Top Ten List: Why I Should Hire A Maine Guide?

This top ten list on why you should hire a Maine Guide came from the Grand Lake Stream Historic Museum. While the museum was officially "closed" when you know the right people in town, magic tends to happen. We were provided a personal tour of the facility and fascinated by the many quality exhibits that were on display. Old photographs of Grand Lake Stream in its heyday, old outboard motors, maps, taxidermic specimens and many, may other amazing sights to see. If you are ever in GLS and have a chance to stop by and see this gem be sure to do so!

What it Means to Be a Registered Maine Guide

I am occasionally asked what it means to be a Registered Maine Guide and quite honestly, I often find the answer difficult to effectively express. Becoming a Registered Maine Guide is like being inducted into a family of like minded outdoors men and women, all sharing a bond and common passion for Maine’s woods and waters. With both Grandfathers, Father, Uncle and a Cousin all Registered Maine guides, for me becoming a guide was about being able to carry on the proud heritage and traditions, perhaps someday even inspiring my own children to become Maine guides.

 A career steeped in custom and ritual, being a Maine guide means doing your small part to ensure that the guiding traditions, ideals and oral history are forever preserved. This directive of course is no easy task, for as society has changed, so has the Maine guide also found it necessary to evolve or else risk certain extinction. This becomes a conundrum of sorts between the “old” guides and the “new” guides, as they both independently struggle to decide how to best preserve traditional guiding practices, in the face of a society no longer fully embracing these same principles? At its heart, the issue equates to simply adapting to ensure the survival of the Registered Maine Guide. This skirmish line is were we see a divide between the old wool wearing guides and the new guides sporting Gore-Tex.

HISTORICAL SIDE NOTE: It is my understanding that this same dividing line occurred when the REALLY old guides began watching the “young whipper snappers” no longer paddling their Grand Lake canoes but instead using fancy outboards. In other words, change is inevitable and must be embraced rather than ignored. A guide may change his mode of transport, a cell phone may replace a VHF radio, a GPS may be used for navigation and Gore-Tex may even replace wool but under all of the clothing and technology, it is the heart and soul of the Maine Guide that really matters. It is their innate knowledge and love of Maine’s wild places, gregarious nature and Yankee ingenuity that makes them uniquely iconic.

There are of course many young guides who are adapting and many old timers who are not. Eventually, it will be society who will ultimately will chisel a new breed of guide out of Maine’s course granite and it will be this modern, new-fangled and perhaps even contemporary Registered Maine Guide that will lead an entirely new generation of our society in its exploration of Maine’s wild lands and waters.

We as guides need to set aside our difference, we must learn to embrace and nurture young guides, especially those individuals where guiding is not their livelihood or primary source of income. “Full timers” will often chastise these individuals as not being “real” guides and it is this particular level of arrogance that really gets up my dander. Is it justifiable to belittle the half time teacher just because they don’t teach a full day? Does the half time teacher not have a passion for teaching and a love for their students? When did time become an indicator that someone is more or less valuable then another human being in his or her efforts in a particular career or cause? I may not have the time to guide more then a few “sports” every year but those are the moments I most cherish, for in those times I have a chance to show people Maine’s subtle intrinsic beauty and for me that is what guiding is all about.

Maine Guide Coffee

In the annuals of recorded time, there exist a few rare and memorable icons that define a place, an individual or even a profession. For the Maine guide, those emblems include the Venerable Grand Lake Canoe, the checkered wool guide coat, the L.L. Bean boot and of course the dark and hearty Maine guide coffee.

On its most basic level, there really is nothing all that special about the main ingredient in a properly brewed cup of Maine guide coffee. Many sports will claim that the coffee is the best they ever tasted and conclude that it must be derived from some type of special, expensive and hard to get secret blend. What many don’t realize, is that Folgers or Maxwell House are the brands of coffee most typically used, by a majority of guides and sporting camps, neither being rare or likely to impress defined palates. For a true coffee connoisseur to brew this concoction at home and ungraciously slurp it down, it would be unlikely they would think much of these brands of coffee, prepared in such unceremonious fashion.

What is missing from the recipe however and the secret to creating a truly exquisite cup of Maine guide coffee, is something that exists far beyond the type of coffee used. Skilled preparation, exquisite landscape and laid back attitude all work to make a typical cup of coffee just north of extraordinary. Even absent of sugar and cream, it has been said that Maine guide coffee only needs to be sweetened by the scenery and lightened with the pleasurable memories of a day of fishing to make it the perfect beverage.

