any one hunting maine this year?
I just reserver a hunt with the Bowlin camp for the second week of November.
hunting for big deer and bear. if one presents me with a shot .
I posted earlier this year for info on hunting maine and got several replys on the hunting conditions and hope to hear from you with any info that you think will help for the hunt.
I talked to ken Conaster and he said they had a fair year last year, hope to make it a great year this year.
Dave

Not looking to rain on anyone's parade, but we had a very tough winter here in New England, with lots of late winter snow and unusually cold temps. Read somewhere that even in Southern NH, on the MA border (yeah, yeah ) near where I hunt, deer numbers took a beating. Not sure if this even relates, but as a semi-local thought I'd throw you that.

Leighton

I went the last 2 years and wrote a long post on it which should come up in a search -- probably around December-February.

Last year was great hunting for a lot of people, but it was a wicked winter. I may go this year just because a good friend lives up there, and another friend is getting married in Boston around that time.

John

I'll be in Maine, near Danforth, the second week of the bear over bait season. First week of September. I be hunting out of Wilderness Escape Outfitters( www.wildernessescape.com ).

The deer took a little bit of a beating last winter, although the mortality wasn't as bad as it could have been- we had a lot of very cold weather, but moderate amounts of snow. I'm not familiar with the camps your hunting out of, but be prepared for fairly difficult hunting. Even in very good years, you won't see many deer in a week of hunting. Thick cover (except in clearcuts) means that most shots will be fairly close, but it also means you won't be able to see as many deer (even if they were here) as in more open areas. Deer densities in the northern and eastern parts of the state are generally only a few per square mile. The size however, is very good. There are a lot of 200# plus deer taken in northern Maine (statewide there are usually close to 1000 taken every year), so the chances are pretty good that if you see a buck, he's a nice one. Just keep in mind that the total deer kill in Maine is usually around 30,000, so you won't see one behind every tree, even in the better areas. Hunt hard and good luck.

HV: I'll be in Bowlin in September for a bear hunt also. I'm one of the partners in the business. Ken and I served together in the Pentagon years ago. You won't find a more hardworking, honest guide anywhere. I'll post my report after I get back in September. jorge

thanks for the replys.
Georgenepa wilderness escape and Allagash camps were the two others we were looking at. descided on the Bowlin camp near Patten, my friend had hunted just north of Patten at Winsome camp five years ago;.
john I will do a search and read your post
Jeff the bowlin camp is near patten on the east branch of the penascot river. the number of deer for sq. mile was 3 but not unusual to take deer over 250 pounds this is what i have been told.
jorge I will be looking for your hunting report.
i was in maine two weeks ago went all the way to FT Kent talked to a lady at the little store on Rt11 she gave me all the info on the camps.
Also saw 7 deer 1 buck north of Patten, and 1 moose near portage lake. spent two days driving around through the country and loging roads.
Dave

[ 07-29-2003, 01:47: Message edited by: HIVELOSITY ]