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Hunting in Maine

Hunting in Maine

Aug 2022 22

A breakthrough in PFAS research?

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 2 min read

Last fall, an email hit my inbox alerting me that I might be hunting deer in an area that Inland Fisheries & Wildlife had flagged as a ‘do not eat’ area because of the high levels of PFAS found in the several deer that biologist had killed in the area. I've written before about the severity of PFAS and how devastating it could be. We have not heard much follow up since that time. I wonder if the area that was closed off will continue to be. Will there be more locations flagged as ‘do not eat’ areas? I am surprised that there has not been anything published that would give hunters an idea about if they should stick to their home area or try to find a new area to hunt. Maybe the assumption is that they won’t plan to hunt anyway....

Aug 2022 7

The stories that stick

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine | 1 Comment | 3 min read

When I started writing for the Northwoods Sporting Journal, I had people reach out and share their stories and experiences in the woods. I would mark the emails and tuck them away to go back to every once in a while. A couple of those stories have stuck with me since they first popped into my email years ago. Camp in Rangeley The first was following an article about fishing that I had written. I can’t remember if I commented about wanting to own a camp or not, but I received an email from a man who reached out on behalf of his grandfather. The family had a cabin outside of Rangeley. They lived in Connecticut and were at a point where family members were busy with kid’s sports schedules and work and just did not have the time to come...

Feb 2022 25

PFAS vs CWD: which will be more devastating?

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Social media erupted and my inbox was suddenly flooded with emails about PFAS (Poly-fluoroalkyl substances). On Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 5:22 PM, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife issued a “DO NOT eat advisory” for deer shot in my wildlife management zone. It was 2.5 weeks after I had shot my deer and about two weeks after I had gotten it back from the butcher and started eating it. PFAS My actual hunting property was outside of the advisory area. However, as more fields are tested, there is an impending doom that I will be in a PFAS zone. And other hunters will be in the same situation. When and if I am told that we are in a high PFAS zone, what should we do? Stop hunting all together? Eat the...

Jan 2022 31

The age of my 2021 Maine bull moose

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Moose, Wildlife Conservation | 4 Comments | 1 min read

One of the most interesting things that happens after you shoot a bear or moose, is that you are asked to remove a tooth so that the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife can age the moose shot and collect age and health data. It is a part of a decades long effort to better understand the overall health of wildlife in Maine. For hunters, it is always interesting to find out how old the animal was. When I knew it was available, I immediately looked up the age of my 2021 Maine bull moose. 2021's data shows moose shot between the ages of 2.5 years old to 20.5 years old. It is fascinating to think that there are moose in this state that are twenty years old. Any guesses on how old our 2021 Maine bull moose was? Remember, he had...

Jan 2022 24

Reflecting on my 2021 grand slam

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 3 min read

When I was drawn for my moose tag, I set the goal of going for my grand slam. I needed a bear, moose, turkey and deer between September and November. Now, the hunting season is over and I find myself reflecting on my 2021 grand slam and the people who helped to make it happen. Mom and Hubs managed childcare/school pick ups and drop offs and sometimes full days of babysitting so that I could be in the woods. Jeremy at Fit To Hunt went to work and helped me customize a training program that would get me into shape for walking through the Maine woods to get my moose. I would load weights into my backpack and walk for miles. Sometimes with the kids and sometimes alone. When it came time to hike those choppin's looking for a moose, I was...

Jan 2022 3

The buck that completed my grand slam

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 4 Comments | 4 min read

It was 21 degrees when we headed into the woods. I just needed a deer to complete my grand slam. I had a doe tag and was eager to get into my stand. The leaves were crunchy with frost but the woods were calm. I climbed into the Sky Condo and waited for the world to awaken. Almost immediately, animals started moving. I sat perfectly still, my breath hidden by my green fleece balaclava. It was almost an hour before I could see well enough into the woods to know if I was hearing deer or squirrels (it was squirrels). A deer blew from the end of the field. Something must have spooked it. The neighbor? I knew that if I was going to change seats, this would be the time. Nothing had come into the field. I grabbed my gear and walked as...

Nov 2021 18

Redemption during our 2021 Moose Hunt

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 7 Comments | 6 min read

It had been an emotional start for our 2021 Maine moose hunt. But we pushed on and had three more days before the season ended. Wayne was determined to find us a moose somewhere in Zone 2. Thursday It was rainy and cold when we headed out. The two bulls from the day before had not been shot so we planned to head back to that area. We met a red truck parked where we had seen the small spike bull. We drove on to where we had seen the bigger bull. There was a cow in the clear-cut to our right. We parked the truck and Pat and I started walking into the woods. Dad and Wayne walked parallel to us in the road. Moose sign was everywhere. But the moose were not. We left and checked multiple roads where we had previously called...

