Hello everyone,

I am looking for some general advice on bowhunting in Maine. Let me describe the area where I live and if any of you have deer hunted in a similar enviorment please chime in.

I live in Northern Maine, The deer density is very low, less than 1 deer per sq mile.
There is no agriculture up here, just forestry/logging. So ther is no way that I have seen to pattern the deer going and comming from a known food source. The woods are THICK up here. During scouting trips, the little deer sign I find is in thick mixed hardwoods and cedar.

The deer up here are BIG!! Especially in body size. There are some realy big racked deer also but the racks are domminated by MASS as opposed to spread and antler points.

This December will be my second year up here.
I did not get to bow hunt at all last fall(pregnant wife and a house to build before the snow started) I got out during the muzzleloader season and tracked on snow, this was fun and it seemed to be an effective way to connect with deer( I got up on a few does but did not find a buck in the 2 days I had to hunt)

I realy want to take a deer with my bow I am thinking that because I can not rely on one walking by on a deer trail I will have to do all I can to bring a buck to me.

What have you guys used in the past that brought deer(bucks) in to an area like mine? I am willing to try anything to give me an edge, calling, rattling, scents.

PS You can not legaly bait up here and I think decoys would be useless with the thick woods.

PSPS For all my lack of deer contact, this is a great place for Moose and Black Bear. Last year a friend got drawn for a cow tag and we got a nice one on day 3 after calling her in. As far as bear go I see them frequently and might hunt one over bait with my bow next month.

Thanks I need all the help I can get

Hello Honkey!

I know Jackman well! I've done alot of hunting up there. How long have you lived there? I still have a good friend living up there, Norman Bloom, do you know him?

Also a friend from the past, don't know where he is these days, Jack Haggerty, his wife, Kathy, was killed up there many years ago, shot by the State police.

Back to your question on bow hunting there, "Tuff!" Is the bow season on at the begining of the rut? You might want to try to locate some scrapes, I've come across them up there quite a few times. Found most of them around the edge of swamps. Or try making a mock scrape, do some rattling around the area.

I have alot of trouble finding a buck with the rifle, good luk to you! I hope you score! Please keep me up on your season...

Here's something to really screw you up:
I'm posting a photo of a "Maine" Whitetail that I photographed in 2004, it was in September during the early Moose season. a friend of mine drew a permit, I went along to video the hunt. We were driving down a dirt road one day, about 11 am, when this buck stood up from this blow down, here he is....


Here's one from the side, picture isn't too big, but check out how far the main beam extends past the nose!




Good luck and shoot straight!!!

Widdowmaker416, Thanks for the info. I will have been up here for 2 years this December.
Sorry, I don't know Norm Bloom, it is a small towm but I still haven't met everyone yet.

I am going to try rattling. I have found some prommising deer sign and funny enough it is near a swamp on a well traveled trail.

BTW I love the picture of the deer, where in Maine did you see him?

Rattling during the rut will be your best bet. Spend some time moving and rattling. Moving and rattling. If you see any wolf sign, move on.

Honkey,

If you ever meet Norman, say hello for me. He's a great guy, a good friend!

The photo I took was off a logging road just south of route 6 near Topsfield. I guess he would score in the high 170's

When you go rattling don't forget your grunt tube!

Y'know, rattling, calling, estrous bleats all work but when the deer drops by if he doesn't see anything he won't stay long....that's where the decoy comes in!!! Even in thick woods it will help you more than you realize, I just love my decoys.

the chef