Name: Northwoods Sporting Journal
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Northwoods Sporting Journal

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The Northwoods Sporting Journal is Maine and the Northeast's most exciting, informative monthly sporting magazine. Featuring columns and stories from over 50 of New England's best outdoor writers, The Northwoods Sporting Journal offers fishing and hunting stories and information dealing with Maine's outdoors.

September 26

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September

The Northwoods Sporting Journal is the Northeast's most comprehensive, entertaining outdoor sporting magazine.

Best Moose Guns

BY Tom Kelly Well, it finally happened! I have finally been fortunate enough to have been chosen for a moose permit. It is to be an antlerless permit in Zone 4 at the end of October. I have guided hunters on moose hunts. I hunted with Hal Blood when I was producing the S&W … Continued

Moose Hunt Preparation

By Homer Spit Question: What’s more exciting than winning a million dollars in Power Ball? Answer: Winning a moose hunting permit in the Maine Moose Lottery. If you are one of the lucky 2,080 moose permit winners for 2017, a word to the wise: plan ahead for your fall hunt. I mean REALLY plan ahead. … Continued

First Deer Contest Winner

WINNER OF MY FIRST DEER CONTEST!!! My First Deer To my chagrin, as the blast reverberated, the whitetail whirled and vanished. While I attempted to conceal my disappointment, we thoroughly inspected the doe’s initial position. Editor’s note: This is the winning entry in Northwoods Sporting Journal’s My First Deer Contest. This winner will receive $100.00 … Continued

The Big Eddy Drifter

By V. Paul Reynolds Izaak Walton in his iconic angling book, The Compleat Angler, made the observation that even if you spend a lifetime casting flies upon the water, fishing and fish behavior can never be “fully learnt.” Persistence and patience will not deliver full mastery of angling success and a total understanding of trout … Continued

Accessing Stripers

By Al Raychard If you want to fish for striped bass this season there are a couple things to keep in mind. As with all types of fishing, be it freshwater or saltwater and whether fishing quiet back bays and small tidal creeks and estuaries with a fly rod and flies or hitting the beach … Continued

Living with Grizzlies

By Polly Mahoney I lived amongst grizzlies for many years and have a very healthy respect for them! The first ones I was around was when I worked at big game trophy hunting camps. I used to see them commonly when I was alone in the wee hours of the morning either on foot with … Continued

Light at Grand Lake Stream

BY John Tozer The sun rises slowly over Grand Lake Stream in June and July. Not dramatic, just steady, a thin line of light behind the spruce, pushing the chill back one degree at a time. The water was already very low this spring, and the lack of significant rain means low … Continued

Yukon Yearning

By Polly Mahoney Growing up in Maine, I had no interest in being inside especially the kitchen! When I was starting my life in the far north in northern BC and the Yukon I was drawn to the mountains and wanted to spend as much time as I could in the bush. When the opportunity … Continued

Green Drake Finale

By Homer Spit A Hex, or if your Latin is good, a Hexagenia limbata, is a bomber-size Mayfly that shows up on Maine trout ponds in mid-summer, usually early July. For a trout, they area turkey dinner with all the fixin’s – a chance to get the most amount of food for the least amount … Continued

Fishing the Belgrades

by Dennis Bolduc Ever since I was a kid growing up in Waterville, fishing in the Belgrades was a topic I heard often. Unfortunately, my family did little to none when it came to fishing. I was very fortunate to have lived next door to some great neighbors who always took the time to take … Continued

The Salmon Trollers

BY V. Paul Reynolds Today, right now, on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire to the Rangeley Lakes in Western Maine to the Fish River chain of lakes in Northern Maine, a late spring ritual is underway. The scene has been appearing every year for as long as even us oldsters can remember: men, women and … Continued

Killer Flies

By V. Paul Reynolds Any fly fisherman worth his salt is ever vigilant for that so-called “killer fly.” Now, truth be known, there is a lot of subjectivity here, when we start bragging and getting all dogmatic about our “killer fly.” For example, the trouter who has a field day on the water with a … Continued

Maine Trout Ponds

By Jonah Paris Maine is dotted with many small trout ponds. These remote waters are protected by dense walls of softwoods. They are places where “crowded” is another party fishing the opposite shore, and where the country, and the trout, still remain wild. The gravel roads might push back in a little further … Continued

