Dr. Elowe, a 22-year employee of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, has accepted a position as Assistant Regional Director of Science Applications at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Region 5 headquarters, based in Hadley, Mass.

“Today, I have accepted Ken’s resignation with regrets,” Commissioner Martin said. “Ken has served this Department and the citizens of Maine with distinction, by creating and implementing several programs that now are nationally recognized, including Beginning with Habitat, and by being an outstanding spokesman for the agency. He truly is a talented individual and will be missed by all of us.”

In his new role, Elowe will be responsible for providing leadership and direction in the development and execution of high-priority regional science activities, including those involving climate change, adaptive resources management, and landscape conservation, particularly Strategic Habitat Conservation.

Elowe was named Director of Resource Management in 1998, which serves as the lead fish and wildlife biologist for Maine, after 10 years in the Department. Previous positions included Director of the Wildlife Division, leader of the Mammals Research and Management Group, and project leader for the Bear and Furbearer Group. As bureau director, he manages 120 employees, a $14 million budget, and all projects and initiatives related to wildlife and freshwater fish management.

For more than 11 years, Elowe has served as the Department’s senior liaison, building solid relationships with fish and wildlife agencies in other states and on the federal level, as well as conservation and sporting groups, and businesses.

“Ken has been instrumental in working with a variety of Maine conservation and sporting organizations in an effort to secure permanently protected funding for MDIF&W for the future,” said Peter Bourque, Director of Fisheries Program Development. “By ensuring proper funding, the Department can continue its efforts to preserve Maine’s outdoor resources for future generations.”

During his tenure, Elowe has monitored the status of fish and wildlife resources throughout Maine; directed the development of effective management programs for all species; lead the strategy for conservation land acquisition; and worked with private landowners and timber companies to develop strategies to manage lands while maintaining wildlife habitat. Currently, MDIF&W and 11 companies have wildlife habitat management agreements regarding more than 500,000 acres of forested habitat.

In Maine, Elowe was one of the originators of the Beginning with Habitat program, which seeks to integrate the principles of landscape conservation into municipal comprehensive planning. Beginning with Habitat also serves as one of the two pillars for Maine’s Wildlife Action Plan.

“Ken has been, and continues to be, an enthusiastic advocate for Beginning with Habitat and landscape conservation, using every opportunity that arises in Maine and the northeastern states, within the Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, and within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to support and advance sound landscape conservation application,” said Mark Stadler, MDIF&W Director of Wildlife. “His goal? That 50 years from now, our grandchildren will also be able to enjoy abundant and healthy wildlife management populations and habitats.”

Throughout his career, Elowe has sought to advance the concepts contained in Beginning with Habitat as well as worked extensively on endangered species policy and conservation initiatives at state and national levels.

Last year, Elowe helped celebrate the delisting of the Bald Eagle from Maine’s Endangered and Threatened Species List, after a 30-year effort by MDIF&W biologists and other natural resource groups to restore the populations in Maine.

Elowe is a member or a leader in the following groups: Atlantic Flyway Council, Atlantic Coast Joint Venture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Strategic Habitat Conservation Committees, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; and North American Waterfowl Management Plan Revision Steering Committee; also a federal-state joint task force on federal aid policy.

The drawing of names will begin at 6 p.m. under the moose lottery tent near L.L.Bean’s Hunt and Fishing Store. This year, 3,140 permits will be drawn for the fall harvest. Last year, 82 percent of hunters were successful.

No more applications for the lottery are being accepted as the deadline has passed.

Since 1999, the Moose Permit Lottery Drawing has been held at different locations throughout the state. Two years ago, the event was hosted by an outdoors retailer, and vendors were on hand to display hunting products and tips, and last year, the St. John Valley community carried that theme when the drawing was held at the University of Maine at Fort Kent.

This year, L.L.Bean is scheduling moose hunt education programs, covering topics such as gear, shooting techniques, moose calls, and “secrets” from “moose masters.” An indoor archery moose hunt and a five-stand public shoot also are planned.

“Over the last couple of years, the Moose Permit Lottery Drawing has evolved into a spectacle where hunters can gather to swap tips, learn how to improve their skills, and share their favorite hunting stories,” according to Commissioner Martin. “This year is no exception. L.L. Bean is planning an event that will leave hunters better informed on how to make a hunt a success. And, possibly, the hunters also will leave knowing their names were drawn for a permit. I thank L.L. Bean for its support of the 2010 Moose Permit Lottery drawing and I look forward to attending this well-planned event.”

Ken Kacere, senior vice-president and general manager of retail, L.L.Bean, said the retailer is thrilled to be hosting this year’s event.

“We are very pleased to have been chosen by the Department to host the 2010 Maine Moose Permit Lottery Drawing,” Kacere said. “For generations of hunters, the Maine Moose Lottery has become an annual tradition that celebrates Maine’s rich outdoor heritage. We are honored to be a part of it.”

