Did they pass Sunday hunting ?

Was wondering if they passed Sunday hunting.On your own land? I think you need to have more then x amount of acers or something like that.Any info?????

That is scheduled for a work session I doubt very much any of the 4 Sunday hunting bills will pass. there was a lot of landowner / farm groups against these 4 Sunday hunting bills, over the last 30 some years this has come before the legislators 21 or 22 times.... I do not think we will see this. ...If we are looking for more opportunity we would be better off asking for longer seasons, we would be less likely to come up against the opposition that we get with Sunday hunting, that is just my opinion.

On topic that was brought up on Sunday hunting they did not even like to hear shooting on Sunday and some would like to out law that! The bullets know no boundary, was brought up by more than one, there is a very big perception out there by non hunters that the woods is not safe during deer season, something we need to change before we ever see Sunday hunting. The fact that hunters will not need permission to hunt on others peoples land also was brought into this as landowners / farmers do not know who when or what is hunting on there land.
One other subject that was not brought up directly but in a round about way was in fact we would see shorter seasons if Sunday hunting was allowed, I know in the past they talked about cutting deer season to 2 weeks! this was by the Dept the last time.

Sunday hunting sounds good but the more I have looked into it the less I could truly support it we have worked hard to create the landowner relation groups we now have, which we put in jeopardy, I do not want to see season shortened partly because I guide, partly because I know I do need a day to get some other things done during the week during open seasons, from going shopping to putting in fire wood. Sunday is a great day to scout and move tree stands, tend traps and do a lot of other things. I know not everyone will agree But will stand by my statement of if we want more opportunity lets put our time and effort into longer seasons where the population of the animals we seek justify the longer seasons.

wow you guys cant hunt on sunday????what do you do if you work all week like most people? you can only hunt saturday? that sounds crazy to me but i guess i grew up hunting whatever day i had available, if you own land you should be able to hunt!! tell the whiners that dont like to hear a gun shot to move to the city, in the country thats just a way of life, get over it! i would like to see someone come to my town and say they dont like to hear gun shots, they would be tarred and featherd and run out of town!!!

Snowhound.
I go to Vermont some and I really like the fact I can hunt Sunday. Maine is one of only 7 states that do not allow some sort of Sunday hunting. On the other hand it is also a place where unposted land can be entered without permission.
Many landowners have stated at these hearings that they would close their land to all if Sunday hunting were to be enacted. While I feel that all the hype over safety would dissapate over time I am doubtfull I will live long enough to see Maine joint the other 43 states that currently allow sunday hunting.
I was waiting for someone at yesterday's hearings to offer a bow/crossbow option
for Sunday to eliminate the bullet argument.

theres no good reason to not allow sunday hunting in northern and western parts of the state.we need to stop bending over backwards to these tree huggers.just think of the money it would bring into those parts of maine.just reduce the daily bag limits on small game.the dept of inland and fisheries should be for the hunters not against.

the heck with the money , what if a guy just wants to go out deer hunting? or take there kids squirrel hunting? on a sunday. seems just plain stupid to me, i think when you guys hear that the land owners will post there property if they open sunday hunting its just propoganda on the tree huggers part. cmon guys take your state back and dont be led to believe that horse crap, a good old fashion grass roots effort will go a long ways,

totally agree snowhound we need to be proactive not reactive to these issues

It would be nice if kids in school could hunt both days of the weekend.

It would be AMAZING if we could hunt Sundays, any average joe who has to work 40-50-60 hrs a week and than try to go hunting....tough, no to mention if you could hunt Sundays there would be a hole lot less guys calling in on Friday or Monday or any other day of that matter sick.
on the land owner part, snowhound has nailed it, a bunch of crap. not to mention if they did shut down the land than so be it we still had our sundays and plenty of other out there.

i wonder who really is making decisions and lobbying to get some of the laws or should i say vote some of these laws down??? i bet some of you guys would be very surprised at what is going on and who is on your side and who really isnt on your side, money and greed is a terrible thing. every one needs to remember where they came from and where there love for the outdoors really started, i can remember the first bear i ever saw in a tree with my grandfather and i will never forget it, i will never loose sight of what got me in the woods and it wasnt money it was the sound of old speck, doc and ripper treeing there hearts out, to this day i do it for the sport and for no other reason and nobody will get in my way and take away my desire to tree bear or any other sport without me fighting for what i grew up doing! and i wont go down without a fight for what i believe in.

