By Doug Fletcher,Staff Writer

A proposed trade – Sunday hunting in exchange for increases in license costs and other fees – will be aired by Maine lawmakers today.

Loads of people, both for and against the deal, are expected to offer their points of view.

George Smith, executive director of the 16,500-member Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, frames the picture this way: “We’re willing to pay, but give us something back.”

It’s all part of Gov. John Baldacci’s attempt to balance the state budget and fund the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

There are three major provisions to the department’s budget:

• Allow Sunday hunting, except during deer season.

• Allow out-of-state hunters to hunt on the first day of deer season, which is now reserved for Mainers.

• Make permanent $3 increases in hunting and fishing licenses and related fees that took effect two years ago and were supposed to be temporary.

All three provisions are meant to boost funding for the department. Sunday hunting and first-day hunting for out-of-staters is expected to draw more hunters into Maine woods, as well as increase recreational spending by outdoorsmen and women.

And officials estimate the $3 increase in license costs and other fees equates to $5.3 million over the two-year budget period.

Department spokesman Mark Latti said the Sunday hunting proposal has prompted most of the public reaction so far. “Some people were for it, some were not,” he said, referring to the calls and mail his department has received.

Smith will be speaking in favor of the bill.

He said his organization made it clear to Baldacci that if he wanted to make the $3 across-the-board license and fee increase permanent, Baldacci had to give something in return.

That something is Sunday hunting – except during the rifle season on deer in November – along with allowing nonresidents the right to hunt on deer season’s opening day.

Hunting, fishing and related activities “are huge – a billion-dollar economic impact” in Maine, Smith said. To keep it that way, the state has to be competitive, he added. That means Sunday hunting, because it’s allowed in Vermont and New Hampshire. Those states will siphon off hunters unless Maine makes itself more appealing, Smith said.

However, not everyone will be supporting the legislation as written.

A group representing some landowners plans to have people argue against Sunday hunting, a day set aside by some farmers and others for chores in woods and fields when hunters traditionally haven’t been around.

And Bob Meyers, executive director of the Maine Snowmobile Association, said he’s unhappy with the state’s underfunding of the department.

“It’s getting worse and worse and worse,” he said.

IF&W’s proposed two-year budget is roughly $28 million. Baldacci also plans to give the department $1.4 million in General Fund money. It would be earmarked for duties not related to fish and wildlife issues, such as snowmobile law enforcement and search and rescue efforts.

Meyers said he intends to call for the Legislature to honor its commitment to fund 18 percent of the department’s budget with General Fund revenue. That would be about $4 million.

He and Smith both noted that legislation passed several years ago required the 18 percent funding, which would pay for efforts unrelated to fish and wildlife issues.

For example, as a result of the underfunding, Meyers said, the department isn’t paying enough attention to snowmobile safety. Now, one warden per district is charged with investigating snowmobile accidents.

This past weekend, one warden had to handle two Saturday accidents that happened within a half-hour of each other in Wilton and Rangeley that resulted in serious injuries to three sledders. The same warden had to handle a third accident Sunday while nine wardens were in Auburn serving search warrants related to a hunting-related criminal trespass case.

“We think they (game wardens) do a pretty remarkable job,” Meyers said, “but they can’t continue to function this way.”

A hearing on the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife budget starts at 1 p.m. in the Appropriations Committee room in the State House. Members of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and the Appropriations Committee will conduct the hearing.