Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife First Hunting Report of the Season

Hunters have been hot on the tails of wildlife here in Northern Maine, as Moose season officially kicked off on Monday.

Are you wondering how other hunters in our region are doing? Good news! We can help with that!

In the first hunting report of the season from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, hunters in Northern Maine were gettin' it done! Case in point...

IFW wildlife biologist Rich Hoppe said one hunter downed a very large bull, tipping the scales at 1,070 pounds, and had a spread of 62 inches. Hoppe said the Gateway check station in Ashland had two or three other moose that were over 1,000 pounds. Business has been brisk, with hunters registering 75 moose on Tuesday.

Goose hunters are doing well this early season up north. Hoppe notes that waterfowl hunting in the county “is one of the gems of the county. Very few people take part in it, but it can be outstanding.” Hoppe suggests hunting at Lake Josephine or the Christina Reservoir in Easton.

As for upland birds, Hoppe says “It has rained a lot, but I think it is going to be above average. I have seen a few birds while I was out, and I have seen good numbers of woodcock already.” Hoppe suggests the North Maine Woods as a destination for upland hunters.

“I don’t know if there is any place that has as good a habitat as the North Maine Woods,” says Hoppe. “The stewardship is excellent for upland birds, and there are a couple of million acres open to bird hunting. There is nothing else like it in the country.”

For a full report from across the state click here!

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