Small Trout Runs

By Al Raychard When I was a kid there was a small brook that cut through the property of my childhood home. Until I got my driving license and could explore more distant fishing holes, I spent a lot of time drowning worms in its tea-colored pools. It’s where I cut my teeth as an … Continued

Maine Man Mauled by Grizzly

By V. Paul Reynolds “Climbing over the logjam, I spotted two cubs on the other side of the river. From the brush I heard the huffing sound. Then I saw her, the sow. From 20 yards she was coming at me, huffing and growling – a full charge.” Hamish Stevenson, a native from Mt Desert … Continued

SBRs: Time to Purchase

By John Floyd Knocking clay birds out of the sky on a sunny afternoon is great fun. Plinking a dueling tree with a .22LR pistol is too. But nothing beats sending freedom pellets down range through a suppressed, semi-automatic short-barreled rifle; colloquially known as an SBR. And if you really needed one, there is yet … Continued

The Conversion

BY V. Paul Reynolds Ice fishing? Why would you want to do that? The north wind comes blowing in across the lake and bites into your cheeks. You are cold all the time, frozen fingers are your reward for baiting the hook and rebaiting the hook. You just get a promising ice hole going and … Continued

The Best Big Game Calibers

kellyapr By Tom Kelly The ammo/shooting industry thrives on new caliber offerings and the latest wonder bullet that has heat- seeking capabilities and scans for 10- point bucks. Many of these claims actually sell products. Marketing does in fact work. There are, however, some tried and true calibers that still do the job and are … Continued

To Catch a Poacher

By Kale O’Leary I first began writing articles for the Northwoods Sporting Journal in 2020. Over the years I have written a variety of articles covering the work of Wardens in the North Woods. My goal has always been to give a “behind the scene” look into the work and job that I am so … Continued

March: The Second February

BY Mike Maynard “April is the cruelest month…” – T.S. Eliot March. If only it were that simple. There isn’t much to recommend the month; it’s a mistake. March is a cold and empty nothingness; a malignant iceberg in the sea of winter. The kindest thing I can say about it is that it’s … Continued

Mastering the Turkey Hunt

By Stu Bristol One of my early wild turkey hunting mentors, Ben Rogers Lee warned me, “It’s not good enough to just sound like a wild turkey. You must become one.” From that day forward I adopted the slogan, “Turkey hunters are play actors; the turkey woods their stage.” Secondly, he repeated, “Turkeys will teach … Continued

Brush Gun Stories

“I shot where the deer had surely been, And bark came flying—oak, not venison.” -Old Woodsman’s Couplet By V. Paul Reynolds When, during camp debates about good deer rifle calibers, somebody always says,” Yea, that .35 Remington is one helluva brush gun!” What does that really mean? Of course, that the round is big enough … Continued

Can Coyote Contests Improve Deer Survival?

By Gerry Lavigne People who sponsor and participate in coyote contests do so believing they can improve deer survival by reducing coyote populations. But can they? Research in Maine has demonstrated that predation by coyotes can negatively impact deer populations, particularly in the northern half of the state. Venison is a large portion of coyote … Continued

Maine Deer Harvest Record

BY V. Paul Reynolds In Maine, a state with widely varying winter weather patterns, the deer survival equation is both simple and complex. Weather always rules. Snow depths. Protracted cold snaps. Deer wintering areas and timing of the spring green up all play a pivotal role. There are adjustments that wildlife managers and policy makers … Continued

Warden Pilots: A Special Breed

Backshelfjan w jpeg Warden Pilots: A Special Breed Dufault didn’t have to fly. Conditions were almost impossible with poor visibility and a low overcast. In cases like this, it is the warden pilot’s call. He knows the risks and nobody, including his bosses, ever second guesses a warden pilot’s decision to stay on the ground … Continued

Suit to Ban FFO waters

By V. Paul Reynolds Plaintiffs supported by the International Order of Theodore Roosevelt have sued the Maine Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in Augusta’s superior court to open all of Maine’s public waters to everyone and end the State’s practice of reserving Maine’s best fishing spots for fly fisherman only. The plaintiffs, represented by … Continued

Wintertime Perchin’