Commissioner Martin said that IF&W staff from Augusta and local biologists and game wardens will be on hand at the event. The Department will be conducting a panel discussion on how to make the most of a moose hunt beginning at 5 p.m., one hour before the lottery drawing commences.

“This is a great opportunity for sports enthusiasts and the general public to interact with our personnel,” Martin said.

Added Mac McKeever, senior public relations representative, L.L.Bean, “In celebration of the Maine Moose Lottery Drawing, we’re offering a fun, festive array of family-oriented activities throughout the day to really enhance folks’ enjoyment and participation in the event.”

Activities are set to begin at 11 a.m., with most scheduled under the moose lottery tent next to the L.L.Bean Hunt and Fishing Store. They include:

· 11 a.m.: Gearing up for you moose hunt, presented by L.L.Bean experts;

· 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Free indoor archery moose hunt, archery range, L.L.Bean Hunt and Fishing Store;

· Noon: Moose hunting in New England, presented by Mossy Oak Pro Staff panel of experts;

· 1 & 3 p.m.: Josh Cottrell, Primos Pro-Staff, moose calls demonstration and gear tips;

· 2 p.m.: Scouting techniques and tools for your moose hunt, presented by L.L.Bean experts;

· 2 p.m.-dusk: Five-stand public shoot, fee charged, see store representative for details;

· 4 p.m.: Moose calling seminar with Maine Professional Guides Association;

· 5 p.m.: Making the most of a moose hunt, presented by IF&W staff;

· 6 p.m.: Maine Moose Lottery Drawing begins. Moderated by Commissioner Martin and WGME-TV 13 broadcaster Doug Rafferty.

For more information, visit www.llbean.com/stores and select “upcoming events” or www.mefishwildlife.com.

Les wanted to know if I was interested in building on an addition to one of his ski lodges. We walked around the building and peered under a deck where the addition would go, both of us raising several questions about the existing structure. Soon, with Les in his work clothes (dress slacks and dress shirt) and I in mine (grubs), we were both crawling on our bellies through the dust, gravel, weeds, debris and just about everything else one might have the pleasure of finding under a heavily traveled ski lodge deck. I did make a couple of comments about our adventure but I’ll refrain from posting them here.

I’ve told that story more than one time but as I was thinking more about it this morning after getting off the phone with Les, that action actually is a pretty good characterization of him. Here’s a man who could have sat in the comfort of his clean office but instead did not hesitate to roll up his sleeves and get dirty.

I’ve known Les for perhaps 30-plus years and during that time he has given unselfishly to his community. Time and space will not permit the endless list of how he has impacted the people in his home town and surrounding area.

Les Otten is a businessman who understands many things, among them tourism, promotion, marketing, investment, providing a viable product and operating within a budget. Whoever resides in the Blaine House will face daunting tasks and challenges. I believe he is up for the challenge and can put together the right people to make it all happen.

One huge undertaking will be the financial shortfall of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, a depleted whitetail deer herd, an overgrown population of coyotes and other predators, and environmental groups eager to make a living serving up lawsuits to stop hunting, trapping and fishing. The hunting, fishing, trapping and general outdoor recreation brings millions of dollars into Maine each year. The next governor has got to find a way to tidy up fish and game and make sure that those running it are in sync with the mission.

True to character, Otten will “roll up his sleeves and get dirty” on this issue.

All of the United States is at a crossroad. Things are changing and many of us don’t care for the direction it is going. If there’s one weapon we have as free Americans it is the right to vote. That’s where we can begin to push back.

Outdoor sportsmen can be independent people. We love to be outside, in the forests, on the water, enjoying the peace and quiet and the beauty God gave us. But to protect that, we have to give a bit more than we take sometimes. I’m asking every sportsman in Maine to make it a point to vote on June 8, 2010. Vote for the candidate(s) that you believe best represent your ideals. Finding the right people is extremely important at every level of government. Don’t wait to see who comes out on top. Be the one who puts your candidate at the top.

Tom Remington

The controlled hunt, which will occur between August 16 and September 25, 2010, was approved by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council on Thursday, April 22.

Last year, which was the first year of the controlled moose hunt, 100 permits were allocated and hunters had an 81 percent success rate.

“Once again this year, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is implementing a controlled moose hunt to ease the negative impacts caused by moose on broccoli and cauliflower crops in parts of eastern Aroostook County, as well as help reduce the risk of moose-vehicle collisions,” according to Commissioner Roland “Danny” Martin. “Last year’s controlled hunt was a successful start in helping to alleviate problems in this area, and this year’s effort too will make a significant dent in the population where recreational hunting has not.”

For several years, IF&W has increased the number of moose permits during the annual fall recreational hunt to respond to the landowners’ concerns for crop damage and communities’ requests for safer roads. With the controlled hunt, IF&W has greater flexibility to effectively manage moose in areas that may have limited access or are in “non-traditional” habitats, such as an agricultural-woodland mix, that may not be attractive to hunters.