I would love to see Sunday hunt'n.For the simple fact most folks only get saturday,and thats if the weather is'nt horrible.If I pay taxes on 84 Acers I would think I'd be able to do what I want ,when I want,on my own land.I hate someone else that owns 1 or 2 acers down state that dont hunt,telling me up here what to do on my property.It should be up to me to decide what is what.This State needs to get a backbone to some of these anti's and tell them to go back where they came from if they dont like our heritage.Them same farmers love the tax break we give them and love to get all the aid due to struggeling farms.Hell they kill beef critters,pig,and chickens on sunday,whats the difference.Lot more folks would buy hunting licences if they knew they could get another day on the weekend to hunt,most work'n guys dont even bother anymore.Especially if all they do is deer hunt.I understand the sitsuation the deer herds are in and understand if they want to hold off on the deer side of things,but small game should not be a problem.

Just to state facts and numbers if we opened Sundays this would increase most hunters time by 50% and that would likely decrease the hunting pressure even with more people joining the hunt time the decrease of 35% per day likely so people who choose other outdoor activities would likely see less people then they do now. It should be a no brained but like all who have posted already money talks and the workers who keep the government cash pig moving get the least amount for their effort and that is politics 101. I believe in doing what is right not what makers the wealthy happy or the job easierjust do what is right.

SWOM- small woodland owners of Maine is not a tree huger group, Maine potato growers is not anti hunting group, Maine Farm Bureau is not a anti hunting group... all had lobbyists there who spoke against any Sunday hunting, it is time to wake up we may not like it but the world dose not revolve around us hunting, and if we try to make the world revolve around us hunting we will lose, and in this day and time we must consider others on certain points, we must not offend reasonable people, but inform them of what we actually are doing, the ave farmer or woodsman may own a gun may buy a hunting license and go hunting 1 or 2 days a year, but feels no loss or gain as we might, on most issues, they will support us on many issues that are way more important than Sunday hunting in Maine, which by they way they seem to not want! By the way I bet any of these 3 groups have more members then we do, more money as one had both a lobbyist and a lawyer speak against this bill.
Before you say I am anti hunting I will remind you what I said before do you want 2 sat& sun or 4 sat for deer? put it in any combination you want for any species you want do you want 6 weeks of running bear or 3 weeks with Sunday? do you want 10 weeks of cat hunting or 5? these may not be accurate to what we would have but I am sure they all would be looked at pretty hard if Sunday hunting goes into effect we were told that before by the dept.
We are much father ahead to look at extending seasons for populations of animals that can support more harvest than pushing for Sunday hunting. I feel like I am beating this dead horse but hopeful a few will understand what I am talking about, but will post gorges blog for the other side next.

Not sure how to put in a link but can go here, always good info, with Georges commentary but another way to keep yourself informed.

http://www.georgesmithmaine.com/articles/george-smith

It's Unlikely Maine Hunters Will Ever Hunt on Sundays
Submitted by George Smith on Mon, 04/11/2011 - 13:24

Sunday came on Monday today. I could script the annual legislative consideration of Sunday hunting bills: same bills, same participants, same result.

Today (April 11) the IFW Committee hosted public hearings on four Sunday hunting bills (LDs 749, 810, 906, and 910). Two would authorize Sunday hunting in northern Maine. The other two would authorize Sunday hunting statewide, one for small game and wild birds only, the other for landowners hunting on their own land.

Testimony consumed two hours and was followed by quick committee action killing LDs 749, 810, and 906, leaving LD 910 for an April 25 ,9 am work session.

