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Maine Hunters

Maine Hunters

Jul 2024 18

A decade of hunting bears

By Erin M | Bear Hunting, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Maine Trapping, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 4 min read

As the 2024 hunting season kicks off, I can not believe that it has been a decade of hunting bears in Maine! I remember planning the initial meeting at Cabela’s and inviting every hunter I knew in the greater Portland area. I wanted to prove that there were plenty of people who were passionate about bear hunting in Southern Maine. If I remember correctly, the room was close to packed when James Cote started talking about the bear referendum and what the plan was to win at the ballot box. I look back now and cannot believe it was 10 years ago! I had never hunted a bear. I knew how to talk about the various methods but I had not experienced a hunt. When that meeting ended, a bear hunter named Steve offered to teach me how to bear...

Jun 2024 5

Will constitutional amendments protect hunting?

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

When the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt met this spring in Arizona, they spoke about the need for constitutional amendments to help protect our hunting rights. They were focused on Florida and a few other states. I thought of New Jersey and their on again, off again bear hunt. And I thought of a conversation that I was a part of following Maine’s win in the 2014 election to save our bear hunting methods. We wondered if a constitutional amendment would make sense to ensure we didn’t have to continually fight ballot initiatives. The answer we were told was no. A no because it would be too expensive and it wouldn’t actually protect anything. A constitutional right to hunting and fishing means just that; we can participate in...

Feb 2024 13

The trick to hunting: always be learning

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

I have hunted deer for more than half my life. Every season is different and I learn or observe new things all the time. It is how you get better and more proficient. This season, the lesson blew my mind and will stick with me for every hunting season to come. During the 2022 season, I shot a doe on opening morning of rifle season. Maine hunters’ ability to shoot both a buck and a doe has allowed me to be more strategic about how I hunt. I can focus on shooting a doe to put meat in the freezer and then hold out for a big buck. The first two weeks of the 2023 season were fantastic. It was during the third week of the season that I learned something new about my rifle and ammo. I grabbed three new 180 gain bullets as I headed out on...

Oct 2023 26

The thrill of your first deer

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Growing up in Millinocket, my friend Matt was surrounded by family members who were passionate hunters. He developed a deep love of the outdoors and exploring the woods and waters of Maine. But, like many kids, he became involved with school-related activities and the time he had for hunting and fishing dwindled. At 20, Matt put all of his time and energy into building his business. His entrepreneurial drive left little time for activities like hunting. When COVID hit, his thriving business slowed down and Matt found himself with more free time. It gave him the unexpected opportunity to get back to hunting and his love of the outdoors. “During that time, I formed a friendship with someone who really reignited my interest in hunting,”...

Sep 2023 10

Should trail cameras be illegal?

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Seven trail cameras with my name on them are strategically placed on our property. Most I keep out year round to track which animals are moving through. Once deer hunting season gets closer, Dad puts his cameras up and we have a pretty good idea of which animals are around and who thinks they can trespass on our land and not get caught. But in recent months, more states have banned the use of trail cameras questioning their use and wondering if trail cameras should be illegal? The cameras have helped us know which animals are around but, they have not helped me shoot an animal. It doesn’t guarantee me a successful hunt. It can be more frustrating knowing which deer are around that I am not seeing. However, in some states, the use of...

Aug 2023 8

What to bring on a moose hunt

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 3 min read

Congratulations! You won a moose permit. Now, the work begins. Assume you are going to spend six days in the woods and choppings of Maine. Those hours away from camp are spent searching and walking and driving. It might not sound as exhausting as it was but…you are toast at the end of the day. In order to be as parepared as possible, here are the things that I packed for my hunt: Too many clothes. I packed every piece of hunting clothing I owned. I packed more socks than I could ever wear over the course of 6 days. The weather was sunny and beautiful, cold and breezy and we had a full day of rain. Moose move in all weather. You need to be where the moose are so make sure you are dressed for everything the Maine outdoors could throw...

Jul 2023 9

The best wild game dinner

By Erin M | Conservation, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

Hunters are always asked if they eat the animals that they hunt. Bear is one of the most asked about animals. After I accomplished my grand slam, I offered to host a wild game dinner for people to try some of the meat that I had hunted. My friend, Candace agreed to be my chef. The result was some of the best wild game dishes I have ever eaten. Candace and I picked out the cuts that I had and built our menu around that. It was an incredibly hot day here in Maine, so that altered a few of our plans. Here was our menu: Apps - Cheese, crackers, pickled fiddleheads, sauteed moose heart with onions, BBQ moose heart flatbread topped with mushrooms, garlic scrapes and chive blossoms, smoked Alaskan salmon and spicy black bear queso...

