BANGOR DAILY NEWS • November 14, 2025
Before he passed away four years ago, George Smith was arguably the state’s foremost champion for hunting and fishing. He served as Executive Director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine for 18 years, and mastered all media as a tireless advocate for traditional outdoor sports. George was also a birder, although he didn’t start out that way. He didn’t even realize he was becoming a birder, until it was almost too late. As he told me later, he’d sit in a tree stand, at eye level with the birds. Once the birds got used to his presence, they would go about their business right under his nose. He’d forget about the deer he was supposedly hunting. ~ Bob Duchesne