I have been spending some serious time researching this bill LD303 which initially I passed off as a hoax because I didn't believe that anyone would seriously propose such an amendment. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/billtexts/LD030301-1.asp This is the link to take you to read the proposed bill. To me it reeks of back door political ranglings to achieve nothing more than an anti hunting movement. Below is a copy of the letter I sent to members of the Legislative Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. These are the people that are reviewing this bill to bring back to the full body. After the letter, I have listed the names of all the Representatives who sit on that committee and any email addys that I have. Speak up! To Members of the Legislative Committee of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, My name is Tom Remington. My son and I own and operate several on-line businesses including Maine Hunting Today, Maine Fishing Today and Remington Outdoors. Our home offices are out of Bangor. It has been brought to our attention that a bill LD 303 has been presented to the Legislature for consideration. To be honest, when word first began to surface about such legislation, I for one, passed it off as a hoax because I couldn't believe that such an amendment could be seriously conceived in the mind of some politician. Upon further review, I discover that this bill does exist. I would like to say that I am vehemently opposed to such foolishness. Not only would such legislation potentially lead to a poorly run Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife but it reeks of back door ranglings to gain a foothold on an eventual anti-hunting and fishing movement. There isn't a successful business anywhere that I know of that would conceivably hire an incompetent person to run that business. Please, consider this bill carefully. The idea that somehow this is providing an equal opportunity for others to hold such position is ludicrous at best. Maine Hunting Today, Maine Fishing Today and Remington Outdoors reject this amendment and hope and trust that you will thoughtfully consider all the ramifications of an enactment of this kind as well as just doing what is right - for good business and all the taxpayers of the State of Maine. Thank you, Tom Remington Managing Editor Maine Hunting Today Mark Bryant D-Windham repmark.bryant@legislature.maine.gov Richard Cebra R-Naples reprich.cebra@legislature.maine.gov Troy Jackson D-Fort Kent reptroy.jackson@legislature.maine.gov Jacqueline Lundeen D-Mars Hill refjackie.lundeen@legislature.maine.gov Stanley Moody D-Manchester stanhunts@hotmail.com David Richardson R-Greenville David Trahan R-Waldoboro repdavid.trahan@legislature.maine.gov Thomas Watson D-Freeport repthom.watson@legislature.maine.gov Walter Wheeler D-Kittery A couple of these email addresses wouldn't work for me.
Here is one reply I received back from the Chair of the Legislature Committe for Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Hello, Mr. Remington, and thanks for writing – I am trying to reply to your recent email sent to my Committee. I hope this gets to you. LD 303 is backed by the “Wildlife Alliance of Maine,” a group of non-consumptive outdoors people who most recently supported the bear referendum. They seem to think that “non-consumptive” sportsmen and women (hikers, birders, etc) are “not represented” in Maine’s wildlife management – and this is their way of complaining, I guess. Removing all vestiges of wildlife management experience from the required qualifications of IFW’s Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner is nonsense, and I think the Committee will agree with that after the public hearing. Please watch for the hearing notice, and if you are free, we would appreciate seeing you in Augusta on this important issue. Thanks again for writing, and please feel free to do so anytime. Thom Watson House Chair, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee trwatson@street-law.com Although this sounds encouraging that at least the chair views this as foolishness, it wouldn't hurt to drop these folks a line and let them know how you feel.