BY Jonah Paris Just as the sport of fly fishing has its internal cohorts, like the “dry-or-die” purists, the “it’s not a bobber – it’s an indicator” crew, and the dedicated “meat-only” streamer-chuckers, ice fishermen in Maine organize themselves into exclusive groups. Hardcore cuskers and muskie-junkies are a strange and secretive bunch, often keeping to … Continued

Dreams of Slobberknockers

By Mike Maynard So, I learned a new word the other day. Slobberknocker. As in, “Boys! There’s some jeezly big slobberknockers out there!” Does colloquial County-speak get any better than that? I don’t think so. I was introduced to the word while trying to nail down the story of the biggest buck ever killed in … Continued

Buck of A Lifetime

By V. Paul Reynolds “I am over the moon about this buck.” said avid deer hunter Robbie Flint. And well he should be. His buck, which was tagged in early November at the Four Corner Store in Union, sported an incredible 27 points and tipped the scales dressed at 252 lbs! Flint is a 28- … Continued

Maine Record Sow Bear

Snared Sow: A New State Record Editor’s note: This sow bear taken this fall is a new Maine state record tipping the scales at a dressed weight of 358 lbs. The bear was harvested by Howland guide Zach LaFreniere from Wild Fern Guide Service. The big female bruin was estimated to have a live weight … Continued

Why We Hunt

By Homer Spit Day dreaming about what has been my favorite week of the year for more than 50 years – a week at deer camp- I got to thinking again about the somewhat cerebral aspect of the deer hunt. Why do we hunt? Why, specifically, do I hunt? If you have ever spent a … Continued

Women at Deer Camp?

“The deer camp is where old men tell stories, and boys grow to be men.” – Tom Heberlein By V. Paul Reynolds By tradition, American deer hunting camps have been a place exclusively for men. Robert Wegner, in his superb book Legendary Deer Camps, writes, “ Yet despite the longstanding involvement of women at Ten … Continued

Great Pond: Lost Access?

BY V. Paul Reynolds Great Pond in Aurora off the airline road is a scenic, medium- sized body of water that forms the headwaters of the Union River watershed. As the crow flies, it is not that far from the Stud Mill Road. The pond is habitat for pickerel, bass, perch and stocked Brown Trout. … Continued

Benoit the Legacy

BY Lee Schanz Larry Benoit was born in the mountains of Vermont in 1924. I’m sure growing up in the Depression made a lasting impression on him the rest of his life. Most people in Maine lived on deer meat and biscuits in those lean years, and I’m sure the citizens of Vermont did likewise. … Continued

Getting the Moose Out

By V. Paul Reynolds To its credit, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIF&W) has begun to aggressively reach out and educate prospective moose hunters how best to deal with a moose once it is down. The point cannot be stressed enough. The opportunity to hunt a Maine moose is a privilege of … Continued

Dry Dressing Moose

By V. Paul Reynolds Like Johnny Cash sings, “One piece at a time.” Think of a moose as coming in seven or eight pieces—two hind quarters, two front quarters, two backstraps, one big package of trim meat and an optional head. As moose increasingly shy away from roadways and roam more back in the clear … Continued

Best Hunting Knives

By V. Paul Reynolds Over the years, an assortment of different hunting knives have wound up in my hunting day pack. Some have worked better than others. Some held an edge well; and some did not. Without a doubt, the litmus test I have encountered with a hunting knife is when the knife is used … Continued

No Name Bull

By Nathan Theriault This is the story of three bulls and many twists and turns along the way. The year was 2022 when we located 3 beautiful bulls that seemed to always get back together during our late aerial surveys. So, we called them the three amigos. One of the three amigos was harvested by … Continued

Maine Warden Sues Commissioner Camuso

Edited by V. Paul Reynolds Josh Polland, a highly respected former Maine Warden Sergeant who recently resigned his post, is bringing a Federal civil law suit against IF&W Commissioner Judy Camuso and the Department. The suit is being filed in Polland’s behalf by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC was created in 1965 … Continued

Bows: Tuning Up

By Mike Maynard To borrow a line from America’s hardball Confucious; Yogi Berra, “It’s getting late early out here.” You think Yogi was talking about baseball? He wasn’t. He was talking about bow hunting. What Yogi meant was that if you haven’t gotten your tree stands up by now, you’re running an 0-2 count. Are … Continued

