I just returned from my annual Maine black bear hunt.

This year’s hunt started out bad and remained that way.

As soon as I arrived, I was informed that the owner and Master Guide of North Country Lodge, Hank Goodman, had passed away unexpectedly in June.

Hank was a great guy, who was extremely knowledgeable about hunting black bears. His enthusiasm and hard work was an inspiration to everyone who ever had the privilege of meeting him and/or hunting with him. His loss is felt by many.

That said, his people (including his wife) did everything they could to make this a successful hunting season for their guests.

Out of 31 hunters, 14 bears were taken.

Unfortunately, my group had a guest guide who hadn’t hunted this area in a long while (he runs a game ranch in Texas) and none of his hunters saw any bears.

I am sure things will improve for him and his hunters as the season progresses.

For me, not getting a bear was inconsequential compared to the loss of Hank.

I know his family (especially his wife) and friends are still grieving and mourning.

I thank them for their professionalism and continued hard work in trying to give all their hunters a good and successful hunt.

RIP Hank.

BH63

I have never hunted Maine, but it seems there is too much hunting pressure there. I used to hunt black bears DIY in MN and never had any trouble; was 100 percent on five hunts. Perhaps it was because I backpacked my bait in deep off a trail in thick woods near water, but I hear too many stories about unsuccessful bear hunts in Maine. When I lived in MN I could generally draw a permit every other year, but today it is about once every four years. Overall success remains high (in 2017 it was 50 percent).

BTW, 31 hunters seems like a lot; not sure how big of territory that outfit hunts.

Does Maine require tooth samples? I wonder what the average age is of the bears taken.

Hank once told me his lease was about the size of RI. It takes over an hour driving on logging roads to get the first hunter to the stand.

His Lodge is certified by the state of Maine as a bear check station.

On the previous two occasions that I hunted with them, there was always two or three bears that weighed over 300 lbs.

BH63

I along with several friends have hunted bear in Maine both bait and hounds with several outfitters in different parts of the state. None of us has ever killed a bear there that weighed over 200#. Long established lodges with paper company leases that go back 30 or 40 years have been taking too many bears off those leases for way to long. A bear needs age to get big can't get that by taking 30+ bears out of any area every year.

I personally avoided Maine as a bear destination due to the problem of outfitters running snare lines for bear while they had hunters in camp. Apparently snaring is very common in that state and I presume it is done as the pelts and galls are sold, probably overseas.

This practice also contributes to a lot of young, small bears. For northeast bears I hunted in Quebec or New Brunswick.

I have hunted bears 7 times in Maine. My best bear was 408lbs the 350,245,150. Last bear was shot with traditional archery. I shot the first bear that gave me a perfect shot. I must have chosen a good outfitter. As only two times did I not see a good bear. Once while trying to get my then ten year old son a bear and the first year I hunted them I never saw a bear.we had bear every year at 350 or better. Unfortunately this guide sold out.

Maine is strange in that you can’t hunt on Sunday but you are allowed to sell bear gallbladders.

North Country Lodge has about a 75% repeat client rate.

BH63

I have a couple friends in ME who guide and they take way too many clients on bait hunts. If they run 20% success on bait I'd be surprised.

They both have hounds as well and only book 1 hound hunter per week of which they usually run 100% success on day 1 or 2.

They will then offer an upgrade to their bait hunters to a hound hunt for extra $$$, which in turn ups their client success rate.

They both have a 60-70% client rebook rate so I guess folks are satisfied.

Hoytshooter, who did you hunt with?
With numbers like that sounds like Sonny Wade. He had the best outfit I've ever personally seen in ME