MAINE Moose

[boneaddict]

If you are even thinking about a dream hunt to Maine, WARNING, the deadline is tomorrow for online applications.

[Machias]

Beginning in 1994 I began purchasing 6 chances every year for a Moose tag.  I had 42 points built up.  Then I moved to the house I'm living in now.  I hadn't seen my reminder in the mail so I called and they said oh the deadline was last week, we sent you a reminder, but since they only send them 3rd class, they are not forwarded.  I lost all my points.  Talk about seriously bummed out.  I lived in Northern Maine for 3 years and was there the first year they opened it back up.  I saw moose several times a week, even on Loring AFB where I worked.

[boneaddict]

You'll have to PM me with all of the moose hotspots. 

[Machias]

  I used to camp alot along the Machias River, was one of my favorite places I've ever visited, hence the Handle "Machias"   I left Northern Maine in 1983....so I don't know how hot my places would be, but I'd sure pass along anything that might help.

[boneaddict]

I managed to connect with a couple shed hunters back there that gave me some info.  It was interesting as they all like to hunt the October hunt, which according to them is post rut.  I like to call them in, so they suggested the September one for me.  Do you have any thoughts on that, at least what time the rut seemed to be going.  Here its mostly October.  I guess they are further North.

[Machias]

To be honest I can't remember, but it seemed to me it was late Sep.  I would call the Game Dept.  Lots of bear up there as well, but I used to see moose almost daily while hunting and at least every couple of days when I wasn't.  I lived near the town of Limestone and used to go into the North Maine woods at Ashland.  Back then there was a daily or weekly use permit for a small fee, since almost all that country is owned by the paper companies.  TONS of grouse and TONS of snowshoe hares.  Huge bodied deer as well.  One thing, since it is really more like gently rolling hills and THICK canopy, you can get your self lost quicker up there than any place I've ever hunted.  You cannot see terrain features in some places for MILES.  Never step out of your truck without a pack that you could spend a night or two out in the woods.

[boneaddict]

I hear the thick part.  Thats what it was like where I was in Alaska.  I was hunting the coastal stuff instead of the barrren tundra brush.  I consider myself an experienced woodsman, and there was no doubt that I needed a compass.

[Machias]

Throw in a little fog and bamo, you can be in serious trouble.  Had a hunter lost up there when I was deer hunting, he'd hunted the same area for over 20 years.  Fog rolled in and he got so disoriented he was out ther in some really nasty stuff for 9 days.  I spent the night out ther myslef one night, but that is another story.

[jackelope]

Bone...i guess i could have mentioned this a while back. my dad's got a close friend in maine who knows the moose hunting scene fairly well i believe if you need another contact. i just thought of that.  i'm sure he'd be more than happy to shoot the breeze with you.

[boneaddict]

i'm waiting for your story Machias.

Sounds good Jackelope.  Lets see if I nail a permit.

[billythekidrock]

Beginning in 1994 I began purchasing 6 chances every year for a Moose tag.  I had 42 points built up.  Then I moved to the house I'm living in now.  I hadn't seen my reminder in the mail so I called and they said oh the deadline was last week, we sent you a reminder, but since they only send them 3rd class, they are not forwarded.  I lost all my points.  Talk about seriously bummed out. 

I think I would be sick.

[boneaddict]

I forgot to warn you guys as I think it was the 15th.   Miss a year and you are toast. 

[Machias]

I guess I never did tell my story, dang did we have this conversation 2 YEARS ago!!!  Wow.  Anywho  I was deer hunting in late Oct or early Nov, been so long I can't remember.  I was 18 years old at the time and I thought I knew big woods, growing up in the Ozark Mtns (hills) in southern MO.  Northern Manie is BIG woods.  It was snowing and there was about 4 inches of fresh snow.  Sweet conditions for deer.  I looked down a logging road that was blocked by a beaver dam.  No tracks were visible down the road.  I stopped and was messing around with my pack for a few minutes and stood up and started to walk when I noticed fresh tracks coming up the road towards me that hadn't been there before.  I got across the beaver dam and fournd very fresh bear tracks.  So I started after this bear, very exciting stuff.  At one point I could hear him cross a stream up ahead of me.  I followed him for about three hours, when finally we entered an old clearcut that was about 40-50 acres big.  The tracks went through the middle, then once they hit the other side they veered back around and circled back.  You could see where this bear had been laying in the snow, perfect outline of his body with his head laying all the way down in the snow between his front feet.  He must have become aware something was following him and he circled back and laid down to see what it was.  You could see him jump up and bound away.  The gig was up.  Problem was, it had been snowing pretty hard all day, I was in completely unfamiliar territory and my back track was mostly obliterated.  I walked for about an hour before I realized I was pretty much lost.  So instead of panicing, which I had a strong urge to do, I found a sutible place and made camp and spent about an hour and half gathering enough wood and ended up spending the night out there.  Next morning way off in the distance I could hear a truck horn blowing every once in a while.  It was the Sheriff's Deputy parked at my truck, he said they were going to mobilize a search party if I didn't show back up by noon.  It wasn't too bad a night out, only because I went prepared and then relaxed and settled in for the night instead of wandering around working up a sweat.

[boneaddict]

Great story, glad it had a good ending, and an important lesson.  Been in that bind myself.  Only difference is that it was usually Idabooner at the other end instead of the sherrif.

[whacker1]

great story