Has anyone got news of how the first week is going? We will be leaving on the 7th for the 3rd week of the season. Looking forward to seeing the hunters we meet last year.
Maybe Bill Carlson has some news
I haven't heard anything yet. I'll try to get in touch with Eldon today and report back. A number of guys have promised to keep in touch with me but the excitement of the hunt probably has me pretty low on their priority list. Unfortunately Laura and I couldn't make it this year. At this very moment she is taking our grandson, Elijah, to his first day at Kindergarten. This year family had to come first.
I will be watching this thread, wife and I leave for the 3rd week also, be there the 15th, hunt the 16th on. This trip is a maybe, my father is in bad health, and could be cancelled due to his passing, but has picked up last few days.
Looking forward to it. The countdown is on...
Just talked to Eldon. They have taken 13 bear so far...some pretty big ones. Only one trad bowhunter in camp this week. His daughter shot her first bear with a rifle yesterday so he is going out with his trad gear today. Most of the hunters are rifle or compound so I technically can't expound here but they are having a good year and they are getting some big bears. Any of you guys going up in the coming weeks should be in really good shape. It is warm and should cool down some so the bear activity will only get better.
Thanks for update.
Thanks for the news, Bill. My mind has been in Portage all week imagining I am on one of Eldon's bear baits. Sigh! :campfire:
Thanks Bill
Thanks for the report Bill
See ya Chuch
Lets keep this up top for more info. I'm leaving a week from Saturday for Hunter's Point.
I'm hitting the road at 4:30 am Friday morning. All I've been thinking about is bears.
Eldon told me he would check back in with me Sunday....no hunting in Maine on Sunday. Good luck to all who are headed up. Things are going well so far and should get better as the weather cools down a bit.
You guys who are hunting with Eldon are in for a real great time! Wish I were going too. :thumbsup: By the way, as Bill has mentioned in a previous thread, if you are staying in one of the vacation cabins Eldon lines up for you, you probably want to take your own towels. The dear lady who did the laundry in the cabin we stay in always puts a very fragrant Bounce fabric softener sheet in with the towels when she dries them. You will not be scent-free! Just a word to the wise. ;)
This will be the year for my first BEAR cant wait to get up there. :pray: :pray:
Wish I was there again this year, Next year seems so far away. :(
TTT. Lets keep this current!
Looking forward to an update
me too
Looking forward to an update
Bill, has Eldon gotten back to you yet? A lot of us would like to hear how the first week ended up. Thanks and God bless, Scott.
Haven't heard from him. I'll give him a call around lunch time...I know right where he'll be then. Right now he is either trailing wounded bear or baiting.
Two days and a wake up and I hit the road...
Two days and a wake up...I better get my but in gear
Dale!
Eldom told me that they had 22 hunters last week and took 14 bear. Much better than last year. Here's an email I got from one of them (don't know what weapons they were using but for those headed up it's a pretty goo account of what you are in for).
I didnt get anything. But shoot at one on the last night but didnt hit him
>> good enough. My dad shoot a 220 lbs dry sow Monday night. Adam shoot a really
>> nice one 345lbs. It was the best hunting trip I ever been on. Eldon and his
>> guys have heck of camp. We could believe how hard him and Phil work. I can
>> see why its so hard to get a hold of him. It was amazing. Outfitters should
>> take a page out of his book. Oh if people ask you about eldon and hunters
>> point you need to tell them eldon is a stand up comedian. My father and I
>> could stop laughing all week. We are booking to go up in 2yrs again. So maybe
>> I can get one. If anyone every writes you and wants list of people who have
>> gone up there and wants to talk to them about there experience give them my
>> email address. I would give up hunting in NY just to go up there every year.
>> Hunters point and eldon get two thumbs up from us.
>>
(you need to tell them eldon is a stand up comedian.)YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!
Bill, Thanks for the update.
Hey Bill Thanks for the update, will be hitting the road very early Sat.morning. This is the year, Iam going to bag my first bear :pray:
I hope to go one day....when times are different with my dad and buiz....heard nothing but great things about Eldon and his hunts.
Portage or bust the road is long but well worth it will be in Maine tomorrow
You guys who are going to Eldon's (or any place in Maine) be sure to check out Kittery Trading Post--right after you cross the border into Maine--coming from the south, of course, :) and just across the street you'll find outstanding sea food at the Weathervane restaurant. Great lobstah dinners and on Thursdays they have "wicked cheap twins"--two 1 1/4# lobstahs and all the trimmings for $19.95! Ummmmm, wish I were going now! If you can only make it to one store, L. L. Bean or Kittery, you'll find Kittery Trading Post more hunter oriented. It's a great store. Beans store in Freeport is pretty yuppified in my opinion.
David: There is also a Cabela's at exit 41.
I just talked to Eldon about week 2. He only had 6 hunters last week but they got 4 bear. One was a trad kill. As soon as I get details I will post. If I understood Eldon that fellow was the only trad guy there and the bear was described as a "good one". That's code for 200# +.
Quoteand just across the street you'll find outstanding sea food at the Weathervane restaurant. [/QB]
Can't say anything about Eldon's,never been there,but I've been to the Weathervane a bunch of times! Add some scallops wrapped in bacon to the "twins" and you got a meal! :thumbsup:
Goshawkin: Speaking of scallops and bacon. Right across the parking lot from Cabela's is a small restaurant called the Portland Pie Co. It specializes in pizza and sandwiches. Laura and I stopped there the last time we went to a shoot in Maine...we always stop there. We had a seafood pizza that had bacon and scallops as toppings. Best pizza we ever had. We liked it so much we stopped on the way home and got two to reheat on our grill.
By the way, Cabela's has a lot more going for it than Kittery Trading Post or LL Bean. In fact, LL Bean prices are so outrageous that when we went there to get a Therma cell for the shoot we were at, that we thought it was better to fight the mosquitoes than spend the money. Just rediculous and there selection of "things" in their hunting building (they have a seperate building for hunting so as not to offend the "tree huggers") is of no interest to a serious bow hunter or a frugal man.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Carlsen:
[QB] Goshawkin: Speaking of scallops and bacon. Right across the parking lot from Cabela's is a small restaurant called the Portland Pie Co. It specializes in pizza and sandwiches. Laura and I stopped there the last time we went to a shoot in Maine...we always stop there. We had a seafood pizza that had bacon and scallops as toppings. Best pizza we ever had. We liked it so much we stopped on the way home and got two to reheat on our grill.
Now, Bill stop that--you made me drool all over my keyboard just reading that! :D
David: You are going to have to stop there your next trip up north. I wouldn't lie or exaggerate about such things. Laura and I eat very healthy...most of the time. We do make room for exceptions...this was one.
If you get a chance while you are in Portland, check out Street & Co. or Fore St. At Street & Co. get the Lobster Diavolo (it's for 2 people). My stomach is growling just thinking about it!
Lobster Dialvo.....yum!!!
Bill,Thanks for that.Next time I'm in town I'll have to stop in there and try the pizza. :D
Nick: If you are ever in NH there is a Portland Pie Co. in Nashua and now in Manchester.
There is at least one "tiny" bear taking a permanent vacation in Miami. Can't post pics yet but they are well worth the wait.