OQUOSSOC – In a region that values its heritage nearly as much as its gorgeous landscape, the focus was on education as well as history on Tuesday as the Rangeley Region Guides’ and Sportsmen’s Association held its ninth annual Outdoor Sporting Heritage Day.
The event, which was held at the association’s clubhouse in Oquossoc, featured variety of activities and an array of presenters displaying all sorts of information to those in attendance, who ranged from the very young to the very old.
“The objective is really educational,” said Don Palmer, president of the club, which is the oldest of its type in Maine. “(We want to) give people a chance to appreciate the wonderful outdoors that we sometimes take for granted, and to expose them to different venues and people that have interesting perspectives of outdoors.”
For those interested in the practical aspects of sporting and fishing, there were fly-casting lessons, tips on forest safety, and a 3-D archery course. For those interested in purchasing Maine-made items, canoe storage boxes, cast-iron pots and pans, and antiques were on sale. And for those with a taste for food, there were authentic 18th century waffles cooked on a cast-iron grill, as well as the traditional hot dogs and burgers.
Although many of the vendors and customers around the clubhouse were from the Rangeley region, some came from farther away. David Tibbetts, a vendor from New Hampshire, says the region just keeps calling him back.
“This area is special to me,” he said. “My kin were some of the original settlers here.”
Tibbetts’ great-grandfather, Freeman Tibbetts, was one of the first guides on Kennebago Lake, where he also built numerous camps. Tibbetts says he still holds a special place in his heart for the region, as well as the heritage days event, where he sells watercolors of the region.
“I think it’s a very good event for the town and for the people that are visiting the area because they see some of the sporting heritage,” he said.
Tibbetts also planned to give a portion of his proceeds from the watercolors to the club.
Along with vendors, there were also representatives of various government agencies, including the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
“This event is very helpful (for us),” said Bill Pierce, a public service representative for the department. “In these folks you’ve got a lot of occasional users. Most of the people that you see here as vendors are aficionados or enthusiasts. They’re very active in hunting and fishing in the state. You take that group and blend it with the occasional user and then you get a greater educational message out.”
One of the messages Pierce was trying to get out concerned catch-and-release fishing, a practice he said is not always as helpful as people may think.
“We’re not against catch-and-release,” said Pierce. “But right now we’re encouraging people during the open-water season to take salmon because there are too many out there.”
Pierce said the department had many other messages that it was trying to get out, and that there was no better place than a gathering ground of sportsmen and outdoorsmen.
Along with the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife booth, there was a display by the Department of Conservation on forest safety, and even a visit by Smokey Bear.
Later in the event was a fly-casting contest for registered Maine guides. First place in the competition earned a $250 prize courtesy of the club.
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