Bear Hunting Tips

By V. Paul Reynolds In the spirit of full disclosure, you might as well know. During my five -year tenure of self-guided black bear hunts, I never bagged a bruin. My late wife, Diane, who was addicted to the adrenaline rush that accompanies most bear encounters, killed her first bear under my tutelage. She also … Continued

North Woods Big Bore

By Tom Kelley What’s the old saying? “The more things change, the more they stay the same”. Or more accurately, “The more they return to the past.” This is evident in the trend over the last few years back towards lever action rifles. My father was born in 1898. He was a lifelong hunter, like … Continued

Moosehead Brookie Bonanza

By Suzanne AuClair In recent years, Moosehead Lake has been seeing an ungodly number of these big, fat, native wild brook trout. It has not been the norm. But, it is true. How long this will last, who knows. But for right here, right now, in 2025, anglers are seeing the best of the … Continued

Salt Pork In the Pan

BY V. Paul Reynolds Frankly, I never gave too much thought to the role of salt pork in cooking, outdoors or indoors. I do recall that my mother used it once in awhile when she made fish chowder or baked beans. It had to be part of my vocabulary, though, because I slipped some salt … Continued

Salmon : Why Aren’t They Big as They Used to Be?

By Randy Spencer If you talk to old-timers who fished the great salmon lakes of Maine—Moosehead, Sebago, East Grand, or West Grand—in the 1950s and ’60s, you’ll hear stories of hefty landlocked salmon tipping the scales at five, six, even eight pounds with regularity. Back then, a 20-inch salmon wasn’t a bragging right; it was … Continued

Moosehead New Record Brookie

By V. Paul Reynolds Greenville native and ardent angler Eric Ward is accustomed to hog- wrestling impressive brook trout out of his ice hole and on to the frozen surface of Moosehead Lake. In fact, according to Greenville fisheries biologist Tom Obrey – who keeps an eagle eye on angling successes on the big lake … Continued

Timely Tips On Tippets

By Bob Mallard While restocking my Fly Vest and Driftboat Bag in preparation for spring last week, I realized just how complex the world of Fly Fishing tippet material had become. As one of the most important components in regard to a properly rigged Fly Fishing outfit, I am surprised that some anglers … Continued

Wolves in a Test Tube

BY Matt Dunlap Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction. In 1993, the blockbuster science fiction film Jurassic Park had a plotline that a group of paleo-geneticists had extracted dinosaur DNA from fossils, and had been able to create a new generation of velociraptors and other large herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs. When, in the movie, everything … Continued

Maine’s Last Indian Scare

Steve Pinkham Maine’s early wars with the various Wabenaki tribes that resided on the Saco, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscot, and St. Croix Rivers, were fought mostly from the mid-1600s to the 1750s, which involved numerous attacks along the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire and along the Merrimac River in Massachusetts. The last attacks on the coast … Continued

Do Fishermen Lie?

By V. Paul Reynolds As a fisherman myself, as well as a writer who observes other fishermen, I have noticed that we fishermen, in our enthusiasm, do tend to take liberties. There are two common misrepresentations practiced by the angling community. The first is more of an innocent fib, or little white lie. This is … Continued

Spring Trolling: Best Waters

By Bud Leavitt Editor’s note: Maine’s late, well-known outdoor writer Bud Leavitt left us his legacy between the pages of his only book, Twelve Months in Maine. In this monthly feature, we reprint selected excerpts from his book courtesy of Bangor Publishing Company. One day at West Grand Lake, Elliot and I were fishing the … Continued

The Trapper’s Shack

V. Paul Reynolds The trapper’s shack, in the beginning, was just that. I first beheld it in the spring of 1968. Friends Ron Hastie, Dana Young and I used it in 1968 as our “base camp” for a week during the construction of Ron’s camp. The leaning shack was about 12’ X 14”. It … Continued

BIrch Bark Canoes

Suzanne AuClair This year, it will be the summer of the birch bark canoe. For anyone interested, you might want to take a ride up, camp out, do some fishing, hang out for a few days in God’s country. On Wednesday and Thursday, July 23-24, the owners of birch bark canoes from around … Continued

