How Maine’s George Smith went from deer hunter to birder and what I learned

I miss George Smith. Before he passed away four years ago, George was arguably the state’s foremost champion for hunting and fishing. He served as Executive Director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine for 18 years, and mastered all media as a tireless advocate for traditional outdoor sports.

George was also a birder, although he didn’t start out that way. He didn’t even realize he was becoming a birder, until it was almost too late. As he told me later, he’d sit in a tree stand, at eye level with the birds. Once the birds got used to his presence, they would go about their business right under his nose. He’d forget about the deer he was supposedly hunting.

I was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2005 and spent six terms in Augusta. Politicians come and go, but George was always there. George and I crossed paths and crossed swords regularly in committee sessions, and we became friends.

One spring morning 20 years ago, I volunteered to help George identify all the birds around his house in Mt. Vernon. We planned to meet at daybreak, with plenty of time for a quick survey before donning suits and ties and heading for the State House.

George’s rural backyard turned out to be a bird haven. He was astonished by all the species hidden in his treetops that he hadn’t known were there.

He promptly bought binoculars and a spotting scope – probably the first scope he ever owned that didn’t have crosshairs. He already loved to travel for birds, primarily to hunt pheasants. He started traveling to far-flung bird-watching destinations. George especially loved Arizona and Costa Rica.

This story is not unique. Hunters and birders engage with wildlife in surprisingly similar ways. The biggest difference is that I don’t bring the wildlife home. I have birding friends who are also hunters. They are fun to bird with because they have a keen eye for movement.

Beginning birders focus on building their identification skills. Once that is accomplished, the real excitement comes from watching bird behavior. It’s endlessly fascinating.

Bird hunters skip right to that behavior-observation part. Ducks are understandably suspicious of humans. I chuckle at all the effort hunters must go through to fool a duck.

I love getting into the North Maine Woods in autumn. These days, I share the logging roads with grouse hunters. We are both watching the same behavior. Ruffed grouse are drawn to roadsides, first to warm up in the morning sun, and then to forage along the open edges where food is more visible.

You can watch a grouse think. When it becomes aware of your presence, it must decide if it is better off freezing motionless, hoping to avoid detection, or flying off in a thunder of wingbeats. It’s not an easy decision, and they watch you, looking for clues about what you’re going to do next.

Wild turkeys have keen eyesight and hearing. It is surprisingly difficult to outsmart a turkey. Fortunately, like males of virtually every species, toms get dumber when intent on mating.

Furthermore, turkeys often roost in trees where they are safer from ground-based predators at night. This does make them more vulnerable to owls, however, and if they hear an owl at dusk, they are apt to gobble, revealing where they are perched. If hunters can determine where turkeys are roosting in the evening, they’ll know where to find them in the morning.

Naturally, anyone spending time in the woods can expect to interact with non-game bird species. The forest has watchful eyes. Chickadees are especially vigilant, and prone to announcing the arrival of intruders. Blue jays watch for trouble. Crows are danger-aware. Other birds, some mammals, and a few amphibians take note of alarm calls. Birdwatchers get birdwatched.

One behavior I watch is to see when birds decide I’m not a threat and resume their lives.

I’ve also wondered, what else do chickadees warn about besides people? I’m guessing bird predators, like foxes and fishers. Certainly raptors. How about deer? Bears? Moose? Do birds signal their approach? I may never see it for myself, but I’m guessing that anyone sitting silently in a blind or tree stand has the answer. Hunters, be careful, or you may end up becoming a birder like George Smith.

Or maybe I can figure it out myself. Three years ago, I bought a portable blind at Cabela’s, primarily designed for turkey-hunting – and suitable for discreet wildlife-watching. I’ve never used it. Maybe it’s time to play hide-and-seek.