Monthly Archives: March 2017

Lots of opinions shared in Sportsmen Say Surveys

The opinions expressed in my Sportsmen Say Surveys are always interesting. I dedicated the survey to Gene Letourneau, whose Sportsmen Say columns appeared every day for 50 years in the newspapers of central and southern Maine. Sadly, we don’t get coverage and reporting like that anymore. Gene was an inspiration to many of us. He […]

Legislature considers making canoeists wear life jackets

It was a sad and sorrowful tragedy that provoked a Passamaquoddy Mom to seek legislation making it mandatory for canoeists to wear their life jackets. Sponsored on that Mom’s behalf by Senator Joyce Maker of Washington County, the public hearing on LD 342 drew several people from the Passamaquoddy Tribe who spoke in favor of […]

Deer baiting gets lively debate at legislature

                A lively hearing on LD 62, An Act to Remove the Prohibition on Baiting Deer, drew lots of testimony on both sides of the issue. Senator Peter Lyford, a member of the legislature’s IFW Committee, sponsored the bill, and another committee member, Steve Wood, cosponsored it along with five other legislators. Among several opponents […]

Fish hatchery study wins support at legislature

“We could help DIF&W reduce their hatchery costs. I believe their technology is outdated.” Those were the words of Sebastian Belle, testifying in favor of LD 471, my bill that would create a Hatchery Commission to study DIF&W’s fish production facilities and issue recommendations next year. Representative Jared Golden sponsored my bill and delivered excellent […]

Legislature debates if you need to notify neighbors when your python gets loose

“Cats are destructive little bastards.” That was a comment from Jason Perillo who was testifying against my proposal to require permits for all exotic animals and require the Warden Service and neighbors to be notified if that exotic animal gets loose. Perillo has a business in Winthrop that includes 1400 exotic animals, none of which […]