Preserve Our Outdoor Heritage

Maine’s woods, waters, and outdoor traditions are an important part of who we are. Hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, hiking, and spending time outdoors aren’t just recreational activities—they’re traditions passed down through generations and an important part of our rural economy.

Protecting our outdoor heritage means conserving the natural resources that make these traditions possible while respecting the responsible sportsmen, landowners, clubs, and volunteers who have cared for them for generations.

My priorities to protect the outdoors:

• Protect responsible gun ownership. Maine has a long tradition of responsible firearm ownership, particularly in rural communities like ours. I will oppose broad restrictions that unnecessarily burden law-abiding, responsible gun owners, while continuing to evaluate individual public-safety proposals on their merits.

• Invest in Maine’s fisheries. Fishing licenses should help support healthy fisheries and strong fishing opportunities. I support funding needed to modernize and expand Maine’s fish hatchery capacity so the state can adequately stock our waters and sustain recreational fishing for future generations.

• Preserve Maine’s tradition of no Sunday hunting. I oppose opening Maine to widespread Sunday hunting. Our longstanding tradition provides a predictable day when landowners, hikers, families, and others can enjoy the woods during hunting season, while helping maintain the relationships between hunters and private landowners that are essential to maintaining public access.

• Protect access to the outdoors. Future generations should be able to continue hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and enjoying the traditions that define our region. With so much recreational access dependent on private property, we should respect landowners and strengthen the relationships that keep Maine’s woods accessible.

• Support responsible conservation and working lands. Protecting wildlife habitat, forests, waterways, and working lands can go hand-in-hand with forestry, agriculture, recreation, and responsible economic development. Conservation policy should recognize that the people who live and work on the land are essential partners in protecting it.

• Support local clubs and volunteers. ATV and snowmobile clubs, fish and game organizations, landowners, and volunteers maintain trails and outdoor infrastructure that residents and visitors rely on. Maine should continue partnering with these organizations and recognize the enormous value their volunteer work provides.

Preserving Maine’s outdoor heritage isn’t about choosing between conservation and traditional uses of the land. It’s about protecting both. I want our children and grandchildren to inherit healthy forests and waters—and the freedom to hunt, fish, ride, work the land, and enjoy the Maine outdoors just as generations before them have.