mitchmedic

anyone hunted maine? do i really need a seat belt so the bugs wont carry me away? for real, on a semi guided hunt what do i need to take and what did you forget that you wish you had taken if youve been there? thanks for all....Mitch

adams

Mitch,

I'm a Maine native so I can verify that you will need a seatbelt at least if you are hunting in August or September. The bugs are pretty bad here. I've heard many people use a Therma Cell to keep the bugs away. This may be a small price to pay if you wish to hunt in peace.

Are you heading out in 2004? If not you may want to bump up your trip. Antis were collecting signatures to try and get a referendum on the ballot in 2004 to ban hunting bears w/ bait and hounds. I may be wrong but I believe they got enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot. I don't think it will fly in Maine but who knows as the state is getting over run with out of staters(urban Sprawl) most of these new "imports" have no idea what a bear problem is and are likely to vote to ban such hunting practices.[:@]

liquidorange

WHAT PART OF THE STATE ARE YOU HEADING to?

buckfever7

adams is right on...you'll enjoy yur hunt up here none the less.

mitchmedic

my hunt is aug of this year. i have been reading about all the hype to stop baiting in maine so maybe ill need a stick to beat people out of my tree as well. i will be in i believe northern maine its skaowhegan me. what bug sprays work the best and what are the "no no's" for bear hunting. this will be my first hunt in which im no longer at the top of the food chain so im open for any suggestions. thanks again for all...........Mitch

adams

Mitch,

Scowhegan is about a third of the way up the state but is near the western mountain region of Maine. YOU ARE SURE TO HAVE MANY BUGS!!!. I'd shy away from spraying my camo with bug spray. No Stinkin Bugs I've heard bad stories about. Some people like it but they also say it still smells like bug spray. I'd talk to your guide or a guide and ask them about a therma cell. Many people I've talked to say this is the way to go(a little exspensive) but you don't have any stinky crap on your camo and it works well without spooking game.

check it out here http://www.bowhuntershop.com/Thermacell.html

The guides will tell you what works best. I'd listen to what they have to say as I've never had a guide steer me wrong.

liquidorange

your probably hunting the first week of the season. i have hunted a couple first weeks just north of where you are hunting near JACKMAN. i always found it to be on the warm side the first week and the biggest thing about the bugs will depend on location of your stand. if its near the low swampy areas or along a ridge. get a good 3-d leafy mesh headnet and some unscented bug dope. the sound of them buzzing in your ears is the worst part. they also have those gnat like bugs called no-see-ums that bite like a horse fly but are hard to see. i never thought it to be all that bad. one thing that will help is if you bring your own climber stand and hunt high you will be much better off. i know its extra stuff to bring but you will be sitting from about 3.30pm till 8 or 9pm and being comfortable with your own stand makes a better hunt. ive hunted from homemade ladder and platform stands and its torture for me. i just tell the guide that i need a tree or 2 about the diameter of a telephone pole within the range you will feel comfortable shooting. usually 15 to 40 yards. let us know how you make out. there a walmart right in skowhegan for any last minute needs. also on the way up off the first exit in maine is the kittery trading post. its worth a look at. there are some monsters to be had but the average bear in maine is 150lbs. have fun.

Belle Island

I went on a bear hunt in Canada several years ago. I had a blast and you should too. The bugs were pretty bad, but not anything worse than what I'm used to here in the deep south. I wore bug spray b/c I'm of the belief that if an animal is downwind they will smell you whether you have bug spray on or not. Plus, I'm used to wearing it early bow season, its just a fact of life in the South.

The hardest thing for me to adjust to was the temperature changes up north. It would be 70 in the day and 40 at night.

I made a good shot on a beautiful chocolate phase bear and I will never forget the experience and the friends made while doing it. Have fun and just go hunt.!

MA Jay

I would suggest practicing your shooting with a head net and a thin pair of camo gloves on. It's not to tough to get used to, and the benefits are you don't have to spray stinky bug spray on your hunting clothes and your sit will be a lot more comfortable. I absolutely hate when the no-see-ums and mosquitoes bite and suck all the juice out of your body from the backs of your hands, knuckles and wrists! Plus it's hard not to get busted if you keep swatting bugs away from your face and neck!

The thing I have found hunting the early bears are that it tends to be hot the first hour or 2 in stand, but as the sun sets the temp drops dramaticaly, so having something to slip on quietly for the last hour makes for a more comfortable sit.

Don't sweat the gear to much.. if you are hunting over bait you can pretty much leave everything except the essentials with the guide or at camp.

The 1 thing you really should consider bringing .. a fishing pole! There is some awesome fishing in that area of that state .. and bear hunting is usually an afternoon thing, so you'll have time to take advantage. Good luck!