AUGUSTA — When Merline Douglas is ready to launch her recreational guide business, probably sometime next summer, she wants to be connected to potential customers.
So when Douglas, who is based in Mount Vernon, saw that hunters spend $213 million in Maine annually, with a ripple effect of $363 million, she wanted to know more.
On Tuesday, she joined about a half-dozen other businesspeople at a meeting of Hunting Works for Maine at the Homewood Suites to learn about the organization and find out how it might help her.
Douglas, who is a broker at Hoang Realty and manages vacation rentals through her company, Dream Maine, is hoping that by associating herself with the organization, she’ll be able to tap into a population of people who come to Maine to hunt and spend money on restaurants, lodging, clothing, souvenirs, guides and recreation experiences.
Hunting Works for Maine is one of about 14 such self-described nonpolitical state organizations in the nation. Funded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the groups work to bring the economic effect of hunting into policy discussions. Hunting Works for Maine launched in July 2015 and expects soon to have 100 members in Maine.
About 181,000 people hunt in Maine annually, and 40,000 of them come from out of state. They spend about $102 million on trip-related expenses, and more than $60 million on equipment. That translates to $120 million in salaries and wages, and it supports 4,000 jobs.
State director Rob Sexton said those numbers, which he called conservative, date from 2011. They are expected to be updated this year.
“Every five years, the Fish and Wildlife Service adds targeted questions to the census around hunting,” Sexton said. That raw data is used in forecasting and it’s used to measure the economic effect of hunting. The same data is collected every five years, so it provides a standardized look at spending and trends in hunting.
And it’s that information that advocates think is important to get across when policies that affect hunting are being considered.
Rep. Gary Hilliard, R-Belgrade, co-chairman of the group, said he has seen the influence of hunting on Maine business.
“I’m a lucky guy. I have a friend in Kansas that has invited me to go there to hunt, and I bring him to Maine to hunt.” When the friend comes here, Hilliard said, he’ll bring his son or several friends. They’ll fly into Portland, and stay the night. The next day they might to go to Kittery Trading Post or L.L. Bean and then head north to hunt.
“Seven or eight guys will spend thousands of dollars,” he said.
Hilliard has sponsored legislation to lift restrictions on youth hunting, which he said would bring more people to Maine to hunt.
“It has had great impact on securing hunters before they get hooked on other interests like hockey or whatever they want to do at 13,” Sexton said.
Douglas, who is working to complete her guide certification now, said she believes that joining the organization will give her business exposure to families who are interested in spending time in Maine and giving camping a try. As a real estate professional, she also doesn’t overlook the fact that hunters and their families might be interested in leasing or investing in camps or vacation homes in Maine.
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