Maines 2012 black bear harvest information was just posted today at the mdifw website. Maine bear hunting have a professional maine bear hunting guide show you the best black bear habitat in the northeast, hundreds of thousands of acres in northern maine. Bait may be placed 30 days prior to the bear hunting with bait season and no later than october 31. All clients are bear hunting over active bear baits.
Aroostook county is known for its endless miles of primeval forest and shadowy bogs which lure hunters from all over the world in their quest for that all time. In its bestknown form, arenas for this purpose were called beargardens, consisting of a circular high fenced area, the pit, and raised seating for spectators. Many hunters say the ban on bearbaiting would devastate maine outfitters and guides who rely on the fall bear hunt to bring in outofstate tourism dollars. Bear baiting permit required but new regulations were loosely interpreted and not consistently enforced 1987. Bears are now able to live better lives, and so are their owners.
Baiting bears with cedar creek creek guide service up in kingsbury maine. Maine voters rejecting bearbaiting, hunting restrictions. Maine bearbaiting season closes portland press herald. Fall bear hunting over bait with the maine bear population being at a record high and steadily climbing, there are great opportunities for the hunter wishing to harvest the elusive black bear. It also discusses various baits that can be used, depending on local hunting regulations. Alaska board of game added restriction on receiving money or bartering for the use of baiting station. We use stand, stillhunting and tracking methods and perseverance is the key to success on these elusive trophies. Popular from the 12th to the 19th century, when they were banned as inhumane, these spectacles were usually staged at theatrelike arenas known as bear gardens in england many large groups of bears were kept expressly for the purpose. Stay on the grid at the eagle lake inn in a queen suite with loft with 2 double beds, compact kitchen, combination bath shower. Maine bear management program releases data, says baiting, trapping and hounding necessary to control bear population 8. For me, the most helpful portion of the book is harvesting a killed bear. Even the oppositions numbers show baiting isnt working.
September 16, 2014 other news bear baiting, bear baiting referendum, bear referendum by aislinn sarnacki the growing black bear population in the northeast was a main topic of discussion at the northeast black bear technical committee meeting on aug. Hunt, trap, molest or harass bear or release a dog or dogs for the purpose of hunting bear or training dogs to hunt bear. Voters keep bear baiting legal in maine the boston globe. Black bears can be hunted in maine using a variety of methods during a 16week fall maine bear hunting season opening on the last monday in august and closing the last saturday. For those of you who arent following the battle to ban bear baiting in maine, heres a quick recap. Maine bear hunting guided black bear hunts at ross lake. Deer hunts for northern maine giants are conducted in november. Bearbaiting was popular in england, until the 19th century.
Disturb the bait site through the use of chemicals or take other action intended to interfere with the hunting of bear at the bait site by the person who established the bait site. Nonresidents must employ, and hunt in the presence of, a resident maine guide in order to hunt bear with dogs. The bear season runs from september to roughly the end of november. A harvest of between 3,500 and 4,500 bears is needed in order to stabilize bear populations. The humane society of the united states and a coalition of smaller local animal rights groups are pushing a ballot measure that will ask voters this november to ban bear hunting over bait, the use of dogs in bear hunting, and bear trapping in maine. Baiting of maine bears begins on saturday and the maine department of inland fisheries and wildlife mdifw folks havent got the numbers for last years hunt published on their website.
Opening day of bear baiting in northern maine part 2 duration. We maintain exclusive baiting rights to approximately 360 square miles of vast wilderness to assure our guests of a truly private hunt. Traditional maine bear hunting over bait in northern aroostook county. As the maine legislature declined to act on the proposed statute, it was automatically placed on the ballot. Boasting one of the largest black bear populations in the eastern u. Maine bear hunting reform narrowly rejected by voters. The history of baiting bear in the united states seems to parallel the change in the perception of black bear from vermin to big game species in the 1960s servheen 1999. This is a breadcrumb navigation to take you back to previous pages. Trail cameras are utilized by bear guides to enhance success. Ban cruel bearhunting practices in maine share as we approach the nov. Online bear baiting clinic history of bear baiting in alaska brief history. From the sixteenth century, many bears were maintained for baiting. The book points out that bear are difficult to move and will spoil quickly.
