Expect to see another referendum

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Four days ago, Mainers voted in opposition to a referendum that would have changed the way we hunt bears.

Referendum supporters wanted to ban baiting, trapping, and hounding. Referendum supporters lost. The opposition won.

End of story? Not so fast.

Justly, the well-organized and hard-working opponents of that referendum are pleased with their efforts.

The reason for the opposition victory, some sportsmen will tell you, is that the majority of voters chose to recognize and embrace Maine’s outdoor traditions and heritage.

But viewing the narrow victory as “sending a message,” or as a permanent mandate for the status quo, is shortsighted … and dangerous.

I’m not sure the real reason Mainers voted against the ban had as much to do with “tradition” and “heritage” as it did with a simple fact we sportsmen have largely chosen to ignore.

Try this argument on for size: Referendum supporters lost because they simply got too greedy.

In talking with people from across the state over the past several months, I found that many were willing to ignore the fact that baiting bears is a valuable management tool.

Some folks watched TV commercials, were appalled at what they saw, and were willing to ban baiting just so they could get rid of trapping and hounding.

Never mind the fact that 91 percent of the bears killed in Maine each year are killed over baits. Never mind the fact that hounding and trapping are much less popular methods of hunting and are not widespread in the state.

If the referendum had simply said, “Do you want to ban the trapping of bears in Maine,” I expect that an overwhelming majority of voters would have voted “Yes,” tradition and heritage notwithstanding.

As it was, referendum supporters got greedy, targeted baiting as well, and lost.

The fact that the state sees baiting as a necessary management tool carried a lot of weight, as it should have.

But the fight isn’t over. The days of successfully defending our traditions and heritage based solely on the argument that they are our traditions and heritage are over.

The real lesson of this referendum fight may be this: We hunters and outdoorsmen can’t simply defend our practices with the catch-all “We Always Have Done It This Way …”

Voters won’t buy it.

And like it or not, if we can’t come up with a rational explanation for our outdoor activities, at some point voters will stand up, tell us they disagree with us, and tell us to change.

Times have changed. This time, sportsmen won, thanks to a reasonable campaign that focused on the scientific validity of baiting as a management tool.

Notice that referendum opponents talked about baiting. Notice that referendum supporters talked about trapping and hounding (while trying to lump “baiting” into the equation).

And notice that virtually unmentioned in any opposition arguments were defenses of the practices of trapping and hounding.

Rest assured, referendum supporters noticed this. And rest assured, they’re going to be back.

This time, they’ll look to outlaw trapping. They’ll look to outlaw hounding.

And when that happens, if we as sportsmen can’t come up with a thoughtful, well-reasoned counter-argument, we’d better be prepared for the outcome.

Mandate or no mandate.

From the home front: While I’ve spent a few hours in the woods this week trying to bag my first career buck, I’ve had very little luck thus far.

The deer, it seems, are just a bit more stealthy than I am (not that should surprise anyone).

I’m OK with that. I’m still a relative newcomer to the hunting game, and I’m learning a lot each time I head afield. I was prepared for that. I’m seeing more deer … hearing more deer … and I’m confident that some day, I’ll even have a personal deer tale to tell you.

There have been times, however, when my patience has run a little thin, and I have begun to believe that the deer are taunting me.

Like Monday morning, for instance.

At about 8 a.m., I found that a doe and two fawns had decided to browse on the grass on my back lawn. I watched from the window as the trio traipsed back and forth, not 30 feet from the house.

Although I have jokingly told many people that the new deck on our house would make a perfect deer stand, I fully expected the deer to become a bit more wary when hunting season arrived.

Not these three. They wandered back and forth for quite some time and were still there when I headed for work.

One fawn, unfortunately, had apparently been struck by a car, and was walking awkwardly on an obviously broken leg.

The deer was able to feed and keep up with his family members but may have some trouble come winter.

Later that day, I headed into the woods a few miles away for the final hour or two of daylight. I sat as still as I could. I heard a few deer.

And I saw nothing.

I guess if I really want to see deer, I’ll just have to sit and look out my window.

Game wardens – like other law enforcement personnel – are often unappreciated and misunderstood.

For many outdoorsmen and

-women, the only interaction we get with the boys (and girls) in green comes when they ask for our fishing or hunting license.

The more time I spend with members of the Warden Service, the more I come to respect the men and women who choose to take a difficult job and do it exceedingly well.

That’s why I’m pleased to tell you about a ceremony the Warden Service will conduct in Wesley on Sunday.

As reported in this space a few months ago, wardens were looking for help in finding the gravesite of a fellow warden who died in the line of duty in 1886.

Thanks to local historians, the grave of Wdn. Charles Niles was located in Upper Hillside Cemetery on Route 9 in Wesley.

Now, wardens will gather to pay their respects to their fallen comrade, who was killed by a poacher more than 100 years ago.

Niles and his cousin, fellow warden Lyman Hill, were both killed in the incident.

The Warden Service held a similar memorial service for Hill in 1999.

Local game wardens have the approval of Niles’ distant relatives to purchase a new headstone that will have Niles’ name on it. Wardens plan to purchase the headstone with personal funds.

The memorial will take place at 1 p.m. at the Upper Hillside Cemetery.

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