RANGELEY — The Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossoc Village begins its Saturday summer series of programs this Saturday, July 2, and the season features several new exhibits, as well.

The musem’s 2016 season features  a new vintage watercraft exhibit in the main gallery with two local watercraft featured. There also is an exhibit called “Innovation and Craftsmanship: Maine’s 19th Century Gunsmiths” and another called “The Rapid River Region” that captures the lure and lore of this remote and historic part of the Rangeley area through artifacts, vintage film and more.

On the museum’s grounds, a new exhibit features an authentic 13,000-year-old Native American stone meat cache used by the region’s earliest inhabitants to store caribou harvested along the Magalloway River Valley during the paleo period.

The Saturday Summer Series schedule for July is as follows:

Saturday, July 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Paul Doiron the Edgar Award Winning author of seven novels including the “The Poachers Son” will be on hand to sign all his books and debut his latest in the series: “The Widowmaker “that is set here in the Western Mountains of Maine.  Wildlife artist Terri Mason and fly-tyer Scott Broomhall will also be on  hand. Mason is an accomplished artist and has been painting on various mediums,  including natural wood, moose antlers, rocks, and metal for over 22 years. A prolific and talented fly-tyer , Broomhall ties flies that have caught fish in the waters of western Maine for the past five decades. 

Saturday, July 9, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Master carver Gene Bahr and watercolorist Donna Kantor-Gower will be at the museum. Joining these the artists will be bamboo fly rod maker Fred Kretchman. Casting lessons and demonstrations with International Federation of Fly Tyers certified instructor Mark Foley will also be available.  Author David Van Wie will be on hand as well, signing copies of his fly-fishing book “The Confluence.” 

Saturday, July 16:  “Maine’s Eagles and Loons”  program with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife natural science educator Lisa Kane. Learn about these fascinating birds in a presentation at OSHM at 10 a.m., then meet at Bald Mt. Camps for lunch. Depart BMC’s dock for a guided tour with Kane in search of live loons and eagles aboard the Gray Ghost with Capt. Kevin Sinnett. Also at OSHM  master fish and wildlife wood carver John Hooper and fly-tyer Nancy Taylor.

Wednesday, July 20:  Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society annual meeting with guest speaker  University of Maine Professor Emeritus William Krohn who will give a presentation entitled “Wm. G. ‘Billy’ Hill: The only person to have out-shot Annie Oakley.” As a young man Hill was the head clerk at the Rangeley House and an active member of the Rangeley Shooting Club. He is the only person known to have ever out-shot the legendary Annie Oakley. Hill was also a close friend of fly-rod Crosby and the New England representative for Remington Arms. 

Saturday, July 30: Watercolorist and author  Dave Tibbetts will be signing his children’s book and sharing his Rangeley and fly fishing art. The ly-tying talents of young Sam Kenney will also be on display.

OSHM will be open form 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week for the months of July and August. For more information please call 207-864-3091.