The controlled hunt is NOT open to all hunters. Persons eligible to participate include:

· Landowners with 80 or more contiguous acres, who own property in Limestone, Caribou, Woodland, Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield, Washburn, Westfield, Easton and Connor Township. The eligible property is agricultural, forested or undeveloped land that is open to hunting, including hunting by permission. A dependent living in a landowner’s household also is eligible.

· Any shareholder in a corporation that qualifies under the Internal Revenue Service Code as a Chapter S corporation is eligible for the landowner permit drawing if the property meets the landowner permit requirements. Dependents of shareholders are not eligible.

· All Registered Maine Guides that currently have all Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife license privileges in good standing, are not convicted felons, and did not receive a controlled moose hunting permit by lottery in 2009. Guides will NOT be eligible to hunt and only three permittees picked at the discretion of the Guide will be eligible to hunt.

A total of 100 permits will be available. Eligible persons wishing to participate must file an online application form that’s available on IF&W’s website, www.mefishwildlife.com. A person may not file more than one application, and each application is for “one chance.”

This controlled moose hunt is not the recreational moose hunt. Applications for the recreational moose permit lottery were due by May 14.

Applications for the controlled moose hunt are available starting Monday, May 17.

The online application deadline is 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on June 17, 2010. A random chance drawing will be held on June 18. The winners’ names will be posted on IF&W’s website. Selections are final.

Selected landowners and Guides may hunt during the entire six-week period (excluding Sundays).

There is no application charge. Permit fees are $52 for residents and $484 for nonresidents.

A total of 100 permits will be allocated as follows:

* Up to 45 percent will be issued to eligible Registered Maine Guides, and each selected guide will receive three moose permits (one for each of three permittees who will be chosen at the discretion of the Guide.) Of the three issued permits, one will be an any-moose permit and two will be antlerless-only permits. Registered Maine Guides who receive permits are required to guide their permittees in agricultural areas designated by the Department within the 9 towns open to hunting.

Each Registered Maine Guide selected by the lottery must attend a training session on June 30 in Presque Isle.

Registered Maine Guides selected by the lottery in 2010 will be ineligible to receive a controlled moose hunt permit for 2 years.

* Up to 55 percent of the permits will be issued to eligible landowners. Landowners who receive a permit are required to hunt on their own, eligible land. The Commissioner may authorize a landowner to use his permit to hunt on other designated lands identified in the area open to hunting.

In addition to the above moose hunting permits, the Department will allocate five (5) moose hunting permits to disabled veterans to participate in the controlled hunt. At least three of these permits will be issued to residents who possess a valid disabled veteran hunting license and no more than two permits will be issued to nonresident disabled veterans who possess a valid big game hunting license. A ” disabled veteran” means a person who: (1) is a veteran; and (2) has a service-connected disability evaluated at: (a.) 100%, or (b.) has a service-connected disability evaluated at 70% and has served in a combat zone during any armed conflict in which participants were exposed to war risk hazards. These permits will be issued in cooperation with the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management. Maine Veteran’s Services will provide logistical support to the selected disabled veterans during their moose hunt.

The moose taken under these permits are in addition to the statewide bag limit. Permits issued under this controlled hunt are exempt from the provisions of the moose permit point system of the recreational moose hunt. A person who receives a controlled moose hunting permit is exempt from the two-year eligibility requirement of the recreational moose hunt. All other fees, laws and rules relating to moose hunting will apply to this controlled moose hunt.

Additional information about the controlled moose hunt is available on IF&W’s website or call (207) 287-8000.

It was my understanding and perhaps I was wrong, that it was decided that if the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was going to continue having a live drawing event for the Moose Lottery, they would have to get help from private enterprise.

It took some doing but eventually it was agreed to allow The Kittery Trading Post to host the event. I contacted the people at KTP and at MDIFW and tossed out the idea of my company, Skinny Moose Media, providing a live Internet feed of streaming video and audio. My intentions were to enhance the event and not steal any potential audience away from the event. For myself and my business the benefits of exposure couldn’t hurt, although the commitment was considerable money out of my pocket, time and travel.

The KTP event went extremely well considering it was our first attempt at a live, remote video broadcast. At one time we had well over 600 viewers watching and listening to the drawing. If memory serves me correctly, total viewership topped 6,000. An odd thing happened however, about halfway through the podcast. Viewership crashed.

The trip to Fort Kent was even more expensive but I was determined to make the trip because I knew from past experience that the City of Fort Kent and all its citizen’s would put on a quality event. And that they did.

The Fort Kent event went well and once again we had over 350 viewers on at one point until less than halfway through the event, visitors vanished. What happened?

What I didn’t know was that the MDIFW was posting the results of the random draw at about the same time the announcement of moose permit winners was being made. As soon as viewers found this information out, their interest in my broadcast disappeared but just as bad, attendance at the event in the gym at the University of Maine was also cut in half. People vacated the show and went home to find the results rather than stick around.

It is certainly my fault for not knowing the posting of the names was occurring when it did, but I went to some expense and sacrifice to provide this service. But no need to cry over spilled milk.

