Bear Season is Upon Us
Maine’s bear season is upon us! Bait can be placed starting July 31; Youth Bear Day is Saturday, August 28; and the general hunting season begins on Monday August 30 and runs through Saturday November 27. Hunting over bait stops September 25, hunting with dogs runs September 13 – 19; and the bear trapping dates are September 1 through October 31.
In celebration of bear season’s arrival, The Maine Sportsman’s August, 2021 issue features a cover photo from one of northern New England’s best amateur photographers, Mike Daly, who told us he arose at 5:30 in the morning in a day earlier this summer to capture the image of a 400-lb. sow – an image that reflects both the grace and the immense power of these huge animals.
On the same theme, the issue continues our publication’s tradition of providing how-to, where-to information for our readers, first with Part 2 (of 3) of our Bear Baiting Special by our Aroostook County columnist Bill Graves, titled “Locating Good Sources of Bait, and Setting Up Trail Cameras” (pp. 22 – 25). And for those who believe bear are found only in the northern half of our state, Val Marquez’s “Southern Maine” column, titled “Bear Hunting in Southern Maine,” reveals that 95 bears were killed during the 2019 season in the southern-most WMDs – 15, 20 and 21 – including in Porter, Parsonsfield, Acton, Shapleigh and Waterboro.
August is the heart of the boating season, and we provide two cautionary tales: Steve Carpenteri’s “Boating Miscues and Mishaps,” in which boat captains reveal scenes they’ve witnessed (boaters without fuel or the means of communication floating toward open ocean at night; power boats with high radar arches going under low bridges) that point out the need for planning, preparation and safety gear. And a Boating Special Section titled “Corrosion Prevention,” in which new writer Capt. Ron Dupuis, Jr. explains what zincs are for, and how failure to maintain metal parts on your boat can lead to expensive repairs to (or replacement of) outdrives, trim tabs and transducers.
And what else? The important roles played by ATV clubs (p. 19); best gun dogs, by upland guide Michael Tuminaro (p. 36); and celebrity bass fisherman Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – yes, he’s the highest paid actor in the world, but put a spinning rod in his hands, and he’s just another Average Joe, enjoying the thrill of bass angling!
We also manage to lighten the mood this month with some fun columns, including “Flushing at Camp,” by Randy Randall; a recipe for Smoked Maple Bourbon-Barreled Beer Bacon Jam,” by our own “Cooking Wildly” columnist Kate Krukowski Gooding; stories of mistakes made by fishing guides, by registered guide Lou Zambello; William Clunie’s fantasy summer as a “trout bum”; the secret outboard-powered life of a self-propelled sportsman; how to prepare a meal of Maine crayfish; and more deep philosophy from our resident philosopher, Al Diamon.
All this, and the best jokes and cartoons found left of Ludlow and right of Ripogenus! We deliver or mail our magazines each month to stores all across the state, so look for us at your nearest newsstand. And if you subscribe for yourself or for other outdoor enthusiasts, a copy will arrive in the mail (or a digital copy will arrive on your screen) each month. Request a print or digital subscription by clicking here, or by calling our friendly and helpful office staff at 207 622-4242.
