[kenton6]

This is certainly not the first time this question has been asked but maybe it's time to ask it again.

Being that one Roxanne Quimby now owns nearly 60,000 acres of land adjacent to Baxter State Park and if not already will be closed to at least hunting, snowmobiles and ATVs, what do you think of the fact that your money the MDIF&W collects from your license fees will go toward managing wildlife on her land?

Even though she claims she will leave her land open to fishing, canoeing, hiking, etc., it remains to be seen. Some of her other land she has decided to close it to everyone.

Here's a map showing in red the land she now owns.

 

[Ithaca37]

She is private individual purchasing land with private funds from private owners, you can't and shouldn't be able to do anything. As for DIFW spending money to manage wildlife on her land, do you mean they are spending funds specifically for her land or are you just refering to the funds that they spend anyways to manage wildlife across the state?

 

[kenton6]

I am not aware that the MDIFW is spending money specifically for her land. I mean in general.
The reason I raise the question is because of the notion that if she or anyone else would choose to purchase large tracts of land and close to hunting, then we may be faced with the dilemma of when and when not to manage wildlife on private property.

 

[Ithaca37]

Posting land is a landowner right and those who choose to do so should not be punished in any way for doing so. If you allow punishment for not allowing hunting, you open the possibility for punishment if you allow hunting. Private property rigths are fundamental to the freedoms we enjoy.

 

[sremington]

I agree with Ithaca unless you are doing something illegal or unconstitutional. :mrgreen:

 

[kenton6]

Would you take issue IF the MDIFW was spending money specifically on wildlife on any land posted closed to hunting, fishing, and all?

 

[sremington]

Would you take issue IF the MDIFW was spending money specifically on wildlife on any land posted closed to hunting, fishing, and all?

If my taxes were going to the MDIFW then absolutely.

 

[Cap'n Jack Duggins]

It's like this: For many generations IF&W hasdone bear studies, moose studies and other wildlife information gathering and managment tools. IF&W has also mantained trout stocking programs in lands now owned and closed by r/q and other private citizens, because they were kept open to the public.

Now that these properties have been closed to the public, I believe IF&W should no longer stock or manage wildlife populations on said lands. And since the trout in lakes surrounded by HER property should be stripped out and put into lakes and ponds with public access.
It IS her land to do as she wishes [within the law]. Something she should keep in mind though, is the fact that area is very remote and people vanish on occassion! Piss off enough people and a person COULD vanish on the streets of South Carolina!

Oh well, easy come easy go...

 

[kenton6]

This is part of the equation I was trying to make. Take for example Tim Pond up in the Eustis area. I haven't been there in some time but for a while the owners of Tim Pond camps owned all the land around the pond, therefore claiming the only way anyone could have rights to the water was over their land, of which was posted closed.

All the while, the state is was still stocking and managing the trout population etc. in the pond.

This is nonesense and the point I guess I'm trying to make.

My fear is this is only a drop in the bucket of what lies ahead in the battle of private land, public land and land access. We are not rewriting a new book here. This has been written long before now but we need to wake up and recognize what is happening.

 

[scottrobinson]

With respect to public waters (over 10 acres), I believe it is the law that a landowner CANNOT deny you FOOT ACCESS to the said water body. So, if you want to walk into Tim Pond, that is your right (check with the game warden to be sure).

As far as wildlife management goes, biologists need to manage at the landscape level as best they can. Most management is through hunting/fishing and regulatory habitat protection/conservation (read deer wintering areas in LURC jurisdiction). They can't and don't specifically target landowners for management/ non-management.

What scares me more than Quimby locking hunters out of her land is the state making implications that sportsmen have some sort of inalienable right to hunt on other people's land.

 

[MaineWoods]

What scares me more than Quimby locking hunters out of her land is the state making implications that sportsmen have some sort of inalienable right to hunt on other people's land.

This was a problem for me when I first moved to my land. I have a postage stamp compared to RQ though. Nobody's hurt if they can't be on my land. A few hunters informed me that they'd hunted this 45 acres for years and they weren't going to stop. Being a 5' 4" woman in a group of annoyed, big men used to be a little intimidating. It didn't take long to learn they weren't really going to hurt me, they were just ticked.

Unlike Quimby, we do allow hunting here. It would be a disappointing day because there aren't many deer (but they're coming back since the coyotes population dwindled), but I do tell most people yes when they ask. I just need to know someone's here for our safety, and they need to know about my livestock. My short legged, solid black cow has startled me in the woods. Coming through trees, brush or tall grass, I've mistaken her for a bear a couple of times. My goats look a lot like deer, especially when spooked and they flash that white tail. It's not anyone's right to hunt here but I don't mind passing along that priviledge. It's unfortunate that Roxanne won't share too.

 

[kenton6]

Thank you, MaineWoods for your generousity in allow others to hunt your land.

Part of the equation that all of us are dealing with is history. You see since the beginning of time it seems, Maine's lands were open. It was seldom that a land owner posted his/her land unless there were real problems, ie, damage, poaching, etc.

I think it was candidate Barbara Merrill who said that it has been a neighborly thing to do, to leave your land open.

That is changing. Many who are buying up parcels of land in Maine have no history of how thing were. We all know that older people have a hard time adjusting to new things.

It shouldn't be that our MDIFW leaders and representatives of the industry, like Maine Hunting Today, indicate the we have a right to hunt lands. As the "normal" things change, so too will the attitudes - eventually.

More and more land will continue to be posted and I'm not going to even venture there to explain why. I think in time some of that land will be opened back up once landowners realize they need the hunters to help maintain a good balance of wildlife.

I do believe though that the end net result will continue to show a diminished area of huntable land.

 

[badfisherman]

the days of just walk in and hunt are over in the great state of Maine. to many out of staters who can afford the land that Mainers cant want their lands to them selves, understandable. also too many BAD people abusing other peoples land has ruined it for the one sthat are respectful. it only takes one bad apple. look at linda bean s land, she asked the towns to help her clean up the mess that a few jack a** made and they refysed so she closed her land to motorised access. made me and alot of people angry but i can understand it. all you have to do is turn on the outdoors channels and you can see where Maine is heading. there is money in hunting these days and less money in logging so the big paper companies are selling off their large tracts that we have in the past had free range over. i am 35 and hunt with my uncles and father, i have had many discussions with them over the future of land leases, they have always balked at the idea but this year we approached an individual for a lease. times are changing my friends, and if you dont have the money you will be like the rest of us, crammed into a few public acres.
________
Babi mac

 

[aroostookbasser]

Congrats Badfisherman...........I mentioned this concept some months ago and got laughed at.......still time boys.....better buy in or get bought out!