[kenton6]

Don't know if any of you attended the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine conference the other day but it seems the same subject came up again about Sunday hunting. There is still an active group wanting to see it and those opposed - I'm talking hunters.

So, the question is are you for or against Sunday hunting and why. Answer the poll question and if you would like, and I would like your input because I will relay it on to the Standing Committee of the MDIF&W

 

[kenton6]

Now I'll explain my reasonings for voting no.
There has been discussion that landowners will post their lands should this happen. Maybe they will or maybe they won't.

The question didn't say whether it would include deer hunting or not. If Sunday hunting was allowed for small game, I personally do not believe that anyone residing in the state of Maine would even know the difference.

Big game is a different story. I have argued before that in the management of deer, officials target is to harverst a predetermined number of deer each season. Those educated guesses come from the gathering of data from the previous season's hunt along with other collected data.

They estimate the number of licensed hunters, the average number of days hunters will hunt, the success rate - all these factors and more. With this information, I believe that if Sundays were added into the equation, officials would have no other choice but to shorten the overall length of the season.

Maine is unlike a lot of states that have too many deer. We are an exception in that we have a bucks only season in an attempt to grow the herd.

My two cents worth.

 

[Dirigo]

i want sunday hunting. my dad is too busy during the week to go hunting and we only get one day a week. with sunday to hunt on, my hunting time has doubled. the place i usually hunt is posted anyway.

 

[Ithaca37]

If hunting on sunday should be illegal, maybe you shoould be required to close your business on sunday too. The law is archaic and has no relavance anymore.

 

[Lil John]

If sunday hunting is allowed, your deer season would have to be cut in half due to the high number of kills that would likely happen durring the first full week of hunting.
If you think you don't get enough time to hunt now, just vote in sundays and hang your head in shame.
JMHO.
John

 

[sremington]

Sunday is a good day to target practice, line in your rifle, check your gear, scout out some hunting spots. Tell the wife it is mandatory to do this if you are to come home with a buck...

Keep Sundays closed for hunting and now your season is longer. We all know just being in the woods, sitting at camp, or just having deer on the mind is what hunting is all about.. :wink:

 

[Dirigo]

id rather have the longer season sans sunday, then we have more of a chance to hunt the rut.

 

[Ithaca37]

The majority of maine residents, myself included, only hunt on saturdays. If sunday hunting were allowed, the season would be shorter, but I would actually be able to get out more frequently. Plus there is always muzzle loading season if you feel that the firearms season would be too short.

As for the rut, it is gerenally considered to begin around Nov. 15, so it would most likely fall within a shortened season.

Furthermore, most states allow hunting on sundays and find that it works out well. Why should maine continue to enforce an needless, archaic law?

Also, I don't know about the rest of you, but deer are not the only animals I hunt. Since most of the small game season coincides with fall semester classes, I am not able to get out during the week, Sunday hunting would increase my opportunity to get out after grouse. I see no downside to sunday hunting.

 

[Lil John]

Ithica,
I believe you will see things differantly as you age.

If sunday hunting is allowed, there will be no smoke pole season.

 

[stweedie]

I am strongly for allowing Sunday Hunting in Maine. For those "Weekend Warriors" as I call them it would basically double the amount of time the average Joe can hunt. I know that I work all week long and getting two full days of hunting on the weekend would be very beneficial.

 

[kenton6]

I completely understand the logic behind having more days available to hunt for those on busy schedules but don't lose sight on one simple fact - The MDIF&W are only going to allow so many deer to be harvested. How ever many days that takes.
The net result may possibly be no more days to hunt than you have now.

I also keep hearing the economic necessity of having Sunday hunting. I know George Smith of SAM is promoting Sunday hunting for economic reasons. I fail to see what significant gains will be made by opening it up.

One of his arguements is out of state licenses aren't being sold in Maine because there is no Sunday hunting. Okay, so we may gain a few dollars to get more hunters so we can do what? - reduce the number of hunting days to keep the harvest numbers down?

We are not overrun with deer in this state. We are trying to compare apples and oranges when it comes to other states. These other states are doing everything they can to get hunters to harvest deer. Places let you bag 10 deer a season.

When Maine begins to have that problem, then I say go for it. Personally, I don't really care what they do. I am only going to hunt so many days anyway - I don't hunt everyday. I do believe though that if Sunday hunting is allowed the overall season will be shortened and the net result will be insignificant.

 

[aroostookbasser]

I have reopened this topic for further consideration............... should we have hunting on Sunday? I recently heard a new angle on the question.....most landowners up here that I talked to would post their land. sunday is the one day of the week that farm families have to enjoy their own land.

 

[shooterme]

I would probably go for sunday hunting as I to work 5 days during the week. I would probaly put a little twist in like residents only on sundays. Where I live Its all non residents in november around here. Idon't know if the business, outfitters and guides would go for it. They could at least let us try sunday hunting on something like turkeys or bears season.

 

[sremington]

I think landowners can enjoy their own land even on a regular hunting day. I enjoy a Sunday drive with my family and statistics show you are in a much greater risk to get into an accident while driving in your car on a Sunday afternoon with your family than getting shot while in the woods from a hunter.

So, with those statitistics I would think I could enjoy my Sunday on my land while folks hunted. I would wear orange obviously.

 

[aroostookbasser]

Remington: How easy is it to find a place to hunt in Southern Maine. Now if 10% of those who do allow hunting decided to post. How many more hunters are being squeezed into how much less space?

All of us need to tread lightly on our landowners or the vast majority of hunters in Maine will lose a place to hunt. How many can afford to buy land to hunt on and how many will be forced to lease land to hunt on?

 

[kenton6]

I hear ya talking AB
It's a sticky subject. I have tried in all honesty to understand the arguements about economics but I can't see it. If we were overrun with deer in Maine, I could see opening up extra days.
I just think the net result for hunters will not change that much. At least not what we might risk angering the landowners.

 

[sremington]

Tell you the truth I don't see the fuss either way. I kind of like how it is now. Gives me a longer deer season. Sunday you can go out and scout out your areas without a firearm, you can go to camp and start a fire and drink some brews. You still get out away from the house and into the woods. If Sunday were allowed, hunting season would be squeezed into a 3 week season. Yuck..! I try to have it last as long as I can.

 

[Cabelashunter89]

I'd definaltely love Sunday hunting in maine. Whenever i get up there to hunt on the weekend i can only hunt saturday.

 

[Dirigo]

even if it was just small game on sundays it would be a step in the right direction

 

[aroostookbasser]

I'm staying nuetral only because I have a moral directive as a Christian that says my Sundays belong to a higher power. But I live in the real world and judge no one. If Sunday hunting was to come about......those who missed church to hunt must not be as strongly compelled as I am to fellowship with my fellow Christians each week.
Not to mention the fact that if you look out over a Maine lake in the fall and watch the sun set.......and can say that was just some cosmic accident......you have just gone blind and cannot see that God is everywhere.......the devine creator.