How to make that Perfect Cup of Maine Guide Coffee
The perfect cup of Maine guide coffee is typically served during a shore lunch. It is rendered in a ceramic or steel “camping style” percolator, filled with lake water, a pinch of salt and then brought to a rolling boil over an open fire. This initial boil is done to ensure that any potential microscopic parasitic organisms meet their demise. After the water has boiled, it is taken off the direct heat and placed next to the fire, reducing the water to a slow simmer. Pouring coffee grounds into boiling water can cause the grounds to get over extracted, creating a cup of Joe ripe with bitterness and acidity.

The standard measure of coffee for the taste buds of most mere humans is approximately 2 Tbs. per 6 oz of water or 2 Tbs for every 1/8 cup. It is my belief that this measure makes for a cup of coffee that I would give to a small child. For an adult styled beverage, it would be my suggestion to double the prescribed amount of coffee grounds. This “heart paddle” blend is sure to jump start even the most sleepy sportsmen or hungover Maine guide.

Once a suitable amount of grounds is calculated, it is placed in a bowl and to it added one whole egg. The egg is simply cracked open and stirred into the grounds shell and all. This is done for two reasons, first to provide a means of collecting and eventually disposing of the expended grounds and secondly, to neutralize the acidity of the coffee by releasing the calcium in the egg shell. After approximately 10 minutes of simmering, the end product is a cup of coffee with few grounds, possessing a full bodied taste and lacking any apparent bitterness. (*Maine Guide Coffee will also sometimes be “enriched” with alcohol. Many old time guides will tell you that the biggest difference between a Maine Guide and a “Master” Maine Guide is that a Master Guide will always make sure his Sports receives a few splashes of whiskey in their cups should they so desire. It is my personal belief that this makes for sports who tend to tip more and like to call it a day early so they can go take a late afternoon nap. )

Lastly, the percolator should be pulled from the fire and allowed to set for a few minutes, to let any errant grounds settle to the bottom. It will then be slowly poured into an old ceramic coffee cup, that absolutely must be chipped or cracked. Sipped slowly while sitting beside the waters edge, it isn’t hard to see why Maine guide coffee is typically best described as amazing. For the lucky, few that have had this unique and unforgettable experience, you have certainly come to understand that in life enjoyment is derived from the little things. Enriched are our bodies, minds and spirits by the simple and natural beauty of our surroundings. Next time you unceremoniously chug down your cup of coffee from Starbucks, reflect on my words and make yourself a promise to one day drink Maine guide coffee.

If you are in the market for a cup of Maine guide coffee, I suggest making a reservation at one of the oldest and most famous sporting lodges in the country, Weatherby’s. Their fishing and hunting lodge originated in the nineteenth century and has become a way of life for many sportsmen looking for a quality outdoor experience. If you join Weatherby's for the 2012 season make sure and tell them the Rabid Outdoorsman sent you! Enjoy!

Maine Guide Snowshoes

Over the weekend, I attended the Fall Festival at Sunday River. During my visit, I stumbled upon a Maine Guide and his wife (Bob and Andrea Howe) from Pine Grove Lodge putting on a display of snowshoe building.

While I rarely promote a particular product, I was so impressed with the quality and durability of this snowshoe and Bob and Andreas passion for constructing these high quality shoes, I had to mention it on the blog.

What is fascinating to note, is that you can order the snowshoes in a variety of colors (see photos) as they are constructed not of traditional rawhide but also rope similar to 550 parachord. Check out their website for more information on the interesting option. 

Kit Snowshoe

Bob and Andrea sell completed shoes in a HUGE variety of styles and configuration and also a “kit” that includes all of the materials and instructions so you can build your own snowshoes. While the last thing in the world I need is yet another long and involved project, the idea of whiling away the cold winter evenings, in the workshop building my own snowshoes is actually quite intoxicating. FYI, long story short the “kit” is on my Christmas list.

