The reason Maine guides are optimistic for bear hunting season

By Pete Warner, Bangor Daily News Staff

There is plenty of optimism among bear hunting guides this week with the 2022 season upon us.

Guides, landowners and hunters across the state have spent the past three-plus weeks setting up tree stands and ground blinds. Many of them have been making frequent visits to those sites to place bait in the hope of attracting big, healthy black bears.

“There seems to be a real abundance of bears this year, for sure,” said Mike Clough of Green Lake Guide Service in Ellsworth.

“Just in this last week, a lot of bigger bears started showing up on the cameras,” Clough said. “The first couple weeks I was seeing a lot of sows with cubs, which is a good thing.”

The season gets underway Saturday, Aug. 27, with Youth Bear Hunting Day for kids ages 16 and under — under adult supervision. The regular bear hunting season begins Monday, Aug. 29.

Hunting over bait is permitted through Sept. 24, while bears may be hunted using dogs through Oct. 28. The bear trapping season extends through Halloween.

All three of those hunting methods require a special bear hunting permit.

However, during the regular firearms season for deer (Oct. 31-Nov. 26), hunters may shoot a bear without any additional permit.

Many guides report having lots of bears visiting bait sites and sampling the offerings, which often consist of pastries, sweets, nuts and other foods.

“We currently can’t lug enough bait — the bears are eating it all quickly,” said Brian McKenna of McKenna’s Guide Service in Harmony, which also features bear hunting using dogs.

“We have treed several nice 200-to-300-pound bears during [dog] training season so far. We expect to do well,” McKenna said.

At the Outdoor Adventure Company guide service in Dover-Foxcroft, they also have great expectations for this year’s bear hunting season.

“This bear season is looking to be one for the books with multiple bears hitting bear sites regularly,” said OAC guide Nathan Fenderson. “This is great for hunters who want the chance and opportunity to try and harvest a bear this fall.”

Guides theorize that because some natural berry crops have not been as large or productive this summer because of dry conditions, bears are more likely to seek out bait from hunters.

“The dry weather certainly impacted the size of the berries,” said guide Josh Isabel of Freedom Outfitters in Mariaville. “The numbers of the berries were good, but they were smaller than normal.”

However, Fenderson noted that regional weather-related variations that affect natural food production tend to mean there’s no definitive way to predict bear hunting success.

“This year’s mast crops for acorns, beech nuts, raspberries and blackberries are booming in some areas and sporadic in others,” he said. “I believe this is why some sites have multiple bears hitting them.”

Isabel, who is working 70 bait sites Down East, said beech nuts and acorns could still produce well a little later in the season. However, he pointed out that many of the bears he’s seeing appear thinner than usual, possibly because of the reduced availability of some food.

“Lots of bears this week — not a good berry year — several large bears. Seen two sows, one with one cub, one with two,” McKenna said. “Last year was an exceptional year with really big bears. This year, not sure yet. I think it will be a short season, and they will den early.”

Nonetheless, optimism reigns with the season right around the corner.

“Looks to be another great bear season. Bears have been steadily hitting the baits during legal shooting times,” said guide Alisha Lento of Lento Sporting Camps in Mars Hill, where they’re seeing lots of sows with cubs and a few nice-sized boars as well.