Should Maine Allow Hunting On Sundays?
Maine is one of few states in the country that still prohibits hunting on Sundays. Is it time to do away with this rule?
Hunting is a hugely popular tradition in Maine. It's woven into our heritage. It's also big business in Maine, especially for rural areas that tend to be strained economically. According to an article published by the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Maine is one of 11 states in the country that still bans Sunday hunting. While other states have limitations on Sunday hunting, Maine and Massachusetts are the only states that currently have an outright ban. The rule stems from "blue laws" that restrict or ban certain Sunday activities.
There's good news though. A bill has been moving forward in the Maine legislature. Earlier this year, Senator Timberlake of Androscoggin introduced a bill which seeks to end Maine's Sunday hunting prohibition. LD 1033 would allow landowners to hunt wild animals and wild birds on their private property, on Sundays. Landowners can also give written permission to other individuals, allowing them hunt on the landowners' private property on Sundays. The bill has yet to pass, however it has gotten further than past legislative attempts.
This is the time to ditch this antiquated prohibition. We have Maine wildlife biologists saying take multiple deer (if you drew bonus tags) this season. Any deer permit numbers are at record high, yet we still aren't meeting IFW harvest goals, year after year. Any extra day to hunt certainly won't be a cure-all. However, an extra day to hunt would be huge for those who work Monday through Friday. In a day and age when everyone's time is constrained, we need to be making it easier for people to participate in hunting.