Maine Black Bear Hunting: Seasons, Records, Safety Hacks & Down East Recipes

As frosty November mornings cloak Maine's vast North Woods, black bear hunters are staking baits and unleashing hounds across 30,000 square miles of prime habitat—from the fog-veiled Allagash Wilderness to the rugged Katahdin flanks. With an estimated 35,000-40,000 bruins—the densest population east of the Mississippi—the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) projects another banner year, following 2024's 3,800+ harvests. Seasons span August-November, blending bait, hounds, and archery for ethical pursuits amid ancient Acadian lore. But beyond the thrill: This isn't just a hunter's almanac—it's your viral vault of trail-tested intel, from DIY bear- proofing your Baxter State Park pack (using zip-ties and duct tape) to reviving 19th-century lumberjack stews with a blueberry twist that’ll have your crew ditching store-bought brisket.

Maine's Black Bear Dominion: One Mighty Species, Endless Color Phases

The Pine Tree State harbors a single ursine titan: the American black bear (Ursus americanus), North America's most versatile bruiser—adaptable, cunning, and clocking 200-700 pounds of muscle and moxie. No grizzlies or polars in these spruces; just these omnivorous icons, whose 90% forested habitat sustains 1-2 bears per square mile statewide, peaking at 3+ in beechnut bonanzas. Color variants spice the roster: - Classic Black Phase: Jet-black coats (70% of sightings), blending into midnight timber. - Cinnamon Phase: Rusty-red hues (25%), evoking autumn leaves in Aroostook bogs. - Chocolate/Blond Phases: Rare caramel or brown (5%), sparking "ghost bear" trail tales in Washington County. Males average 300-500 pounds, females 150-300; yearlings tip 50-100. Viral scout: MDIFW's BearWise app maps hotspots—Piscataquis and Somerset WMAs lead with 40% of tags filled.

Record-Busting Behemoths: Maine's Largest Black Bears

Maine's Boone & Crockett logs brim with North Woods legends, measured by skull size but whispered by weight. The all-time heaviest black bear roared in at 699 pounds, a bait-site behemoth felled by Pennsylvania's Matt Knox in Greenville Junction (Piscataquis County) on September 13, 2012—eclipsing the 680-pounder from Aroostook's 1993 bog hunt by Richard Moore. Recent roars: A 429.6-pound sow snared by Howland guide Zach LaFreniere in Corinth (Penobscot County, Sept. 16, 2025), shattering female records; and a 356.5-pound sow bagged in Pleasant Ridge Plantation (Somerset County, 2024) by Missouri's Brian Stephens. These titans thrive in mast-laden strongholds—Moosehead Lake ridges for boars, Allagash valleys for sows. As populations swell (up 10% since 2020), 2025 could crown a 700+ pounder—bait with day-old donuts for that ethical edge.

Bruin Blueprint: Habitats, Harvests, Hibernation & Heirs in the Maine Woods

Maine blacks are woodland wizards, engineering ecosystems with every paw print.

Signature Strongholds: Conifer Cathedral

They claim mixed hardwood-conifer forests laced with wetlands and clear-cuts—90% of the state qualifies, from Baxter's boulder fields to Deboullie's remote ponds. Females roam 5-15 square miles; males 50-100, dispersing via Allagash trails.

Feast Files: 80% Veggie Voyage

Primarily plant-powered: Spring grasses/clover, summer berries/insects (blueberries jackpot), fall beechnuts/acorns, winter bark/carrion. Hyperphagia surges 30 pounds in weeks—crop raids spike 25% of nuisance calls post-mast flops.

Den Directives: Winter Wood Nooks

They hunker in hollow logs, root wads, or brush piles on north slopes, entering torpor November-April.

Hibernation Handbook

True northern-style: 5-7 months of metabolic magic, birthing 1-4 cubs (avg 2-3, 0.5-1 lb each) in January dens—moms emerge May with 10-20 pounders.

Mating & Motherhood: Solitary Sparks

Breeding bonanza May-August (peak June-July): Males roam vast circuits for harems, maturing at 4-6 years; delayed implantation holds embryos till fall. Females breed every 2 years post-3 years, solo-rearing cubs 16- 18 months—berry bootcamps before family farewell. Boars? Infanticide risks if scents stray.

Foe or Folklore? Black Bear Threats in the 207

Maine blacks are timid timber ghosts, not trail terrors—zero human fatalities ever, with <10 injuries in 50 years. They're opportunistic orchard-raiders, nipping fawns or hives but sparing herds—livestock hits? <1% of calls. To humans: Bluff blasts (huffs, paw-slams) if cubs cornered; food-fondled "nuisances" get relocated. Spotlight scrap: September 13, 2010, Guilford—guide Ryan Shepard (365-pound boar treed by hounds) mauled mid- hunt, suffering leg/arm gashes in a cornered clash; he fought back with fists, surviving surgery—the bear was dispatched. Another: June 30, 2023, Porter—Lynn Kelly bitten on arm chasing a dog-chasing sow; four punctures treated, bear trapped/euthanized via DNA match—provoked, per MDIFW. No deaths; 1980s-90s saw 7 minor injuries from 6 encounters. To wildlife: Scat-snaggers supreme, but 2024's 3,800 harvests culled conflicts humanely.

Hunt & Hike Armor: MDIFW's Woods Wisdom

2025 blueprint: Bait Aug 25-Sept 20; hounds/traps Sept 1-Oct 31; archery/firearms Aug 25-Nov 29 (one bear/year). For Allagash ambles or Moosehead pursuits: - Sound the Alarm: Whoop "Hey bear!" or bell-jangle every 200 yards—bears bail 95% on surprises. - Spray Sentinel: Bear mace (30-ft cloud) holstered; 98% charge-crusher—practice pulls. Legal statewide. - Clash Credo: No dash—face it, yell, retreat backward. Charged? Counterattack (sticks to schnoz); drop/cover only for browns. - Hunt Hacks: $10 res/$74 non-res permit; bait 30 days pre (clean Nov 10). Viral: Thermacell for mosquito-free stands; illuminated reticles for dusk boars. - Trail Tenets: Groups glow—dawn/dusk solos skip solos near bogs. Leash labs (cub confounders). Pro: Hang chow 12 feet high/6 out; gut piles 200 yards from paths.

Bear Banquet: Flavor Files & Maine's Heirloom Eats

Harvest heads-up: Trich-test mandatory; cook to 165°F. Taste? Rich venison-pork fusion—nutty-sweet on berries, earthy if fish-fed; leaner than beef, gamier than moose. Milk-soak 24-48 hours; slow methods tame toughness. Down East diners dub bear "woods pork." Two timeless treasures (sub venison if tagless; serves 6): 1. Allagash Bear Burgoo (Lumberjack Legacy, Slow-Simmered Stew) 19th-century riverman's ragout, blending bear with blueberry bounty—potluck perfection. - Ingredients: 3 lb bear shoulder (cubed), 1 lb venison scraps, 2 onions (diced), 4 carrots, 3 potatoes, 2 cups blueberries (wild), 1 qt beef stock, 1/2 cup maple syrup, thyme/bay leaf, salt/pepper. - Method: Brown meats in lard; add veggies/stock, simmer 4-6 hours till fork-tender. Mash berries in last hour for tart twist. Serve with johnnycakes. Hack: Crockpot swap; freeze for moose camp—BurgooBear brews buzz! 2. Moosehead Bear Backstrap with Blueberry Gastrique (Grilled Glory, Guide's Gourmet) Echoes 1880s sportsmen's griddles—seared, sauced for supper stars. - Ingredients: 2 lb bear loin (trimmed), marinade (1 cup soy, 1/2 cup bourbon, garlic/rosemary), gastrique (1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar). - Method: Marinate 4 hours; grill med-rare (135°F). Reduce berries/vinegar/sugar to syrupy shine. Slice loin, drizzle. Pair with fiddleheads. Pro: Render fat for pie crusts—Down East pastry power! These transmute "timber tough" into tender triumph—Instagram your plate.

Tag & Trek Tariffs: Maine Bear Hunt Breakdown

Unguided: $26 resident big game license + $10 bear permit; non-res $117 license + $74 permit—total $36- 191, plus $100 land access fees in NMW. Bait/trap gear ~$200; odds 80% over bait. Guided: $1,200-2,500 for 5-day bait/hound hunts (Foggy Mountain, North Country Lodge); $3,000+ American Plan with meals/lodging (Ebeemee camps). 95% success; one species only.

Timberline Tales: Maine's Bear Hunting Heritage

Bears aren't quarry—they're cultural cornerstones. Wabanaki tribes (Penobscot, Passamaquoddy) revered them as clan totems, claws in medicine bags, fat for salves; petroglyphs scar Pemadumcook shores from 1000 AD hunts with birch-bow volleys. French trappers? Knife-and-hound epics in 1600s Atkikaks, birthing "ours noir" sagas. Frontier frenzy? Boom-bust. 1800s bounties ($5/head) fueled lumberjack feasts, slashing numbers amid clear- cuts—by 1880, "bears scarce as hen's teeth." Conservation cradle: 1883's Sunday ban/September Law birthed licenses ($4 res), warding poachers; Fly Rod Crosby's 1890s promotions lured "sports" to Moosehead, minting Maine's $200M hunt economy. Today? 170K licensed souls sustain balance—hound fests in Ashland honor "bear dogs," weaving Wabanaki wisdom with warden grit.

Crown the Katahdin King: Hunt Fierce, Feast Bold

Maine blacks embody the North Woods' wild whisper—resilient, ravenous, rooted. Secure that stand, savor the stew, and script your saga: Piscataquis prize or Allagash awe? Spill below. Fair winds, fellow woodsmen—may your pines provide.

Hunting Gear & Supplies Store

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About The Author

Mike Mendenhall is the the founder of Lunker Hunter. This website is an extension of the Mendenhall family’s lifestyle and passion for the great outdoors. Everything that they learn, and experience, along the way that they find may be valuable to our website visitors is on the site for you to enjoy. We highlight products and services that you might find interesting. We frequently receive free products from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you, and does not impact the purchase price of any products that you may purchase.