The Whisker Thing

By Mark McCollough You do not see many blind deer…or foxes, or flying squirrels for that matter. How do they run at breakneck speeds (or glide in the case of flying squirrels) headlong through the dense forest without eventually ‘poking their eyes out?’ How do they travel swift-of-foot through a winter forest as … Continued

Best Streamer Flies

By Bud Leavitt Editor’s note: Maine’s late, well-known outdoor writer Bud Leavitt left us his legacy between the pages of his only book, Twelve Months in Maine. In this monthly feature, we reprint selected excerpts from his book courtesy of Bangor Publishing Company. In most Maine waters you’ll learn, if you’re patient, landlocked salmon, squaretails … Continued

Smarter Turkey Hunting

By Stu Bristol If you have not nailed down at least half a dozen prime turkey hunting locations by now, you’ll need to get a bit smarter in your preseason scouting techniques. Finding a longbeard in the spring can be as easy as watching the back fields, power lines and railroad … Continued

The Border Buck

BY Hal Blood Winter is in full swing, but telling deer stories keeps us hunters warm and cozy. Last month, I wrote about the first two weeks of my deer season, and this month, I’ll finish up the season. When the third week rolled around, there was still no tracking snow to be found. … Continued

Strange Encounter

By Kale O’Leary The following article is the strangest encounter with a wild animal that I have ever had in my life. People often ask me if I have ever had any “close calls” with bears when talking with them as Game Warden. I have always told people the same lines, “they are … Continued

Ice Fishing Hotspots

Editor’s note: This ice fishing report was prepared by state fisheries biologists and technicians listed below who oversee fisheries management throughout the state. The Sporting Journal is indebted to these dedicated men and women who oversee and manage Maine’s fabled and valuable sport fishery. Tight lines and check the ice before you venture forth! Sebago … Continued

The ITS: Volunteers Made It

BY Al Swett Snowmobiling in Maine started back in the 1950’s and 1960’s without a trail system. Today out Maine Trail Network is a destination point for riders from all over the United States and Canada. Our Interconnecting Trail System, or ITS as we call it, stretches from the deep South to the North Maine woods. … Continued

The King of Robb Mountain

By Haleigh White This story begins 8 years ago as my best friend and I drove deep into the woods to hunt her family’s 100-acre forested plot. It’s a gorgeous ridge covered in hardwood trees and a sheltered cedar swamp lies below. We sat in different spots that morning and shortly after … Continued

Lost On a Mountain in Maine

BY V. Paul Reynolds Donn Fendler was a 12-year-old boy who became famous for surviving a harrowing nine-day ordeal in 1939 when he got lost on Mount Katahdin. His story of survival captivated the nation. Fendler grew to manhood, distinguished himself as military warrior and during his later years came back to … Continued

Why Do We Hunt?

By Ken Baer This is something that I have pondered before. With the recent happenings at the statehouse and after reading in V. Paul’s article last month, Paul asked this specific question. I decided it was time for me to answer it. There are many reasons why we hunt, but only so many can … Continued

New Deer Rifles

By Tom Kelly Personally, I would not spend a lot of money on a new hunter’s first rifle. Many start out with a hand me down from grandpa or Uncle Zeke and that is great. However, today, many new hunters do not come from hunting families. I frequently share my opinions in this column, … Continued

November Grouse

By Paul Fuller Although October is often thought of as the absolute prime month for grouse and woodcock hunting, November should not be overlooked. For your author, the big advantage of November is less foliage. You can see the birds in flight much easier than in October. Every year, I hear of more upland hunters … Continued

Essence of the Hunt

By Hal Blood The long wait is over. Deer season is upon us once again. Bow hunters have been at it for a while, but the majority of hunters hit the woods during the firearms season. Deer hunters hit the woods for a variety of reasons. For some it’s just about getting out in … Continued

Lost Hunter: The Untold Story

By V. Paul Reynolds In mid November of 1982 in Maine’s Grant West Township, a few miles East of the Greenville Airport, an experienced Massachusetts deer hunter got turned around later in the afternoon, and it began to snow. An extensive search party that included his own hunt companions, trained ground personal and search aircraft … Continued

Big Bad Bogs

By Homer Spit For me, Maine bogs have always held an allure. It may be the deer hunter in me. The buck of my dreams is always seen in a bog, ghosting its way silently on the mossy ground, weaving slowly between gnarled old cedar trees and grey, weathered deadfall. There is a dusting of … Continued

