as long as maine passes a law stating that the only game on the ranches are native animals I am OK with a hunting ranch. In Texas I have seen the hunting ranches first hand. They have animals from other counties there. The wild boars that are on the ranches do not stay with in the fences and become a problem. They challenge native species, choking them out, and are in the road ways causing serious accidents. And dont forget, it was at a hunting ranch in south texas where ex-VP Cheney shot another man, so we will definatly need guides to try and not let that happen here.

how pathetic having to fence in animals so some person with a few bucks that live out of state can come shoot some poor defenseless animal...they call this a sport...its as bad as baiting bears.....must be some mental deficiency in people that drive them to get out and kill something..that urge to kill, then we can put the gun back in the closet till next year....and they call this recreation....these people with game farms are as pathetic as the pathetic hunters they attract...

Shooting corralled pigs by flatlanders hardly seems like an economic development plan that will benefit the residents of Piscataquis County, but it sure seems like it will benefit the person who owns the trapped pigs... And why would you need a Maine Guide? To open the gate to the trapped pigs and say "Have at em' boys!"

I use to raise a couple of pigs each year to put in my deep freeze for the winter months. One year I tried putting them outside instead of keeping them in a pen in the barn. I fenced in an area for them and thought they were well secured but soon found out that pigs have a have a way of geting out. It wan't long before they way back in the barn. I did salvage the hogs for winter consumption, but lost most of my garden and a good part of my lawn ended up being re-designed by them. Maybe these professionals know a secret about fencing in a large areea and keeping them contained but I hestitate to think they can.

This is the epitome of "sporting" at it's worst. All you need is a dumb guy, a gun and a penned in animal. Boy, that really gets the adrenaline pumping. I don't even get it.

Oh, and I guess I can't but comment on the line that people who run through the woods shooting at animals are "conservationists". Does anybody else see this stupidity in that statement? The logic seems to go something like this: I kill animals because I love them and want to take care of them? Huh?

the only one that will be making any money is jason . mainers won't be able to afford it. we don't need big game ranches and their fences in maine. keep em in texas.

How about trying to bring some manufacturing jobs back to Maine? I know we're the so called "Vacationland" but it seems to me that relying on the tourism industry has worked wonders for us so far. Jobs for what 4-5 months out of the year? I know people will say its better than nothing, but minimum wage, seasonal jobs are not what the state needs. If it does bring some money in great, but what about long term full time employment opportunities? I would love to be able to live in Piscataquis County still, hard to live somewhere that you need to drive at least an hour to go to a decent paying job.

Saying "penned animal" shows that there is a misunderstanding of how these businesses operate. The animals are not penned in such a way that you are guaranteed to even see them, much less shoot one without some effort on your part. The fenced in area usually is a large enough area that the animals have many acres to roam through. That being said, I have no desire to hunt a game ranch personally. I also don't think any worse of someone who wants to do so. It is a costly venture, you're paying the owner a sufficient amount to cover his expenses. In reality, it's similar to purchasing meat from someone raising cattle but stipulating you want to dispatch the cow yourself. Another benefit from this type of hunting is that it is restricted to the game ranch so those who constantly complain they can't go into the woods in October and November for fear of being shot will still feel safe in their ventures out into the wilds of Maine. I mean, after all, we all know how much a person walking down a dirt road in October looks like a partridge in flight or in November, a deer standing broadside. Admittedly, there have been fatalities where an innocent person was shot by a hunter who had no business firing his rifle. Each time those accidents happen, responsible hunters are as incensed as non-hunters. Anyone carrying a loaded firearm into the woods of Maine has a responsibility to make sure what he or she is shooting at is a legal game animal and what is beyond the animal is a safe direction to shoot.

Its the hunters and fisherman who contribute the most money to wildlife management in the state not the lets eat some tofu douse ourselves in pachouli and go for a nature walk people. Hunting and fishing licenses, permits, fees, Wildlife license plates etc. I suppose you'd rather have them be hit by cars, over populate and starve/become diseased?

1 shot 1 kill. They won't feel a thing.

He says "We have to create opportunities for guides, in particular, to work year round"

If the pigs are fenced in, on private property, I can guarantee that this guy is not going to hire Registered Maine Guides to lead his customers into the pen and point out the pigs to them. Who the heck is he kidding? If you want to create opportunities for the guides to get more work, then get back to the tradition of real hunting, which is what Maine was known for back in the early 1900's.

Back then, clients of these sporting camps came from the city and traveled deep into the woods. They were put up in REAL hunting camps, not hotels. Guides actually took them into the woods TO HUNT........all day.......ON FOOT, not in pickup trucks or in somebody's fenced in back yard. Meals were prepared for them on the camp woodstove. There are very few places in Maine that still carry on these traditions. If we had more of these guys willing to provide a true Maine hunting experience like they do at Munsungan, then perhaps the industry would come back and the guides would be kept busy.

Imported pigs in a fence is not going to do any good for Maine. It will make us look like a joke.

Why doesn't he have a child molester hunt? We have a good stock on hand and it would be nice to groom the herd - a lot.

ugustagoverned, good idea. Also have to use 22 LR only so it takes longer to kill them. Knee caps first, elbows, spine. You know stuff to wound them first with pain and a slow death. Maybe even a butt of the gun to the chin. Let's do it.

