Two recent hunting-related shooting incidents have left landowners and homeowners in Gorham with questions about how hunting safety concerns could affect them and their family members. A hunting-related incident took place in Gorham on October 2 in which someone was shot in the face with birdshot, while hunting near Mosher Rd. A fatal shooting took place in Hebron on October 28, the first day of hunting season. In this incident, a non-hunter was shot and killed on her own land. News reports indicated she was in a fairly remote area away from her house, was not wearing blaze orange, that the land was not posted, and that she was apparently unaware that hunting season had begun.
Homeowners in Gorham, some in the Heartwood neighborhood located near the Gorham Middle School, have reported hearing or seeing hunters close to their homes. The homeowners believed that the shots were coming from the less developed area near the Gorham Bypass. In at least one case, a homeowner called 911, but was directed to the Maine Warden Service at the Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W).
In a recent phone interview with the Gorham Times, Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak said it was quite possible that callers reporting gunshots too close to their homes would be referred to Maine Warden Service. He stated that the decision of the dispatcher and the Gorham Police Dept. is based on the specific situation at the time of the call, including officer availability, and observed that incidents of this type may well increase, due to the frequency of new developments being built in traditionally rural areas.
With hunting season upon us, the Gorham Police Department is reminding residents to outfit themselves and their pets in blaze orange when spending time outside.Chief Dan Jones of the Gorham Police Department confirmed, “When we get this type of call, the officers respond unless they are tied up on another call. If we are unable to locate the hunters or cannot respond immediately, the call is referred to the Maine Warden Service. People may mistakenly believe we refer the call without any attempt to check ourselves first, but that is not what happens. People should always call 911 in any situation where safety is an issue.”
Paraschak added that information about hunting rules is available on the Town website, including a downloadable town map showing the shotgun-only zones, and areas where hunting is prohibited. When asked if further hunting restrictions might need further review as the town population grows, similar to restrictions in other suburban Cumberland County towns, Paraschak confirmed it would be a Town Council decision to do so. He added that hunting restrictions were most recently increased in 2011.
Maine law generally allows the use of rifles anywhere that hunting is permitted, except in certain restricted areas. No shots may be fired within 300 feet of a home or business. In the Gorham town center, an effective (but not official) no-discharge zone exists, because of the dense concentration of homes, and because of the 500 foot restriction near certain locations such as schools, town buildings, and the library.
Other restricted areas include parks, game preserves, school athletic zones, and the town garage facility. Gorham has established a shotgun-only zone outside the town center (as shown on the town’s map). The shotgun-only rules do not apply to each land parcel’s owners and their family members, however.
A review of recent articles in the Maine news media finds some consensus about basic safety tips for landowners: Everyone residing in or working in rural areas should wear blaze orange at all times when outdoors during hunting season; owners of dogs and large farm animals should consider protecting their animals in a similar way. Make sure you and your family members are aware of the opening and closing dates for deer season, turkey season, duck season, etc.
The Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife advises that if you see or hear people hunting too close to your home, farm animals, or other property, do not try to go out and look for the source of the gunshots, or confront the hunters directly. Call 911 to request local police response, but you may be referred to an IF&W game warden. If you are requesting that a police officer respond immediately, you may need to be specific about why the situation requires it.
A 1991 law requires hunters to identify specific parts of an animal’s body before they fire a shot at it. Hunters need know what is in back of their intended target, in case their shot misses the target.
Visit the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s website for more detailed information. The local number for the Maine Warden Service is 657-2345 and the 24-hour number for State Game Wardens in this area is 1-800-228-0857.