By Bonnie Washuk,Staff Writer

AUGUSTA – Allowing Sunday hunting would be shooting hunters in the foot, because private landowners would shut their land to hunting if the law passes, opponents of the idea said Thursday.

Those in favor countered that just as shopping was once not allowed and is now embraced, it’s time for Maine to end a ban on Sunday hunting.

Numerous groups and individuals jammed into in a crowded State House hearing room to object to, or plead for, a limited Sunday hunting law. The proposal is part of Gov. John Baldacci’s budget bill, and would not allow Sunday deer hunting with firearms. It would allow Sunday bow hunting of bear and moose, small game, and deer. Most waited hours to testify, and wore either orange “yes” or red-and-white “no” stickers. By late in the afternoon, 19 had testified in favor, 46 against.

Gail Roberts, 71, of Turner, scolded state officials for even thinking of Sunday hunting, saying Sunday peace and quiet in the wild should not be for sale.

“I can’t imagine our state with seven days a week of shooting, seven days when nine out of 10 of us are confined to our back yards or less, afraid of being shot,” Roberts said. “Is one day of peace and serenity of nature’s beauty that is Maine too much to ask?” She asked lawmakers “to have the courage to shoot down this horrible idea.”

Kilt Andrew of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine said any Sunday hunting would be bad public policy, because it would lead to landowners no longer allowing hunters on their land. Small woodland owners “willingly provide free access for hunters six days out of seven days a week. Isn’t that enough?” Andrew asked.

Jon Olson of the Maine Farm Bureau Association agreed, saying farmers also willingly allow hunting on their land, “but we want Sunday to ourselves.”

Joe Holman of Farmington, a former guide and a hunter, acknowledged that Sunday hunting could bring in more money, but that too much wildlife would be taken. Maine should not balance its budget “on the wings of partridge or the backs of rabbits,” he said.

Leading those who favor Sunday hunting was George Smith of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine. Smith said he recently attended national hunting conventions, and there was little representation of Maine. Allowing Sunday hunting would lead to a stronger Maine economy because more out-of-staters would hunt here.

SAM members agreed to continue supporting the higher $3 fees on licenses and registrations – a fee that was to disappear – on the condition they get Sunday hunting, he said. “Taking Sunday hunting out of this budget would be an economic disaster for our state, relegating us to the bottom tier of hunting destination states,” Smith said. “A few behind me may say they don’t care, but I have to care, and you have to care.”

Smith praised Baldacci for understanding why Sunday hunting is needed, and reminded the audience that Sunday hunting would be allowed only for bear, moose, turkey, waterfowl, coyote, woodcock and pheasant, and would be permitted only for hunters using muzzle-loaders and bows. He said those limitations would attract fewer hunters than the largest group, those who hunt deer with firearms.

Smith disagreed that Sunday hunting would lead to most landowners posting their land.

Edith Cronk of Wiscasset and Leo Soucy of Lewiston were among those who also asked for Sunday hunting. Cronk said she observes her religion on Saturday, which means she can’t hunt on weekends.

Soucy, a member of SAM, the National Rifle Association, Ducks Unlimited, Maine Bow Hunters and SWOAM, said he has hunted seven days a week in Canada and other states where Sunday hunting was never an issue.

“Growing up in Maine it never made much sense why we couldn’t hunt on Sunday, but we could fish on Sunday,” he said. “Back then, most of the stores were closed on Sunday.” Fortunately for business most Sunday restrictions, such as shopping, no longer apply, he said. It’s not right, Soucy added, that “the malls are busy on Sundays, but I still can’t hunt.”