The 777 ranch in hondo texas and others along the express way 77 corridor, bills themselves as a big game ranch of both white tail deer (all be it very small) and exotic animals such as Over 50 species of deer, antelope, gazelle, oryx, ibex, goat, sheep, and bison, along with wild pigs. although it is kind of neat to see these aminals in person as you drive by, they are not native. native animals are the only ones that should even be considered if this ranch is allowed. I would want the state to pass a law stating only native animals, to protect the animals that we have here. I agree that the state needs jobs and money, but we do need to monitor something like this and pass laws regarding the wildlife.

i think this is a bad idea, but should be built by the tribes

Why doesn't the state do a better job of managing our native deer herd, that would seem to have a broader impact on our economy. If I wanted to hunt European boar I'd find it more rewarding to go to Europe and hunt a boar in the wild. I'm surprised to see Paul Davis' name as a supporter I've always known him to be a "common-sense" guy.

I think it's a great idea. Too bad it had to be pushed by a regualr citizen and not by Baldacci and his worthless economic development team in Disgusta. How much is he paying his special assistants to the governors??? There's only like 9. What a joke.

I don't know. They have a hard time running a yard sale with out something screwing up..

Out of staters not coming here to hunt? I see plenty of them heater hunting in Piscataquis AND Penobscot counties. We don't need feral pigs running around because they won't stay in the fence, no matter how large. By the way, don't we already have a game called shooting fish in a barrel? We do, it's the inhumane act of bear baiting. I am a proud hunter who would never consider this %^@*&ized form of hunting. Grow a pair and hunt native game.

For the life of me, I cannot connect inhumane with bear baiting. Do I do it? No. I don't hunt bear by choice. Someone tie this together for me because it makes absolutely no sense. Don't just tell me over and over that it is inhumane. Prove it to me.

well said bangorian...

I find it more interesting how Augusta is wasting our time and money by taking up two bills that are exact opposites. You have the one bill that is being debated that will outlaw hunting a game ranches, even those already in existence, while another bill is looking to add more of these ranches. Whether or not this is a true sporting adventure is open for some argument. Is it different than shooting the beef, or pig that you have been raising in your yard? The fact is the people that do come spend money on all types of things including the $25 per animal killed that goes directly to the state. Hotels, restaurants, etc. all benefit from the people that come here and spend money, in return we benefit because it gives many of us jobs. We would all like to see more industry, however, why not support the local guy trying to make a life on his land. Is this not a new type of Agriculture?

I keep seeing initiatives to bring more tourists into the Dover-Foxcroft, Guilford, Milo, etc. area, but I don't see anything about providing these people a place to stay while they are there. When I lived in D-F, up until the early 60's, at least we had the Blethen House. Think about it people, are we asking to 'import' tourists or people with friends and relatives that already live there? It is time to evaluate not only the need for tourists, but also the ability to house them while they are in the area spending money.

This barbaric suggestion for economic development is a perfect example of why this country and so many states are is in such a serious financial mess. That anyone in their right mind would encourage such a cowardly activity as a means of entertainment and revenue is outrageous. These animals just stand there staring at their executioners as they are slaughtered. How in God's name does anyone equate that with the word "sportsmanship" when the primary definition of sportsmanship is "fairness and respect for one's opponent". How about some good paying high tech jobs and get out of the Neanderthal man routine that doesn't build anything but only destroys!

This is like shooting fish in a barrel. Where is there any sense of decency? Why don't they just paint bulls eyes on these animals. Not the way to make money.

BAD IDEA!

Reading this string of comments is interesting and so disheartening. I think hunting in game ranches is as ethical as hunting in any suburb in southern Maine. Most folks seam to just criticize the practice of hunting in game ranches because they really don’t like hunting. From the sounds of it most of these folks likely have never been to a game preserve. Believe me, I am not a fan of hunting game in small enclosures. Anything less than several hundred acres is just not that challenging. However, I have known a lot of bow hunters who have hunted whitetail deer from treestands in there backyards, within sight of there own homes and those of there neighbors. In fact, in southern Maine is quite common along the coast to be hunting deer in areas smaller than 5 acres. The difference being that the deer can run between the houses and across the sidewalk before being turned back toward the hunter because the turnpike is busy or the crash of the ocean. I know this because I have been there.

The proposed hunting preserve in Piscataquis County will be 400 acres. Clearly large enough for a fair chase and challenging wild boar hunt. The preferred method of harvesting animals will be with a bow and arrow though firearms will also be allowed.

I personally know the proposed owner and he has hunted the big woods of this state for over 40 years. He has been a successful hunter and guide for over 10 years. BTW he is the most ethical hunter I have ever come across. Everyone has the right to their point of view but don’t distort the facts or demean those who have a different point of view. It only makes your argument sound uneducated and trivial.

Amen piscatgirl....all anyone needs to do is "walk" 400 acres to realize how stupid some of these comments are. And as for bear baiting, which isn't even an issue in this article, I know my brother has "baited" for years, thats putting out apples and other food that bears love, but has yet to shoot one. Baiting is not a sure thing by any means and I know that if my brother thought for one second this was not ethical or somehow inhumane to the bear he would not do it, period. I am a firm believer in if you don't have all the facts or have not seen these things done first hand your uneducated opinion really doesn't account for much....

Is there no end to peoples ideas to put money in the State funds or their own pockets. Fencing in animals to have a game shoot is pathetic. Bringing wild boars into the state is even more pathetic. They aren't native to Maine and there's a great chance they will escape the enclosed area and overtake the whole area. They root and dig out tree roots and could easily undermine any fencing. They also can be quite vicious. Just what we need to have out in our Maine woods to scare away the hikers , campers etc.. Most Maine natives would be ever so happy to NOT have out of state hunters here. They shoot at a noise, kill deer that haven't even lost their spots -------or maybe your goat or cow or dog. Along with their license they should be shown pictures of what they are hunting for and not be allowed to hunt without a licensed guide. .

Anyone who kills animals as just sport is kind of sick anyway if you think about it. Doing it as a necessity for food to feed your family is another thing.