Our first group event of 2011 was with the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Black Bear Research team. We visited the same female as last year and saw the surviving cubs as yearlings.
The female had chosen a den site approximately one mile from last years site. The research team traveled ahead to locate the den and sedate the bears. We arrived as they were beginning to collect the biological data and fit the bears with new radio collars.
Maine’s Black Bear monitoring program tracks the reproductive success, survival and health of nearly 100 female Black Bears over 3 study areas through out the state. Data collected from this research helps the state properly manage Maine’s Black Bear population.
Black Bears den for food related, or lack there of, reasons not because of weather conditions. As long as there is plenty of available food they will remain active. When they can no longer gain more energy than they expend in search of food they den. Therefor the length of time they are in the den varies greatly from one year to the next. In Maine bears are in the den from approximately 5 to 7 months, depending upon the food crop for that given year.
Bears are also not “true” hibernators. True hibernators must come out of hibernation to urinate, defecate, and eat every couple of weeks. Bears do not eat, drink, urinate or defecate the entire time they are in the den. They also are fully aware of their surroundings, unlike true hibernators, such as raccoons and squirrels. Bears are truly unique and amazing animals.
The female we visited was born into the research program 12 years ago. She had 3 newborn cubs last January, one male and two females. The mother and both female offspring were present in the den this year. 60% survival is normal for Black Bears which is a relatively high rate of survival for young wild animals.
The following is a video journal of the 2011 Kicking Bear groups, Bear den trip.
We have a few clients who have drawn permits in zones other than their top choices. They are interested in swapping. If you have an interest in a swap for one of these tags please contact me either via email at dave@smoldering-lake-outfitters.com or phone : 207-429-0910.
1. Zone 4 bull permit for October looking to trade for either season, bull permit for zones 6 or 3.
2. Zone 14 bull permit for October looking to trade for an October bull permit for either zone 6 or 3.
3. Zone 17 bull permit for October looking to trade for a September bull permit in either zone 6 or 3.
Thank you and congratulations to all the permit recipients.
Smoldering Lake Outfitters moose hunting dvd “Answer the Call” has been reviewed by Doug Gilmer on Bowhunting.net. Read his comments about this film in the following article from bowhunting.net
New Moose Video Covers 10 Hunts
By Doug Gilmer
Jun 29, 2008 – 7:18:41 AM
Many hunting videos on the market today follow a similar theme and are very predictable in nature. One is almost always assured of watching the “hunting celebrity” harvest a big whitetail or elk, sometimes with seemingly little effort. A new video is on the market, however, and it is truly different. No big names in this product, just ordinary people and extraordinary adventures.
Answer the Call is the newest release from Wildlife Interactive and Bullet Digital and features 10 moose hunts in Northern Maine. This 90 minute video includes a mix of archery, muzzleloader, and rifle hunts from the 2006 Maine Moose season.
Filmed and produced professionally, the footage captures hunters guided by top Maine guides David Hentosh (Smoldering Lake Outfitters) and Tom Aasbow (Oxbow Lodge). While watching the video you will notice the terrain is not all that different than one might find in Canada or Alaska and the moose, though smaller in size than the Yukon variety, are still large with some very big, record book animals taken. The video features eight harvested bulls measuring over 50 inches and two monster bulls over 65″ are also taken. As a matter of fact, overall moose success rates in Maine are nearly 90% statewide and almost 100% with these two outfitters.
The moose hunts combine calling and spot and stalk and the up close footage of moose is spectacular. Bonus footage at the end of the DVD featuring additional hunts is just as amazing and helps to make Answer the Call a must have for anyone’s hunting video library. The video is sponsored in part by Crimson Talon Broadheads, Leupold, and Thompson Center Arms. A portion of each video sale goes to supporting Kicking Bear. Do yourself a favor and check out this new video. It will change the way you think about hunting in Maine and I guarantee you will find yourself applying for tags next year.
For more information on Answer the Call or to purchase the video visit their website at www.bogdonkey.com. You can watch a promo clip on their website that will get your heart pumping. For more information on Kicking Bear visit www.kickingbear.org.
