Maine and firearms, Ok - or not? (Portland, Hope: fingerprints, transfer)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Congrats to your friend. Coyotes are opportunists. I wonder how long they have been on Isle Au Haut. I know there was a deer problem out there and a controversy over hunting the deer. I bet an enterprising homeowner who was tired of the deer eating his expensive shrubbery solved the problem. Just have somebody live trap a pair on the mainland and deliver them to the island and the deer problem is solved. The coyotes will clean up the entire fawn crop and within a few years there will be no deer on the island.

The down side of that is that all cats and peekapoos will also disappear from the island and when the normal coyote food supply disappears they will predate on children.

Dan Levigne was the chief biologist and deer expert in Maine for many years. When he told the truth about coyotes the environmental contingent at IF&W forced him out. He could resign or be fired. Now he has a thorough documnted report on the effect of coyote predation on deer. It should be published next week. He will be on Wildfire next Sunday morning to speak about it. (Channel 7 up here at 7 AM) There will be a proposal to deal with the coyote problem in Northern Maine. Southern Maine is so full of environmentalists now that they don't want to address the problem.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by AustinB

I've been out in those woods with the coyotes. they won't bother you.

I believed that for a long time. A growl is a bite waiting to happen. When a coyote stood between the house and the barn growling at me I changed my mind.

NMLM, do you remember how many coyotes were hanging at the IT station at one time? 40 something maybe? I have a picture some where that shows all of the coyotes and a fox or two, but not the coys on the ground.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

There were over 40 coyotes at the fire hall two winters ago. They can snare them near deer yards. You and I cannot. There is the problem. There are several hanging out behind Smith's Store in Springfield. When you go into the store there is a photo of a whole herd of deer that were chased out onto the ice by coyotes and killed.

[bignhfamily]

Coyote attacks on people are extremely rare. Most of the attacks involving small children under 5 years of age and there have been no deaths recorded from these attack since the 80's. Millions of children are bitten by dogs every year, your small child is millions of times more likely to get attacked by Lassie than by a coyote.
I spend lots of time in the woods with my kids. We rarely see coyote when they are with me as they are loud. Coyote are usually deathly afraid of humans.
Our coyote season (in NH) is open year round. We can hunt them with dogs, lights and at night during the winter. I don't like killing anything I don't eat but coyote are predators to our lambs so occasionally we have to cull of those around our winter paddocks.
Thank goodness for our 2nd amendment rights - "...the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

[Dwatted Wabbit]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Congrats to your friend. Coyotes are opportunists. I wonder how long they have been on Isle Au Haut. I know there was a deer problem out there and a controversy over hunting the deer. I bet an enterprising homeowner who was tired of the deer eating his expensive shrubbery solved the problem. Just have somebody live trap a pair on the mainland and deliver them to the island and the deer problem is solved. The coyotes will clean up the entire fawn crop and within a few years there will be no deer on the island.

The down side of that is that all cats and peekapoos will also disappear from the island and when the normal coyote food supply disappears they will predate on children.

Dan Levigne was the chief biologist and deer expert in Maine for many years. When he told the truth about coyotes the environmental contingent at IF&W forced him out. He could resign or be fired. Now he has a thorough documnted report on the effect of coyote predation on deer. It should be published next week. He will be on Wildfire next Sunday morning to speak about it. (Channel 7 up here at 7 AM) There will be a proposal to deal with the coyote problem in Northern Maine. Southern Maine is so full of environmentalists now that they don't want to address the problem.

Funny (not) how some things are unchanged since the days of Copernicus and Newton and the Salem witch trials.
Some folks want Nuremburg-style trials for the nonbelievers who question the global warming fraud. Amazing.

I'm not sure if Maine was one of the states targeted by NYC mayor Bloomburg in his illegal interstate stings that he carried out, way beyond his legal authority. Wherever there is freedom there are those who want to take it. Hopefully Maine will maintain its status as a state that does not dictate.

[island mermaid]

The deer (and small pets) on the island are the ones we want to protect. The deer are more like pets to us. We often recognize the same ones year after year and follow their maturity, we see them bring their young out to display them in the spring. Many of them allow us to hand feed them. I realize that's not a perfect situation as the island population dwindles so in the off season.
As far as the deer population being a problem, not so much for most of us. Yes, the gardeners have to erect 10' fences to protect their crops. Yes, lyme disease is rampant on the island, many people as well as dogs are living with the disease. I believe they were once looking into stocking deer posts with feed that helped with the lyme disease.
As far as I know the coyotes have been there for possibly the last 5-8 yrs.


Thank you all for your understanding of the situation!
I knew my post would however offend someone, which is understandable if you're not familiar with the situation. Hence the apology beforehand.

[ClownShoes]

Ok, ok, ok.

Any further comments on my origional question?

I'm not looking to shoot Coyotes, small pets, or deer ( off season ).

[Northern Maine Land Man]

If there are any other islands with an overpopulation of deer a gallon of Allen's can get you a breeding pair of coyotes to solve the problem.

In 1983, shortly after I moved into my present house I heard a shot up on the ridge. I figured somebody had shot a coyote. The next day I was asked if I like moose meat. I said I sure did. The next morning there was a huge Tupperware bowl of moose meat on my porch bench. I took proper care of it and washed out the bowl. A few days later somebody asked me if I had a big yellow Tupperware bowl.

"Yes I do. Is it yours?"

"No, but I know where it goes."

That's how things work here. Somebody needed that meat, but could not use the whole Moose. A few days after the moose incident there was a large flock of ravens circling. I walked up on the ridge and there was the moose hide laid out on the ground with a big pile of moose bones beside it. The person who processed the moose did it the old way right on the hide to keep everything clean and there were no bones taken away from the site. Even the neck was boned out. There was no waste.

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by ClownShoes

Ok, ok, ok.

Any further comments on my origional question?

I'm not looking to shoot Coyotes, small pets, or deer ( off season ).

ok, ok, ok, I thought we had addressed your questions thoroughly. No, people in rural Maine are used to hearing gunshots any time of year. Day or night.
Yes, people target shoot on their own property (large parcels) all the time.
If you hear gunshots and hounds at night, they're hunting coon, cat or bear. Don't call the cops, they're making living from it.

Any more questions?

[mollysmiles]

Originally Posted by ClownShoes

Ok, ok, ok.

Any further comments on my origional question?

I'm not looking to shoot Coyotes, small pets, or deer ( off season ).

I will happily comment on your original question!

Many areas of Maine have places to go and shoot and people who get together and go. Some are organized clubs and some are just a group of people enjoying the same sport. I have a couple of friends who are NRA instructors. One of them has a range set up on his property, the other uses a local club for instruction. I don't believe that you'll have a problem at all shooting on your own property, and hunting as well Enjoy!!