Black Bear Hunt with Foggy Mountain Guide Service, Maine

23 June 2010, 01:26

Folks:

I am contemplating a guided Black Bear hunt in northern Maine with this outfitter later this year. Just wondering if anyone here has hunted Black Bear with them. Any feedback would be really appreciated.

23 June 2010, 05:16

2th doc

save your money, over priced an over hyped...FMGS has been pulling bears out of the same areas for 30+ years, hard to get a big bears doing that!

24 June 2010, 00:38

Shikaribabu

2th doc:

Have you hunted with these folks or know of anyone who does? Just wanted to know the basis of your opinion.

24 June 2010, 01:29

butchloc

do a search here, i seem to remember quite some info on the outfit from a year or 2 ago

24 June 2010, 22:43

2th doc

quote:
Originally posted by Shikaribabu:
2th doc:

Have you hunted with these folks or know of anyone who does? Just wanted to know the basis of your opinion.

yes I have, once never again!
It was a hound hunt my pal and I went on several years ago, Wayne's (the owner) hounds treed a sow and last years cub. Wayne said "kill the sow" and my buddy shot it with an arrow. Then Wayne looked at me an said " there's your bear, kill the cub" I flatly refused to do it resulting in Wayne getting screaming mad an shooting the cub out of the tree with his revolver telling me, " there's your f***ing bear this week's hunt is over" this was on day 2 of a 5 day hunt.
When my buddy's bear was skinned and quartered we were told our hunt was over and we were told to start packing.
Naturally I threatened to sue, etc. but never followed thru with doing so as it wasn't worth the trouble to recover 3 days worth of hunt fees. Funny thing Bsozwoic (sp?) had me on his reference list for a couple years after that.

25 June 2010, 00:47

BigB

We had a good time a few years ago with www.allagashguideservice.com . 4 of us went and all took bears, the largest was about 340 lbs. Food was good, camps were clean and nice and plenty of bait sites.

As I recall the owners name was Sean Lizotte.

BigB

25 June 2010, 01:59

505 gibbs

quote:
Then Wayne looked at me an said " there's your bear, kill the cub" I flatly refused to do it resulting in Wayne getting screaming mad an shooting the cub out of the tree with his revolver telling me, " there's your f***ing bear this week's hunt is over" this was on day 2 of a 5 day hunt.
When my buddy's bear was skinned and quartered we were told our hunt was over and we were told to start packing.

25 June 2010, 02:49

The Slug

quote:
Originally posted by 2th doc:
quote:
Originally posted by Shikaribabu:
2th doc:

Have you hunted with these folks or know of anyone who does? Just wanted to know the basis of your opinion.

yes I have, once never again!
It was a hound hunt my pal and I went on several years ago, Wayne's (the owner) hounds treed a sow and last years cub. Wayne said "kill the sow" and my buddy shot it with an arrow. Then Wayne looked at me an said " there's your bear, kill the cub" I flatly refused to do it resulting in Wayne getting screaming mad an shooting the cub out of the tree with his revolver telling me, " there's your f***ing bear this week's hunt is over" this was on day 2 of a 5 day hunt.
When my buddy's bear was skinned and quartered we were told our hunt was over and we were told to start packing.
Naturally I threatened to sue, etc. but never followed thru with doing so as it wasn't worth the trouble to recover 3 days worth of hunt fees. Funny thing Bsozwoic (sp?) had me on his reference list for a couple years after that.

Did you report this to F&G? I certainly would have. Who tagged the cub?

25 June 2010, 03:42

2th doc

Slug this trip took place back when I was still in college ("Yipes" 25 years ago) as I recall the little bear was still lying atop a dog box in the bed of the pickup when we pulled out of the drive that night. I'm not certain anyone tagged it though I am certain I didn't.
I don't know if Wayne is still involved with FMGS as obese as he was then I doubt his heart is still pumping.

26 June 2010, 18:35

Shikaribabu

2th doc

I appreciate your comments. I will be looking elsewhere.

26 June 2010, 19:43

Caracal

quote:
Originally posted by 2th doc:

yes I have, once never again!
It was a hound hunt my pal and I went on several years ago, Wayne's (the owner) hounds treed a sow and last years cub. Wayne said "kill the sow" and my buddy shot it with an arrow. Then Wayne looked at me an said " there's your bear, kill the cub" I flatly refused to do it resulting in Wayne getting screaming mad an shooting the cub out of the tree with his revolver telling me, " there's your f***ing bear this week's hunt is over" this was on day 2 of a 5 day hunt.
When my buddy's bear was skinned and quartered we were told our hunt was over and we were told to start packing.
Naturally I threatened to sue, etc. but never followed thru with doing so as it wasn't worth the trouble to recover 3 days worth of hunt fees. Funny thing Bsozwoic (sp?) had me on his reference list for a couple years after that.

26 June 2010, 21:51

Mad Dog

I hunted there twice in the early 80's. Didn't get a bear on the 1st trip, and a buddy and I went the second time. My buddy had an incident very similar to 2thdoc, guide shot the bear out of the tree before he could get there, then wanted him to tag it!

Bottom line I wouldn't hunt with nor reccomend that over blown outfit. I've got some other choice names for them, but I will keep them to myself.