This year’s event, as I said, will be at L.L. Bean. I contacted MDIFW to ask them if they would consider holding off posting the names of the winners until the end of the show, or at least later. The answer was “no”!

It seems a shame that private business was called upon to save the show and no effort is being exerted on the part of MDIFW to make sure people have a reason to attend the show rather than wait until 6:30 the night of the show and go online and see if they won or not. This reasoning makes little sense to me. I’m pretty small potatoes compared to other businesses and enterprises that lay out considerable expenses, time and effort to put on a show.

It is just a foolish for me to make the trip and lay out the expense of providing a good service, only to get dumped as soon as the show starts because viewers can go to the MDIFW website and get the one thing they are interested in finding out.

So, if you’re thinking about attending the show at L.L. Bean, believing you’ll find out quicker whether you won, just wait until 6:30 on June 17th. That’s when winners will be posted. Or, you could contact MDIFW and ask them exactly what time the computerized random draw will take place. As soon as that has occurred, call them back and ask them for the information. According to the reasons I was given of why they couldn’t hold back on posting the results is because law prohibits them from withholding public information. No point of waiting until 6:30 is there?

I considered attending the show and perhaps just conducting interviews, shooting some video and taking pictures but it now seems it is not worth the effort. I may perhaps show up and meet and talk with friends, depending on my schedule that evening.

I apologize to some viewers who I know were probably looking forward to an evening online and others who had inquired about advertising sponsorship again this year. Perhaps if we can get MDIFW to change their minds, next year might work. This is an election year and Maine will be picking a new governor. Maybe the new governor will appoint a different Commissioner to IFW who will understand that it’s the thousands of applicants for a moose permit that pay their wages.

We don’t need any Stimulus Money, just a little cooperation and understanding of how free enterprise works.

Tom Remington

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, I have been working to protect our local mountains from the massive Industrial Wind Turbine Development Project that is being proposed by Highland Wind LLC. If approved, this project will destroy nine miles of ridge top, while clear cutting over 500 acres, and building over 20 miles of road, to erect and maintain 48 four hundred foot tall turbines. All of this will happen within sight of The Bigelow Preserve, a place so special that the people of the State of Maine voted to protect it from development forever.

After much study, I have yet to find a single redeeming quality in this Industrial Wind Project. It will not clean our air, it will not reduce our use of fossil fuels, it will not reduce our electric bills, and it will not benefit our environment or our citizens in any way. What it will do is fill in wet lands, destroy critical habitat, and drive both animals and people from their homes. It is also likely to destroy many small businesses that depend on tourism.

In return for all this, a few men will get very rich, mostly from the government subsidies that will pay for the majority of the project, and a few politicians will get to look “green” in front of the news cameras.

The Friends Of The Highland Mountains www.highlandmts.org is currently working on a T.V. commercial to educate the people of Maine about this and similar projects. We are working hard to save our mountains and our way of life, but we can’t do it alone. That’s why I’m writing to you for help.

I am personally trying to raise the money to put our commercial on the air. It won’t be cheap. Five thousand dollars [$5,000.00] is my current target to get the ball rolling. The commercial is already in production, but if we don’t raise the money to air it, the people of Maine will never hear the truth about these projects.

So, I’m asking you to help in any way you can. Even five dollars will go a long way. I know money is tight and times are tough, but some things are too valuable to allow to be destroyed. If we allow tough economic times to keep us from doing what’s right, how will we ever live with ourselves, or explain to our children and grandchildren that we allowed a few powerful men to destroy irreplaceable mountain habitat for no reason other than greed?

I’m asking you, from the bottom of my heart, to please send a donation and help us preserve this unique and important corner of Maine. If you are involved with a corporate group, Scout Troop, or other service organization, please consider asking them to get involved as well. If we all work together, we can keep Maine’s wild places wild.

Checks can be made out to Friends Of Highland Mountains, and sent to me at the address below. Please write “for TV commercial” in the memo line. For those wishing to make a tax deductible contribution, please contact me for more information.

If we all work together, we can educate the people of Maine, and protect our mountains. Thank you in advance for your support.

Dave

David P. Corrigan
Registered Maine Master Guide
Fletcher Mountain Outfitters
82 Little Houston Brook Road
Concord Twp., Maine 04920
maineguide@live.com

The regular season for spring wild turkey hunting opens on Monday, May 3, and ends on Saturday, June 5. This will be a full five-week season for all turkey permit holders.

A new regulation regarding the spring bag limit goes into effect this year. An initial permit for $20 will allow turkey hunters to take only one bearded wild turkey in the spring and a wild turkey of either sex in the fall. A second permit for $20 can be purchased anytime after the purchase of the first permit that would allow for the harvest of another bearded wild turkey in the spring only.

Youth Day will be held on Saturday, May 1. Kids ages 10-15 with a junior hunting license are allowed to hunt on this day with adult supervision. Youths will be allowed to take up to two (2) bearded wild turkeys during the spring season without any additional permit fees.