Mar 2023 8

The shot that will haunt me

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 2 Comments | 5 min read

In December 2021, my grandfather passed away. Weeks before, I jumped him when I came bursting into his house to tell him and my Grammie that I had shot a buck and had completed my Grand Slam. He laughed at my overzealousness but hugged me and told me how proud he was of me. We made a deal hours before he passed away that he was going to deliver me an 8 point buck since I have yet to shoot one. I held on to that belief all through the year. Dad and I obsessed over trail cam photos throughout the summer and fall, we had three really nice bucks showing up. They all seemed to be nocturnal, but they were around. Fast forward to the start of the season and my morning kicked off pretty well by taking a nice doe in the first hour. I had...

Jan 2023 6

I am done shooting small bucks

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 2 min read

It was an emotional rollercoaster of a season. All I wanted was an eight point buck. I will save the story for another time, but it didn’t happen. But what did happen changed my whole perspective on deer hunting. After twenty years of hunting, I am done shooting small bucks. I shot my doe in the first hour of rifle season, so having the ability to shoot a doe AND a buck gave me the opportunity to keep hunting and looking for that big buck. I could sit and watch more of the does and fawns at different spots on the property. One morning, I watched a fisher running around my stand. I enjoyed being in the woods, knowing that I had a specific buck that I was after and that I had already put meat in the freezer. This season was more of...

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Jul 2024 18

A decade of hunting bears

By Erin M | Bear Hunting, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Maine Trapping, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 4 min read

As the 2024 hunting season kicks off, I can not believe that it has been a decade of hunting bears in Maine! I remember planning the initial meeting at Cabela’s and inviting every hunter I knew in the greater Portland area. I wanted to prove that there were plenty of people who were passionate about bear hunting in Southern Maine. If I remember correctly, the room was close to packed when James Cote started talking about the bear referendum and what the plan was to win at the ballot box. I look back now and cannot believe it was 10 years ago! I had never hunted a bear. I knew how to talk about the various methods but I had not experienced a hunt. When that meeting ended, a bear hunter named Steve offered to teach me how to bear...

Jun 2024 5

Will constitutional amendments protect hunting?

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

When the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt met this spring in Arizona, they spoke about the need for constitutional amendments to help protect our hunting rights. They were focused on Florida and a few other states. I thought of New Jersey and their on again, off again bear hunt. And I thought of a conversation that I was a part of following Maine’s win in the 2014 election to save our bear hunting methods. We wondered if a constitutional amendment would make sense to ensure we didn’t have to continually fight ballot initiatives. The answer we were told was no. A no because it would be too expensive and it wouldn’t actually protect anything. A constitutional right to hunting and fishing means just that; we can participate in...

Feb 2024 13

The trick to hunting: always be learning

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

I have hunted deer for more than half my life. Every season is different and I learn or observe new things all the time. It is how you get better and more proficient. This season, the lesson blew my mind and will stick with me for every hunting season to come. During the 2022 season, I shot a doe on opening morning of rifle season. Maine hunters’ ability to shoot both a buck and a doe has allowed me to be more strategic about how I hunt. I can focus on shooting a doe to put meat in the freezer and then hold out for a big buck. The first two weeks of the 2023 season were fantastic. It was during the third week of the season that I learned something new about my rifle and ammo. I grabbed three new 180 gain bullets as I headed out on...

Oct 2023 26

The thrill of your first deer

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Growing up in Millinocket, my friend Matt was surrounded by family members who were passionate hunters. He developed a deep love of the outdoors and exploring the woods and waters of Maine. But, like many kids, he became involved with school-related activities and the time he had for hunting and fishing dwindled. At 20, Matt put all of his time and energy into building his business. His entrepreneurial drive left little time for activities like hunting. When COVID hit, his thriving business slowed down and Matt found himself with more free time. It gave him the unexpected opportunity to get back to hunting and his love of the outdoors. “During that time, I formed a friendship with someone who really reignited my interest in hunting,”...

Sep 2023 10

Should trail cameras be illegal?

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Seven trail cameras with my name on them are strategically placed on our property. Most I keep out year round to track which animals are moving through. Once deer hunting season gets closer, Dad puts his cameras up and we have a pretty good idea of which animals are around and who thinks they can trespass on our land and not get caught. But in recent months, more states have banned the use of trail cameras questioning their use and wondering if trail cameras should be illegal? The cameras have helped us know which animals are around but, they have not helped me shoot an animal. It doesn’t guarantee me a successful hunt. It can be more frustrating knowing which deer are around that I am not seeing. However, in some states, the use of...