Rep. Stacy Fitts presented his two bills, LD 906 and 910. He’s been relentless in sponsoring Sunday hunting bills during this 8 years in the legislature, refusing to take no for an answer. I admire his resolve and have, over the years, supported most of his bills. Today I testified in favor of his most compelling bill, LD 910, that would authorize Sunday hunting on your own land if you own 20 acres and keep it open for public hunting. Sponsors of the other two bills didn’t show up, so members of the IFW Committee presented their bills.

Only two individuals and no organizations spoke in favor of Sunday hunting. Both David Wright of Pittsfield (who owns land with Rep. Fitts) and I stood alone today. I have to say I was disappointed that the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine did not testify in favor of any of the bills. Perhaps that is simply a reflection of the impossibility of accomplishing this goal, the division of opinion within the organization, and an unwillingness to use up any of their political capital with the landowner groups or members of the legislature.

Matt Dunlap, SAM’s executive director, testified “neither for nor against” the bills, noting that one of the first bills he sponsored as a newly-elected legislator would have authorized Sunday hunting for small game in the unorganized territories. Dunlap reported that SAM’s membership remains divided on Sunday hunting, and spoke about the history of the issue, including the fact that the first ban on Sunday hunting was enacted as a game management technique. His testimony ranged across continents, covering issues from safety in Maine to game management in Africa to the politics of the Sunday hunting issue.

As usual, Dunlap’s testimony was educational and entertaining, but, bottom line, abandoned SAM’s long-standing advocacy for Sunday hunting opportunities. I noted in my own testimony that I’ve given up on this issue. SAM appears to have done so too.

Opponents included SWOAM, Maine Farm Bureau, Wildlife Alliance of Maine, U.S. Humane Society, Belgrade landowner/hunter Richard Baker, land manager Gordon Mott, Tim Hobbs of the Maine Potato Board (opposed LDs 749, 810, and 906, but not LD 910), Colonel Joel Wilkinson (opposed to LDs 749, 810, and 906, and testifying neither for nor against on LD 910), and Dan Riley, a lobbyist for SWOAM and hunter.

Colonel Wilkinson, telling Rep. Herb Clark that he was testifying for both DIF&W and the LePage Administration, surprised me when he failed to support LD 910. Governor LePage, in his SAM Survey, was asked, “Should landowners be allowed to hunt on Sundays on their own land?” LePage answered yes. He also answered yes when asked, “Would you be willing to support some limited Sunday hunting opportunities, such as turkey hunting, as long as deer hunting was not included?”

My friend Tom Doak, executive director of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine, a group I belong to and value, spoke in opposition to all four Sunday hunting bills.

“It is important to note that the primary opposition to hunting on Sunday is not from those opposed to hunting but from landowners and farmers. These are the very same people who provide 95% of the hunting opportunities in Maine – for free,” testified Doak.

The privilege of hunting for free on someone else’s land, “is an incredible benefit afforded a hunter which is often not fully appreciated and sometimes taken for granted. That benefit has stood the test of time for a number of reasons, but two of the most important are: because the majority of landowners and farmers believe sharing their land is the ‘right’ thing to do and they know that Sunday is a day they can count on for full enjoyment of their property,” said Doak.

“There is no other issue that could fuel conflict between hunters, landowners, recreationalists and the general public more than Sunday hunting,” concluded Doak. “So why do we keep fighting over an issue that so few support?”
My Testimony for LD 910

Here’s what I had to say at the hearing.

If this were a horse race, we would credit Rep. Stacy Fitts for entering, yet again, the best horse in the race, still hoping for victory. Sunday hunting on your own land seems very compelling to me.

I purchased my Mount Vernon woodlot for the specific purpose of keeping it undeveloped so I could hunt there. Yet I am denied the opportunity to enjoy this principle purpose on my own land one day each week. This doesn’t seem fair to me, to put it mildly.

Maine’s Sunday hunting prohibition was first enacted on February 28, 1883. We’ve been trying to correct that mistake for 127 years, without success. I don’t think we’ll ever hunt on Sundays in Maine because – well, because we haven’t since 1883.

