backpacker

I'm not looking for specifics- just had a couple questions on New England moose. I'm thinking of broadening my horizons for in the future and applying for VT, NH, and ME. After looking through some of the archives I gather that most of the moose hunting is done on paper company lands, correct? I was looking at the moose guide on the Maine website and it kind of gives an idea of the public land in a given unit. Maine does not allow you to just purchase a point, correct?

As far as the Sept/Oct hunts go- are they more likely to be rutting in October? I hunted moose in ID in late Sept 2007 and they weren't quite rutting yet as it was near 70F most days.

Last one, as far as bigger bulls does one region in Maine stand out above the others? From a lot of pics I've looked at on the web it appears they come from all over- but I'm kind of concentrating on the northern units. Thanks for any info!

Phil from Maine

First of all points add up after you purchased a lottery ticket for a few years. drawing a permit here is hard to do. But it is stated that someone from outside the state has a better chance. i am not real sure about that statement though.

The best moose hunting IMO is on the paper company lands. The companies cut trees and young ones grow back in and the moose love those saplings.

Moose actually are better calling for most in the September hunt. Moose are trying to establish territory and the bulls are fighting better then. The October hunt most moose are with cows by then and the calling is a little different. The bull calls work well during the september hunt but not during the October hunt. The October hunt you will need cow calls to get them to come out for you. Alot more moose are normally shot during the September hunt.. With the right calls in hand a bull will come out during either hunt though..

For as far as the biggest bulls go? Most all the zones have large bulls in them. Some preffer to hunt the northern zones for a bigger bull. However it really doesn't matter much that way. The northwestern zone does in fact have more moose in it as a rule. However in my zone (19) a large monster of a moose was shot last fall. This was in an area I called him out the week before the hunt. It was extimated to wiegh in at around 1256 lbs. dressed. It had 24 points with a 54 inch spread and that is a large moose in most parts of the state.. So it really doesn't matter an awfull lot for as far as size goes..

backpacker

Yeah, i know everywhere is hard to get a moose tag- i was pretty fortunate to get the one in Idaho the first yr i applied. I figure i'm young enough (26) where i'll should get one in my lifetime though, plus the price is cheap (about $500- NR), compared to a lot of the western states- and it's not a once-in-a-lifetime tag either.

Are most of the units pretty well roaded since they get logged often? I know the logging trucks have the right of way but are the roads usually left open or do they get gated up like a lot of the western states where you hike in from the gate?

54" 1200 lbs sure is a monster...

Phil from Maine

Most of the roads im my area are not gated at all. Some how ever is in the Western part of the state and for a small fee you can gain access to most of those as well. There is a few roads that will be gated for other reason that do not allow access of any kind. But again that is only a few roads which in most cases is private areas.. The southern most unit is mostly private property and should be avoided if possible. They do have a few back roads though. Most of the rest of the state is logging roads that are handy to the paper manufacturing businesses. The zone that I would avoid is the one that is opened in November for any kind of moose..

Here is a pic of the bull he got that was estimated to be 1256lbs..

moosemike

I've been on five DIY moose hunts between VT and NH. Three were my own. Paper company land is preferred to state WMA's because you can use an ATV to retrieve your Moose. On WMA's most guys pay someone with a Draft Horse at least $60 an hour to haul the moose out because of the no ATV rules. VT and NH are both "right to hunt" states meaning if it's not posted land you're allowed to hunt it. Northern NH has alot of moose and you can expect to see several a day and you can be choosy. VT has less than a 50% success rate and I shoot the first Moose I get a clear shot at in VT. The rut is mostly over by mid Oct. and I seldom bother calling. Find a good clearcut that's been cut in the last five years and the moose will be in it right at daybreak and right at dark. Out of the three moose I've taken two were right at dawn and one was at dusk, so take a good light gathering scope.

Western MA Hunter

I just applied for ME NR for the first time this year... as well as New Brunswick again... We shall see!