If you are I the market for a set of awesome snowshoes please take a look at MAINE GUIDE SNOWSHOES: http://mgsnowshoes.intuitwebsites.com

The Maine Guide’s Truck

This posting is obviously meant to be a humorous mixed account of the trucks driven by some of the best Maine Guides I know. These individuals are all high-end professionals, in the outdoor field, but are often lacking the funds to buy the brightest and shiniest new vehicles. Even the upkeep of our trucks is often accomplished by our own hard work and Yankee ingenuity. Our outdoors passions, often lead us into natural and unnatural conditions that put a beaten on our vehicles but it is the internal drive of the Maine guide that always pulls though in a pinch! So please enjoy this posting as a comedic look at one of the finest of historic professions, the Maine Guide.

As many of you may or many not be aware, there are a lot of “imposters” out there in the state forests and on the waters, making believe they are Registered Maine Guides. In order to enrich your experiences in the Maine woods and ensure that you are actually securing the services of a professional and not some scallywag, here are a few tell tale signs you should look for when you first meet your guide.

Of course one of the easiest ways to identify a Registered Maine Guide is to ask to see his guide license BUT quite honestly what fun would that be. Nothing says more about a man than his mode of transportation so read on!

NOT a Guide's Vehicle

If your guide picks you up in anything other than a TRUCK . . . run. I suppose an import like a Toyota Tacoma, T100 or even one of them fancy Honda Avalanches is Ok . . . BUT if he is a true master guide he will arrive in a beat-up Ford F150, Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram or anything sporting a Hemi. Also be cautious of the guide that shows up in a Hummer 1, 2 or 3 as he is obviously a show off and no guide in the world that I know could ever afford one of these means of conveyance.

IT WILL BE 4-WHEEL DRIVE.

To be a Maine guide at least one of the following items must have been used within the past year to repair your trucks exhaust system: heat tape, coat hangers or the remnants of a beer can. Master guides will know that a beer can, carefully cut with tin snips is capable of being layered between the heat tape and exhaust pipe to extend the life span of the tape so quiz your guide as necessary.

The radio antenna will be a coat hanger.

Be sure to search the glove box but be especially watchful for errant hooks, open jack knives and greasy engine parts. In the glove box there should be copies of the Maine hunting and fishing law books BUT  each publication will be at least 2-3 years out of date. If you find the books and they are not out of date, begin to raise your level of suspicion.

There will be a clanking or grinding sound coming from the engine that will only be apparent between 25 to 35 miles an hour. Slower and faster speeds will make a whirring sound.

The truck simply must have gun rack containing the classic .30-06 Springfield rifle (In a pinch a .30-30 is also acceptable) and a 12 gauge shotgun, however, the only ammo that should be found in the truck cab must be .270 and 20 gauge. If at any time you actually find a shell that will fit the firearms in the cab of the truck . . . RUN!

At least two tires on the truck must be bald.

A Dog, Feathers AND Hair!

Inspect the back of the truck for a large cooler. DO NOT OPEN THE COOLER, however, as if you have actually secured the services of a registered guide it is sure to contain rotten fish or animal parts from the past hunting and fishing season. Simply carefully smell around the edging to verify. Also, if you find a dog, blood, hair or feathers in the truck bed this is actually a GOOD sign and you can lower you level of suspicion.

If you can look down through the floor boards and see the ground you are in excellent shape.

The truck should be towing SOMETHING . . . ATV, Boat, Snowmobile, etc. If it is not make sure that the vehicle at least has a tow hitch.

The engine light MUST be on! If its not, ask to see the "guides" credentials immediately!

Bolted to the front dashboard will be a CB, Ham radio and VHF receiver. There might also be a GPS, shaking hula dancer, rabbit foot or mini statue of Jesus.

The audio system will readily accept 8 tracks BUT will also be wired to an Ipod. Unfortunately, the Ipod will only contain a library of 10 songs, nine of which will be sung by Hank Williams Jr. and the other one will be "The Second Week of Deer Camp".

Maine's Toughest Test Gets Facelift

IFW, in its infinite wisdom to further complicate the lives of some of the most dedicated and highly skilled sportsmen in the state, have decided to edit the requirements of the Maine guide examination. Last revised in 2002, the test was perhaps ready for a much deserved face lift, however, I argue with IFWs changes. On the top of my list of complaints, is the addition of a second oral examination for any NEW (applying after Sept. 1st) guide candidates wishing to receive all three Recreation, Hunting and Fishing endorsements. Why someone would need to complete a second oral examination, for one additional endorsement, is beyond ridiculous. Maybe I need to dumb myself down with a few more mercury filled Maine fish meals, to better understand this level of stupidity.

