By V.

By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff The weekend of Jan.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor Back in the olden days (as my stepchildren might call those times when I was their age, and cell phones hadn’t even been invented), I was not an ice fisherman.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor In years when the weather is finicky, the state’s largest lake — Moosehead — can take its sweet time making ice that’s safe enough to travel on.

By George Smith The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has submitted seven bills to the Maine Legislature.

By Ernie Clark, Bangor Daily News Staff Applying coronavirus-related guidelines for community sports around the state has spawned some confusion since the outset of the pandemic in Maine last March — and it continues.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor Early season weather that was more fitting for a day at the beach than a Maine moose hunt didn’t slow the state’s hunters last fall.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor Maine wildlife biologists are hoping to launch a research project that will reduce the moose population in a small study area in order to learn if lower population densities will lead to fewer winter ticks on the animals and a healthier overall herd.

By Aislinn Sarnacki, Bangor Daily News Staff Hiking during the winter in Maine can be a great way to experience the beauty of the season, with its crisp air, sparkling snow and whimsical ice formations.

Photo courtesy of KC’s Country StoreYOUTH DEER WINNING PRIZE — Ben Lackey, 11 of Parkman, is the 2020 KC’s Country Store Youth Deer Contest winner.

Laurie Apgar Chandler is the first woman to solo paddle the entire 700 miles of the National Forest Canoe Trail.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor For several years, I’ve greeted all early season ice fishing invitations with the same response.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor The state’s lead bear biologist said a dry summer, a lack of natural foods, and increased hunter participation all contributed to the highest bear harvest in 15 years in 2020,  and the fifth-highest total of bears tagged since the species was first classified as a big game animal in 1969.

By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff Tom Morong spent 25 years coaching girls basketball teams in southern Maine, but he didn’t anticipate getting back into coaching when he and his wife Deanne retired and moved to Monson a few years ago.

By Ernie Clark, Bangor Daily News Staff Fort Fairfield is scheduled to host Easton in a season-opening boys basketball game next Monday.

By Ernie Clark, Bangor Daily News Staff DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy has reached into its rich wrestling tradition to hire former Ponies’ standout Brooks Law as its new head coach.

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis Regional YMCA officials want to share an update on the status of the facility pool, CEO Deb Boyd wrote in a message posted on the organization website and social media pages.

By John Holyoke, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has unveiled a series of three clinics designed to help hunters continue to make progress in their hunting journey.