdoor organizations anticipates as the most important in the coming year.

Plum Creek Timber Co. also will present a briefing on its Moosehead Lake concept plan, which is drawing considerable public interest and debate.

Among the issues expected to be discussed are land and water access, landowner relations, protection of deer wintering areas, expansion of deer-hunting opportunities, simplification of trout fishing rules, expansion of the stocking of rainbow trout, a southern Maine moose hunt, wilderness planning, and funding for the state’s conservation issue.

Colonel’s Outdoor Tip

Each week Col. Tom Santaguida, the chief warden of the Maine Warden Service, offers an outdoor tip in the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife’s outdoor report.

Here’s his tip for this week:

With Christmas having come and gone, many young outdoor enthusiasts will want to use some of the new outdoor gear they received as gifts.

Tree stands, snowmobiles, ice augers, firearms, bows, and ATVs are just a few of the many presents that were given and received this year. Parents, please ensure the highest degree of safety by taking some time to go over safety rules and safe use of the outdoor equipment gifts you give your children.

The old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is very applicable with outdoor gear. Take some time to teach safety and ensure a fun outdoor experience for your kids.

To submit an item for publication in the Outdoor Notebook, send e-mail to jholyoke@bangordailynews.net, fax to 990-8092 or mail information to Outdoor Notebook, Bangor Daily News, PO Box 1329, Bangor, Maine, 04402-1329.