Nov 2021 12

My 2021 Maine Moose Hunt

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 5 min read

Antlered. September. Zone 2. That is what popped up with my name as I watched the 2021 Moose Lottery. The excitement was accompanied with an urgency to begin planning. We would need a guide and possibly more gear. I wanted to plan to go for my grand slam and try for all of Maine's big game animals - a bear, moose, turkey and deer. The following three months flew by and before we knew it, Dad and I were making the 5 hour drive up to the Allagash, Zone 2 and Allagash Adventures to meet our guide Wayne Bernier, for our 2021 Maine moose hunt. Monday We left at daybreak to begin searching for moose. As we crested one hill, Wayne stopped the truck and lifted the binoculars. There were two moose on the edge of the road ahead of...

Aug 2021 31

Getting Fit to Hunt

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 2 min read

If you follow me on social, then you know I have been training with Jeremy Koerber at Fit to Hunt to ensure I am ready to hike into a choppin' miles from a dirt road in search of a moose. I know that I don't need to do that. I know that there are people who are overweight that get out of the truck and shoot. That's not the hunt I want - although if the opportunity arises, I will shoot. A moose is a moose and meat fills the freezer. But, I don't want to be physically exhausted and sore after one day of carrying a pack and hunting the North Maine Woods. Jeremy created a program specifically for me that involves rucking (hiking with weights), cardio and free weights. Tim Kjellesvik is coaching me with the nutritional piece of it and...

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Aug 2022 22

A breakthrough in PFAS research?

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 2 min read

Last fall, an email hit my inbox alerting me that I might be hunting deer in an area that Inland Fisheries & Wildlife had flagged as a ‘do not eat’ area because of the high levels of PFAS found in the several deer that biologist had killed in the area. I've written before about the severity of PFAS and how devastating it could be. We have not heard much follow up since that time. I wonder if the area that was closed off will continue to be. Will there be more locations flagged as ‘do not eat’ areas? I am surprised that there has not been anything published that would give hunters an idea about if they should stick to their home area or try to find a new area to hunt. Maybe the assumption is that they won’t plan to hunt anyway....

Aug 2022 7

The stories that stick

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine | 1 Comment | 3 min read

When I started writing for the Northwoods Sporting Journal, I had people reach out and share their stories and experiences in the woods. I would mark the emails and tuck them away to go back to every once in a while. A couple of those stories have stuck with me since they first popped into my email years ago. Camp in Rangeley The first was following an article about fishing that I had written. I can’t remember if I commented about wanting to own a camp or not, but I received an email from a man who reached out on behalf of his grandfather. The family had a cabin outside of Rangeley. They lived in Connecticut and were at a point where family members were busy with kid’s sports schedules and work and just did not have the time to come...

Feb 2022 25

PFAS vs CWD: which will be more devastating?

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Social media erupted and my inbox was suddenly flooded with emails about PFAS (Poly-fluoroalkyl substances). On Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 5:22 PM, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife issued a “DO NOT eat advisory” for deer shot in my wildlife management zone. It was 2.5 weeks after I had shot my deer and about two weeks after I had gotten it back from the butcher and started eating it. PFAS My actual hunting property was outside of the advisory area. However, as more fields are tested, there is an impending doom that I will be in a PFAS zone. And other hunters will be in the same situation. When and if I am told that we are in a high PFAS zone, what should we do? Stop hunting all together? Eat the...

Jan 2022 31

The age of my 2021 Maine bull moose

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Moose, Wildlife Conservation | 4 Comments | 1 min read

One of the most interesting things that happens after you shoot a bear or moose, is that you are asked to remove a tooth so that the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife can age the moose shot and collect age and health data. It is a part of a decades long effort to better understand the overall health of wildlife in Maine. For hunters, it is always interesting to find out how old the animal was. When I knew it was available, I immediately looked up the age of my 2021 Maine bull moose. 2021's data shows moose shot between the ages of 2.5 years old to 20.5 years old. It is fascinating to think that there are moose in this state that are twenty years old. Any guesses on how old our 2021 Maine bull moose was? Remember, he had...

Jan 2022 24

Reflecting on my 2021 grand slam

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 3 min read

When I was drawn for my moose tag, I set the goal of going for my grand slam. I needed a bear, moose, turkey and deer between September and November. Now, the hunting season is over and I find myself reflecting on my 2021 grand slam and the people who helped to make it happen. Mom and Hubs managed childcare/school pick ups and drop offs and sometimes full days of babysitting so that I could be in the woods. Jeremy at Fit To Hunt went to work and helped me customize a training program that would get me into shape for walking through the Maine woods to get my moose. I would load weights into my backpack and walk for miles. Sometimes with the kids and sometimes alone. When it came time to hike those choppin's looking for a moose, I was...