The Wildlife Management Districts open for spring wild turkey hunting are 7, 10-18 and 20-26.

Hunters must have a valid spring wild turkey permit and a valid Maine big game hunting license in order to hunt wild turkey. Licenses and permits are available at IF&W’s Augusta headquarters, at licensing agents statewide, and at www.mefishwildlife.com.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife urges hunters to review the following safety tips:

Ø Never try to stalk a gobbling turkey. Your chances of getting close are poor, and you may be sneaking up on another hunter.

Ø Avoid hunting the same gobbler as your hunting companion or other hunters. Pick a different area to hunt.

Ø Stick with hen calls. A gobbler call is intended for special situations and might attract other hunters.

Ø Don’t be patriotic. Avoid red, white or blue. A tom turkey’s head has similar colors.

Ø Avoid unnecessary movement. This could alert turkeys and attract hunters.

Ø Don’t hide so well that you impair your field of vision

Ø Wrap your turkey in some blaze orange cloth for the hike back to the car.

Ø Always sit with your back against a tree trunk, big log or a boulder that is wider than your body. This protects you from being accidentally struck by pellets fired from behind you.

Ø If you use a decoy, place it on the far side of a tree trunk or a rock so you can see the birds approaching from all directions, but cannot actually see the decoy. This prevents you from being directly in the line of fire should another hunter mistakenly shoot at your decoy.

Ø Never shoot unless you’re absolutely sure of your target. Since only turkeys with beards are legal during the spring season, lack of positive identification could result in shooting an illegal bird, or worse, another hunter.

Ø Consider wearing hunter orange while moving from set-up to set-up. Take it off when you are in position.

The fish was weighed 1.73 pounds and was weighed on a certified scale at Yellow Front Grocery in Damariscotta. The record was confirmed by Maine Warden Service Game Warden Joe Lefebvre.

The previous state record was caught by Chad Mostats of Portland on Worthley Pond in East Peru in August 1989. It weighed 1 pound, 10 ounces (1.625 pounds).

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Sportsman newspaper, which is edited by avid outdoorsman and TV personality Harry Vanderweide, jointly announce new records. The publication has maintained the state record book for more than 30 years.

According to Vanderweide, this is the seventh state fishing record set in the past three years. That is more new records in a three-year period than any other three-year period since the records have been kept.

Last week I wrote an article titled, “God Has A Sign And It Reads: Gone Huntin’”. If you haven’t read it, scroll down this website and find it. It seems to be generating some talk so I thought, why not continue the discussion in a “Part II”. In the first article, I laid the basic ground work for hunting having a Biblically supported background, and I introduced you briefly to “Mountain-Man Outdoor Ministries”. In this installment, I’ll elaborate a bit more on why I believe hunting has a base in scripture, why I believe God wants, (and needs), to get involved on a more personal level with hunters, and what I plan to do about it. Hold on to your seats because I’m going to both challenge myself to take on a bold new ministry, challenge you to not only read these articles but open your camps up to a radical new outdoor preacher, and challenge the Anti-Hunters who are trying to use God and the Bible against us. You might just want to sit down for this one.

The Redneck Preacher Revealed

A few years ago, while I was in the process of trying to outline and develop this ministry, I was talking with a friend about my concerns. One thing I wanted to do was keep hunting and keep doing my pro staff work, yet try to bring God’s word into the mix in a way that wasn’t too “confrontational”. The other thing that scared me was the thought that some might think me a “Bible-thumper”, or worse, a hypocrite, because I was known to swear once in awhile plus I enjoyed a beer and a shot of good whiskey on occasion. Still do. Of course, I know the scriptural background to alcohol and drinking while many others don’t, and believe me when I say that topic is a whole bible study in itself. And before you condemn me, you might want to talk to me about it first, because the hype has been strictly religious and unwarranted. If you combine scripture with a little common sense, you’ll find out you don’t have a leg to stand on with that argument. Anyway, by the time the conversation was finished I had decided I had no other choice but to just “be me” and go with the flow, repercussions and all, and my friend wondered out loud how a redneck could become a preacher. I liked the concept and it stuck.

From that point on, I took it before God in prayer and made a deal with him; If he’d allow me to be myself without putting on airs, I’d do my best to make myself…and His Word….available to my fellow sportsmen; folks like me who love God but just don’t have the time to go to church. It soon became clear that the place to combine both my passion for hunting and my love for God was the all-American Redneck Hunting Camp. And you know what? I found out that God never intended for me to be anyone other than myself all along. Now, to those who have asked about my “credentials” and why I feel I’m uniquely qualified to actually teach christian studies, considering I’m so off-the-wall and edgy, here’s the skinny.