The one saving grace in this hullabaloo, is that a candidate need only to take the navigation portion of the oral exam once (for now anyway). When I asked IFW why they make a person take the lost person scenario twice, they responded that it was for "legal" reasons. Hmmm, something doesn't smell right. What good is finding a person, if you can't "navigate" them out of the woods? Who is the mentally challenged group of individuals that set these new requirements? I am certain that the committee was something akin to a Larry, Moe and Curly convention.

In addition to the lost person scenario, the oral will contain 10 five point and 5 ten point questions, as well as photographs of waterfowl, mammals, flyfishing flies, ammo, pfds and fish. In other words, the identification section has been removed from the written and added to the oral part of the exam. The written portion of the test is also changing and will be comprised of 100 questions rather than the old test that boasted well over 200.

What does this ultimately mean for me, currently holding a Maine guide license in recreation and hunting? It means that when I finally decide to obtain my "fishing" endorsement, I will need to once again complete an hour long oral examination, once again completing the lost person scenario. While this is not an extremely complicated endeavor, it is a slap in the face to those of us whom have already completed this requirement and were deemed by IFW as competent outdoor leaders. At the very least, I would have expected IFW to grandfather in any currently registered guides and allow them to complete their endorsements, however, this obviously appears to much to ask of an organization that continues to treat poorly its biggest supporters.

For more check out the DUCKMANS BLOG.

I am now a Registered Maine Guide!!

In case there are concerned souls out there who think I have perished due to my lack of postings, let me assure you that the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated! Over the last several months’ two significant events in my life crossed paths and have made me need to devote much energy in the preparations.

The first event was a trip two years in the planning to Florida to hunt the elusive Osceola Turkey. The second event was the study time and practice necessary to obtain my Registered Maine Guide License. Obviously, organizing for both of these events were all encompassing of my time and as I sit here now with both of the activities behind me I can finally breath a sign of relief.

The Osceola Turkey hunt was awesome and the complete story of that trip is in the works. More recently, however, is my passing today of what has been described as the “Toughest Test” . . . the Maine Guide Examination. 1 ½ hours of oral testing followed by a 260 question written test. The total “experience” took me over 2 ½ hours but in the end I succeeded!

Words can’t describe how happy I am to have finally achieved this personal life goal! I now am able to carry on the rich guiding tradition in my family that is comprised of two grandfathers, my father, Uncle and first Cousin! Take care all and have a great weekend!

Maine Guide - Lost Person

Some of you may have noticed that my blogger profile has read “Future Maine Guide” as my profession for well over a year. This was done, in part, to motivate me to begin the preparations required to work toward my Maine Guiding Certification. After many years of dragging my feet, I have finally managed to make the commitment to getting certified as a Registered Maine Guide. Last week, I took a vacation day and drove to the Red Cross headquarters in Portland, where I completed the required first aid credentials. While there, for the fun of it, I also received a refresher on my infant and adult CPR rating. While not required for the Maine Guide registration, I thought it was a valuable skill set to know (especially with two active little ones). This small initial step, allowed me to complete the short two page “Maine Guide Application” document that I immediately submitted to IFW to get my testing date organized.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the process of becoming a Maine Guide, it starts with a battery of oral and written testing. The oral test, done before a small group of Master Maine Guides, is the most difficult part of the testing equation. These experts question candidates on a variety of woods and waters related scenarios in order to judge their ability to safely and effectively guide in the state. Two distinct sections highlight the oral exam. The first is navigation and the second is the lost person scenario. Failure to perform to high standards on either of these portions will result in immediate disqualification and the candidate must reschedule. Bye, bye thanks for playing but please move to the end of the line.

With my application now kicking around in the inbox at IFW I am now growing increasingly “anxious”. In an attempt to quell my anxiety, I spent about two hours last night pouring over several dozen pages of notes, comments, and suggestions that were provided to me by others “guiding” family members. This review was followed by a 50 minute telephone conversation with the old man who provided me with even greater insight on the lost person scenario and specifically what I should be expected to receive for questions. See Dad received his Maine Guide endorsement a few months ago and I am fortunate to have his experience in that endeavor working on my side.

I suppose I am beginning to feel more comfortable with the process and have reorganized some of his notes into a format that fits more with my minds eye. This entailed transferring most of this hand written notes to my Black Berry and greatly shortening some of the dialog to simple reminders.

Well better get back to studying, as according to IFW I may only have a month or so left before I get my test date! Wish me luck!