This prohibition hurts us economically – our neighboring states of New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York – all offer Sunday hunting and steal our hunters (both resident and nonresident) who like to hunt on both days of a weekend. The national hunting magazines have punished and pummeled our state for its lack of Sunday hunting opportunity.

And I’m not the only one who recognizes this problem. In 2005, when we made a serious effort to authorize Sunday hunting, the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel published an editorial, “Time for Maine to End Ban on Sunday Hunting.”

Please listen to the excellent conclusion of this editorial: “Maine prides itself on its outstanding hunting. It is one of the state’s primary – and growing – industries, which it promotes throughout New England and beyond. It makes little sense that the state would be blessed with such a valuable recreational activity, only to ban it on one of the two days when most residents and nonresidents are likely to participate.”

Over the years I’ve offered heart-wrenching testimony from hunters who never got to hunt with their Dads because their Dads worked six days a week, testimony from Maine residents who spent every Sunday – and a lot of their money – hunting upland birds in New Hampshire, testimony from a Mainer in Rangeley who gave up hunting in Maine altogether to drive 30 miles and spend his Sundays hunting in New Hampshire, the only day his business was closed.

I respect the right of private landowners to tell me they don’t want me to hunt on their property on Sundays – or any other day. What I’m looking for is respect for my right to do what I want on my own private land.

I helped convince Governor John Baldacci to authorize Sunday hunting in his proposed budget, only to watch all of my allies in sportsmen’s organizations speak in opposition at the hearing that found SAM standing alone. It took a long time to overcome the bitterness on both sides of that unfortunate battle. It was a mistake to put it in the budget.

I’ve worked over the last two decades for two initiatives that I thought held particularly great promise: hunting on Sundays for small game in the unorganized territories, and Sunday hunting on your own land – and suffered the inevitable defeats.

I’ve given up, convinced that Maine will stubbornly cling to this Sunday hunting prohibition until it is the only state left – today just 7 states refuse to allow this popular outdoor activity to be enjoyed on Sundays.

You probably know that the only things you can’t do on Sundays in Maine are buy a car and hunt. Auto dealers don’t want to work on Sunday. Many of us do desire to hunt on Sundays.

But we are far from united in this desire, and that’s part of the problem. I generally found SAM members to be divided 60-40 with 60 percent fiercely wanting Sunday hunting and 40 percent opposed for a wide range of reasons from religious to fear that landowners would post more land.

I do think if we ever get Sunday hunting, few will notice that we’re out there hunting on that day, especially if it doesn’t include deer hunting. For all other species, the number of hunters is small. Most species see less than 20,000 hunters. That’s less then the population of Augusta, spread over an entire hunting season and all over the state.

If you authorize this Sunday hunting opportunity, it might quickly be accepted just as Sunday shopping was. A history lesson may help.

Up into the 1980s, Maine people were prohibited from shopping on Sundays in all but the smallest stores. My sister Edie and I collected signatures, for the larger stores, and qualified a citizen initiative for the referendum ballot to authorize Sunday shopping in all stores.

After a hard fought campaign pitting small stores – led by Bob Reny – against large stores and malls – Mainers voted to allow Sunday shopping in all stores – but only by the narrow margin of 52 percent to 48 percent.

Almost half the voters didn’t want Sunday shopping. Today, few would give up their opportunity to buy groceries and other goods on Sunday. It is widely accepted. It is unthinkable – today – that we would be prohibited from shopping on Sundays.

Perhaps Sunday hunting would follow the same path – controversial at the start – but widely accepted after a brief transitional period.

Alas, I don’t believe we’ll ever find out. Because nothing has changed.

We have another Governor who supports Sunday hunting. Governor LePage, in his SAM survey, said he would support, specifically, the opportunity for landowners to hunt on their own land on Sundays.

We have a hunting community that is divided on the issue.

We have groups that represent landowners united against Sunday hunting.

Same race. Same horses. Same result. I am afraid we’re beating a dead horse here.