I’ve been a christian since age 10 but it wasn’t until 1991 that I rededicated my life to Christ and really started studying. I joined a local non-denominational church near my home, (I like non-denominational because I’m under no particular administration…which is how it should be, by the way), and I was baptized in September 1994. Between 1991 and 2010 I have logged somewhere between 35,000 and 36,000 hours of Bible studies and comprehensive research into the scriptures. That period includes a stint at a Bible college near my home where I took a 13-week course on “Understanding God”, a 12-week course on “Hermeneutics & Exegesis”, (go ahead…look it up), a 12-week course on “Theology & Church Doctrine”, an 8-week course on the “Art of Preaching and Teaching”, an 8-week course on “Discipleship” and one on “Apologetics”. It includes many hours spent in libraries doing exhaustive research on additional topics of interest ranging from crucifixion to Jewish history and culture. On top of that, I have conducted and/or been a part of men’s study groups, have put in more than a few hours of “pulpit time” helping my pastor, and served what I like to call ten years of “on the job training”. I say that because I was the only christian on a construction crew made up entirely of Jehovah’s Witnesses for 10 years. Believe me when I say, every single day was an in depth Bible study program. Seriously…I took my Bible to work everyday and we discussed issues constantly while we worked. Do that for awhile and then come see me. That’s an education in itself.

And the thing about me is that I have finally learned to accept who I am and what my unique calling is. I know I’m far from perfect; I get mad and swear once in awhile, and I enjoy a cold beer with my friends while we’re sitting around a summer campfire. I’ve always been appalled at the constant religious bickering and everyone insisting God has chosen their ministry as the only one he will accept, all others be damned. Excuse me but that’s a huge load of bull. When I present my case to someone with a topic of interest, we examine the whole context, not just a line or two, and after I’ve explained the true meanings of the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic words in their original texts, I give counsel on what I feel it means, but in the end the issues are ultimately between you and God. It’s not my place to force any of my own opinions onto you. To do anything else would be legalistic, unless it’s a simple matter of someone clearly trying to exploit accepted Christian doctrines. That, I would oppose.

I’ve learned to let the ridicule and disdain from others roll off my back. I speak my mind and I tell the truth about the Gospel…the whole truth, not just the rhetoric that pleases a stubborn and religiously-strict society full of stuffed shirts and pompous asses. I’m here to reach a class of people who have literally become a class unto themselves…the Sportsmen and Hunters of this great country who aren’t afraid to open their camps and their hearts; A people proud to be American, proud to be redneck, and proud to defend both their country and their God. These are my friends, my co-workers, and my companions and it’s time someone with a Bible background stood in the gap with them and for them; someone able to bring God to the playing field in a way all will be able to understand.

Hunters Making A United Stand

It has been my experience that hunters and sportsmen in this country truly share a deep-seated love for family, tradition, for country, and especially for God. Go into any hunting camp from the deep South, to the Midwest, to the extreme Northeast and you’ll find the same type of people; open, honest, friendly, all-American, and God-fearing. And it doesn’t matter who we are “back in the world” either. When they get to Huntin’ Camp, the camos go on, the guns and bows come out, the beer coolers get filled, and I swear I see a literal change come across every hunters face, usually within the first 30 minutes. The stress vanishes once the talking starts, and the worry-wrinkles, made apparent through time and age, deepen now, but from laughter instead of fear. I can almost hear the twang of each man’s inner “good old boy” coming out, too, and you know what that is? It’s the camaraderie that only comes from spending time in Hunt Camp…or Fish Camp, or wherever we choose to leave the world’s chaos and problems behind. It defines who we really are…….Rednecks to the end, every one of us.

I mentioned in my previous article that hunters & fishermen usually share a common sense of guilt when they take a Sunday off to head out into the woods or hit the lakes, when they or their families feel they should be in church. Some feel they’re in God’s true church every time they enter the woods or traverse the waters, and for most, a hunting or fishing camp is a place they can share a true spiritual experience, comparable to none found inside any four-walled building. I agree with them, which is why I plan on trekking across America every chance I get, so I can experience it with them and add strength to their convictions. The upside, for all of us, is that when I’m in camp with them, I can solidify their experience and ease that guilt, because I’m bringing a touch of God, (not religion), directly into their midst.

Do you know how many hunters get turned off by the arguments, rhetoric, and back-stabbing found in modern society? A lot. You know how many hunters have walked away from church in general because of all the bickering and legalism that abounds between them? Do you know how many are appalled at the extent the Anti’s are using God and the Bible against them now, and how some folks actually believe the lie? It’s no wonder hunters would rather plead their case for finding God in a tree-stand or in a ground blind somewhere deep in the woods. I don’t blame them. And I suspect much of the need to get away and experience “Hunting Camp” is rooted in the fact that sportsmen find a sense of true peace in worshiping God there. There’s acceptance, camaraderie, brotherhood, and best of all, no guilt.

Now imagine if you will, and I’m speaking to hunters and fishermen right now, you were told a preacher was coming to camp this week. Lie to yourselves all you want but I’ll tell you what your first reactions would probably be.

“Oh no….a Preacher? Coming here? Crap! That means hide the beer, try not to swear, and be someone I’m not until he’s gone.”