The Cross Bull

By Nathan Theriault Blessed is the best way to describe what we do. The reason we can afford to guide, and hunt is because of the sacrifices that so many have made. This realization has always kept me wanting to give back to the people who gave so much for the love of this country … Continued

Crossbows: The Purchase Decision

By V. Paul Reynolds Recently passed, Maine has a new crossbow hunting law that, is not only sweeping in scope, but makes sense. Crossbows, the use of which has been very restrictive, are now included in the legal definition of archery equipment. This is a big deal! For it means that, in Maine, all hunters … Continued

Spectacular Spring Bears

BY Erin Merrill In October, I met Jim Shockey during his stop at Cabela’s on his book tour. We talked writing, the outdoors and hunting. He invited me to come up to his Pacific Rim Outfitters on Vancouver Island and hunt spring black bears. I couldn’t say no. The gray, rainy weather reminded me of … Continued

Fly Fishing the Hex Hatch

By V. Paul Reynolds This is the time! Not next week or the week after, this week! It will be tonight at about the time the late afternoon sun slips beneath the spires of spruce on the mountain, or maybe tomorrow night, or the night after – if it’s going to happen at all. The … Continued

The Mystery of the Lost Hunter

BY Warden Kevin O’Leary Garfield Plantation, a small Aroostook County town that neighbors Ashland is the scene for one of the most puzzling and baffling unsolved lost persons case in Maine Warden Service history. Since I first heard the bizarre story behind a man who simply vanished after an extensive and exhaustive search, I have … Continued

Best Trout Lures

By Peter St. James Well, with the spring gobbler season set to end on May 31st and the Moose Lottery applications due by midnight on May 31st, we can now turn our attention to fishing. New Hampshire offers two free fishing days each year, (The first Saturday in June and The third Saturday in January) … Continued

June Fly Fishing

BY Matt LaRoche Oh! How I look forward to the month of June- it is the best month for fly fishing of the year. The water has warmed up a bit, the fish are active and the insect activity is at its peak. Landlocked salmon and brook trout will “zero in” on whatever insects are … Continued

Spring Fishing Report

Sebago Lake Region From Fisheries Resource Supervisor James Pellerin, 3/18/24 Where to fish: Most of the lakes and ponds in southern Maine experienced ice-out by mid-March, so many anglers will have already been fishing by the time this report hits the press. For early season lakes and ponds, I would suggest focusing your efforts on lake … Continued

Rifle Accuracy Thieves

By Tom Kelly Col. Townsend Whelan once said, “Only accurate rifles interest me”. Well, accuracy is one of those relative terms. It can mean different things to different people. Sub MOA or minute of angle groups are a requirement for long range competition shooters. Minute of angle translates to a 1” or smaller 3 shot … Continued

Finally, Trout Season Opens

By Gary Moore We open water trout anglers get real antsy by the end of March, often casting on the lawn and dreaming of opening day. This year that occurs on Saturday, April 13. Like so many others I will be plying the waters of local streams hoping to entice a trout to hit. As I … Continued

Atlantics: The King Clings On

BY V. Paul Reynolds “Chase the fish, boy..yer down to the backin’..chase the fish,”shouted my guide. The Medalist reel sang as the 9 weight line wound off the spool with authority. The tip of the Sage fly rod pulsated as the 18-pound Atlantic salmon lived up to its reputation, leaping and twisting above the frothing … Continued

Never Cry Wolf

By Mark McCollough It was the wee hours of the morning at the dead-end of a rutted logging road deep in the vast Ragmuff clearcut in northern Maine. A carpet of stars blanketed the moonless night. We stepped out of the truck, set up the speakers, and played a recorded sequence of wolf calls that … Continued

New Rifles

By Tom Kelly There are a couple of new rifles available from two of the major firearms companies. It’s nice to see that major companies are still designing and producing rifles for the average person. These reasonably priced rifles also include some features normally only found on much higher priced guns. The first rifle is … Continued

First Moose Hunt

By Ron Joseph In late September 1980, Maine’s annual moose hunt resumed for the first time in 54 years, but not without controversy. In 1979, the six-day hunt was preceded by several highly contentious legislative hearings in Augusta. In packed hearing rooms, the Legislature entertained passionate testimonies from anti-hunters, hunters, business owners, state senators and … Continued

