ASSOCIATED PRESS • November 18, 2020
As sales of hunting and fishing licenses are spiking in much of the U.S. Weary of being cooped up at home — and of masking and social distancing when they go elsewhere — they’re taking refuge in outdoor sports that offer safety and solitude. The trend has abruptly reversed a steady decline in hunting’s popularity that once appeared permanent and provided a potential new source of food for families and food banks pressed by the pandemic. Maine reports a state record for deer hunting permits. Maine boosted its permits this year to control a deer herd that has swelled in recent years because of mild winters.