MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • May 23, 2021
In the 90s the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife was still in the process of mapping and rating DWAs. The idea was to identify and protect habitat that represents a limiting factor for deer. Without sufficient quantity and quality of winter habitat, deer struggled to survive sometimes harsh winters. The effort was good in theory but fell short in practice because most of the DWAs were on private land, where landowners were often resistant to restrictions that could represent a financial hardship; so the state backed off. Instead, they sought cooperative agreements that also proved positive in theory but largely failed in practice. Meanwhile the deer herd dwindled. If passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, “An Act To Preserve Deer Habitat” is a long overdue remedy that could change deer hunting in Maine for the better. Rather than burdening private landowners, the state would own the land. ~ Bob Humphrey