Deer Season Wrap

By Ben Wilcox The 2023 deer season was maybe the most anticipated I can remember, and will go down as probably my toughest season yet. I say most anticipated because my 2022 season was really hampered by lack of mobility while recovering from major foot and ankle reconstruction surgery that summer. While I … Continued

Deer Season Snapshots

By V. Paul Reynolds. My deer season started this fall in late September during the expanded bow season. As amazing as it seems to me, this was nearly my 70th year in the Maine deer woods! Imagine. During this long stretch, only one season was sacrificed when I was serving in the U.S. Navy during … Continued

My Grand Slam

BY Erin Argraves This year’s grand slam started with my bear. I harvested a nice sow on a bait on September 6th. I shot it with a .300 win mag. I was sitting in a ground blind with my husband as we watched the bear come in. The bear was harvested in Mapleton and tagged at … Continued

Shotguns: Ford or Ferrari?

By V. Paul Reynolds Truth be told, the Reynolds small gun vault holds a half dozen guns, hunting rifles and shotguns – not a Parker or a Purdey among ‘em. To admire a classic collector’s gun, or bring it to shoulder, is always pleasurable. But I don’t turn green with envy, or look back with … Continued

Big Belated Buck

BY Mark McCollough It was a few days after the deer season ended, but I finally got the big buck that I had been dogging all November. I caught several glimpses of him during the deer season. In mid-November I had in my scope on him while he was chasing two does, but he turned … Continued

Hunting Small Woodlots

BY V. Paul Reynolds Most deer hunters are drawn to the big woods. Admittedly, there is nothing like the North Woods for those who like to cover lots of ground, explore new territory and get away from the crowds and posted land. But deer hunting in small woodlots, I have found, can be highly productive … Continued

Finding Trophy Bucks

By Stu Bristol One of the most common cop-outs among deer hunters is the statement, “Every deer is a trophy, regardless of size.” This is true in most cases. However, under their breath they still consider a real trophy begins either with extra wide antlers or over that magic 200-pound weight. I get asked more … Continued

Bear Meat’s Bad Rap

By V. Paul Reynolds What does bear meat taste like? If you google the question, you’ll get a variety of answers. ” It can be gamey and greasy.” “Hard to describe.” “It tastes a little like beef and a little like pork.” Over the years, I’ve tried just about every wild critter Maine has … Continued

Pa’tridge in the Pan

By V. Paul Reynolds Before me in my garage office are three books about hunting grouse (pa’tridge). These books are large ,elegant, top-shelf coffee-table books with brilliant glossy pages and generous full-page photographs of grouse, gun dogs and upland bird hunters. One of them is “A Passion For Grouse.” It is a keepsake … Continued

The Buck Moon

By Joe Judd I was reminded recently, that the full moon in the month just passed is often referred to as “The Buck Moon”! Now, I might have already known this and simply forgotten it, and perhaps you knew this as well! But all it took was a little research to remember that the “Buck … Continued

Bull Named Yukon

By Nathan Theriault Being a bush pilot certainly has its perks. Aside from acquisition cost, operating cost and of course everything that goes into achieving a Private Pilot License and maintaining it. With this investment of time and money it has helped us to put eyes on bulls many wouldn’t have ever seen. The bull … Continued

Love at First Bite

BY V. Paul Reynolds No matter how many years you visit a place like this, you do not take it for granted. Most remarkable is how this particular place has changed little in more than a half century. The fishing is almost as good as it was when I first fished it so long ago. … Continued

Muzzleloading Black Bears

BY Al Raychard Although there is little doubt that light muzzleloader bullets will kill a bear with proper shot placement, one thing I have noticed in these camp talks and discussions is the general consensus among experienced bear hunters is the heavier the bullet the better. September is just around the corner and for a … Continued

Hiring a Moose Guide

By Erin Merrill and John Floyd Hiring A Moose Guide: Some Tips Erin Merrill has hired a few guides to help her; most recently, in 2021 when she drew a moose tag. John Floyd is a Registered Maine Guide and the owner of Tucker Ridge Outdoors in Webster Plantation, Maine. Together, they discuss thoughts, questions … Continued

