I think you might have had a bad experince. The gun fee in only for rifles. I have taken in line muzzle loaders and bows across with no problem. As for success rates. Maine is very good. My guide service took 32 hunter and harvested 31 bear. New Brunswick is about the same. We ran camers on 6 hunts and all were sussesful as well as all the sports in camp, and we were there for 3 weeks. For the money you can't beat a NB spring bear hunt. The lic. is half of what you would pay in Maine and the hunts are usually 2-300 less. Don't get me wrong, hunt here too. There is nothing like a Maine fall hunt. Success rates in NB are low in the fall. But in the spring the bears are out and feeding and bait is the best show in town.