While many people are focusing on seasonal commitments at the moment, it’s not too soon to begin thinking about possible weekend junkets in the year to come.

Sportsmen and women have plenty of options available, as outdoor shows provide weekend diversions to fit many tastes.

Locally, the sportsman’s shows don’t begin until March. The Penobscot County Conservation Association’s Sportsman’s Show is scheduled for the weekend of March 20, the Augusta-based Maine Sportsman’s Show will be held on the weekend of March 27, and the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club’s show will be held the weekend of April 3.

For those willing to travel a bit farther, options begin in January.

One show to consider is the World of Fly Fishing show Jan. 2-4 in Danbury, Conn. That show will feature “Fly-tying with the Masters classes, a rod-building booth, and plenty of casting and tying specialists.

And Jan. 16-18, the popular Fly Fishing Show will head to Marlboro, Mass. Many fly-fishers from the Greater Bangor area make a yearly trip to this show, which is being held for the sixth time. Check with your local fly fishing club to arrange a trip with others.

Turkey deadline looms

Prospective hunters interested in trying to bag a wild turkey in 2004 should be aware that the deadline for applying for the permit lottery isn’t too far off.

On-line applications must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 15. The on-line process is quick, easy, and makes things much more simple for the folks at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

The 2004 spring turkey season will run in two sessions: Season A will be held from May 3-8 and May 24-29, while Season B is set for May 10-15 and May 17-22. Any permit-holder is allowed to hunt from May 31 through June 5.

You are eligible to apply for a turkey permit if you are eligible to obtain a big game hunting license by opening day of the season, or if you will be at least 10 years old before the last day of the season.

The application fee is $8 for residents and $13 for nonresidents. A permit fee of $13 for residents and $43 for non-residents will apply for those who are drawn.

The turkey permit drawing will be held in early February.

To register on the Internet, go to www.mefishwildlife.com and follow the link.

For those who may not be interested in the turkey hunt, but who are interested in purchasing a hunting or fishing license for 2004, that can also be done on the Internet at the DIF&W Web site.

DU gets high efficiency rating

Ducks Unlimited recently released its audited numbers for the 2003 fiscal year, and the figures show that 85 percent of the money DU spent went directly toward its conservation mission.

Efficiency ratings are designed to assess the percentage of every dollar that goes directly to the projects of a non-profit organization.

“An organization’s efficiency rating is a good indicator of whether they’re spending their donors’ money where they say they will,” said DU Chief Financial Officer Randy Graves.

“Many people won’t donate to a non-profit without first researching its efficiency rating. They simply want to know where their money is going, and in DU’s case, they can take comfort in knowing that a very high percentage is going to our conservation mission, while only 3 percent is spent on administration.”

DU spends an additional 12 percent on fund-raising and development.

Ducks Unlimited’s mission is to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl.

To submit an item for publication in the Outdoor Notebook, send e-mail to jholyoke@bangordailynews.net, fax to 990-8092 or mail information to Outdoor Notebook, Bangor Daily News, PO Box 1329, Bangor, Maine, 04402-1329.