Today is the end of Maine’s deer hunting season.

Unless you live in, say, Rangeley, where deer hunting ended last week. Only muzzle loader hunting, though. If you use a rifle, the season ended in November. Bow hunters have been idle for weeks.

All in all, deer season in Maine lasts about 10 weeks, another reason the Pine Tree State is a true sportsman’s paradise. But the season is disjointed, carved by choice of weapon and geography, which can cause confusion.

The death of a young Paris woman in a hunting incident on Thursday is an absolute tragedy; a horrible mistake made by a veteran hunter, out searching for deer during the waning days of the muzzle loader season.

How many people are truly aware of the seasons? In Paris, muzzle loader season lasts longer than in other areas of the state, because of its location in the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife’s “Wildlife Management Districts,” which cuts Maine into 30 separate zones.

According to the IF&W, the zones were created to simplify hunting, by eliminating zones defined by species. “For each WMD, we made a concerted effort to select clearly recognizable physical boundaries to reduce confusion for hunters,”the IF&W Web site states.

While the IF&W’s efforts are laudable, the question of who is responsible to inform all of Maine’s outdoor recreators about the hunting seasons must be asked. The young woman in Paris may not have been wearing safety orange, which makes us wonder whether she knew hunting was still permitted where she lived.

And if she didn’t, do others? Only Friday did the first whips of Maine’s winter descend on Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties; there has been ample opportunity for outdoor activity during November’s mild days.

Most Mainers, by now, know approximately when hunting season begins and ends. But for all of us who enjoy the outdoors, approximately isn’t enough. Before treading out to hike, bike or simply take a walk, the public should know exactly when – and where – to expect active hunting throughout the year.

Uniformity in Maine’s hunting seasons could do just that. As could strong public information campaigns about the hunting seasons, targeted at both hunters and recreators alike. The IF&W’s informational radio station, just introduced this week, is an excellent place to begin.

We all need to feel safe in the great outdoors.