Maine is ahead of much of the nation when it comes to hunting. We may not have the biggest deer or the most grouse, but we do have an increasing number of licensed hunters while most states are seeing declines.
About 15% of Mainers hold a hunting license of some type. Many of us were born into hunting families, but more and more people with no hunting background are taking up the sport.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has a program that connects experienced hunters with newcomers. Visit learnhunting.org to get paired with a knowledgeable mentor.
Youth hunt days for deer, bear, turkey and waterfowl have been around for years and now offer two days for young hunters to get a crack at game.
I grew up with a dad and grandfather who hunted ducks and pheasants. I listened to stories of the “old days” when birds filled the skies and stocked pheasants roamed the countryside. It was only natural that I followed in their footsteps.
But I wanted more.
I read articles in “Field and Stream” and “Outdoor Life” about massive deer and wanted in on the fun. When I went to college, I had roommates and friends who deer hunted, so I joined them.
Most Saturdays — and more than a few skipped classes — were spent chasing deer around the outskirts of Orono with my roommate Jeff Davis of Woolwich. I shot my first deer, a small buck, in Corinna with Mike Brown of Bath, whose family had a rustic camp in nearby farm country.
Over the years I’ve introduced countless young people to hunting and fishing — and enjoyed every minute of it. Now I have an older student to mentor, and I’m looking forward to it.
Colby Wyatt, 51, of Gorham is my girlfriend’s brother. A physician with a busy, demanding schedule and now an empty nester, Colby was looking for a hobby that’s both fun and rewarding.
He saw the deer and turkey we’ve harvested from our farm and wanted in on the action. He also enjoyed the smoked venison sausage I serve every Thanksgiving. After a few conversations and range sessions trying out different guns, we took to the turkey woods this spring.
Colby learned one thing for certain — hunting doesn’t always end with a kill shot. Despite my best efforts, we watched gobblers locked up with hens, refusing to come to our decoys or calls.
Opening day found me alone in my blind when Colby was called into work, so I took “his” gobbler. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the time outdoors, the challenge and the strategy of the hunt, and he was hooked.
Last week I took Colby up to the logging roads above Rangeley to introduce him to grouse hunting. We drove the roads and hiked the skidder trails, finally putting him on his first bird. He made a clean shot at about 35 yards and connected with a shotgun borrowed from his cousin.
He used his surgeon’s skills to deftly fillet the breast from the carcass and enjoyed it the next day. We saw deer, a bobcat, a rabbit and more grouse. We talked about feed, habitat and hunting strategies.
Opening day will find us chasing deer. With a borrowed rifle from my arsenal, some range time and a map review of our hunting areas, Colby will embark on his first deer hunt.
I have some nice deer on camera at the farm, and Colby has two any-deer permits for spots I hunt. Our chances are good to at least see a deer, and taking one would be a milestone Colby will never forget.
I can still picture that little buck in the potato field in Corinna 40 years ago.
