SAM proposes apprentice hunter program Ellsworth photo proves deer, turkeys can share same habitat

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In past columns I’ve shared the belief that current hunter safety education requirements create a barrier to participation for older first-time hunters that could be better dealt with through some sort of apprentice program.

My thought: If the state isn’t requiring a 10- to 15-year-old hunter to attend a mandatory hunter safety course before hunting with an adult mentor, then why should a 40-year-old first-time hunter have to complete the course before heading afield?

The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine apparently agrees: In its latest edition of SAM News, the organization’s legislative agenda is itemized. On that agenda is a proposal that would allow hunters to introduce adult friends to the sport and to allow those apprentice hunters to see if they enjoy themselves before committing the time to a 12-hour, state-mandated course.

For now, SAM is calling the proposal “an act to help new hunters.”

Here’s what the group has in mind: “This bill authorizes new hunters to hunt for one year, under the direct supervision of an experienced hunter, without taking the hunter safety course. Essentially, it suspends the requirement that new hunters take the hunter safety course before hunting, while requiring the new hunter to be directly supervised by an experienced hunter and to purchase the apprentice hunting license. This is an initiative of the national Families Afield program.”

From this corner, it seems to be an idea that’s long overdue.

Having the opportunity to take adult friends into the woods to show them how much fun hunting can be – and helping to begin teaching safety lessons that will be fleshed out in the state course – can be a rewarding way to spend time in the woods.

Among SAM’s other legislative priorities:

. An act that would limit the loss of public hunting land by prohibiting the closing of public lands to hunting unless an equal amount of public land was opened.

. A resolve that would create a new hunter safety course that includes options for study-at-home as well as in-the-classroom learning, followed by a day at a shooting range when written tests and shooting will be done. The resolve also seeks a format under which a student could fulfill all requirements for firearms, bow, and crossbow safety in a single course.

. An act to change the state’s deer management system so that all firearms hunters would be allowed to take one antlered deer, and those who successfully applied for an antlerless deer permit could then take a doe or a fawn during archery, firearms, or muzzle-loading season. The act would also seek to apply a $10 fee for the antlerless deer permit to a dedicated account at the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife for landowner relations staffing and other programs.

. An act that would allow young hunters who are successful on Youth Deer Day or Youth Turkey Day to continue hunting during the regular seasons.

. An act that would change the firearms season on deer by beginning it a week later and continuing it for four weeks from that beginning date – the first Saturday in November.

. An act that would open all stocked moving waters to fall catch-and-release fishing in October and November.

Stay tuned for more information as the legislative session in Augusta gets under way.

Deer, turkeys coexisting

Every now and then you’ll hear a frustrated deer hunter claim the continued spread of the wild turkey flock has made deer harder and harder to find.

State biologists have pointed out that while deer and turkeys can eat some of the same foods, each have other options, and deer don’t seem to be impacted by the presence of a sizeable turkey flock.

A reader from Ellsworth checked in this week with an interesting photo that shows that sometimes deer and turkey even seem to enjoy each other’s company.

“Thought you might be interested in this picture my neighbor took when I was not here to see this,” wrote Kenneth Clark.

The photo shows a pair of deer walking in front of an apple tree where a sizeable throng of gobblers are busily feeding.

“There [are] 13 turkeys in this flock, and they have been coming quite often to eat apples off the ground and bird food on the other side of the house,” he wrote. “I think this is a very unusual picture taken right beside my house.”

Thanks for the letter, and for the photo.

CCA meeting well attended

A group interested in organizing a Bangor chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association met Thursday in Bangor with 13 interested anglers and conservationists talking about what it would take to form a local branch.

Ian Burnes, executive director of CCA Maine, opened the meeting to discussion about important issues but told those assembled that forming policy on those issues would be up to the membership after the chapter was officially formed.

Adding a unified local and statewide voice to discussion of regional and national issues, he said, could have a big impact.

Conservation of fish stocks through improved regulation on commercial overfishing of a variety of species was one concern cited by many.

The CCA is a national group consisting of 15 state chapters. Its stated mission is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources while conserving, promoting, and enhancing the present and future availability of coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public.

The group will meet again Jan. 23 in Bangor, when attendees will move ahead with organizational plans for the local chapter.

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