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Maine Outdoors

Maine Outdoors

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...

Jul 2024 2

Trail cameras bring early season excitement

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I leave my trail cameras out all year long. Photos of coyotes, deer, porcupines and racoons show up on my phone. But in the spring, those first trail camera photos of babies, cast off yearlings and bucks bring early season excitement to all of us. There is a fun uncertainty of what animals will show up in the photos. You don't have to be a hunter to enjoy getting a sneak peak into the woods around us. I think we can all enjoy the start of new life and new adventures.

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 27

Two big bucks in one day

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Outdoors, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

I listened to the ravens, crows and turkeys fight over the morning's gut pile. I was still giddy about my success as I climbed into the treestand, almost within sight of the Sky Condo. Motion to my right caught my eye and I saw a deer feeding on acorns. I lifted my rifle and peered through the scope, hopeful that I could punch my doe tag. My heart raced as I saw the antlers. I was looking at a buck as big or bigger than the one I had shot hours earlier. Two big bucks in one day! I calmed myself down and swapped my scope for my binoculars and paused. The buck I was now looking at was a large spikehorn. Where had that big buck gone? Where had this buck come from? Adjusting the binoculars, I saw the smaller buck make a circle and lay...

Jan 2024 30

The end of my deer hunting goals

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Outdoors, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 4 min read

My phone showed 4am. There were photos from the cell cameras. With one eye open, I started scrolling and saw one of the big bucks. He had been in the same spot days earlier and had made a 5 hour loop. I had 3 hours to get in my stand. I took two steps away from the truck and the world erupted around me. The only thing louder than the crunching of deer running, was the beating of my heart. Several deep breaths later, I started back on the trail to the stand. A few more steps and another deer jumped and ran. Had it been the buck? I wasn't far from where we had been. I passed by my camera at 5:05am; three hours since the buck had been there. Don't Do Rodents There is something about hearing mice scratching inches from my face that...

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 22

What you want to know but are afraid to ask your guide

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 8 min read

When I was drawn for my moose permit, I hired a guide to help. My friend John Floyd is a Registered Maine Guide and the owner of Tucker Ridge Outdoors in Webster Plantation, Maine. After talking about what I wish I had known and what he wished his clients knew, we decided to publishour conversation. Here we discuss thoughts, questions and concerns about hiring a guide. EM: A moose hunt can be an expensive hunt. There are a lot of things that can factor into the week you spend in the woods. I didn’t realize how much the entire hunt would be. Do you think a lot of hunters understand the costs? JF: Winning a Maine moose permit for most is a once in a lifetime experience, most hunters do not understand the costs and situations that arise...

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 24

The awe of a fawn

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 2 min read

Last August, I had the opportunity to get a fawn that had been hit by a car. I called the warden, got a tag and it was off to the taxidermist. Maybe a little morbid, but unless you are willing to use a tag to shoot a fawn, there are few ways to aquire the young deer. This week, I brought it home to my office. The woman who did the taxiermy work did an incredible job on the fine details. The fawn's eyes, lashes, ear hair and whiskers are exact. It is amazing to look at the small body and the characteristis and then look at the buck above it and the changes and simularlities. The fawn was about two months old and his pedicals were just beginning to form. The skull is close to the same size as my coyote's skull but a bit more rounded on...

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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...

Jul 2024 2

Trail cameras bring early season excitement

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I leave my trail cameras out all year long. Photos of coyotes, deer, porcupines and racoons show up on my phone. But in the spring, those first trail camera photos of babies, cast off yearlings and bucks bring early season excitement to all of us. There is a fun uncertainty of what animals will show up in the photos. You don't have to be a hunter to enjoy getting a sneak peak into the woods around us. I think we can all enjoy the start of new life and new adventures.

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 27

Two big bucks in one day

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Outdoors, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

I listened to the ravens, crows and turkeys fight over the morning's gut pile. I was still giddy about my success as I climbed into the treestand, almost within sight of the Sky Condo. Motion to my right caught my eye and I saw a deer feeding on acorns. I lifted my rifle and peered through the scope, hopeful that I could punch my doe tag. My heart raced as I saw the antlers. I was looking at a buck as big or bigger than the one I had shot hours earlier. Two big bucks in one day! I calmed myself down and swapped my scope for my binoculars and paused. The buck I was now looking at was a large spikehorn. Where had that big buck gone? Where had this buck come from? Adjusting the binoculars, I saw the smaller buck make a circle and lay...

Jan 2024 30

The end of my deer hunting goals

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Outdoors, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 4 min read

My phone showed 4am. There were photos from the cell cameras. With one eye open, I started scrolling and saw one of the big bucks. He had been in the same spot days earlier and had made a 5 hour loop. I had 3 hours to get in my stand. I took two steps away from the truck and the world erupted around me. The only thing louder than the crunching of deer running, was the beating of my heart. Several deep breaths later, I started back on the trail to the stand. A few more steps and another deer jumped and ran. Had it been the buck? I wasn't far from where we had been. I passed by my camera at 5:05am; three hours since the buck had been there. Don't Do Rodents There is something about hearing mice scratching inches from my face that...

