About six years ago, Julie Harris took me bird hunting for the first time.
Julie, who was then our community news editor, had been training dogs and hunting for nearly 20 years. I marveled that early morning in central Maine as she managed her pack of trained Brittanys through dense brush, thick woods and old farmland in pursuit of wild birds.
She knew where the porcupines might be, and the dangerous spots where a dog could catch their leg. She knew when a pointing dog was just excited by the smell of past birds, and could tell stories about how familiar hunting spots had changed over her many years of exploring.
This was a person, I realized, who really knew her way around the woods. And more strikingly, I noted how much love and respect she had for Maine’s wild places.
I’m really excited to announce that beginning this week, Julie is our newest outdoors editor, the latest steward of a beat that has been central to Maine culture and the Bangor Daily News.
With her new role, Julie becomes the first female editor of a section that has exclusively been led by men. As hunting sees a dramatic, and much needed, surge of participation from women, she brings a valuable perspective to a pastime that is changing for the better.
Over her nearly five decades at the BDN, Julie has reported on crime and breaking news, edited the state pages, run the entire newsroom, grown a successful community news program and, for the past five years, has led our amazing local news team in Aroostook County.
Julie will not only bring a deep background as a journalist, but also practical experience and connections forged by decades of exploring Maine’s natural wonders.
“Maine’s outdoors has always been a place of wonder and rejuvenation for me,” Julie said. “I love a quiet paddle on a pond and a good hike. I look forward to keeping track of the factors that affect those things and more, and telling the stories that are important to all of you.”
In her new role, Julie will continue to grow our successful contributor network of local experts, report news that matters to Maine outdoors lovers and talk with you about what you want to see in our coverage. She’ll continue to write a weekly column, and will experiment with new ways to tell stories and engage audiences.
She can be reached at [email protected].
