PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A fund-raising dinner was held Saturday night at the Northeastland Hotel, with about $44,000 raised to aid proponents’ efforts to save Maine’s bear hunt. The majority of those in attendance were local business owners whose livelihood is at stake, should bear hunting in the state be modified to prevent baiting, trapping and hounding, as has been proposed by supporters backed by the Humane Society of the United States.
“This was a fund-raising banquet put together by a group of Aroostook County sportsmen representing SAM’s (Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine) guides’ association, the Presque Isle Fish & Game Club and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife,” said event organizer, Dave Hentosh.
Hentosh, who has a degree in wildlife management, is a registered Maine guide. Like his counterparts, he makes a living to support his family by working with hunters throughout the year. He also runs Kicking Bear Camp, which teaches underprivileged and at-risk youth proper and safe hunting techniques.
He said hunting techniques vary from state to state.
“Wildlife is more visible in Colorado, given the terrain and types of forestation. Using the spot-and-stalk method isn’t practical in Maine, given the thick underbrush common to the state’s forests,” said Hentosh.
Hentosh said that’s why baiting, in particular, is necessary.
“Spot-and-stalk is not an effective management tool, given the thickness of Maine forests. Maine is unique in that it has the longest running — 40 years — research program on bears and the highest density (population) east of the Mississippi. It’s the most intensely managed bear population in North America,” said Hentosh.
“If the HSUS has its way, they’ll use the political process to eliminate predator hunting, then go after other forms of hunting, such as deer and moose, believing that the predators (in Maine, bears) will be able to control the wildlife population. But who will control the bear population? The only enemies bears have in Maine are other bears and humans,” said Hentosh.
He said hunting is the tool the DIFW uses to maintain a healthy wildlife balance, be it bears, deer, moose, turkeys or other game.
“The bottom line here is without the current forms of harvesting bears, the DIFW will be unable to reach their goal for the state’s bear population. The goal is 3,500-4,000 annually. They rely on hunters to help manage the population,” he said. “We’re part of the stewardship management process.”
He said there’s a need to harvest bear, in part, to prevent “their over-hunting of deer and moose” as well as to reduce the risk of human conflict.
“Bears feeding are the largest cause of fawn and calf mortality; they are also a nuisance issue for humans, raiding garbage, breaking into homes and causing accidents,” he said.
He said the number of bear nuisance reports is directly related to the availability of wild food sources.
“When food is scarce, that’s when bears become more of a nuisance, as they look for food,” Hentosh said.
Hentosh said not only would eliminating certain forms of hunting methods result in increased nuisance issues due to an increased population struggling to find enough food to survive, it would also have a major economic impact to the state and especially northern Maine.
“Hunting and fishing contributes significantly to the state’s economy. It’s estimated that nearly $1 billion goes into the economy — at the state and local levels — in any given year. There are about 200 full-time hunting lodges and outfitters, with hundreds more participating part-time. If the bill passes, it will be detrimental to so many,” he said.
“Bear hunting is a small portion of what I do, but if we lose it, I’m out of business,” said Hentosh. “Try losing a month’s wages and see how it affects your budget. That’s what will happen to those of us who depend on various aspects of hunting to make a living.”
Hentosh said this would have a significant impact on Maine’s tourism industry.
“We’d lose campsites, summer vacation places. Each lodge spends thousands a year to bring hunters to Maine. Fish River Camps in Eagle Lake has summer cottages, visitors in the fall for hunting and leaf peeping, snowmobilers in the winter. Bear hunting is critical to businesses like this,” said Hentosh.
“If we lose proper stewardship, it’ll be a big loss to the state’s economic engine and Maine’s ability to help people,” said Hentosh.
“They’re (bear hunting opponents) are trying to make it an ethical and emotional matter. We want to educate people on the reality of management and the impact it will have if we lose come November,” said Hentosh.
Tenley Bennett, who owns Fish River camps with her husband, said she first got involved with trying to save the Maine bear hunt while still living downstate about 10 years ago.
“Before we moved to Aroostook and opened Fish River Camps, I was active in trying to save the bear hunt. What amazed me most were the people in southern Maine who believed it was just a matter of seeking other employment. They said ‘I don’t know what the problem is, those involved with bear hunting can just get another job.’ They have no clue how scarce jobs are here or how far one has to travel to find employment. Not to mention if we lose bear hunting as we know it, the businesses who might be hiring now might not have jobs them. The convenience store may not need the extra pizza cook if there’s no one here buying pizzas,” said Bennett.
She said though bear hunters are a small portion of her business — about 18 annually use her facility — she agreed with Hentosh that losing them would be devastating to her establishment.
“We’re a small outfit, about 18 bear hunters a year. But our guided hunts make the difference between operating in the red, breaking even or having a profitable season. Any season, if we lose any aspect of guided hunts, we fall in the red,” she said.
She said cabin rentals alone are not enough.
“I’m a master guide from way back. We offer hunting, fishing, canoeing. But hunting is most in demand. Northern Maine’s economy depends on it. As near as I can figure it, the St. John Valley makes close to $1 million when you look at what bear hunters spend,” she said.
Bennett said those she’s taken on guided hunts tend to come back during other times of the year.
“They return to go fishing or vacation with their families. Case in point, I have a Texas family coming back next year who plan to bring their friends with them,” Bennett said.
Fish River Camps is a family business that attracts families.
“Our clients spend family vacations here. If we lose bear hunting, we’d lose that family experience. There would be no more mothers teaching their children to swim, fathers teaching their children to fish,” she said.
The impact would be felt far beyond the realm of hunting, said Bennett, if the referendum passes this fall.
“We’re more than hunting camps. Businesses like ours serve more than just hunters. During the World Acadian Congress we had the Bouchard family staying with us. Events like that would suffer if places like us close. There would be less lodging for events like the Can-Am sled dog race or the biathlons,” said Bennett.
She said losing these methods of bear hunting would have a trickle-down effect on the state’s economy.
“There’d be a drop in gas sales, if hunters weren’t traveling the state in pursuit of game. Meat packers would lose income, grocery stores would lose sales to hunters stocking up for camp, places like Ben’s Trading Post would see a decline in business,” she said.
“We could lose whole convenience stores. The owner of the St. Francis store is heartsick at what might happen to his business if the referendum passes. The Kelly family in the Allagash could lose their restaurant. Guided hunts are our lifeline at Fish River Camps,” said Bennett. “It’s not just a matter of maintaining the bear population that is of concern, should this measure pass, it’s the economic impact — the ripple effect that will follow.”