And in that vision you see a small meek individual, not impressive in frame or body by any means, who walks in, lays his shiny black Bible on the counter, and starts out with, “Shall we pray for each other, my brothers?” Every sentence is followed up with an “Amen” and whether you want to or not, you find yourself drawn into the falsehood of acting in a way you think he wants you to act. That would suck because I’ve been there. Now don’t get me wrong, I know some mighty fine outdoor preachers who don’t fit that bill either. I’m just saying.

Now imagine another preacher comes to camp. He walks in wearing a cut-off camo shirt not unlike Larry the Cable Guy, torn blue jeans, and a black leather cowboy hat with shades. He sets his ice cooler on the floor next to his camp chair, cracks open a Coor’s Light, and lays a really, really worn out tattered old Bible on the table next to him. He leans back, hands behind his head, puts his feet up and says, “So….you guys gonna talk all day about old hunting stories or are we gonna start making some new ones this afternoon?” He takes a haul off his beer, looks you straight in the eye, and immediately you feel at ease, thinking “Hey…this guy might be alright”. Ummm….in case you haven’t figured it out yet, that would be me.

Nothing changes when this Preacher comes to camp, I can assure you, and you certainly don’t want to be changing who you are for me. When I’m there, it’ll be me and a cameraman because we’ll be filming almost everything in hopes of laying down footage that someone’s going to want to see, either for an existing outdoor show or simply as a matter of personal record. No prank is too big and none too small, and all I’ll be is myself…which will be plenty. Want some spiritual advice? I can give it. Want to tell me why you hate “religion”? I can take it. I guarantee if nothing else, the spirit of camaraderie and brotherhood will be even stronger with me around. Why? Because I’m called to be there and nothing happens without a reason. I firmly believe that. The bottom line is that you need God just as much as he needs you, and with me, you not only get a fellow redneck, down to earth and a little rough around the edges, but one who can share the Word with power and authority and maybe even be able to help you find answers to some of your deepest questions. Plus my sense of humor is awesome, it really is!

The second reason I’ll be traveling to hunting camps will be to share a special hunt or trip with a special individual from time to time. Perhaps this person, young or old, has been battling cancer. Perhaps he or she has been crippled or incapacitated in some way that has made hunting almost an impossible chore without help from others. Or maybe the focus will be on a child whose life has been touched by tragedy. Maybe it’s a son whose father lost his life serving this great country in Iraq or Afghanistan, and this trip is for him because his dad had promised to take him turkey hunting when he returned….but he never came back.

The point is, we’ll all be together in that camp because we all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves…something life-changing. I think that’s what Hunting Camp is all about anyway, at least on some level. And I’m also here to provide assistance to already established organizations geared to help in circumstances such as these, but the reality is there are far more people waiting in line than there are organizations able to help, so whatever I can do, believe me I will. Time is of the utmost importance to these people. Time we should never ever take for granted because some are dying before ever getting the chance to live their dream. Every single hunt with an extraordinary individual battling against the odds leaves us teary-eyed, thankful and inspired to do more. That’s what I want to be a part of.

I’ve been a hunter and outdoorsman for almost 40 years, an outdoor writer and columnist for twelve, and been in the professional end of the hunting industry itself since 2002. I have made friends in the form of outdoor celebrities and personalities, and even outfitters and guides, and if I can come up with a plan to bring people together all in one place to make a special hunt happen for someone less fortunate than myself, I’m in. The plus side is I can give counsel and spiritual strength to the families and hunters involved, help solidify connections between organizations and families once the hunt is over, and if needed, I can even help call in turkeys or deer, right to the gun if no one else is available. And whatever happens, it will all be laid down on video because for some, memories will be all they have to hold on to.

A Challenge to Celebrity Hunters & Sponsors To Get Involved

Obviously, for this ministry to be successful, I need to generate money so I can help foot the bills necessary to make each hunt and trip happen….and I want to make a lot of these special hunts happen. Not only do I wish to use my connections between industry personnel and outfitters to get some basic hunts set up, there’s travel expenses to and from the hunting camp for the families to be considered, as well as other costs which unfortunately include maintaining this ministry and allowing it to expand and grow. But, and I can’t stress this enough, one thing I will never ever do is ask any man for money. It’s not scriptural to beg for funds when one trusts in God to make things happen. That, my friend, is called “faith”, and it’s a very powerful force. No, you don’t use people to get money; you use money to get people. I heard that somewhere and I liked it! This is not a religion I preach either. It’s a relationship. You’ll go far once you understand what that means. I intend to make this outdoor ministry flourish and be a blessing to everyone it touches and I have the assurance of the apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 that if I sow spiritual seed among you, it is my right to receive a material blessing from it as well. He goes on to say that Jesus commanded that anyone who preaches the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. I can only put myself out there in faith, and trust God to open the financial doors necessary to allow me to make this a full-time venture. Time will tell.

