Celebrity hunt raises $5,000 for tribal fund

JACKMAN – The food was superb, the accommodations bang-up, but the two men who got to hunt with Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon went home minus a Maine moose or any other game for that matter.

But according to Passamaquoddy Tribal Attorney Craig Francis, who helped organize the fundraiser, the hunters went home last month contented. “Everybody had a lot of fun,” he said.

The event raised more than $5,000.

The personable Papelbon lent his name and hunting expertise to the hunt to help raise money for the Chief Melvin Francis Memorial Fund. Francis was killed in an automobile accident in January. This past summer, organizers put together a raffle and eBay auction – the winners got to hunt with Papelbon. The man who bid on the eBay ticket lives in Florida but originally lived in Maine. The other hunter was from Massachusetts.

What made the event so unique is that this is the first time nontribal members were allowed to hunt moose on Passamaquoddy land in Jackman. The tribe owns more than 60,000 acres in that area, extending from Somerset to Franklin counties.

And it also was a first for avid hunter Papelbon, who said he usually hunts smaller game – deer, ducks and hogs. Chief Joseph Barnes of the Pleasant Point Police Department said no one took a moose home, although the hunter from Massachusetts passed up smaller shoots. “He was looking for a trophy bull and passed up two smaller ones,” the chief said.

In addition to the uncooperative moose, the weather was just as contrary. It poured.

The sports channel NESN was there to document the hunt, and the producer and cameraman found themselves for a time stuck near the rain-swollen river.

Barnes said it took tribal members nearly two hours to rescue them. A tribal member who happened to be returning to Indian Township found them stranded in their car and called for help.

The television crew “came in a little after 5 a.m. [Our tribal member] saw the headlights and heard the horn. At first he thought the NESN car went off the bridge,” Barnes said. “When [the television crew’s car] got to where they were at, it was the safest place they could be. It was a high bridge and water was licking the bottom of the bridge, but they weren’t underwater, but where they came through was dangerous because their headlights went under the water for a bit till they got to the bridge.”

The Papelbon piece is expected to air later this month on NESN.

“They didn’t get a thing. That’s the way of hunting. Everybody was bagging them except the nontribal members. I guess they [the moose] can spot nontribal members a mile away and stayed away,” Francis said with a chuckle.

But the hunters and Papelbon did get to stay in the tribally owned warden camp. “Indian Township very graciously sent up a lot of guys to help,” Francis said. The Passamaquoddy have two reservations: Indian Township, near Princeton, and Pleasant Point, near Eastport.

Barnes said Papelbon made the hunt fun for everyone. “The atmosphere around Jonathan is unbelievable. He’s a great guy. Very down to earth,” Barnes said.

This was the tribe’s first effort at a fundraiser like this, and Francis said he believes it will do better next year. “We’re going to try and make it an annual thing and our goal is to have a better process in place,” he said.

When the foundation was organized earlier this year, the attorney said the foundation would start slowly by funding smaller projects.

Among the suggestions were buying sneakers for the tribe’s youths or gym shorts for the Beatrice Rafferty elementary students.

Those who wish to donate can make checks payable to the Chief Melvin Francis Memorial Fund. Checks can be sent to Bangor Savings Bank or to the housing authority at 15 Elders Way, Pleasant Point-Perry, 04667. Or they may call Cleaves at 853-6021 or Craig Francis at 775-7271.