The state’s fish and wildlife department is always looking for new ways to make the best of a tough financial situation.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife gets no money from the state’s general fund, even though that money is … purely theoretically, of course … theirs.

Sometimes, a supporter comes forward and donates a pile of cash, like the un-named benefactor who recently gave the DIFW $500,000.

Sometimes, department staffers come up with innovative ways to save money.

And other times, they come up with innovative ways to make money … and their ideas are copied (stolen, if you prefer) and the money they would have made ends up elsewhere.

That’s the case nowadays, as the state’s effort to cash in on its distinctive logo have both paid dividends and proven attractive to those who would like to cash in on the state’s efforts.

I ran into Bill Pierce of the DIFW on Monday, and he handed me a pair of caps. One, he said, bore the official state DIFW logo. The other was a very similar knockoff … except the patch read: “Registered Maine Snowmobiler.”

Pierce had just procured the counterfeit cap from a man watching the annual moose-tagging ritual, trading an actual DIFW baseball cap for it in order to make a point.

“Every time someone buys one of these,” Pierce said, waving the “Registered Snowmobiler” cap, “they’re not helping the department.”

At the recently completed Fryeburg Fair, the DIFW did brisk business in official goods, including shirts, caps and the like, Pierce said.

But in many general stores across the state, folks can get their hands on unofficial, DIFW look-alike products that aren’t affiliated with the DIFW at all.

How do you tell the difference? Pierce says it’s easy.

Just look at the picture inside the patch. The “Maine Snowmobiler” patch, for instance, sports a winter scene and a snowmobile. All DIFW products show the same scene: The official DIFW seal.

“If they’ve changed the interior of our state seal, which is the pine tree, the deer, the fish and the bird, then it’s not ours,” Pierce said. “And I would appreciate it if your readers knew that. This guy [who bought the knockoff cap] thought he was supporting us when he bought this. They all think they’re doing a good and noble thing when they buy this. But they’re not.”

The proceeds from sale of DIFW garb goes toward promotion of the department or educational purposes, Pierce said. The purchase (for all of the state’s fourth-graders) of the book “Critters of Maine” came from that fund. Many other worthwhile projects are also funded this way.

Pierce said the state has a licensing agreement with one store, which pays $2 for each DIFW piece it produces. Other stores could do the same thing, he said.

But they don’t.

“We’re not getting anything [out of the sales of these products],” Pierce said. “Morally, that’s just wrong. They knew exactly what they were doing, because they saw that we were selling the pants off this stuff. So they’re ripping us off. It’s irritating.”

I took advantage of an invitation to head to Aroostook County over the weekend and spent an enjoyable evening with the folks from the Monticello Fish and Game Club at their annual banquet.

The Monticello clubhouse sits in a picturesque spot on the bank of the Meduxnekeag River, and a full house – 100 eager eaters – showed up for the festivities.

Wild game hors d’oeuvres were served (including moose, goose, antelope, bear and red deer), and dinner consisted of roast beef and all the fixings.

Gary Sewell issued the invitation and was a gracious host, and it was great to get back up to The County – especially to visit a town just a couple miles from my mom’s girlhood home.

Lance Wheaton of Forest City, the Washington County representative on the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Advisory Council, was (as always) very entertaining … and informative.

During dinner, Wheaton mentioned an upcoming event that you may be interested in, and I agreed to pass the information along.

As many may already know, tragedy struck the Maine Game Warden family in September, as longtime Warden Mike Marshall lost his wife, Dorothy Ann, in an automobile accident in Iowa.

Dorothy Marshall displayed her generosity and community spirit through serving as a camp nurse and counselor at several Christian youth camps over the years, and had also worked as a preschool teacher.

As you may imagine, the Marshall family’s insurance was quickly tapped out during efforts to save Dorothy’s life. Wheaton said concerned citizens Down East have gotten together and are trying to do something to help.

On Saturday night a benefit supper will be held at the Princeton Rod & Gun Club, with proceeds going to Mike Marshall and his family. The supper begins at 5:30 p.m., and many raffle and auction items will be up for grabs.

The menu consists of spaghetti and meatballs, and Wheaton promises a fun night out for everybody.

The way I figure it, it’s a good chance for the people of Maine to help out one of their own.

Hope you consider attending.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.