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Time is Key: Let's Try All-Day Spring Turkey Hunting

May 13, 2009 - About the only thing you can be certain of on when it comes to Maine's turkeys seasons is change. Every year there seems to be something different -- like this year's abandonment of the split season -- and there are already several interesting proposals circulating for next year.

According to Sportsman's Alliance of Maine Executive Director George Smith's latest report, a proposal to increase the spring bag limit to two birds was included in the IFW budget, which has yet to be approved. Under the plan, hunters could choose between a $20 one-bird or $40 two-bird permit, but would have to choose before the season. According to Smith, the Legislature's fish and wildlife committee also discussed the possibility of a two-bird fall limit. That was dropped, however, due to IFW's well-founded concerns about overharvesting hens.

Meanwhile, another bill was heard before the committee on April 14. If enacted, it would set the bag limits for the fall and spring seasons at two wild turkeys per permitholder, per season. It would provide a complimentary wild turkey hunting permit to any person holding a valid junior hunting license and exempt a turkey harvested during a youth hunting day from bag limits. It would eliminate the current permit fees of $20 per resident and $47 per nonresident and replace them with a single $25 permit for residents and nonresidents. And last but not least, it would set the turkey hunting hours between a half-hour before sunrise and half-hour after sunset.

As is so often the case, there are good and bad to both proposals. For starters, both are a tad too liberal in terms of bag limits. Maine doesn't have as many turkeys as some folks apparently think. Two birds in the spring and two in the fall, for a total of four is far too much hunting mortality. Research has shown that fall hunting mortality on hens can have a significant effect on population growth, which would almost certainly be the case in Maine if we allowed every hunter the opportunity to take two. That, combined with allowing two bearded birds in the spring would also have a deleterious effect on the quality of the spring hunt -- in direct opposition to the state's wild turkey management plan.

An acceptable compromise, in my humble opinion, would be a two-bird bag limit, similar to what we have now, but with a slight change. Currently, hunters may take one bearded bird in the spring and one either-sex bird in the fall. My suggestion would be to allow the hunter a choice on their second bird. They could take an additional bearded bird in the spring, or a bird of either sex in the fall, but not both. I'm also against handing out free permits to kids. I have two, and would certainly appreciate the financial savings. But with IFW in such dire financial straits, it's irresponsible to support any type of cuts in license or permit fees.

As far as all-day hunting, I'm all in for that. IFW Bird Group leader Brad Allen phoned me one day last spring to ask what changes I might suggest for Maine's turkey hunting seasons -- as if anyone had to ask. For years I've been the lone voice calling for all-day spring hunting in New England (spring hunting in all six states now ends at noon). I again dropped that in his suggestion box, not really expecting anything to come of it. Several months later I got a delightful surprise in the form of a Notice of Agency Rulemaking proposal that included a change to all-day hunting. That was killed for this season but will be revisited in committee again.

My strongest argument in favor of all-day hunting is my kids. They go to school during the day. Sure, we could slip out for an hour or two before, but getting them up before the crack of dawn on a school day is not only tough, it quickly becomes irresponsible. Because Maine does not allow Sunday hunting, that leaves them four Saturdays plus youth day. Throw in baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer and you're lucky if you can get them into the woods two or three days a season. If they could hunt after school, they could hunt far more often.

That additional hunting time probably wouldn't have a significant impact on the resource. In states that allow all-day hunting – most states – far fewer people actually hunt in the afternoon. That means less interaction and fewer potential conflicts with land users and landowners. Furthermore, biological arguments for noon cessation are largely obsolete. Back when turkeys were few and far between, biologists were concerned that too much human traffic could affect productivity. Recent research has shown it's far less of an impact, especially in healthy turkey populations. I'm glad to pay my way, and that of my kids. I just want more time to take them afield.

BOB HUMPHREY May 7, 2009 , Portland Press Herald


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