Sunday Hunting is NOT the Maine Way.
Maine has a unique tradition of keeping private land accessible for public recreation. The tradeoff is keeping Sunday as the one day a week where no hunting is allowed as a way for landowners and non-hunters to enjoy the land without impeding hunting. However, there have been 39 failed attempts over the last 45 years to pass some form of Sunday hunting in Maine. A survey directed by the Legislature and conducted by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shows that the majority of Mainers don’t support Sunday hunting in any form (see survey highlights HERE).
Sunday Hunting:
The Maine Legislature directed the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) to commission a survey of the general public, landowners, and hunters regarding Sunday hunting. That survey, conducted by a nationally recognized firm, produced a 135 page report at a cost of $71,000 plus $5000 to hire a facilitator to manage stakeholder discussions. The results of the survey unambiguously show that Mainers do not want Sunday hunting.
Key findings of the survey include:
Only 38% of the general population supports Sunday hunting, and that number drops if it meant that more landowners would restrict access to their lands for recreational activities.
Among the landowner sample surveyed, 76% - 81% (depending on the region) allow hunting on their land. If Sunday hunting were allowed, almost half - 44% - said they would likely restrict access to hunting.
Among the Maine landowner sample surveyed, 24% of those who always allow public access said they would be more likely to restrict access for activities other than hunting (such as hiking, ATV trail-riding, and snowmobiling) if Sunday hunting were allowed. Additionally, 19% of those who often allow public access and 22% of those who sometimes do said they would be more likely to restrict access as well.
More than two thirds of landowners oppose Sunday hunting.
Half of residents said if Sunday hunting passes it would decrease their participation in outdoor recreation.
Only 38% of hunters support Sunday hunting if it meant that they could only hunt on private land and only with written permission.
Repeated attempts - and failures - to force a Sunday hunting bill into law shows that this idea is wrong for Maine. Maine Woodland Owners have always supported hunting. In fact, the more than 7,000 acres of woodland this organization owns (we own woodland in 10% of all Maine municipalities) is intentionally kept open to hunting. But we have always opposed Sunday hunting.
Sunday is the one day many woodland owners and non hunting recreationists get to fully enjoy their land.
The very same woodland owners and farmers who provide the majority of access for the 14,000 miles of snowmobile trails and 7,000 miles of ATV trails in Maine are the same ones who oppose Sunday hunting and would restrict access for all uses if Sunday hunting is allowed.
Maine remains one of the few states where hunting on private land does not require the permission of the landowner.
No hunting on Sunday is the tradeoff for not having to get permission the other six days of the week.
If Sunday hunting is allowed, there will be a major push to require landowner permission seven days a week.
Sunday Hunting Lawsuit
In November 2022, the Superior Court dismissed a meritless lawsuit by an out-of-state group against the Commissioner of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife claiming that the state’s Sunday hunting law violates the “Right to Food” amendment.
The case was appealed to the Maine Supreme Court and on March 28th, 2024 the Court ruled that the Sunday hunting ban does not conflict with the “Right to Food” amendment.