I think that most of the landowners support these anti groups because it don't cost them anything and some have had there share of disappointments .with hunters, trespassers and littering so they get approached by these groups and support them to a point it mite be less trouble for them and don't cost them anything. I have proposed a idea many of times to our local reps which they all say sounds great but i can never get anyone to follow thru with it . and face it I just ain't smart enough when it comes to these things to take it any further than I have . I think if the state would pass a law saying that if you post your land or restrict access to people for hunting,fishing,trapping or hiking then you should not be allowed or in titled to any kind of tax break be it tree growth or any other aid or break they give the big landowners and farmers. I am sure someone could say it better than me .but really how long do you thing they would support a group that in the end will cost them alot more money. if they would do something like this the state would gain revenue from anyone wanting to continue posting or restricting access it would free up alot of land . they could make them pay the same mill rates as the rest of us.

Don't get me wrong i am all for getting permission whenever i can posted or not people like to know who is around there property that's fine but how do you ask for permission from a tree with a purple stripe really.

I think also if posting they should make it mandatory that at least the corners are marked with a readable sign with contact info so you can ask for permission .

If anyone knows how to make something like that go to legislators feel free to run with it .I'm sure the chances are slim that it would pass but it sure could drop the numbers of the antis. how many landowners and farmers are going to support them when it could effect there wallet? my guess is almost none .

Oh i would love to have sunday hunting even if they exclude deer, bear and moose . thanks Larry

swilcox wrote:SWOM- small woodland owners of Maine is not a tree huger group, Maine potato growers is not anti hunting group, Maine Farm Bureau is not a anti hunting group... all had lobbyists there who spoke against any Sunday hunting, it is time to wake up we may not like it but the world dose not revolve around us hunting, and if we try to make the world revolve around us hunting we will lose, and in this day and time we must consider others on certain points, we must not offend reasonable people, but inform them of what we actually are doing, the ave farmer or woodsman may own a gun may buy a hunting license and go hunting 1 or 2 days a year, but feels no loss or gain as we might, on most issues, they will support us on many issues that are way more important than Sunday hunting in Maine, which by they way they seem to not want! By the way I bet any of these 3 groups have more members then we do, more money as one had both a lobbyist and a lawyer speak against this bill.
Before you say I am anti hunting I will remind you what I said before do you want 2 sat& sun or 4 sat for deer? put it in any combination you want for any species you want do you want 6 weeks of running bear or 3 weeks with Sunday? do you want 10 weeks of cat hunting or 5? these may not be accurate to what we would have but I am sure they all would be looked at pretty hard if Sunday hunting goes into effect we were told that before by the dept.
We are much father ahead to look at extending seasons for populations of animals that can support more harvest than pushing for Sunday hunting. I feel like I am beating this dead horse but hopeful a few will understand what I am talking about, but will post gorges blog for the other side next.

you forgot to mention the us humane society, they are anti hunting, no way around that! and they were there speaking against sunday hunting

Larry,
100% RIGHT ON BROTHER!!!I've been say'n the same thing for quite some time.Money is the route to all evil.

you guys missed my point I do not feel nor do i think any one who has followed for any length of time what has gone on in the legislature that the Maine farm bureau, SWOM, or the Maine Potato Growers are anti hunting ... they don't want Sunday hunting for there own reasons.
That dose not replace the fact they have supported the guides assn, the trappers assn and SAM for many years on many issues. We keep throwing the Sunday hunting at them we could forget about any support down the road when we may need it.
They are in no way even the same class as the Humane Society. If you were in augusta on monday you would have noticed they would not even sit on the same side as the the other groups.

I was there and I agree with Swilcox.
The Humane soc.opposed any and all sunday hunting. They made a point that even the land owner only version was just a ploy to get a foot hold for Sunday hunting.
This group IS anti hunting and will always be so.
The farmers and wood lot owners are not anti hunting or in their pockets.I would hunt about any Sunday if it were open and in fact do go to Vermont occasionally just for that reason.
I hunt on a lot of differant landowner's property including SWOAM land. If as a group they are strongly opposed to Sunday hunting I could either fight them and hope they still support hunting on their land or I can pick battles that keep my right to run hounds and that is by far more important to me.