In the meantime, if you or anyone you know wishes to help me in any way, please contact me. If you’re an outfitter wishing to donate a hunt package, I need to hear from you and what you have to offer. If you’re a company willing to sponsor us with some much needed gear, I need to hear from you. We need basic equipment and camouflage clothing so we can outfit any special guests that ask for our help, and in return I will openly endorse each sponsor willing to provide it, and will do so publicly. If you’re a reader who feels you’re led to help in some other way, get a hold of me. And if you’re in the outdoor television or radio business and you’d like to have me on your show or in your camp as a guest, I’m available for appearances and interviews. Wanna spice up hunting camp with something extra like a men’s outreach or study group? Drop me a line, I’m ready and eager to be a part of it. Maybe you just want to kick back with a fellow sportsman who just happens to be a redneck preacher, and toss around a few spiritual ideas while sipping on a cold frosty one. I can do that, too.

Fortunately, the publicity goes both ways; I need your national outlets and venues to spotlight “Mountain-Man Outdoor Ministries” and get it embedded into the public eye, and any camp or sponsor willing to host us or help us will reap not only national recognition for their roles but more importantly, the satisfaction of knowing you made a public stand against those who would tear us down, while at the same time helping to get the Word out. And trust me, God will know and remember what each of you have done. I welcome any and all sponsors willing to give what they can for this cause, and one thing we’d really like to secure is a new truck that we can letter up with the ministry name and logo, along with all sponsors logos. So if you know of a dealership willing to provide us with one, simply for use, travel and advertising, I’d be much obliged to hear from you.

Why Hunting Camp Embraces Every Man’s Spirit

You know, for me, there’s nothing more gratifying than walking down a moonlit trail at 3:30am, on my way to a pre-designated turkey-hunting spot, hundreds of yards from nowhere. By moonlight I place my decoys out and then nestle into the darkness of a secluded stone wall on the edge of a blueberry field here in Maine. With my back resting comfortably against a huge old oak, I await the stirrings of life. Within an hour the birds begin serenading the dawn and the first gobbles echo across the valley; music to my starving ears. As the mist rolls across the blueberry barren, knee-high and ghostly in the early light, I see the forms of several deer appear on the opposite woodline, silently moving their way back to bed. As the distant gobbles continue to announce that the dawn has indeed arrived, two Barred Owls resonate their familiar cadence of “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all”. As I close my eyes and open them again, relishing this moment and thanking my God for it, I see a lone coyote trotting a hundred yards away, on his own little mission and oblivious to my presence. It is here that I, the Redneck Preacher feel closest to my Creator, and I know I am not alone. You feel it, too. That strange pull and the same sense of peace. Why? What is it and who can explain it? This is what I can share with you in Hunt Camp and this what I have to offer…

Over a crackling campfire on a calm clear evening I would ask you to consider the many passages of scripture relating to this spiritual connection we share out here. I would put you at ease and remind you that in Psalm 50 God said that every bird, every creature, and the cattle on a thousand hills belong to him. I would remind you that in Job chapters 38 and 39, almost everything you feel or relate to as an outdoorsman is explained, from the forming of the ice on a lake, to the breath of the wind against your face, to the birth of a fawn in the wild. And let us not forget that in Genesis God gave us the responsibility of conserving and managing all His natural resources, of which hunting and fishing are merely tools of the trade for the responsible Christian outdoorsman. Who was it that said “rise, kill, and eat” to Peter in Acts chapter 10? Was it a man? No, it was God.

When you’re in Hunt Camp, why do you think you feel such tremendous peace and camaraderie, and such a spiritual bond with God? I’ll tell you why. Because in Psalm 84 we find the true nature of God’s presence and of his church explained in outdoor terms we can understand. For in that passage it says that out in the woods even the swallow and the sparrows have found a home, and a place to raise their young…a place near the altar of God. For the hunter, no other place of worship can compete with the solitude of having your back against a tree in the spring turkey woods or the joyous laughter of good friends in Camp. And God is aware that hunters have been misunderstood, persecuted, mistreated and even attacked for their traditions and values. The sad part is that many are now using the Bible against you; Against us. Well, rest assured I know more than enough to stand in the gap with you publicly, privately, or both, and I’m outspoken enough not to care what others think. They want to bring God into the equation to condemn us? Guess what…I’m going to prove they picked the wrong argument this time. The Redneck Preacher is here to make a stand alongside all the other brave outdoor warriors who have already laid it all on the line to make a stand for America and the right to hunt. I believe I’m in very good company and Uncle Ted was certainly right; When we’re experiencing Hunt Camp each and every season, putting meat on the table for our families and friends, and honoring our God, we truly are enjoying the Spirit…….of that which is Wild. Hey Uncle Ted, give me a call, brother!

(Blaine Cardilli is a freelance outdoor writer and christian speaker who enjoys the prospect of sharing his faith in God with hunters & sportsmen in churches and hunting camps across the country. If you’d like to learn more about “Mountain-Man Outdoor Ministries”, would like to discuss hunting, the Bible, or both, or would like to invite Blaine into your camp or on your radio or television show, he can be reached at the following: www.facebook.com/theredneckpreacher or at indianwd@hotmail.com)