Aug 2023 8

What to bring on a moose hunt

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 3 min read

Congratulations! You won a moose permit. Now, the work begins. Assume you are going to spend six days in the woods and choppings of Maine. Those hours away from camp are spent searching and walking and driving. It might not sound as exhausting as it was but…you are toast at the end of the day. In order to be as parepared as possible, here are the things that I packed for my hunt: Too many clothes. I packed every piece of hunting clothing I owned. I packed more socks than I could ever wear over the course of 6 days. The weather was sunny and beautiful, cold and breezy and we had a full day of rain. Moose move in all weather. You need to be where the moose are so make sure you are dressed for everything the Maine outdoors could throw...

Jul 2023 9

The best wild game dinner

By Erin M | Conservation, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

Hunters are always asked if they eat the animals that they hunt. Bear is one of the most asked about animals. After I accomplished my grand slam, I offered to host a wild game dinner for people to try some of the meat that I had hunted. My friend, Candace agreed to be my chef. The result was some of the best wild game dishes I have ever eaten. Candace and I picked out the cuts that I had and built our menu around that. It was an incredibly hot day here in Maine, so that altered a few of our plans. Here was our menu: Apps - Cheese, crackers, pickled fiddleheads, sauteed moose heart with onions, BBQ moose heart flatbread topped with mushrooms, garlic scrapes and chive blossoms, smoked Alaskan salmon and spicy black bear queso...

Mar 2023 8

The shot that will haunt me

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 2 Comments | 5 min read

In December 2021, my grandfather passed away. Weeks before, I jumped him when I came bursting into his house to tell him and my Grammie that I had shot a buck and had completed my Grand Slam. He laughed at my overzealousness but hugged me and told me how proud he was of me. We made a deal hours before he passed away that he was going to deliver me an 8 point buck since I have yet to shoot one. I held on to that belief all through the year. Dad and I obsessed over trail cam photos throughout the summer and fall, we had three really nice bucks showing up. They all seemed to be nocturnal, but they were around. Fast forward to the start of the season and my morning kicked off pretty well by taking a nice doe in the first hour. I had...

Jan 2023 6

I am done shooting small bucks

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 2 min read

It was an emotional rollercoaster of a season. All I wanted was an eight point buck. I will save the story for another time, but it didn’t happen. But what did happen changed my whole perspective on deer hunting. After twenty years of hunting, I am done shooting small bucks. I shot my doe in the first hour of rifle season, so having the ability to shoot a doe AND a buck gave me the opportunity to keep hunting and looking for that big buck. I could sit and watch more of the does and fawns at different spots on the property. One morning, I watched a fisher running around my stand. I enjoyed being in the woods, knowing that I had a specific buck that I was after and that I had already put meat in the freezer. This season was more of...

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Enjoy these Maine Hunters articles

Jul 2024 18

A decade of hunting bears

By Erin M | Bear Hunting, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Maine Trapping, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 4 min read

As the 2024 hunting season kicks off, I can not believe that it has been a decade of hunting bears in Maine! I remember planning the initial meeting at Cabela’s and inviting every hunter I knew in the greater Portland area. I wanted to prove that there were plenty of people who were passionate about bear hunting in Southern Maine. If I remember correctly, the room was close to packed when James Cote started talking about the bear referendum and what the plan was to win at the ballot box. I look back now and cannot believe it was 10 years ago! I had never hunted a bear. I knew how to talk about the various methods but I had not experienced a hunt. When that meeting ended, a bear hunter named Steve offered to teach me how to bear...

Jun 2024 5

Will constitutional amendments protect hunting?

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

When the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt met this spring in Arizona, they spoke about the need for constitutional amendments to help protect our hunting rights. They were focused on Florida and a few other states. I thought of New Jersey and their on again, off again bear hunt. And I thought of a conversation that I was a part of following Maine’s win in the 2014 election to save our bear hunting methods. We wondered if a constitutional amendment would make sense to ensure we didn’t have to continually fight ballot initiatives. The answer we were told was no. A no because it would be too expensive and it wouldn’t actually protect anything. A constitutional right to hunting and fishing means just that; we can participate in...

Feb 2024 13

The trick to hunting: always be learning

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 3 min read

I have hunted deer for more than half my life. Every season is different and I learn or observe new things all the time. It is how you get better and more proficient. This season, the lesson blew my mind and will stick with me for every hunting season to come. During the 2022 season, I shot a doe on opening morning of rifle season. Maine hunters’ ability to shoot both a buck and a doe has allowed me to be more strategic about how I hunt. I can focus on shooting a doe to put meat in the freezer and then hold out for a big buck. The first two weeks of the 2023 season were fantastic. It was during the third week of the season that I learned something new about my rifle and ammo. I grabbed three new 180 gain bullets as I headed out on...

