ORONO – Matt Hammond is an outdoorsy kind of guy.

Growing up in Elmira, N.Y., he was an avid hunter and fisherman. So when he committed to play football at the University of Maine, he hoped to take advantage of the outdoor activities available in eastern Maine.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder has spent a lot of time outdoors here – but nearly all of it has been on the football field as a member of the Black Bears.

Hammond has been a mainstay on the UMaine offensive line for the four seasons. Going into Saturday’s Atlantic 10 contest at Northeastern, the senior tackle has played in 42 consecutive games, most as a starter.

“Matt’s been a constant for us for a long time,” said UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove. “He’s really been a guy that we’ve been able to count on and a good football player, a good offensive lineman.”

Hammond was inserted into the UMaine lineup as a redshirt freshman in 2000 and played tackle and guard. Ever since, he has anchored one end of the Bears’ formidable front line.

To what does he attribute his ability to withstand injuries and be in the lineup each week?

“I think it’s more luck than anything,” said Hammond, who was a preseason All-Atlantic 10 first-team selection this season. “In football, everybody gets hurt. It’s just a matter of time.”

This fall, Hammond has had to overcome his share of nagging problems. He has been bothered by a sore ankle and also has been playing with some injured fingers.

“I just wish it wasn’t my last year that I’ve gotten most of my injuries, at least injuries that really affected my playing,” Hammond said.

Hammond is responsible for blocking run plays that go his way and protecting quarterback Ron Whitcomb on pass plays. It is a job in which he takes great pride, as part of a unit that continues to be among the league’s best.

“We hang out a lot outside of football, too, so we’re all real close,” Hammond said of his fellow linemen. “We’re comfortable with each other out there and that helps out a lot.”

Hammond has been part of lines that have produced the No. 3 rusher in UMaine history (Royston English, 2,842 yards) and the No. 8 rusher in current teammate Marcus Williams (2,191 yards).

“He’s been one of those guys that sometimes you don’t even know he’s here because he’s not a rambunctious guy,” Cosgrove said. “He’s been a great student, a great person on campus and a great role model.”

Hammond, who enjoys hunting deer, ducks and geese, hasn’t done any hunting in Maine. Last summer, he was able to get out and do some fishing, including a trip to Moosehead Lake in Greenville.

Recently, he took advantage of the long Columbus Day weekend to return home and begin preparations for the New York deer hunting season.

“I was out hanging some tree stands,” said Hammond, who missed deer season in 2002 because UMaine was in the playoffs. While he longs to hunt, he wouldn’t mind another trip to the postseason with the Bears.

“I can deal with it for one more year,” said Hammond, who particularly enjoys a traditional Thanksgiving hunt with his father and grandfather. “I’m definitely going to do some hunting when I get done with football, but I want to make my last season the best it can be.”

Hammond plans to graduate in May with a degree in public management. His goal is to become a New York state trooper.

“I’m someone who always wants to be outside, and I like driving around, too,” said Hammond who plans to continue enjoying his time outdoors with the Bears on Saturday afternoons.