BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 17, 2026
This month, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will submit a report to the Legislature. An excerpt: “To support landowners who voluntarily provide safe, dependable access for the public, Maine must develop funding mechanisms that more equitably share responsibility and provide predictable support for key infrastructure to willing landowners. The recommendations that follow focus on establishing dedicated funding for high-use road systems, creating voluntary cost-sharing opportunities for private landowners and implementing a statewide program to maintain recreational infrastructure across land ownerships. Together, these measures will help secure long-term access and strengthen the overall resilience of Maine’s outdoor recreation network.” The problem of access can be stated plainly: Too much prime hunting land is being posted. What can be done to turn this disturbing trend around? The access problems for hunters are focused in central, southern and coastal Maine, where development and liability concerns continue to change the landscape. ~ V. Paul Reynolds