Jan 2022 3

The buck that completed my grand slam

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 4 Comments | 4 min read

It was 21 degrees when we headed into the woods. I just needed a deer to complete my grand slam. I had a doe tag and was eager to get into my stand. The leaves were crunchy with frost but the woods were calm. I climbed into the Sky Condo and waited for the world to awaken. Almost immediately, animals started moving. I sat perfectly still, my breath hidden by my green fleece balaclava. It was almost an hour before I could see well enough into the woods to know if I was hearing deer or squirrels (it was squirrels). A deer blew from the end of the field. Something must have spooked it. The neighbor? I knew that if I was going to change seats, this would be the time. Nothing had come into the field. I grabbed my gear and walked as...

Nov 2021 18

Redemption during our 2021 Moose Hunt

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 7 Comments | 6 min read

It had been an emotional start for our 2021 Maine moose hunt. But we pushed on and had three more days before the season ended. Wayne was determined to find us a moose somewhere in Zone 2. Thursday It was rainy and cold when we headed out. The two bulls from the day before had not been shot so we planned to head back to that area. We met a red truck parked where we had seen the small spike bull. We drove on to where we had seen the bigger bull. There was a cow in the clear-cut to our right. We parked the truck and Pat and I started walking into the woods. Dad and Wayne walked parallel to us in the road. Moose sign was everywhere. But the moose were not. We left and checked multiple roads where we had previously called...

Nov 2021 12

My 2021 Maine Moose Hunt

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 5 min read

Antlered. September. Zone 2. That is what popped up with my name as I watched the 2021 Moose Lottery. The excitement was accompanied with an urgency to begin planning. We would need a guide and possibly more gear. I wanted to plan to go for my grand slam and try for all of Maine's big game animals - a bear, moose, turkey and deer. The following three months flew by and before we knew it, Dad and I were making the 5 hour drive up to the Allagash, Zone 2 and Allagash Adventures to meet our guide Wayne Bernier, for our 2021 Maine moose hunt. Monday We left at daybreak to begin searching for moose. As we crested one hill, Wayne stopped the truck and lifted the binoculars. There were two moose on the edge of the road ahead of...

Aug 2021 31

Getting Fit to Hunt

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 2 min read

If you follow me on social, then you know I have been training with Jeremy Koerber at Fit to Hunt to ensure I am ready to hike into a choppin' miles from a dirt road in search of a moose. I know that I don't need to do that. I know that there are people who are overweight that get out of the truck and shoot. That's not the hunt I want - although if the opportunity arises, I will shoot. A moose is a moose and meat fills the freezer. But, I don't want to be physically exhausted and sore after one day of carrying a pack and hunting the North Maine Woods. Jeremy created a program specifically for me that involves rucking (hiking with weights), cardio and free weights. Tim Kjellesvik is coaching me with the nutritional piece of it and...

Show Me More Articles

Enjoy these Hunting in Maine articles

Aug 2022 22

A breakthrough in PFAS research?

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 2 min read

Last fall, an email hit my inbox alerting me that I might be hunting deer in an area that Inland Fisheries & Wildlife had flagged as a ‘do not eat’ area because of the high levels of PFAS found in the several deer that biologist had killed in the area. I've written before about the severity of PFAS and how devastating it could be. We have not heard much follow up since that time. I wonder if the area that was closed off will continue to be. Will there be more locations flagged as ‘do not eat’ areas? I am surprised that there has not been anything published that would give hunters an idea about if they should stick to their home area or try to find a new area to hunt. Maybe the assumption is that they won’t plan to hunt anyway....

Aug 2022 7

The stories that stick

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine | 1 Comment | 3 min read

When I started writing for the Northwoods Sporting Journal, I had people reach out and share their stories and experiences in the woods. I would mark the emails and tuck them away to go back to every once in a while. A couple of those stories have stuck with me since they first popped into my email years ago. Camp in Rangeley The first was following an article about fishing that I had written. I can’t remember if I commented about wanting to own a camp or not, but I received an email from a man who reached out on behalf of his grandfather. The family had a cabin outside of Rangeley. They lived in Connecticut and were at a point where family members were busy with kid’s sports schedules and work and just did not have the time to come...

Feb 2022 25

PFAS vs CWD: which will be more devastating?

