Sunday hunting in Maine
 

Our govenor wants to bring Sunday hunting to Maine. The guides, hunters, general population and most important the landowners don't want it.

We are one of a few states that has open hunting on all private and public land as long as it's not posted. You don't need permission or a lease to hunt, if it's not posted it is free to anyone to hunt on it.
If they pass a Sunday hunting law the landowners have promised to post their land. They want and deserve 1 day a week to use their own land without fear of someone shooting them.

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

I hear what you're saying. In NH it the same way as far as open to hunt as long as it's not posted and we have Sunday hunting. You don't see or hear a long of hunting going on like I'm sure they (ME landowners) think would happen. To bad they couldn't swap a day like make it closed on Monday or Wenseday and open hunting on Sunday;) Then the landowner would have that feel safe day. I'm not sure if it's still that way or not but in WV they opened Sunday hunting on private land only. ME should maybe open it on just state owned land and see how it goes. You did say in your post, how do you feel about opening hunting on Sunday?

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

I live on the border of Maine and New Hampshire and as a result I have hunted Sundays in NH for quite a while to virtually double the amount of time I get to spend in the woods. I know a lot of hunters that buy NH tags because they work a M-F 9-5 and can squeeze two days of hunting in where as in Maine there is only one day a weekend to hunt. Although it may result in some lands being posted there is enough public land or "mulituse" lands such as papercompany land that people can hunt without incrouching on property owners. To say:
Is a pretty general statement. From what I see I think it's about a 50/50 split. the tree hugger definately don't want it but I don't see any hunters fighting the change.

I for one would openly welcome the change. When I drive to my camp in Hancock co or up to visit family in Washington Co I could get a couple of full days in as opposed to just a single day on the weekend. Not to mention that it would make for much better 3 day weekends to not have a "wasted" in the middle.

That's just my take though.

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

i for one am against it. i have to rely on other's for a place to hunt. the farmer on a farm i hunt has already said that his land will be posted if this bill passes. this also happen's to be my favorite hunting ground's.
if it does pass why couldn't the land owners who are against sunday hunting just post there land "NO SUNDAY HUNTING".

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

I am totally against it, I don't want Maine to be a southern state where you need written permission to hunt or worse, buy into a lease. These guys have to stay on one plot of land and can't even go after a wounded deer if it crosses a fence.

Most hunters in Maine are against it, at the public meeting in Augusta many hunters and The Small Woodlot Owners Assoc. of Me., the Professional Maine Guides Assoc., the Maine Trappers Assoc, and the Maine Bowhunters Assoc all spoke against it.

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

RAVKX 250,
If the landowner is going to the trouble and expense to post his land, he'll just post it "NO HUNTING" wouldn't you?

These landowners are our best friends, why mess with a good thing.

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

As a guide in Maine, I also would not be in favor of Sunday hunting. Sunday is a good day to relax, re-organize, say good bye to the previous weeks hunters, and welcome the new hunters.
As far as the landowner issues go, they could make it by written permission only I suppose, that would keep everyone happy.
In summation, I just think we should leave well enough alone. We have done just fine without it, and the non hunting public deserves a day on the weekend to enjoy the great northwoods without the fear of getting gunned down.

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

well landowners go through the hassles of putting up ACCESS BY PERMISSION ONLY SIGNS. which in my opinion work just like no trespassing signs. why don't they just put up no trespassing sign's. all i know is if this bill passes i already know of one spot i'm going to lose. if i have to look for a new place to hunt, how many other's will have to look also. so maine will start bringing in more money from out of stater's, but will lose alot of the money it bring's in from it's own resident hunter's because they can't hunt. i hope balducci gets his head out his you know what and realize's this.

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

Vt has Sunday hunting, is an open hunting state and always has been but there is more and more land being posted which severly limits access to the best spots for the common guy. If Sunday hunting will result in more land posted then I would vote to leave things alone. Once those yellow signs start to appear it is like a disease and spreads from farm to farm. The end result could be like Texas where if you don't pay someone there isn't any decent place to hunt.

RE: Sunday hunting in Maine
 

Living in southern Maine my whole life I've watched the influx of out of staters and at the same time I've watched the influx of posted signs. IMO I truly believe more land is being bought up by out of staters and posted because it's "theirs". People who have grown up in rural settings and been able to roam the woods freely their entire lives are less likely to pst their land then is a person who moves from an urban area, buys 200 acres and post it because they want the privacy they've never had. I see it every day.

I have no doubt that you're accurately conveying what you're seeing as far as opposition but I'm just not seeing it. I see it as an extra day a week to hunt and possiably a slightly shorter season to keep harvest numbers about the same. I'd gladly cut my season short a week to gain 3-4 days I can hunt over the season. For a person who has a financial reason not to want it I can also understand their perspective.

If it goes through it just means I'll have more choices of where to hunt on Sunday. If not I'll just keep hunting in NH as I have in the past.

My biggest concern for hunting in maine would be the changes in qualifications to be commissioner of the dept of inland fisheries and wildlife. I think sunday huting will have less of an effect in the long run then the change in qualification to run the DIF&W.