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 22

What you want to know but are afraid to ask your guide

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 8 min read

When I was drawn for my moose permit, I hired a guide to help. My friend John Floyd is a Registered Maine Guide and the owner of Tucker Ridge Outdoors in Webster Plantation, Maine. After talking about what I wish I had known and what he wished his clients knew, we decided to publishour conversation. Here we discuss thoughts, questions and concerns about hiring a guide. EM: A moose hunt can be an expensive hunt. There are a lot of things that can factor into the week you spend in the woods. I didn’t realize how much the entire hunt would be. Do you think a lot of hunters understand the costs? JF: Winning a Maine moose permit for most is a once in a lifetime experience, most hunters do not understand the costs and situations that arise...

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 24

The awe of a fawn

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 2 min read

Last August, I had the opportunity to get a fawn that had been hit by a car. I called the warden, got a tag and it was off to the taxidermist. Maybe a little morbid, but unless you are willing to use a tag to shoot a fawn, there are few ways to aquire the young deer. This week, I brought it home to my office. The woman who did the taxiermy work did an incredible job on the fine details. The fawn's eyes, lashes, ear hair and whiskers are exact. It is amazing to look at the small body and the characteristis and then look at the buck above it and the changes and simularlities. The fawn was about two months old and his pedicals were just beginning to form. The skull is close to the same size as my coyote's skull but a bit more rounded on...

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Enjoy these Maine Outdoors 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...

Jul 2024 2

Trail cameras bring early season excitement

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Trail Camera Views, Wildlife Conservation | 0 Comments | 1 min read

I leave my trail cameras out all year long. Photos of coyotes, deer, porcupines and racoons show up on my phone. But in the spring, those first trail camera photos of babies, cast off yearlings and bucks bring early season excitement to all of us. There is a fun uncertainty of what animals will show up in the photos. You don't have to be a hunter to enjoy getting a sneak peak into the woods around us. I think we can all enjoy the start of new life and new adventures.

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 27

Two big bucks in one day

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Outdoors, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 2 min read

I listened to the ravens, crows and turkeys fight over the morning's gut pile. I was still giddy about my success as I climbed into the treestand, almost within sight of the Sky Condo. Motion to my right caught my eye and I saw a deer feeding on acorns. I lifted my rifle and peered through the scope, hopeful that I could punch my doe tag. My heart raced as I saw the antlers. I was looking at a buck as big or bigger than the one I had shot hours earlier. Two big bucks in one day! I calmed myself down and swapped my scope for my binoculars and paused. The buck I was now looking at was a large spikehorn. Where had that big buck gone? Where had this buck come from? Adjusting the binoculars, I saw the smaller buck make a circle and lay...

Jan 2024 30

The end of my deer hunting goals

By Erin M | Adventures in the Woods, Hunting in Maine, Maine Deer hunting, Maine Outdoors, Tree Stand Hunting, Whitetail Deer, Women Who Hunt | 0 Comments | 4 min read

My phone showed 4am. There were photos from the cell cameras. With one eye open, I started scrolling and saw one of the big bucks. He had been in the same spot days earlier and had made a 5 hour loop. I had 3 hours to get in my stand. I took two steps away from the truck and the world erupted around me. The only thing louder than the crunching of deer running, was the beating of my heart. Several deep breaths later, I started back on the trail to the stand. A few more steps and another deer jumped and ran. Had it been the buck? I wasn't far from where we had been. I passed by my camera at 5:05am; three hours since the buck had been there. Don't Do Rodents There is something about hearing mice scratching inches from my face that...

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 22

What you want to know but are afraid to ask your guide

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Hunting Tips and Tricks, Maine Moose, Maine Outdoors, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 8 min read

When I was drawn for my moose permit, I hired a guide to help. My friend John Floyd is a Registered Maine Guide and the owner of Tucker Ridge Outdoors in Webster Plantation, Maine. After talking about what I wish I had known and what he wished his clients knew, we decided to publishour conversation. Here we discuss thoughts, questions and concerns about hiring a guide. EM: A moose hunt can be an expensive hunt. There are a lot of things that can factor into the week you spend in the woods. I didn’t realize how much the entire hunt would be. Do you think a lot of hunters understand the costs? JF: Winning a Maine moose permit for most is a once in a lifetime experience, most hunters do not understand the costs and situations that arise...

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 24

The awe of a fawn

By Erin M | Conservation, Hunting in Maine, Maine Outdoors, Whitetail Deer, Wildlife Conservation | 1 Comment | 2 min read

Last August, I had the opportunity to get a fawn that had been hit by a car. I called the warden, got a tag and it was off to the taxidermist. Maybe a little morbid, but unless you are willing to use a tag to shoot a fawn, there are few ways to aquire the young deer. This week, I brought it home to my office. The woman who did the taxiermy work did an incredible job on the fine details. The fawn's eyes, lashes, ear hair and whiskers are exact. It is amazing to look at the small body and the characteristis and then look at the buck above it and the changes and simularlities. The fawn was about two months old and his pedicals were just beginning to form. The skull is close to the same size as my coyote's skull but a bit more rounded on...

Show Me More Articles