Deer watching in Maine is as popular as hunting. But many of those who stop to gaze at Maine’s whitetails probably aren’t even aware of the super size of the critter they see.

The particular subspecies in Maine is a giant among whitetails. Called the boreal or northern whitetailed deer, Maine’s deer are among the three largest of the 30 subspecies of whitetails, according state deer biologist Gerry Lavigne. The boreal whitetailed bucks can exceed 300 pounds in weight, while the does can grow to 150 pounds.

Of course, how large a deer grows is dependent upon its age, diet, and genetic potential, according to Lavigne.

“Body size and weight helps them survive. They can withstand cold better than small, thin deer,” Lavigne said of the subspecies of deer that lives here.

The boreal whitetail is found from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, southward to Pennsylvania, and over to Illinois. Its northernmost range is 100 miles north of Maine, near the St. Lawrence River.

Deer disease not a concern

Three years ago, federal biologists came to Maine to check for chronic wasting disease, the whitetails’ version of “mad cow disease,” chiefly because the disease has appeared in western states such as Colorado and Wyoming.

The biologists checked 300 deer taken from the state’s annual hunt and the results of every one of those tests was negative. Lavigne said there’s no reason to think the disease is in any other deer in the herd, which has grown to an estimated 292,000 animals.

Lavigne said signs of the disease are deer that are underweight, weak, and disoriented. He said he hasn’t seen that in Maine’s deer. Lavigne and regional state biologists check several thousand deer that are killed by hunters during the fall and visit dozens of deer yards during the winter.

The disease is something they watch for because it has been found in Western mule deer and elk, in some areas at rates as high as 15 percent. A version of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, CWD alters proteins in the brain. For people who eat venison tainted with the disease, it leads to behavioral changes and eventually death.

Another form of the disease, mad cow disease, affects cattle, and swept through Great Britain in recent years.

The more commonly known deer disease, Lyme disease, came to southern Maine only in recent years, Lavigne said, but is unlikely to move into eastern or northern Maine. For the tick that carries the disease to survive and multiply, it needs a deer herd much denser than what is in those areas, and it needs warmer weather, he said.

The greatest danger for hunters here is the one they present to themselves. During the past five years, there was an average of 11 hunting accidents a year, and 49 percent were the result of self-inflicted injuries.

Lost dog may not find way home

Hunters in the Franklin area near Ellsworth may want to keep their bird dogs nearby, unless they want to risk ending up like Brian Linscott.

After having his 5-year-old orange-and-white female Brittany spaniel, Casey, run off on Oct. 6, the first day of woodcock season, Linscott scoured the area where he was hunting in Franklin. He spent the following days riding the logging roads and asking at local shops.

Five days later, Linscott heard from a man in Franklin who had found the dog’s beeper collar. With the man, Linscott uncovered the dog’s electric training collar near a tree, where it was buried under brush. Both had been unbuckled, an indication the dog had been stolen.

While Linscott has put out posters offering a $500 reward, no questions asked, he’s made no further gains in his investigation, and he fears the dog is lost for good. Anyone with information on the orange-spotted dog can call Linscott at 584-3724.

Or, if they see a new Brittany in their neighborhood, maybe they should see if it doesn’t answer to the name “Casey.”

Anti-poaching program aids kids

In the 14 years since its inception, the state’s program to catch poachers and wildlife thieves has taken more than 10,000 calls from citizens reporting suspicious and illegal activity, and paid out more than $100,000 to those whose information helped nab poachers.

Operation Game Thief is aimed at stopping poaching rings and those who kill wildlife to sell for profit. Citizens can help stop these criminals and collect up to $1,000 by calling 1-800-ALERTUS (1-800-253-7887).

Recently, the program run by the Warden Service has expanded its efforts by starting a Fish and Wildlife Scholarship Fund intended to help educate college students interested in protecting fish and game.

Tax-deductible donations can be sent to OGT Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 2684, Augusta, ME 04338-2684.

Deirdre Fleming’s Outdoor notebook appears every Saturday in the NEWS. She can be reached at dfleming@bangordailynews.net or at 990-8250