hunter

What do you do if you score?

Just got back from Maine. The trip was great but it was a little warm and getting warmer so I was a little concerned. We did see a fair number of bulls and more cows. After experiencing problems with my gun which was responsible for missing a nice bull on Monday I switched with my friend and sub permitee Clyde. He had his Browning A-Bolt in 7-08. By Wed. we were a little nervous as the day was ending we saw two moose one big and one small. We thought cow and calf but had to check and they were bulls. I took the bigger one and he only made it about twenty yards into the woods. He dressed out at 550 and had smallish 5 point rack. I will only mount the horns instead of a head mount but it's my greatest hunt ever and the entire trip was great. I will try to put some pics up as soon as I can. Thanks to all on here for your support and well wishes. I hope you all can experience this for yourselves.

Wildcat, first I qualify as an old timer as I will be sixty in Dec. I did plumbing and heating. I did OK and have no regrets. I was offered an office job in computers when I was young as both my friend and brother worked with them but I couldn't work in an office. You have to go with your talents and inclinations. My brother who was a big shot in computers could barely change a light bulb so working with his hands was not an option. My best advice is to do something you don't mind doing. Are you talented with trade work like plumbing carpentry or electrical? Or do you see yourself more as an executive type? It also depends on your geographic area. In the city and LI a reliable man with a truck can do OK just doing handyman work like painting and minor repairs. In farm country I think they take care of that stuff themselves. Whatever you choose you will probably need to take some classes. BOCES and VEEB offer night classes in trades. Colleges also have night classes for Paralegal or Real Estate license. Hope this helps and good luck.

Nice camp. Good luck to all the bear hunters.

I would call Remington and be safe plus it's free, but I'm pretty sure it will.

If you google ny state parks with cabins you'll find them then find which ones allow hunting, I know there are several, some in central ny and some in the western tier. Or you can find state trails with lean-tos that allow hunting. I know of one near Windham but I'm sure there are others. Good luck.

Troll alert

Welcome Hunter Frank, Check the message boards here as I remember someone looking for guys to join a lease.

Pygmy, I had no idea the odds were that bad, I hung in there because I felt committed at this point and I had free help offered in Maine by an experienced moose hunter. Biz, I don't know what is good so I will depend on my friend's advice but I don't think I am gonna let any legal bull walk. They are so huge and have so much meat I can't see letting a thousand pound 40" bull walk and risk going home empty handed. Antlers, I followed your story when you won that tag and it was a great story. It also helped me to maintain faith. Thanks guys for your congrats and input.

Thanks to all for the kind words and I will report back. I'll learn how to post pics. Best of luck to all you guys still waiting. Keep the faith.

Antlers, I started applying around 2001 but they recently changed the rules to give more weight to long time applicants but I don't think they did it retroactively. So now each year you should get five poins instead of one. I stuck with Maine because my friend will guide me but I have seen here that other places have better odds like New Brunswick or New Hampshire. Good luck and I hope your tag is around the corner. Lawdwaz, I am so excited I just want to nail down the details like which cabin to book. My buddy from Maine tells me to be careful because there aren't many towns in that zone so I want to book a cabin near gas stations and stores to buy food,ice and stuff like that.

Unfortunately grouse doesn't open till Oct 1 but non baiting bear is open so I can call or use aerosol bombs for bear. I'm sure I can keep myself busy once I tag a bull. Plus I can see if any fishing is open.

I will be using my Savage 300 Win Mag as primary and will take a second gun possibly my 20 ga 870 with both barrels so I can small game if I tag one early or use scoped rifled barrel as a backup. I understand bear is also open but not bait season. My son in law Mike will bear and small game hunt. I will also take my S&W 57 in .41 mag. I have a digital Nikon, it's not very expensive but I am not much of a photographer so it will probably do fine for capturing the trip. We'll go to my friend Clyde's house in Rumford which is near Rangeley Lake and sleep there Sat night. Then we'll head up to zone two which is as far East as you can go and second far North as you can go on Sun which is no hunting day in Maine. Hopefully get settled in and ck zero on weapons and be ready for Mon . My buddy took a cow from this zone two years ago so he knows the area which is great. He tells me a guy sets up a refrigerated tractor trailer to process the moose that are taken and will do either quartering or full butchering which is what I will hopefully go for. As for taxidery if I am lucky, my friend and his brother have about six bull moose mounts plus many other trophies so I'll use their guy in the Mexico area. I wish I could take more friends but I have to take as much cooler space as I can. I will give alot of the meat to my friends up there as they have always been generous to me and have alot of pals in NY who also have done the same for me so now I can offer them some meat, hopefully. I have never had a bad trip to Maine but I think this will be legendary.

Thanks. I was starting to lose faith but I had so many years invested I felt like I had to keep trying.

Unbelievable, I got drawn for a moose permit this year. Better yet I got a bull tag. I am insanely happy and have already started making plans. My friend who lives in Maine is gonna guide me free of charge and I have several lodges calling me already.One has a cabin for $650 for the week which is great. My son in law is gonna come with me and hunt bear.

Reply sent and TY

Thanks for the heads up. Looks like I can stay for the week if Thanksgiving is the following week.

I discovered a leak over the weekend and would appreciate any suggestions for a good roofer. My camp is in Gilbertsville. Either post here or IM me. Thanks.

Congrats Elmo. Hopefully you can get some bowhunting in.

I had an outfitter in 4R advise me not to book last year because he didn't think I would see a legal buck with the new AR in his area.

I know one thing don't try to use a stand on the poles cause the electricity can jump towards you before you contact the wires.

It looks great. I'm gonna try some myself. I have two spots, one gets alot of sun and one not so much. Good luck I see venison in your future.

Saw it Sat morn about 8. A shame to see it go so young n like that.

Glad they had a good trip and a safe trip.

Sounds like a good deal, very desireable area and great hunting. Used to belong to a club that had rights to hunt land there. Wish I could afford it. Good luck Tonya.