LD 648, “An Act To Maintain the Amount of State Land That Is Open for Hunting,” was signed last Wednesday by Governor Baldacci. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Troy Jackson (D-Allagash), ensures that the number of total acres of land open to hunting on public reserved lands and lands owned and managed by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife does not fall below the acreage available for hunting as of January 1, 2008. “This bill recognizes the importance of hunting in Maine and specifically the management of public lands,” Baldacci said. “I think this speaks to the importance of preserving this historic use of public lands.”