‘No’ to more gate fees

Profits, at the expense and detriment of others, was evident when commercial interests’ “puppets” sang their praise of corporate landowners when the Legislature Committee, studying access to private/public lands, held its recent meeting in Millinocket. The testimony by Donald Helstrom and Peter Pray showed contempt for the “lowly Maine sportsmen” and proved to whom they are beholden.

Helstrom, owner of a bear bait/hunting guide service, praised the comfortable, profitable and cozy arrangement corporate landowners provide. His testimony implied that since he sees “the guys” drinking beer at the local pubs, they can well afford gate fees to access our own lands and waters (180,000 acres behind gates).

The anti-hunters, traditional hunters (who don’t hunt for profit), and other commercial interests disagree with Helstrom’s actions. He wants to “price” us or “lease” us out of the hundreds of acres to bait and shoot bear, which is akin to shooting a pet pig! This could trigger a move to ban this type of hunting.

Mr. Pray owns Big Eddy (West Branch) campground. He is not the best spokesman to be saying we should “welcome” gate fees.

We subsidize millions (from Tree Growth Tax) to corporate landowners; $85 million, Indian lands claims (including corporate lands); Bowater benefits $1.3 billion (hydro power from our rivers); we pay wardens, biologists, foresters and forest fire suppression tax; we stock fish, including West Branch where Pray enjoys the profits; we citizens own the water, fish and game, and we pay enough already!

Darrell Morrow

Millinocket

Fleming measure up

This note is intended to be one of the praise for Deirdre Fleming, and the BDN.

Having been fortunate enough to carry a fishing rod in Maine since I was able to walk, and a gun shortly after, I have read all of our outdoor writers over the years, Owen Osborne, Bud [Leavitt], Gene Letourneau (Portland Press), and Tommy Hennessey (68 years of writers).

Deirdre, you measure up to the best of writers. Thank you for stepping in and filling a giant need for all outdoors people. Your recent coverage on moose and traffic safety was outstanding.

I must add that scholastic sports are very important to our society, and I played my share. But lately in the BDN, it has been four pages of games, including the pros, but hardly a line, on a daily basis, of Maine Outdoor sports, an activity of the greatest number of Mainers and others who enjoy our outdoors and contribute to our economy.

Communications is a great thing. Now the Maine Fish and Wildlife Department and the Warden Service do a good job, they try to direct us, in safe and rewarding ways, to our sport. However, with no means of hearing how they and others are affecting our sport, we are blind.

But now Deirdre Fleming, on a daily basis, for a long time, I hope. Good luck, Deirdre.

Joe Vachon

Stetson

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