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ATV's in Maine

I recently returned from a hunting trip to Maine. While there, I got to go to the hunting camp that I have been going to for 27 years and also visit family and friends. I was in Maine for a good part of a month and I do have to say the hunting season was a quiet one from what I can tell and I, once again, have done my part to preserve the whitetail deer population in the State of Maine.

I have been going to this same hunting camp for many years. The first week of the firearms season has traditionally been the week when we go and this year was no exception. The weather wasn’t the greatest and I spent more time in camp than I usually do but on one occasion near the end of the week, I ventured into the woods. It was a very windy and cold day even by November standards.

When I came out of the woods, I hit the old county road that leads back to and by the front of hunting camp. I hadn’t gone that far on the road when I heard a loud roar coming from behind me. I turned to see approximately 15 ATV’s traveling along the same road that I was walking. I was alone and carrying a rifle. If anyone on the ATV’s were armed I didn’t notice. Nobody in the group was wearing any hunter orange clothing or anything that was brightly colored at all; not that it is required by law for them to wear during the firearms season.

What was drawn to my attention is what disturbed me the most. None of the ATV’s traveling in this group was registered. It is my understanding that not all states require ATV’s to be registered but Maine does even if you live out of state and want to use your ATV on Maine land.

When the group passed me, I was not forthcoming with hospitality nor were they. Shortly after they passed, they returned. It became obvious to me they were somewhat lost and stopped this time by to ask directions. I again was not pleasant and brought it to their attention that their vehicles were not registered to ride in Maine. I was treated rudely, which doesn’t surprise me as I treated them equally rudely.

As I found out later, this group was from Connecticut and there were complaints coming in from other areas about the behavior of this group.

I remember back when snowmobiles were beginning to make there presence known in Maine that there was quite a war that many times took place between land owners and snowmobile operators. Over time the snowmobile owners got there act together and began to work out amicable solutions to riding problems. This is obviously what needs to happen with ATV riders as well but what angers me the most is the blatant disregard for the laws of the land. A group such as this one gives ATV owners a bad rap. Not all riders are like this. A group like this many times comes into Maine or other states and behaves badly many times knowing that they will never be back to that area again and just plain don’t care.

If you are a rider do your part to respect the laws and above all respect the wishes of the landowners. It is with their generosity that we are able to ride now. When you see others riding unlicensed and littering or just showing disrespect to the land and the owner’s, report them to the local law enforcement agency.

Recreational riding of ATV’s is and can be a very enjoyable sport and pastime. Let’s work hard to preserve it for everyone.

Thomas K. Remington
Assistant Editor
Maine Hunting Today