Bill Silliker, Jr.

The Camera Hunter

Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge Has it All 

     People sometimes ask: where's the best place in Maine to go camera hunting in May?  If you've been paying attention you already know that too many choices tempt the Maine Camera Hunter in this season.  So how can there be a best place?

     That's not to say that there aren't some better places.  And, just as some prefer certain fishing holes in the spring, this camera hunter definitely has some favorite haunts.  One of those is the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).  You just never know what you might see there. 

     Actually, two unique chunks of Downeast Maine comprise Moosehorn NWR, the Baring Unit (Delorme's The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer [MAG] Map 36, C-5) and the Edmunds Unit (MAG Map 27, A-1).  Miles of gravel road and other hiking opportunities provide access on foot to either unit.  Visit Refuge Headquarters off the Charlotte Road at the Baring Unit for maps and information about wildlife sighting opportunities before you venture forth, and you'll have a better idea of when to go where and for what.  

Birds Galore

     What can you expect to photograph?  First of all, so many makes and models of birds populate Moosehorn that you'll have to choose which ones you want to attempt to photograph.  

     That's partly because they manage for so many diverse habitats at Moosehorn NWR.  That diversity provides a natural supermarket for wildlife.  Small clearcuts and controlled burns maximize the food supply offered by a regenerating forest.  Man-made flowages augment those created by the beaver, a notable resident here.  Natural streams, ponds and lakes surrounded by wetlands provide not only water resources, but also vital edge habitat.  And there's even blueberry fields and a few old apple orchards.  

     Waterfowl abound.  Wood ducks, black ducks, blue-winged teal and ring-necked ducks flourish.  Canada geese crank out broods at the many ponds and flowages. 

     All kinds of little guys animate the woods: the woodcock that Moosehorn is famous for, as well as scores of warblers and other songbirds, including those all too common "little brown jobs". 

     Did I mention that bald eagles and ospreys nest right by the side of the road at the Baring Unit?  Common loons also visit some refuge ponds.  You may also see ruffed grouse and spruce grouse, great blue herons and snowy egrets, marsh hawks, broad-winged hawks and many other bird species.  And of course, chickadees greet you wherever you go. 

     Speaking of greetings, the many birds going about their business make most spring mornings at Moosehorn a special experience.  Linger quietly beside the right flowage at dawn and witness a wildlife symphony rivaled at few places in North America. 

Mammals Too

     A whole cast of mammals, both predator and prey, also make an occasional appearance at Moosehorn NWR: the red fox and the squirrel, the coyote and the groundhog, the bobcat and the snowshoe hare.  And more black bears per square mile live on the refuge than most any place I know of in Maine. 

     Other critters you might see include mink, muskrat, otter, porcupine, and even a rare whitetail or a moose.  While it seems strange that you don't often see moose at Moosehorn, as most know, there really is no such thing as a moose "horn", since moose drop their antlers each year. 

Ethical Pursuit 

     Also remember to conduct yourself as a guest in this home to wildlife.  While nature photographers need no license, they have as much of a responsibility to respect the resource that they pursue as those who need a license to hunt or to fish.  And while camera hunting has no closed seasons, this time of year requires that the camera hunter exercise good judgement about any approach to wildlife, especially to nesting birds.

     As with all wildlife pursuits, a better knowledge of the species you're after makes a difference.  If you don't know much about the concerns faced by any species you encounter during this season, take extra care.  Read some books about the wildlife that you want to pursue.  And ask questions of those who manage the place where you're camera hunting. 

Places to Stay

     Motels near the Baring Unit, which is close to Calais, provide places to put up for the night.  And you can camp in season at the Edmunds Unit, where the state of Maine operates the Cobscook Bay State Park on Moosehorn NWR lands.  

     Just don't oversleep.  Remember that the best light comes early this time of year.  The photo gods shine on those who rise early.  

Catch yours in the good light.

Bill Silliker, Jr. teaches wildlife & nature photography for L.L. Bean's Outdoor Discovery Schools and has done the photography for 5 books, several of which he also wrote. He is editor of the website www.wildlifewatcher.com as well as for his own website at www.camerahunter.com

© Copyright 2000 Bill Silliker, Jr. all rights reserved.