Anyone ever hunted bear in Maine?

SGT.H · 06-28-2009, 05:35 AM

I got a bear hunt lined up for the last week of August in Maine. Has anyone ever hunted up there? Any tips would be welcomed. It will be a first for me. I plan on taking my bow, and hopefully I'll get lucky.

The guy I'm going with has an uncle whoowns theoutfitter service. Cant remember the name.

Phil from Maine · 06-28-2009, 07:59 AM

I have never hunted for bear but have friends that do. Bear up here are plentifull with the biggest last year in this area went and tipped the scales at 612lbs. How do you plan on hunting them? Are you baiting them? If so they love sweet stuff with berries in it. Some use just a pile of jelly donuts that have been left over from a donut shop if they can get them. Which part of the state are you traveling to? Maine is actually a pretty big size state.. Good luck to you and your friend and i hope you both get one.

SGT.H · 06-28-2009, 10:05 AM

Thanks Phil,
I will be hunting over bait. My friend says they always kill. I was just wandering if anyone had bowhunting experiance. He said they always gun hunt them , and never have any luck with a bow. I cant imagine I wouldn't be able to arrow one. I've killed 60 plus deer with a bow, so I'm pretty sure I could make it happen. I would rather kill one with a bow if I'm going all the way up there.

It should be fun either way. Just a long drive from St. Louis.

Phil from Maine · 06-28-2009, 12:17 PM

Tell your friend that bears have in fact been killed by bows up here.. as a matter of fact they are more deadly on a bear than a rifle is. They cut threw the fat unlike a rifle that will expand and mushroom as it goes into a bear. More bears are lost or wounded by the rifle than a bow. Maybe because a bow hunter waits for a closer shot. I am not sure why but some guides up here would rather have a bow hunter than rifle hunters.. Good luck to you any ways..

Rickmur · 06-29-2009, 12:09 AM

Been so long since I did I forgot where it was without looking at a map but it was past mid state. We hunted over baits and thatincluded horses and cows that farmers donated to the guide as long as he picked them up. Awful. If I remember right we took 6 bear out of 15 hunters. Saw lots of moose. Evening hunts only, don't know if the guide was lazy or if it wasn't productive to hunt mornings. Bugs are a pain in the ass also so be prepaired. Funny thing is no bear was taken off of a horse or cow bait. If your stand was downwind of such bait it would be a long stinky sit. Good luck on your hunt.

HuntingBry · 06-29-2009, 12:36 PM

I hunted bear with a bow up in southern Maine last year. All the bait sites were new. We were getting some good activity, but always at the wrong bait at the wrong time. It was a lot of fun though. Definitely get yourself a bug suit or a Thermacell.

SGT.H · 06-30-2009, 08:31 AM

Oh yeah, got the thermocell ready.