A Thorne fan wonders

I am a big fan of National Hockey Night and watching you [Gary Thorne] and Bill [Clement] call the game. Not many fans will admit it, but the broadcasting team has a lot to do with how entertaining an event can be.

I am curious. I only see you broadcast maybe one or two games a week for ESPN and wonder how you fill the rest of your week. Do you have the greatest job on earth and only work one evening a week or do you do other broadcasting I may not see here in California?

Thanks,

Bill Hayton

Mainers being fleeced

[Gov. Angus] King and the Legislature have condemned the DIF&W to sink or swim on the monies it can generate from issuing licenses and permits. Only about 10 percent of DIF&W’s budget is provided by the General Fund. Does the State Police have to live off the fines it can generate? Does the Attorney General’s department have to make due on court awards?

The monies saved by not properly funding the DIF&W out of the General Fund can be piddled away on laptop computers and trips to Europe, Asia and South America on the naive and misguided impression that businesses there should locate here in one of the highest taxing states in the nation!

The DIG&W cries, “We need more money!” To meet that objective it has instigated a troublesome series of schemes: 1) Stating – as a matter of fact- that deer and moose populations are way up (who can say otherwise) so it can sell more licenses. 2) Expanding the areas for moose hunting, 3) Expanding the seasons for turkey and deer hunting. 4) Increasing the number of deer you can tag from one to two in certain designated areas -more licenses and fees. 5) Charging an additional fee when tagging a deer, moose, etc.

The DIF&W is significantly reducing Maine’s wildlife while the paper companies and loggers are clear-cutting our forests. Who will want to vacation in Maine?

We would still have the sea coast, but there is sea coast all over the planet. Why the lodging and supporting enterprises of food, service stations etc. have remained silent on the plunder of Maine’s assets is surprising and disappointing.

So who is to blame for the ongoing disaster? You and I for remaining silent and sitting on our hands; The DIF&W’s singular objective of “We need more money” regardless of the consequences; and the Maine Legislature along with the Governor who must believe that the institution of government is some sort of self-monitoring entity that runs all by itself!

Remember, when the Legislature cried “We need more money,” it unilaterally gave itself a cost-of-living wage increase that automatically puts more money in its pockets year after year. We are being fleeced like docile sheep.

George Chebba

Hampden

Deer hunters need help

Just a few comments that I need to get off my mind.

I am a hunter but can not understand all the complaining from people about not seeing deer. My problem is all that I saw were does. Of the roughly two dozen deer I saw only two were bucks! It was not for lack of being in the woods as some people would suggest, as I only missed about four days of the season. Rain and wind did keep me out of the woods.

I do not understand why, though, extended season bowhunters were allowed to take extra deer. If there are so many deer, as [biologist] Mr. [Gerry] Lavigne is obviously stating, why should I not be allowed to take a doe with my shotgun out of the exact same location? Even in the last week, like “the good old days” or the last day for that matter, I saw five of those does in District 18 where doe permits were slashed for this year.

While I’m at it, why should hunters have to bear the whole brunt of the DIFW $8 million budget shortfall? People in general complain that sportsmen will want something in return for license fee increases. Well is this not the way of the world, give something to get something?

My suggestion would be possibly Sunday hunting, for residents. How many hunters pay for the right to hunt on four or five Saturdays, if they are lucky, because they have to work the five days a week that hunting is legal? Another thought would be set the season back a week or two so we actually have a chance at cold weather and maybe even snow.

Louis R. Thompson Jr.

Bangor