This is in response to the Sun Journal article on the gentleman who was summonsed for leaving his fishing poles unattended (out of his direct line of sight) on Lake Auburn.

I hope this isn’t a sign of what the future looks like for the Maine Warden Service. I can understand the younger wardens making errors in judgment, but one of the wardens mentioned is a supervisor and former warden of the year.

The article reminds me of the joke about how many men does it take to change a lightbulb. Just picture it, three wardens, sitting around watching a couple of guys still fishing for togue on Lake Auburn. Wow, this is serious.

If the man in question is found in violation of the law, he is probably looking at a $100 fine, at best. If all common sense should fail in the court system, we’ll have three wardens writing up detailed reports, spending time with the district attorney preparing for this vicious act against fish and wildlife and, hopefully, all three will show up for a full-blown $100,000 trial, which it sounds like this one is headed for.

What an embarrassment for the senior wardens and the ones who have paid their dues – the ones who have common sense – the ones who can make decisions on their own. I wonder how many summonses Wardens Simmons and Chabot have ever written – you know – the real tough ones, on the bad guys.

Tom Powell, Rumfor