Roland “Dan” Martin, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, announced on Wednesday that his department is creating a stakeholders group to assist the DIF&W in developing a strategic plan for the continued release of wild turkeys in Aroostook County.

“The reintroduction of wild turkeys has been a true success story in Maine,” Martin said. “We look forward to working with landowners and sportsmen in order to share this wildlife success story in southern Aroostook County.”

The stakeholders group will focus on continued release of wild turkeys into Aroostook County and the issues associated with any potential nuisance problems with turkeys.

The group will include representatives of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Maine Potato Board, the Aroostook County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Maine Farm Bureau, the dairy industry, the Department of Agriculture and DIF&W biologists.

Regional wildlife biologist Rich Hoppe will lead the group. Hoppe is based in Ashland and is deeply involved with Maine’s wild turkey restoration and introduction efforts.

The group is charged with developing a plan that outlines how the department will proceed with turkey releases in Aroostook County, how landowners will be notified about wild turkey releases, a protocol for response to turkey issues on local farms. The group will also develop a strategy for monitoring turkey-related issues and employ a local mechanism to deal with those issues.

The planning group is a result of a public meeting held last week in Presque Isle to discuss the continuing introduction of wild turkeys in the county. At the meeting it became apparent that landowners and sportsmen were willing to work together on the continued introduction of turkeys in the region.

“It is clear that there is strong support for the continued release of wild turkeys in southern Aroostook County, but it is imperative that we work with all stakeholders so that any potential impacts can be averted or lessened,” Martin said.

SAM holding writing contest

The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine is holding its third annual writing contest through the Outdoor Kids Web site.

Children ages 8 to 15 are asked to submit a story or essay titled “My favorite outdoor activity.”

Entries should be neatly written or typewritten and pictures or drawings submitted with entries are encouraged.

The deadline for entries is April 1. An editorial board will choose two stories each from four age groups to receive prizes.

The prizes include scholarships to the Maine Conservation School and digital cameras. Winning stories and photos will be published on the Web site magazine. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation and an invitation to a writing and photography workshop to be held in the summer of 2006.

To print an entry form, visit the Web site at www.samcef.org and click on the Outdoor Kids logo.

For more information, call Kelly Cochara at 622-5503 or e-mail her at members@samcef.org.

Turkey banquet on tap

The Penobscot Valley Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold its 9th annual Super Fund Banquet on Feb. 18 at the Old Town Elks Hall.

The banquet begins at 5 p.m.

A silent auction, raffles, games and verbal auctions are planned, and the dinner menu features either roast turkey or roast pork and all the fixings.

Profits from the banquet will go toward the restocking of turkeys and the creation of wild turkey habitat.

An adult meal costs $15, while youths age 17 and under pay $5. A variety of membership-and-meal packages are also available.

For more information or to purchase a ticket, contact Rick Dionne at 943-5614, Ron Lemin at 944-6160, Clarence Bryant at 827-7092, Brian or Julie Johnston at 365-7140, Bruce White at 746-5947, John Hatch at 394-4051, David or Sandra Hanson at 827-7032 or Phil Smith at 827-8496.

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.