Oct 2023 26

The thrill of your first deer

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer | 0 Comments | 3 min read

Growing up in Millinocket, my friend Matt was surrounded by family members who were passionate hunters. He developed a deep love of the outdoors and exploring the woods and waters of Maine. But, like many kids, he became involved with school-related activities and the time he had for hunting and fishing dwindled. At 20, Matt put all of his time and energy into building his business. His entrepreneurial drive left little time for activities like hunting. When COVID hit, his thriving business slowed down and Matt found himself with more free time. It gave him the unexpected opportunity to get back to hunting and his love of the outdoors. “During that time, I formed a friendship with someone who really reignited my interest in hunting,”...

Sep 2023 10

Should trail cameras be illegal?

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 2 Comments | 3 min read

Seven trail cameras with my name on them are strategically placed on our property. Most I keep out year round to track which animals are moving through. Once deer hunting season gets closer, Dad puts his cameras up and we have a pretty good idea of which animals are around and who thinks they can trespass on our land and not get caught. But in recent months, more states have banned the use of trail cameras questioning their use and wondering if trail cameras should be illegal? The cameras have helped us know which animals are around but, they have not helped me shoot an animal. It doesn’t guarantee me a successful hunt. It can be more frustrating knowing which deer are around that I am not seeing. However, in some states, the use of...

Checking trail cameras

Aug 2023 8

What to bring on a moose hunt

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 3 min read

Congratulations! You won a moose permit. Now, the work begins. Assume you are going to spend six days in the woods and choppings of Maine. Those hours away from camp are spent searching and walking and driving. It might not sound as exhausting as it was but…you are toast at the end of the day. In order to be as parepared as possible, here are the things that I packed for my hunt: Too many clothes. I packed every piece of hunting clothing I owned. I packed more socks than I could ever wear over the course of 6 days. The weather was sunny and beautiful, cold and breezy and we had a full day of rain. Moose move in all weather. You need to be where the moose are so make sure you are dressed for everything the Maine outdoors could throw...

Jul 2023 9

The best wild game dinner

By Erin M | Conservation, Eating Wild Game, Hunting in Maine, Maine Black Bear, Maine Hunters, Maine Moose, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

Hunters are always asked if they eat the animals that they hunt. Bear is one of the most asked about animals. After I accomplished my grand slam, I offered to host a wild game dinner for people to try some of the meat that I had hunted. My friend, Candace agreed to be my chef. The result was some of the best wild game dishes I have ever eaten. Candace and I picked out the cuts that I had and built our menu around that. It was an incredibly hot day here in Maine, so that altered a few of our plans. Here was our menu: Apps - Cheese, crackers, pickled fiddleheads, sauteed moose heart with onions, BBQ moose heart flatbread topped with mushrooms, garlic scrapes and chive blossoms, smoked Alaskan salmon and spicy black bear queso...

Mar 2023 8

The shot that will haunt me

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 2 Comments | 5 min read

In December 2021, my grandfather passed away. Weeks before, I jumped him when I came bursting into his house to tell him and my Grammie that I had shot a buck and had completed my Grand Slam. He laughed at my overzealousness but hugged me and told me how proud he was of me. We made a deal hours before he passed away that he was going to deliver me an 8 point buck since I have yet to shoot one. I held on to that belief all through the year. Dad and I obsessed over trail cam photos throughout the summer and fall, we had three really nice bucks showing up. They all seemed to be nocturnal, but they were around. Fast forward to the start of the season and my morning kicked off pretty well by taking a nice doe in the first hour. I had...

Jan 2023 6

I am done shooting small bucks

By Erin M | Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Hunters, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation, Women Who Hunt | 1 Comment | 2 min read

It was an emotional rollercoaster of a season. All I wanted was an eight point buck. I will save the story for another time, but it didn’t happen. But what did happen changed my whole perspective on deer hunting. After twenty years of hunting, I am done shooting small bucks. I shot my doe in the first hour of rifle season, so having the ability to shoot a doe AND a buck gave me the opportunity to keep hunting and looking for that big buck. I could sit and watch more of the does and fawns at different spots on the property. One morning, I watched a fisher running around my stand. I enjoyed being in the woods, knowing that I had a specific buck that I was after and that I had already put meat in the freezer. This season was more of...

Show Me More Articles