A friend of mine Clay Newcomb introduced me to Dan Wagner with Maine Trophy Outfitters several months ago. I wanted to go on a spring hunt this year but couldn't quite work it out. After going on my first bear hunt in the spring of 2013, Bear Quest with Tom Phillips in Quebec, and then finding a spot to bait bear the following fall in Arkansas, I was absolutely hooked on bear hunting. After talking to Dan I just had to book a fall hunt. Besides offering a great deal, he was contributing part of the proceeds to the effort to fight the anti-bear baiting referendum being pushed by the HSUS in ME. That made it an easy choice. Had never been to Maine and I've got to say its one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Here's a pic a mile or so down the road from Dan's place in Allagash. Dan's hunting area is within what's known as the North Maine Woods which I believe consists of around 3.1 million acres of either state or forestry owned land.
(http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u428/kentroberts1/imagejpg6.jpg)[/URL (http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/kentroberts1/media/imagejpg6.jpg.html)
:campfire: :coffee:
Beautiful. Enjoy your hunt.
Good luck.
Gonna be a good one..... :campfire:
beautiful. Maine is on my list. Moose is my bucket hunt, but bear would be awesome too.
I love Maine
:campfire:
I'm from DoverFoxcroft, just down the road a bit. You are right... very nice.
Arrived at Dan's place right after dark on 8/31. After settling in to my cabin I came back down to the main lodge for dinner and met Dan and his wife Ashley. Had a great dinner and started looking at trail cam pics. Dan seemed to have at least one big bear on almost all his baits. After looking at all the pics I was chomping at the bit to get up a tree.
Monday evening had east winds which are a bit unusual but Dan had done his homework and had stands set up for that scenario for me and the other 3 hunters in camp. Got on stand around 3 that afternoon in a great looking spot, in a ladder stand about 12' up and 15 yards from the bait barrell which had been cleaned out when we arrived. Dan rebaited and wished me luck for the evening. The only sightings that night were squirrels and rabbits. Wind was almost calm and swirling a bit. Walking out that night I'm pretty sure we pushed a bear out between the stand and the road.
Bears are my favorite animal to bowhunt...!
This is awesome! Pulling for you buddy.
Sat in a great looking spot Tuesday night that had been cleaned out, had a swirling wind and no sightings. At dinner Tuesday night Dan was showing me pics of a huge old bear that had showed up at a bait called the Crusher right before dark for the past two nights. This old bear was obviously way past his prime, had a huge frame with saggy skin and double ear tags so the biologists would have a full history on him. We named him Sloppy Joe and ther was no question where I would hunt on Wednesday night. Wind should be perfect.
(http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u428/kentroberts1/image-105.jpg) (http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/kentroberts1/media/image-105.jpg.html)
(http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u428/kentroberts1/image-104.jpg) (http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/kentroberts1/media/image-104.jpg.html)
Got on stand around 3 Wednesday afternoon and sat until dark through an absolute soaker of a thunderstorm. Wind, thunder and pouring rain. Did I mention this was the only night I didn't take my rain gear? Nice and sunny when we left to go to the stand but started changing in a hurry once up the tree.
Went with Dan the ext morning to rebait and check stands.
Dan pointed out that the mountain ash trees were loaded with bright red berries and that that was probably why some of the baits were slowing down a bit.
One of the baits we visited was called the logger. It was located on the edge of a recently logged area, had more bear sign than I'd seen all week and the bait had been hammered. I just had a great feeling about it, the wind was marginal but should work and I just had to hunt it. Got up a ladder stand about 15' and right at 12 yards from the bait late that afternoon. Hard to explain but it was one of those times I just knew something good was gonna happen. Dan rebaited, wished me luck and went to drop the other hunters off for the evening. It was a pretty uneventful sit until just before dark. I was thinking about where I would hunt on my last night when I heard what sounded like a good sized branch break. A few minutes later I caught a glimpse of black coming in from my left. Looked like a really good bear. It stopped to clean up a small pile of donuts Dan had left when he rebaited then moved up to sniff the barrel I raised my bow getting ready for the shot then it walked off past the barrel like it might be moving on. I was getting a little nervous when it turned and came back to the barrel and stopped slightly quartering away. I came to full dry and released. I thought the hit was high but probably in the vitals. Dan showed up shortly after dark. We followed the trail a short distance, saw really good blood but thought we heard the bear move off so decided to return in the morning.
Came back in the morning and recovered my first black bear about 200 yards from the bait. It was a big mature dry sow with a beautiful white chest V. We field dressed in the woods , field dressed weight was just under 200# so live weight was probably around 220#. I'm ecstatic with my first bear and can't recommend Dan highly enough if your interested in a ME fall bear hunt. Dan's the real deal, kind of like spending time with a cross between a mountain man and a biologist. When he's not guiding for bears he's a moose guide, trapper, river guide, houndsman and a logger.
Here's my Maine bear.
(http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/u428/kentroberts1/image-103.jpg) (http://s1067.photobucket.com/user/kentroberts1/media/image-103.jpg.html)
Took her with my 58" Apparition, Axis 400 Traditional and a 205 grain Simmons Safari.
Nice bear, and I'm glad you enjoyed our neck of the woods.
A beautiful bear and bow, nice going, Kent.
Congrats!
Beautiful bear! Congrats.
Congrats on a beautiful bear!
Bear with Traditional gear it at the top of my bucket list. And a bear with a white front patch is a bonus. Sounds like a good guide to consider.
By the way I don't think Maine has a spring hunt.
Kent,
Congrats on a great looking bear!
Congrats on the great hunt and well deserved bear. That is a dandy for sure!
Very nice bear Kent. Congrats!
AWESOMEEEE looking bear Kent :thumbsup: The white V really stands out :archer2:
Wow! That's a beauty!!
Just curious, what's the outlook on the referendum? I haven't heard anything lately.
I think they feel pretty good about it, haven't talke to anyone lately, but it could still go either way. Hard to believe they could outlaw bear baiting in ME even when the biologists are telling them it's necessary for effective management.
Great bear!
Sure fun to meet people like that...
Congrats again bud!!! :clapper:
Kent, I know it's been said, but that is a fine looking trophy. You gottaluv Maine.
Shick
Congrats... Nice Bear!
Kent, I'm smiling ear to ear reading this. Congrats on a great bear!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Nice work!
Congratulations! Great bear.
Congrats!
great looking bear, kent
congratulations
I absolutely love hunting bears in Maine--one of the really great experiences I have enjoyed in the woods. Been five times. Great bear and thanks for the story and pictures! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :archer:
Nice bear - congratulations! :archer:
That's a nice bear! I have always wanted to harvest a bear. Just could never pull the trigger on a hunt. Looks like you had a great time.
Great job. Enjoyed the story and adventure. Congrats. I got my first Bear off alt 1A. White V also but its not as nice a V as yours
Congrats... love the picture. :thumbsup:
Thanks everybody. Maine's an awesome place and I plan on going back there for bear, I'm hooked! Hopefully next year, we'll see. Probably saw 8-9 moose during the week just going back and forth between bear stands. May have to look into the moose hunting too. I think moose tags are by drawing, but it might be worth a shot.
What a beautiful bear! Sounds like you found the right outfitter for a great hunt! Congratulations! :clapper:
Bernie