I agree with Steve, sunday hunting would be nice but its hard to miss something we never had to begin with. Hounding and trapping bears on the other hand we do have and its goin to take all sportsman(even bait hunters!) to keep them. We are such a small group we need to keep our allies like swoam, the farm bureau and others on our side. Would you rather hunt squirrels on sunday or listen to a hound dog chop as he is chasin' yogi through the swamp ?

Steve,
I dont think all farmers or wood lot owners are all anti's at all!!!!!What I'm say'n is if there land is posted to not hunt on at all thats there choice and we all have to respect that......But I feel I have a say if I want to hunt on my own land.I keep my land open to anyone that wants to hunt,plus there's a main ITS tail right through my driveway.I get there concerns.Mine is,theres alot of folks that want to have say on what they can do on there own land.If there decide'n factor to post there property if sunday hunt'n is allowed, is there only reason to post there property, thats a tactic!!!!!There either for or against in my opinion.I bet if we told them we'd give them all a tax break they be all for it.I never said that,they didnt have there own choice.I just wanted to state mine.If they dont want you to hunt sundays on there land it's for a reason,and I respect that.I have a opinion on the issue too.I dont live in portland,I live in Baileyville where we dont have as many folks post'n there property here.I dread the day we do.But what happen is a poulated area is not a justification to rule out everone else opinion.I also get your concerns about who you piss off and who you dont....Talking to them folks helps alot,to just assume there going to post there land if sunday hunting is allowed is'nt good energy to convay.

Well bill I see it somewhat the same as you and this is deffinately two issues here Sunday hunting decision should be based on the facts of game population control and also the ifw budget, as they both are vital to the issue by opening Sunday hunting they could possibly put a fix on both as more people would hunt possibly and more licenses sold as for the other issue landowners I feel as with any rule. A person can restrict or has the ability to restrict their own land and what happens on it and when. that is their right in my mind and Sunday hunting or not should not take that away from them. Also Larry I feel you have a great idea in that if a person owns a large tract of land and chooses to restrict hunting or rights to people who pay this state to enjoy the outdoor activities like hunting fishingll even photography then they should not get tax breaks on that restricted land. They do own the land for sure but are given the tax break I feel for the inconvienience of others using it not to keep there own little sanctuary. I also feel that posted property should be that and not useable by the owners for that purpose unless they fdence it and keep the game in which you and I and every tax payer to this state pays to own off there lands. This theory was put in place by this state many years ago with game sanctuaries and was fenced to keep game in and mark this as a safe haven for them this worked and should be the standard today for those who choose this for their lands. This would also keep hounds and tresspasers off with ease. It should be there resposibilty to protect there property just as it always has been. I lock my doors to keep unwanted people out so should they protect there lands. That is my views on this sorry I rambled on.

we also have the wrong idea about tree growth tax law, too many people look at it as being free to the land owner, it is not. They must have a management plan written by a licensed forester and reviewed every so many years or when cutting is taking place, by a forester and submitted to the towns that the lot is in. Rather than just cutting timber when and how they want they must follow the plan not the market in which timber is sold. Which can be a huge difference in what a load of wood brings 3-400 dollars at times. We do have land in tree growth and some that is not, all current being used for growing forest products- mostly pine and oak logs and fire wood. On average with the costs associated with putting a lot in tree growth it has been slightly better than break even, and the main reason for keeping it in tree growth is the back taxes due when taking it out. If it was my choice and all in my name it all would have come out all ready, because long term I do not feel we will gain $100 in savings on 275 acres in tree growth, and all the costs are up front.
If your town has the assessors info on line you can look and see how much is in tree growth,most towns also have a % most I bet is less than 10% it seems to be around 5% in the central Maine area any way.
This is not to say that if you have a lic forester on your payroll that these same costs exists, because that is where the advantage takes place, or acreage enough to get fair discounts.

when i wrote tree growth it was just a example of a tax break i am sure there are other programs available that benfit big landowners. i don't know like i stated someone else could explain it better than me .