You are not allowed to have more than one trap set for bear at any time. Maines season for hunting bears with bait is coming to a close about six weeks before a statewide referendum that could end the hunting method. Conducting our hunts exclusively in zone 1 with 140,000 acres of bear hunting territory in northwestern maine along the quebec border we are fortunate to have such vast uninterrupted commercial. Black bear hunting and eating black bear we hope you enjoy the information here about black bear hunting in maine and ways to prepare bear meat for eating. In maine, baiting hasnt stabilized the bear population its grown by 30% since 2004. As bears began to be viewed as game by sport hunters as opposed to vermin, the notion of selective harvest or trophy hunting for bears became more popular.
The first 15 years is a 40minute video divided into 11 chapters on years 199720. Since 1997, weve been working with the pakistan bioresource research centre brc to end bear baiting. This is a super fun podcast with some authentic west virginia hunters. Bear baiting books, elk and hog hunting books and videos. Maine trophy bear hunting success begins when you choose the location of your hunt. Private channel, 5watt, 2way radios for direct communication with your black bear guide. See youtube video mfoa s first 15 years maine friends of animals was first established in 1997.
A post would be set in the ground towards the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it, either by the. A post would be set in the ground towards the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it, either by the leg or neck. Mainers for fair bear hunting expressed disappointment about the election results on question 1, but thanked more than a quarter million mainers who voted to end bear baiting, hounding, and trapping. Maine voters appeared to reject a ballot initiative that would forbid bear baiting and two other popular hunting practices. If the nonresident is a licensed maine guide, they may hunt bear with dogs themselves, and may guide residents, but cannot guide nonresidents. Bearbaiting was popular in england until the 19th century. Bearbaiting, alternatively bullbaiting, the setting of dogs on a bear or a bull chained to a stake by the neck or leg. Maine public lands offer the opportunity to hunt in the backcountry. Mdifw has adopted an emergency rule that limits some methods used to trap bear which may accidentally capture the federally threatened canada lynx in maine. Ross lake camps has exclusive rights to a vast bear hunting area to assure you get a truly private hunt. Bear control is a matter of numbers, say both sides.
Debate over maine bear hunting sparks national interest. The same rules that apply to hunting bears with the use of bait apply to trapping for bears. As a result, together weve decreased the number of bear baiting events dramatically. See the summary of maine hunting laws about the use of bear baits. They produced numbers last year on august 3 rd for the 2014 hunt but their record for most tardy is for the 2006 hunt which was reported on august 27 th. Guided hunters may look for 50 to 75 success, on big mature bucks which are good odds in this area. Maine bear hunting 8 matching articles field and stream. In maine, bear baiting is by far the most popular method of hunting and accounts for 80 percent of the states annual bear harvest.
The book points out that bear sign is difficult to spot and offers tips on spotting bear sign. Bear hounding, baiting, trapping are cruel, unsporting practices. Bait can be used to assist dog hunters and trappers, but it is illegal to shoot a bear over bait after the close of the hunting with bait season. Hounding, baiting, and trapping are scientifically. Meanwhile, other states have taken the lead and enacted less cruel, more effective methods of stabilization. The bear harvest for maine for 2012, including all methods of harvesting bears, i.
You are also required to follow other rules specific to bear trapping, as follows. The rest of maine, where the bear population, and bear hunting, is concentrated, mostly voted against it. They discuss joshs unique accent, spotandstalk deer hunting in reclaimed coal mines, and why hound hunting is a great recruitment tool for hunting. As we have progressed to become maines leading animal protection organization, we experienced many positive changes in animal welfare, as well as disappointing set backs. The question of whether maine should return to its roots and traditions as being a. Ross lake camps boasts a very large bear hunting area. And northern maine has the largest black bear population in north america and is growing every year. Maine bear hunting black bear outfitters bear hunts. Maine question 1 mq1, an act to prohibit the use of dogs, bait or traps when hunting bears except under certain circumstances, was a citizeninitiated referendum measure in maine, which was voted on in the general election of november 4, 2014. Hunting outfitters said they believed banning bear baiting would hit the states economy hard because hunters would stop coming to maine for bear season.
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