Once again this year, dozens of sportsmen, guides, outfitters, politicians and fish and game policymakers gathered at the Augusta Elk’s Lodge to socialize and talk fish and game issues. Sponsored by the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM), the event has evolved into a golden opportunity – not only for Maine sportsmen to soak up information, but to offer opinions and to be heard.

The agenda was an ambitious one that covered a lot of issues including hunting, trapping, land and water access, the bear referendum, funding problems of the Fish and Wildlife Department, ATVs, Sunday hunting, coyote snaring, invasive species and growing larger landlocked salmon.

Most of the day consisted of panel discussions followed by questions from the floor.

Governor Baldacci showed up prior to lunch and offered a few remarks. SAM director George Smith and Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Dan Martin shared the moderator duties.

Earlier this fall, when I asked the new Fish and Wildlife boss if he had confronted any surprises in his new job, he said that he was amazed at the multitude of different “hot button” issues that different sportsmen hold near and dear.

At no event is this point more evident than at this Augusta gathering. In fact, there were almost as many different opinions as there were sportsmen in attendance.

Here are some impressions from the SAM Congress that made it into my notebook:

• Governor Baldacci made it clear that he “strongly” supports traditional methods of bear hunting, including bear baiting. He said that the bear baiting ban would be disastrous for both Maine’s rural economy and effective bear population management. He did seem to tiptoe a bit around a question put to him by Harold “Brownie” Brown, the outgoing chairman of the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council. Brownie asked the governor, “Will you be as publicly visible and active in opposing the bear referendum campaign as you were during the casino campaign?”

• DIF&W’s No. 3 man, Ken Elowe, explained that a potential law suit against the Department’s coyote snaring program had forced the Department to close down this winter’s statewide coyote snaring program. Traditionally this has been a controversial, super-charged issue; yet, Elowe’s announcement did not provoke a single question from the sportsmen in attendance! Go figure. Someone might have asked: ” Does this mean then that future wildlife management programs can be compromised or eliminated by the mere threat of litigation?

• Maine currently has an estimated bear population of 23,000. According to biologist Jennifer Vachon, the state’s ultimate carrying capacity for black bear is about 36,000. She was asked what would likely happen to the bear population in the event of a ban on Maine’s traditional bear hunt. Vachon said that “it would be difficult to say” what the “social carrying capacity” would be for black bear, but that the Department was working on a “model” to ascertain this.

• Although the state has 300,000 acres of deer wintering areas listed in protective cooperative agreements with large timberland owners, these are simply good- faith agreements and not legally binding. Under the best conditions these agreements may protect about 50 percent of traditional deer wintering areas.

• The University of Maine has had some success in the hatchery rearing of smelts, Maine’s most important baitfish for landlocked salmon and other Maine coldwater game fish.

• Matt Scott, Maine’s former Deputy Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, said that the answer to DIF&Ws critical funding headaches was to face the music and raise license fees!

• According to turkey biologist Andy Weik, spring turkey hunters will be issued 15,600 permits, which is significantly more than last spring. In fact, says Weik, if applications remain about the same, Maine should have an unlimited turkey hunt by about 2007.

• Chief Warden Col.Tim Peabody commended Maine sportsmen for another safe hunt. No fatalities. Peabody also announced that Maine Game Wardens finally have a funded retirement program. The unresolved retirement issue had been one cause of morale problems within the ranks of the wardens.

• Don Helstrom and Dave Tobey, officers of the Maine Professional Guide’s Association (MPGA) announced that their organization has pledged to raise an additional $100,000 for the upcoming bear referendum battle. MPGA has already contributed $20,000 toward this cause.

• Commissioner Dan Martin said that the Department would support a limited Sunday hunting bill that will come to a legislative vote this winter. The bill, if enacted, would be a two-year experiment that provides for Sunday hunting of small game only in three northernmost Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs). These districts all fall within the boundaries of North Maine Woods ownership. Al Cowperthwaite, director of NMW, said that his organization was neutral on the issue.

Finally, a margin note to myself that is perhaps worthy of mention. “If the Commish can run the Fish and Wildlife Department as well as he moderates an all-day meeting, he’ll do OK.”

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WCME-FM 96.7) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is paul@sportingjournal.com.

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