When to hunt in Maine?

Kezar Falls · 09-12-2002, 06:19 AM

Imagine being from Maine and living in Europe. Because hunting is in your blood you go home for a couple of weeks each November. Every year you have to choose what the best time is to go. You can go for 2 weeks. When would you go? The first two, the middle two or the last two weeks of hunting season? When is the rut in Southern Maine, about an hour North West of Portland? Does anybody have any advice for me? Thanks!

jerseyjoe · 09-12-2002, 07:54 AM

Hello Kezar. I have been hunting Maine the last week of the season for 16 yrs now. I have friends in Unity and Thordike, just outside Waterville. Choose the last 2 weeks....

illin8 · 09-12-2002, 09:10 AM

I'd recommend the 1st to 2nd, then 2nd to 3rd...depending on how you like to hunt. The pre-rut is ending right around the 1st week and I firmly believe that the 2nd week always has a few days that are 'hot' so to speak, where bucks are as active as they will ever be.

The deer are also less spooked during the 1st week, not that many hunters out and no hunting pressure on them yet. Either way, 1st, 2nd and 3rd are good. We go the week before thanksgiving every year banking on colder weather. By then the bucks are teamed up w/ the does and have to locate the deer to find a buck.

Quilly · 09-12-2002, 01:02 PM

i hunt in bridgton, denmark, fryeburg, harrison, elliot, abbot, greenville, sangerville, corrina and guilford.
i have always hunted the first opening week for m*******s. i find better luck the first week cause of the lack of hunting pressure.i have hunted the second week with very littel luck.
but seem to see the rut start to kick in by the beginning to the mid of the second week.
the past 5 years of hunting up there.the mornings have been 20's and by the mid of the day it has been in the 40's and 50's

DLuke · 09-12-2002, 03:20 PM

I have hunted the Corinna/Dexter area for 21 years. Given my choice of which two week period, I'd be there the middle two weeks hands down. DLuke

Quilly · 09-13-2002, 04:40 AM

going for anoter biggun this year DLUKE?

i am trying to get up in corrina this year. but won't be till the thurday - satuday of 21st-23rd.

DLuke · 09-13-2002, 05:19 AM

We'll see Quilly! By the sounds of things its going to be a big beech nut year, so edges between beech ridges and deep swamp will be my focus in the mornings. Sounds like you'll be spending a lot of time up there this year. I wish I had the time to be there more. You should see the deercam pictures that a guy has on another site from Maine. He hunts out around Atkinson and Charleston. Man, what beauties. They are certainly out there....in greater numbers than we think. He has pics of seven different bucks, mostly big bucks, in one night from his cams. One is a whopper non-typical.

I'll be heading up the 7th and staying through the 17th. I could get back up for a weekend of BP if I don't fill my tag....I'd love to get one with my new inline. DLuke

Mainehunter · 09-13-2002, 05:56 AM

As far as which weeks to hunt all I can say is that I tend to see more deer the first and third weeks. Why is that? The only guess I can come up with is that during that first week the hunting pressure is fresh and the deer become more reclusive as the week goes on in reaction to it.
Then by the third week a lot of folks have either tagged out or run out of vacation time so the pressure lets off a bit and the deer become a little more relaxed than week 2.
That's all theory and guessing but I have consistantly tagged and seen more deer in those two weeks.

jerseyjoe · 09-13-2002, 07:09 AM

Dluke....What is the link for that site?

DLuke · 09-13-2002, 02:40 PM

www.state.me.us/ifw