Mad Dog

26 June 2010, 23:06

D99

I met him at the Cabela's opening in Portland a few years ago. I didn't think he was someone I wanted anything to do with then, and your story proves it.

27 June 2010, 02:23

Shikaribabu

Are there any reputable outfits that you have hunted with in Maine that you can recommend?

27 June 2010, 06:15

D99

Not for bears!

27 June 2010, 06:23

Aspen Hill Adventures

A little further north is New Brunswick, MUCH better for black bears. I have a good outfitter there.

27 June 2010, 16:15

Shikaribabu

Ann:

Please feel free to PM me the information.

27 June 2010, 17:58

Gracedog

You can try Oxbow lodge, run by Tom Aasbo, up in Oxbow, Maine. He runs a nice lodge up there with his wife, and takes some nice bears up there every year. I don't think you'd have any ethical issues with this guy, he is a straight shooter.

27 June 2010, 19:46

wasbeeman

In the FWIW dept: Ann has a fine reputation for producing what she sez. If she tells you XXX is a good outfit, you can write it down in ink.
I've never done any business with Ann but everything I've read in AR has been positive.

28 June 2010, 19:49

DesertRam

quote:
Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
A little further north is New Brunswick, MUCH better for black bears. I have a good outfitter there.

If this is still the outfit that Ann hooked me up with in 2007 I don't think you'll be disappointed. My wife and I had a real nice time there.

11 April 2019, 22:16

steel

...

12 April 2019, 21:23

Pa.Frank

I hunted with Foggy back in 2013 or 2014 and i would not hunt with them again. I'm not gonna rehash my experience here, do a search on my posts if your really interested.

Also hunted with North Country Lodge and Allagash guide service.. didn't get a bear with any of them, but wouldn't hesitate to re-book with North Country Lodge. They have a really first class operation.

Allagash guide service, facilities were not nearly as nice as North Country, but I would consider hunting with them again as well.

and FYI, at all three of these places, you will be sitting in the woods, less than 50 yard from the bait... and you will be staring at a bucket of donuts for 7 or 8 hours hoping a bear shows up... I don't think I have the patience anymore to do it again, but it was fun at the time.

12 April 2019, 21:26

bluefish

I hunted with Orion Outfitter (Ron Fournier) out of Albany Twsp right next to Bethel in Western Maine. Classy guy who is honest and worked his ass off for the hunter. His wife Dee makes you feel welcome. I would go again.

12 April 2019, 22:50

Pa.Frank

Also, the guy that owned foggy Mountain, Wayne Boscowictz or whatever his name was, passed away a couple years ago.

The kid he sold the business to was working as one of his guides when I was there. The kid was a decent guide, but I believe he follows the same model Wayne did, so I still won't go there.
If you decide to go with him anyway, I strongly suggest you avoid the pigpen they refer to as the West branch. If you go anyway, make sure all your shots are up to date.

15 April 2019, 02:20

Gojoe

quote:
Originally posted by BigB:
We had a good time a few years ago with www.allagashguideservice.com . 4 of us went and all took bears, the largest was about 340 lbs. Food was good, camps were clean and nice and plenty of bait sites.

As I recall the owners name was Sean Lizotte.

BigB

I've heard the same about this oufit. Give them a call.

On another note, the Oxbow lodge burned down and closed a few years ago. Unless someone has open a new lodge using the old name that I'm not aware of. The Oxbow gate to the North
Maine woods is closed to public use.

Contact the Chandler lake camps. At Chandler lake Maine, ask the owner Jason Bouchard about hunting bear there.

15 April 2019, 02:24

Gojoe

I never seen to see anything but cubs being shot during the New Brunswick spring bear season.
I am not impressed by those who shoot cubs just to justify the cost of the hunt.

16 April 2019, 21:49

Pa.Frank

Sean doesn't own Allagash anymore, he sold out the first year i was there.. but he was still guiding for them at the time.. Not sure if he still is. the guy that took over from him, I forget his name at the moment, knew what he was doing and Sean spoke highly of him..

as i said earlier, I didn't get a bear when I was there but I would still hunt with him again.

17 April 2019, 20:40

BuffHunter63

I've hunted with North Country Lodge out of Patten, ME for 2 years running. I am going back again this year.

It is over bait. Great food, comfortable lodging, and a decent family atmosphere (no cussing, drinking, dirty jokes, etc).

They have about a 50% kill rate. A lot more bears than that are shot, but not recovered, due to poor shot placement, not taking the followup shots, etc.

The bears taken run from about 150 lbs to 350 lbs. The week I was there last year, two 300+ lb bears were taken.

They have about a 70% client return rate, which says more about his operation than anything I could say.

Hank Goodman is a very honest, hardworking guy.

BH63

17 April 2019, 21:20

larrys

If it doesn't have to be Maine, I would go a little south and book with Clark Purvis (Capt. Purvis here) in North Carolina. He has some BIG bears. I hunted deer with him and he is a class act all the way around.

18 April 2019, 04:02

domit

foggy mt. is the only hunt I have ever had that I thought I had Benn taken !! really I know I was. there were 23 hunters in camp for a week and 1 small bear taken. my, ( guide was the local game warden ! ) took us to a stand 1 time and then it was up to us to get back to it each day. in our rental car over logging roads. a complaint was sent to bbb but never got a response . go any other place