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Social media erupted and my inbox was suddenly flooded with emails about PFAS (Poly-fluoroalkyl substances). On Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 5:22 PM, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife issued a “DO NOT eat advisory” for deer shot in my wildlife management zone. It was 2.5 weeks after I had shot my deer and about two weeks after I had gotten it back from the butcher and started eating it. PFAS My actual hunting property was outside of the advisory area. However, as more fields are tested, there is an impending doom that I will be in a PFAS zone. And other hunters will be in the same situation. When and if I am told that we are in a high PFAS zone, what should we do? Stop hunting all together? Eat the...

Jan 2022 31

The age of my 2021 Maine bull moose

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Moose, Wildlife Conservation | 4 Comments | 1 min read

One of the most interesting things that happens after you shoot a bear or moose, is that you are asked to remove a tooth so that the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife can age the moose shot and collect age and health data. It is a part of a decades long effort to better understand the overall health of wildlife in Maine. For hunters, it is always interesting to find out how old the animal was. When I knew it was available, I immediately looked up the age of my 2021 Maine bull moose. 2021's data shows moose shot between the ages of 2.5 years old to 20.5 years old. It is fascinating to think that there are moose in this state that are twenty years old. Any guesses on how old our 2021 Maine bull moose was? Remember, he had...

Jan 2022 24

Reflecting on my 2021 grand slam

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 3 min read

When I was drawn for my moose tag, I set the goal of going for my grand slam. I needed a bear, moose, turkey and deer between September and November. Now, the hunting season is over and I find myself reflecting on my 2021 grand slam and the people who helped to make it happen. Mom and Hubs managed childcare/school pick ups and drop offs and sometimes full days of babysitting so that I could be in the woods. Jeremy at Fit To Hunt went to work and helped me customize a training program that would get me into shape for walking through the Maine woods to get my moose. I would load weights into my backpack and walk for miles. Sometimes with the kids and sometimes alone. When it came time to hike those choppin's looking for a moose, I was...

Jan 2022 3

The buck that completed my grand slam

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 4 Comments | 4 min read

It was 21 degrees when we headed into the woods. I just needed a deer to complete my grand slam. I had a doe tag and was eager to get into my stand. The leaves were crunchy with frost but the woods were calm. I climbed into the Sky Condo and waited for the world to awaken. Almost immediately, animals started moving. I sat perfectly still, my breath hidden by my green fleece balaclava. It was almost an hour before I could see well enough into the woods to know if I was hearing deer or squirrels (it was squirrels). A deer blew from the end of the field. Something must have spooked it. The neighbor? I knew that if I was going to change seats, this would be the time. Nothing had come into the field. I grabbed my gear and walked as...

Nov 2021 18

Redemption during our 2021 Moose Hunt

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 7 Comments | 6 min read

It had been an emotional start for our 2021 Maine moose hunt. But we pushed on and had three more days before the season ended. Wayne was determined to find us a moose somewhere in Zone 2. Thursday It was rainy and cold when we headed out. The two bulls from the day before had not been shot so we planned to head back to that area. We met a red truck parked where we had seen the small spike bull. We drove on to where we had seen the bigger bull. There was a cow in the clear-cut to our right. We parked the truck and Pat and I started walking into the woods. Dad and Wayne walked parallel to us in the road. Moose sign was everywhere. But the moose were not. We left and checked multiple roads where we had previously called...

Nov 2021 12

My 2021 Maine Moose Hunt

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 5 min read

Antlered. September. Zone 2. That is what popped up with my name as I watched the 2021 Moose Lottery. The excitement was accompanied with an urgency to begin planning. We would need a guide and possibly more gear. I wanted to plan to go for my grand slam and try for all of Maine's big game animals - a bear, moose, turkey and deer. The following three months flew by and before we knew it, Dad and I were making the 5 hour drive up to the Allagash, Zone 2 and Allagash Adventures to meet our guide Wayne Bernier, for our 2021 Maine moose hunt. Monday We left at daybreak to begin searching for moose. As we crested one hill, Wayne stopped the truck and lifted the binoculars. There were two moose on the edge of the road ahead of...

Aug 2021 31

Getting Fit to Hunt

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 2 min read

If you follow me on social, then you know I have been training with Jeremy Koerber at Fit to Hunt to ensure I am ready to hike into a choppin' miles from a dirt road in search of a moose. I know that I don't need to do that. I know that there are people who are overweight that get out of the truck and shoot. That's not the hunt I want - although if the opportunity arises, I will shoot. A moose is a moose and meat fills the freezer. But, I don't want to be physically exhausted and sore after one day of carrying a pack and hunting the North Maine Woods. Jeremy created a program specifically for me that involves rucking (hiking with weights), cardio and free weights. Tim Kjellesvik is coaching me with the nutritional piece of it and...

Show Me More Articles