Maine Black Bear Hunts

Let me answer some of your questions...

1. What is covered in the fees and what is not? Your Guided Black Bear Hunt Fee covers lodging for 7 nights, transportation to and from your hunting area, guiding services, an active bait site to hunt, airport transfer is $50 round trip. Boats, motors and fuel for fishing are FREE. Meals are not included (See #15.). Also included is transportation to and from the tagging station, and taxidermist shop. Not covered are your hunting licenses and tags; about $190 for big game license, bear tag, and fishing license. Licenses can be purchased online at www.mefishwildlife.com or locally when you arrive. Proof of a hunter safety course or current hunting license is necessary for non-residents.

2. What is the status of the Maine Black Bear population? Maine has one of the highest Black Bear densities in the lower 48 states with nearly 25,000. animals. The Black Bear is doing very well in most areas of Maine including our area. Many of our sites continue to be hit once our season is over and sows are spotted each year with 1-3 cubs showing great reproduction rates. Our Black Bear hibernate nearly 6 months per year but we still have big boars roaming thru all of our hunting areas. All Black Bear are very healthy with beautiful coats.

3. How much land is at your disposal? We currently lease 25,000. acres of hunting area for our Maine Black Bear Hunts. There will be no other hunters in our area during this time.

4. How many hunters do you host in a season? We hunt 3 weeks and have 3-4 cabins of hunters per week. Two cabins are fully guided and the other 1 or 2 cabins hold our Outpost hunters. Usually 4 hunters will be in each cabin per week.

5. What is the success rate of your Black Bear Hunts in the last few seasons? Over the last 9 seasons our Black Bear hunters have had an 88% opportunity rate and a 75% kill rate. In 2002 100% of our guided hunters shot Bear and 60% of our Outpost hunters shot Black Bear. The combined total was 85% shooting Bear. In 2003 64% shot bear with 92% seeing bear. Two state record book bear were shot with one skull measuring 19 11/16", one over 400 lbs and one over 500 lbs. 2004 was a slower season with a Full Moon, an abundance of natural food and two Hurricanes. 66% shot Bear and 91% saw bear. Every season is different. In 2005 15/16 of our guided hunters saw bear and 10 shot bear. One was a 345 lb. boar that made the record book with an 18 4/8 inch skull. Three bow hunters saw nice bear but could not get a shot and two gun hunters saw shooter bear in close but could not get a shot before the bear left. The remnants of Hurricane Katrina gave us a very wet first week with over 6” of rain and flooding many of our bait sites, as well as Rita and Wilma over the next week or so. 2006 had 86% of our guided hunters shooting Bear and 95% seeing bear. Two Maine record book bear were shot the first week. They were 325 and 375 lbs. dressed out with 19 plus inch skulls.

6. What are the accommodations? Your lodging will be in riverside cabins with electricity, hot showers, decks, Bar-B-Q Grills, and comfortable beds with linens with 3-5 hunters per cabin.

7. Am I responsible for trophy/meat care? Butchering is free for guided hunters. We will butcher the meat and freeze it for $75 for Outpost hunters or you can do it yourself and put it in our freezer. Local butchers charge around $100. Your bear will be iced immediately after it is killed. Pictures will be taken that night and the next morning before we begin processing the meat and hide.

8. Will I hunt with you or one of your guides? I will be guiding one cabin of hunters and my son Aaron will be guiding the second cabin. Aaron has guided in Montana and Idaho as well as Maine. We will both be assisting the Outpost hunters as needed.

9. What assurances do I have that I will receive the treatment you describe? You have my word that we will probably be one of the hardest working operations you will ever see. In order to satisfy your need to know for sure you will have to call the references I provide and read some of the unsolicited letters from our hunters that are available upon request. Many of our Black Bear Hunters book a year or two in advance mainly due to our quality of service. You can also see the "Hunters Comments" section of this website on the "Hunting Articles".

10. Do you belong to your Professional Association? Yes, we belong to the Maine Professional Guides Association (MPGA). Many guides do not. We also belong to the NRA, NWTF, and Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.

11. What guidance do you provide for first time Black Bear hunters? You will be prepared extensively for your Maine Black Bear hunting trip. We will send you a great deal of information (20 page packet) to help you prepare physically and mentally for this hunt. Phone calls and emails during the summer will take care of any last minute questions. Once you arrive we will have a 1 hour briefing to cover shot placement, black bear habits and tendencies as well as what you can expect while you are with us, as well as what we expect from you. You will be ready!


12. Are there any additional costs? The only additional costs are those of your licenses. Big game license $87., Bear tag $65. and an optional 7 day fishing license of $35. 

13. Are there any hidden fees in my Maine Black Bear Hunt. No!!! We do not have land use fees. We do not have any airport transfer fees. We do not have boat and motor fees. We do not have any butchering or skinning fees. We do not have any road use fees. We do not have any boat docking fees for your boat. You get the picture!


14. What if I want to take my bear home to my own taxidermist? If you do, you are fully responsible for the skinning and preparation of your hide per your taxidermist's request. We do not know exactly how your taxidermist would like the cape prepared. We have an excellent taxidermist who has done all of our work for the last 10 years without any complaints.

15. Are meals served with my hunting package? No. You will have full kitchen facilities, pots, pans, dishes and silverware as well as Bar-B-Q grills. However, you can get family style, all you can eat meals at the main lodge for $10 per meal. Also, food stores and restaurants are only several miles away. If you fly in and do not rent a car we will transport you to pickup your food and any other supplies you may need while you are here.

16. How do I pay for the hunt? $500 is due within one week of your reservation and the balance is due 30 days prior to the first day of your hunt. If the balance is not received by the due date your hunt and deposit will be forfeited but it may be transferred to another person for a hunt in that same year.

17. What are the hunting sites like? We have over 50 sites prepared for your Maine Bear hunting trip. They range in distance from 12-25 yards. Everyone will hunt from ground blinds. It is your responsibility to bring a folding chair that is comfortable for a 5 hour sit. If you are flying to Maine you can use our chairs. If you have questions about this set up please call me and we can discuss it. You are less visible in a blind, your scent is more contained, it is more comfortable allowing freedom of minimal movement, and we have great success on the ground.


Please contact me with any additional questions you may have.