Maine Wardens: This is the Most Important Thing to Remember When Doing Anything Outside in Maine

Did you know that a whopping 94% of land here in Maine is privately owned?

In this public service video for Mainers and visitors from away, the Maine Warden Service reminds us that a vast majority of the land on which we hunt, fish, and enjoy recreation activities like snowmobiling, is privately owned. Because we don't have a right to use everyone's land, here are a bunch of great things to keep in mind.

The website Keeper of the Maine Outdoors probably says it best: "The Maine outdoors enriches all of us. Decades of cooperation between landowners and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife means that these lands are open for use by Mainers and tourists for recreational purposes."

Maine wardens remind all of us: Access to private land is a privilege, not a right.

Landowners who permit you to use their land for outdoor recreational activities are not only doing you a favor, they place their trust in you.

It’s important you do the following:

Plan ahead and ask for permission to be on the premises
Respect any and all special requests made by the landowner
Understand clearly where you can and cannot drive or park your vehicle and abide by those restrictions
If requested, provide the landowner, your name, address, phone number and vehicle description
Know the property boundaries of the land you have permission to use and stay within those boundaries
Railroad and utility corridors are not public rights of way and require permission for access
Always OBEY THE LAW

The website also outlines a pledge for sportsmen and visitors to the Maine outdoors that's good to keep in mind: