Are you ready for your Maine bear bait hunt?

By Susan Bard, Bangor Daily News Staff

Maine’s general bear hunting season begins on the last Monday in August. Thousands of hunters from across the state and country will be heading into the woods to pursue black bears.

Hunting over bait remains the most popular method, and with good reason. Maine has the largest black bear population in the lower 48 states – more than 30,000 animals – and baiting accounts for most of the annual harvest.

For many, the draw of bear baiting season goes beyond the harvest itself. It’s about the long days of preparation, the quiet hours in the stand and the anticipation – whether it’s the sound of heavy footsteps approaching through the woods or the quick, silent glimpse of black moving through the trees. It’s about time spent outdoors at the edge of summer, in some of the most remote corners of the state. 

As the season opens, hunters are dusting off gear, stocking bait barrels and returning to familiar stands. 

Success depends on more than just showing up. It usually comes down to the shot. Hunters and guides may spend weeks tending a bait site, only to watch the opportunity vanish because of nerves or poor preparation.

First-time hunters especially can be overcome by excitement. Some fire too quickly, afraid the bear will disappear, or hesitate when they should follow up with a second shot. Others make mistakes that are easier to avoid: smoking before the hunt, falling asleep in the stand or pulling out a phone at the wrong time. 

Typically on a guided hunt, you’re only sitting for the afternoon, about 4-5 hours. You don’t need to bring a pack full of food, or send snaps to your buddy in Pennsylvania. If you actually get a shot at a bear, don’t pull out your phone and record it flailing, wounded in front of the bait, only to see it run off and never be recovered. Shoot again. I once checked a trail camera before putting a hunter into his stand and saw that his sit the day before had a bear at his site, but he fell asleep. 

Let the bear commit to the bait instead of shooting while it’s moving through the brush. Bears often circle in and out several times, sometimes grabbing some pumpkin spice cake before slipping away again. Enjoy this experience, and don’t rush.

Some years the bears are more interested in natural feed, so they won’t be at the bait long. But don’t use this as an excuse to shoot at something you can’t get a good shot at.

Your rifle may have been sighted in before your drive to Maine, but don’t make the mistake of not shooting it again when arriving. I’ve seen the best shot in a group clean miss because his scope was off. 

Judging size is another challenge. If there’s a barrel at your site, compare the bear’s shoulder height to it: shoulders level with or higher than a barrel usually indicate a mature animal, while a bear that can walk in and out of the barrel is a small bear. 

Sexing a bear, especially at dusk when most bear movement happens, is even more difficult. Females tend to be shorter-bodied with narrower muzzles, smaller heads and shorter necks. If you have the time, look at the spacing between front and rear legs – males have longer bodies and are heavier built.

If you’ve never seen a bear, all this is likely too much to take in, but if you have a guide, ask to see some trail camera photos before going out. 

Take the time to wait for a broadside or quartering-away angle before pulling the trigger. Your shot placement could be the difference between celebrating at camp at 9 p.m. versus an entire night spent searching for a few drops of blood in the dark, only to never recover the animal.  

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see a bear right away. It often takes a few nights for bears to get comfortable around new scents at the bait. The key is persistence – and patience.