Description

Black bear hunting over bait in Northern Penobscot and Aroostook counties during the second week of the 2025 season.

What to Expect

Hunt from a mix of tree stands and ground blinds set up for both firearm and archery hunters. Baits sites are pre-baited starting 30 days before the start of the season and tended throughout the baiting and trapping seasons. Sites are set up in a way to encourage daylight activity as well as to attract and hold as many bears as possible throughout the season. We only book a limited number of hunters a week to ensure there are multiple active baits available to give the highest possible chance of success.

Hunt includes

● 7-day / 6-night primitive camp lodging. (Tents and cots provided; hunters are allowed to bring their tents if desired) ● Meals. (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and Non-alcoholic beverages are included. ● A 100-yard range is available to check the zero of your chosen hunting weapon. (Guides are available to help with weapon issues that occurred during transportation, they are experienced in the proper setup and use of rifles, muzzleloaders, pistols, and bows.) ● A licensed Maine Guide. ● Transportation to and from hunting areas. ● Recovery and field care of harvested game. (Including skinning and quartering if required) ● Transportation of harvested game to the closest check station and local game processor from provided processor lists if desired.

Not Included in Hunt price: ● All applicable licenses and tags required for the hunt. ● Personal hunting gear. ● Chosen hunting weapon and / or ammunition. ● Taxidermy / processing fees.

AVALIBLE SECOND BEAR ADD ON Maine is the only state in the lower 48 that allows Bear trapping. Residents and Nonresidents alike are allowed to take a Bear by trapping in addition to a bear by hunting each Calander year. Here at SEOEGS we offer the opportunity to trap a bear under the direct supervision of our licensed guides. We provided trap set ups that meet the legal design requirements mandated by Maine IFW and will instruct you on their set up and use before heading out to set and will be present to assist during trap set up. Traps will be tended early each morning and on sites that have cell reception, cell cameras will be used to alert if a bear is trapped overnight. If a bear is caught overnight the guide will alert you in camp and you will be brought immediately to dispatch the bear regardless of the time.

This is a excerpt from the Maine IFW website

"Bear Trapping Permit and Bag Limits A bear trapping permit and a big game hunting license or a bear trapping permit and trapping license are required to set a trap for a bear during the bear trapping season (September 1 - October 31). You are allowed to take one bear by trapping and one bear by hunting annually. The fee for a bear trapping permit is $10 for residents and $67 for nonresidents.

To purchase a bear trapping permit you have three options:

Option 1: Must have completed a Maine Trapping Education course (includes all furbearers and bear) dated after 1978 OR Previously held a Maine Bear Trapping permit prior to 2022.

Option 2: Must have completed the Maine Black Bear Trapping Education course (online or in-person).

Option 3: A person may trap a bear under the supervision of and in the presence of a licensed hunting guide who has successfully completed the Maine Black Bear Trapping Education course.

A person buying a trapping license or a bear trapping permit for the first time, including bear trapping permit holders who are trapping under the direct supervision of a guide who has taken the bear trapping education course, must purchase a trapping license or bear trap permit through the MDIFW Augusta office in person, by email, or via mail. Trapping license renewals, including bear trapping renewal permits, may be purchased online. Exemption for Tribal Members: A person who is an enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians or the Aroostook Band of Micmacs are exempt from the trapper education course and the bear trapping education course requirements.

Bear Trapping Laws If you trap for black bears, you are required to follow the same general trapping rules regarding the labeling of traps, the tending of traps, and the need to obtain landowner permission.

If you trap a bear, you are required to follow the same transportation and registration rules as those for bear taken by hunting. See Tagging, Transportation & Registration for more information.

You are also required to follow other rules specific to bear trapping, as follows:

Bears may be trapped only with the use of cable traps (foothold cable restraint) or cage-type live traps. Whenever a cage-type live trap is used to trap a bear, the trap must be enclosed and must be heavily constructed to prevent damage from bears, and also must have adequate openings for ventilation and cooling inside when the door is closed. Traps must also be constructed with no sharp intrusions to injure bears, and be large enough for bears to turn around inside the closed trap. You are not allowed to have more than one trap set for a bear at any time. All bear traps must be tended at least once a day. Electronic trap notification devices cannot be used in lieu of physical checks. You are not allowed to catch a bear in a trap and allow another person to kill or register the bear. You cannot continue to trap for a bear after you have captured and killed a bear in a trap. Bears caught in traps must be killed or released at the catch site. "

Bear trapping can be added to your scheduled hunt for $500 (Bear trapping permit is required before booking this add on)

Gear & Equipment

Opening week of Maine's baiting season usually has temperatures ranging from the 50s to the 80s and rain is common. Raingear is highly recommended as well as a Thermacell to keep the blackflies and mosquitos at bay. A good pair of binoculars are invaluable for spotting bears sneaking into the bait in low light. Most of the sites will be set in heavy cover as such light will fade quicker than in more open woods.

Weapon Details

Firearms. All rifles must be of at least .243 (6mm) caliber and shoot appropriate hunting ammunition ( I recommend heavy for caliber bonded or monolithic projectiles) I recommend hunters use the largest caliber firearm they are COMFORTABLE AND ACCURATE with. I would much rather see someone with a .243 shooting a quality 100gr bonded bullet that can hit a tennis ball every shot off a set of sticks than someone with a .338 Win mag that struggles to keep their shots inside a pie plate. Although shots will mostly be under 40 yards for firearms hunters the dense overhead cover of the bait sites can make sighting on a bear difficult with iorn sights or many non-magnified red dots (especially as many mature bears will only visit a bait-site in the last few minutes of legal shooting light) I recommend the use of a scope with a large objective lens and clear bright glass ( Most of my personal bear over bait rifles have scopes in the (url removed) to 3-12 magnification range, objective lenses between 42 and 50mm and most have illuminated aiming points)

Archery, Pistol and Black powder hunters are welcome Excerpt from IFW "Bow and Arrow Equipment Laws: Required Features

Only hand-held bow and arrow may be used. Draw weight must be at least 35 pounds (there is no max). For moose, a minimum draw weight of 45 pounds is required. For hunting deer, bear, and moose, arrowheads, including mechanical broadheads when open, must be at least 7/8 inch wide. Prohibited Features

It is unlawful to use a set bow. Arrows with explosive or poisonous tips are prohibited. Crossbow Equipment Laws: Required Features

Only crossbows with a shoulder-type stock may be used. Draw weight must be at least 100 pounds (there is no max). For hunting deer, bear and moose, arrow­heads, including mechanical broadheads when open, must be at least ⅞ inch wide. Crossbows must be equipped with a me­chanical trigger safety device in working condition. Prohibited Features

Hand-held pistol-type crossbows are prohibited. Arrows with explosive or poisonous tips are prohibited."

Pricing Details

Bear over Bait $2500

Bear over Bait / Trapping combo $3000

Terms & Conditions

50% Deposit required on booking hunt Balance due 30 days before the start of the hunt

Deposits are non-refundable however they can be moved to a future hunting date if the original hunt is cancelled.

Camp/Accommodations

Camp accommodations consist of walled tents with cots and bedding provided. Covered tables for meals, outhouses and camp showers

Accessibility

We have a limited number of sites that are set up for limited mobility access. Please let us know of any needed accommodations before booking to be sure of a good experience

Permit & Tag Application Process

Maine Big Game hunting license and OTC Bear permit required ( Bear trapping permit required for trapping add on)

Breakdown