Maine’s deer hunting season seems a long way off. The dog days of summer haven’t even started yet. But those of us who enjoy Maine’s traditional pursuit of the wily whitetail have already begun thinking about frosty mornings in the deer woods. There is some early good news for deer hunters, too. Deer reportedly are being seen in increasingly larger numbers. The anecdotal evidence suggests that Maine’s long-dwindling deer population has begun a comeback — even in the North Woods.

Recently, the executive director of the North Maine Woods, Al Cowperthwaite, said this on my weekly radio program Maine Outdoors: “Our big-woods deer are coming back. We are actually seeing almost as many deer as moose. Three easy winters in a row have really helped the deer numbers recover.” (A carefully coordinated coyote predation program may have helped, too.)

This is great news. Maine’s rural economy has been damaged by the shortage of deer and the corresponding reduction of nonresident hunters, who have stayed away from the traditional north woods deer hunts. The marketing and promotional arm of the Fish and Wildlife Department would be smart to get the word out and try to repair the perception that Maine is no longer the deer hunter’s paradise it once was.

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Maine’s any-deer lottery application period is now open. If you hope to obtain a doe permit for this fall’s hunt, now is the time to take action. Paper applications must be postmarked by July 26. Online applications are due by midnight August 15th. These are available at DIF&W’s official website: www.mefishwildlife.com. There is no charge to participate in the any-deer permit lottery. This year, 46,710 any-deer permits will be issued in 16 Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs).

The deer hunting season for firearms starts with Youth Deer Hunting Day on Oct. 26. Maine-residents-only day is Nov. 2 this year. Deer hunting season for all hunters is Nov. 4 to Nov 30.

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The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine Professional Guides Association, the Maine Snowmobile Association, and the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine are conducting a survey to determine attitudes, opinions and experiences of outdoor recreational users of private land.

The survey will be sent to 1,000 recreational users randomly selected from Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife license and registration databases.

The data gathered will be compared to survey results from a similar survey sent to landowners. In the landowner survey, it was discovered that many landowners are considering posting their land against public access, experience unwanted recreation use, and face problems such as illegal dumping and road damage. The past research also showed that landowners strongly wanted to feel respected. In the upcoming survey, comparable questions will be asked of recreation users.

The survey is the next step in research performed by Dr. Jessica Leahy of the University of Maine in Orono. Leahy is an associate professor in the School of Forest Resources. Findings from the survey will help in addressing landowner/land user issues throughout the state. More than 90% of Maine is privately owned, and the bulk of Maine’s outdoor recreational economy is dependent upon access to that land.

The survey is funded by an Outdoor Heritage Fund grant.

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There is always a risk associated with operating machinery, whether it’s a lawn tractor, a chain saw, or a drill press. But when it comes to snowmobiles and all terrain vehicles (ATVs) the statistical risk to the loss of life and limb is irrefutable and ever-present. Far too many recreational users of sleds and four-wheelers find out too late that traveling through the woods is far different than booking along on a hot-topped highway. Immovable objects like rocks, trees and hidden roots introduce an unpredictability factor that is always there – lurking, waiting to transform a fun day in the woods into a nightmare of carnage and tragedy. This is the peak of the ATV season, when clubs and individuals take to the backwoods trails.

In safety slogans, it is cliche, but spot on when it comes to ATV’s especially: drive your four-wheeler like your life depended on it.

The author is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide, co-host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network (WVOM-FM 103.9, WQVM-FM 101.3) and former information officer for the Maine Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. His e-mail address is paul@sportingjournal.com and his new book is “A Maine Deer Hunter’s Logbook.”