It’s Time For An Eagle Sandwich

Bald eagles are killing machines. Our population of Blue Herons is way down, because eagles are killing them.

An eagle killed both of our baby loons last year. And I see them constantly dive-bombing ducks in my pond and stream. I know they are brutal on ospreys too.

When DIFW first started researching bald eagles, they found just 30 eagle nests in Maine. This year they found 674 eagle nests, including 150 new ones. Yikes!

DIFW flew 300 hours to find those nests. And while I will praise the department for their eagle research, it is aggravating that the public does not contribute to help us pay for this work.

To reduce the eagle killing spree, I’ve suggested we institute an eagle hunting season. I think a bald eagle sandwich would be right up there with the lobster roll, bringing tourists to Maine to eat one. Do you agree?

My friend Judy Camuso, DIFW Wildlife Division Director, tells me it ain’t going to happen. More bad news for Maine’s blue herons.

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.