Bigfoot Trail-Cam Photo Signals Arrival of Annual April Fools’ Edition
Back this year by popular demand, the second annual April Fools’ edition of The Maine Sportsman magazine is arriving in mailboxes and onto store shelves. Starting with the cover photo of Bigfoot riding on the back of a cougar, you will enjoy our “lighter take” on topics ranging from fake legislation to Zoom calls with animals, and even an editorial suggesting that women getting too good at hunting, so it’s time to send them home and give the men a chance.
No one is spared in this issue, including our hard-working columnists, whose “secret lives” are revealed through photos clandestinely acquired from family and friends, and reprinted on pages 16 and 17.
It’s a big (92 pages big!), meaty issue, including 16 pages of the 2020-2021 DIF&W fish stocking list, categorized by county. The impressive list serves as a reminder of the outstanding work done by the folks at Maine’s eight hatcheries and rearing stations, which collectively produce a cool million fish each year.
April is a transitional month in the Maine outdoors, with power sports fans in southern regions charging the starting batteries on their ATVs, while at the same time those in the northern half of the state are still riding their snowmobiles along wintry packed trails. Regular contributor Steve Carpenteri addresses this dichotomy in his page 22 motor sports special, titled “April Riding – ATV, or Snowmobile?”
Steve also contributes a “Bass Boat Basics” special section (page 25), for those of us who are already dreaming about spring and summer on the water.
Starting on page 75, guest columnist Bob Humphrey outlines the exponential growth – and some of the friction – surrounding aquaculture off the Maine coast, as ocean farmers harvest fish, shellfish and seaweed, entering into leases for many acres of ocean surface to which boaters and fishermen have historically enjoyed free access.
And in another guest column (page 84), Abby Bennett of Gray tells a frosty tale of a winter summit of Mt. Washington, and of the three-person team that formed for a final push after two of its members were turned back by the deep powder snow.
Lou Zambello offers fly-fishing tips to new anglers (page 23), William Clunie stresses safety when fishing from kayaks in Western Maine (page 51) and Ed Pineau confirms what many of us already know – our dogs are smarter than we are (page 60).
All this, plus cartoons from Jonny Hawkins, JC Duffy, Jerry King and Robert Summers, and the best Youth Edition and Adults-Only jokes south of Estcourt Station and The County’s Big Twenty Township!
So enjoy, and get out there and safely give your business support to restaurants, guides, sporting camps and outdoor supply stores, as more and more Mainers get their vaccines and the peace of mind (and growing freedom) that comes with it.
We deliver or mail our magazines each month to stores all across the state, so look for us at your nearest newsstand. And subscribe for yourself or other outdoor enthusiasts, so a copy will arrive in the mail (or on your screen) each month, by requesting a print or digital subscription at www.MaineSportsman.com, or by calling our friendly and helpful office staff at 207-622-4242.
Thank you for your continued readership support. Please take care of yourselves while enjoying all that Maine – and The Maine Sportsman – have to offer.
– Will Lund, editor
The Maine Sportsman magazine