Last Stand at Papa’s Point

BY V. Paul Reynolds “How does a man know when he’s just too damned old to hunt elk?” I asked. “Well, sir, when he stops going.” Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the Nov.-Dec. issue of Bugle Magazine, which is published by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF). It is reprinted here with permission … Continued

The Green Drake Hatch

Matt LaRoche The green drake is one of the most geographically widespread mayflies in North America and an important part of the food chain in clean unspoiled lakes and ponds. Have you ever been on a wild brook trout pond during the green drake hatch? If so, you are probably still talking about it! … Continued

Furnace Brook Knives

By V. Paul Reynolds Although Vermonter Scott Hawley made his living crafting fine furniture, making things out of iron -blacksmithing – always held a fascination. Hawley’s Dad was a machinist and his grandfather was a blacksmith by vocation. Around 2008, Hawley was asked by a friend to fashion a hunting knife for him. On the … Continued

Summer Fishing Spots

By Al Cowperthwaite The first of July usually is prime time for the green drake hatch and larger fish in these waters become as aggressive then more than any other time of the season. With all the rainfall in June, water levels are above normal for the month of July. Canoeing should continue into the … Continued

Best Spring Trout Flies

BY Bob Leeman My dear friend, Bill Bowdoin, a longtime fly fishing buddy from Brewer, now long-since passed away, was a more avid trout caster than I—and that’s saying something! It’s a long story how we met, but too long for this article. But after we continued to fly fish together for brook trout, we … Continued

Wives Who Hunt

By V. Paul Reynolds Wives Who Hunt Probably not a politically correct title for an article in a post-modern, gender-confused culture, right? After all, many women – married or not – simply take up hunting because they want to, not because their significant other sparked their interest, or brought them along in the blood sports. … Continued

Two Warden Tales

By Kale O’Leary As we approached a house on the north side of the road, I watched as the brake lights came on the pickup truck and it came to a stop on the paved road. I slowed down and waited to see what was about to unfold. When it comes to investigating wildlife crimes … Continued

Spring Fishing Plans

By V. Paul Reynolds My all time most memorable trout fishing experience in the park was at Center Pond. No lunkers, but incredibly fast action on respectable brookies. Although the Florida Keys has become my winter retreat until April, my daydreams beneath the swaying palm fronds and soaring pelicans had already begun in February to … Continued

The Redemption Bear

BY John Floyd There is nothing more disheartening than when a client misses a bear. The time invested in setup, the anticipation and expectations on a bear stand with good bears coming in suddenly crashes in flames with the missed opportunity. It happens. On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, there isn’t a much … Continued

Tying the Barnsie

By Bob Leeman While fly casting for landlocked salmon at Grand Lake Stream a few years ago, I spotted a good-sized fish waiting for a morsel to float by, while hiding behind a sunken boulder across the flow. My first offer was a Bob’s White Marabou Muddler fly, flicked to the upper current just above … Continued

Hastie’s Hut

By V. Paul Reynolds “There. Right there on that point. I’m gonna build a camp there,” my ice fishing buddy exclaimed as we drove our snowsleds up and down the south shore of Seboeis Lake. It was February of 1967. I was a young man just out of the Navy and back in Maine, … Continued

Spring Gobbler Secrets

By Stu Bristol Are there any “secrets” left to learn about spring gobbler hunting or has everything been written, using the same old tactics with a new twist? Wild turkey hunting legend, Ben Lee told me this way back in the early 1970’s, when literally no one in New England had a clue how to … Continued

Ice Fishing Hotspots in Maine

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Jim Pellerin Where to fish in January: For the earlier part of the season, December through mid-January, anglers should target smaller-medium sized waters (<1,000 acres). Waters in this category generally have safer ice, and in this part of the state many of the larger waters like Thompson Lake, Kezar Lake, Great East … Continued

The Gregarious Grouse

By David Minton Any upland bird hunter will tell you that the Ruffed Grouse, aka partridge here in New England, is one of the hardest upland game birds to hunt. It can fly through the densest woods and conifer forests, takes off when the hunter is least ready to make a shot (stepping over … Continued

Survival: Deer Hunt Gone Bad

BY Mark Cote When we arrived at our Anticosti deer camp it rained a lot overnight. My plan for the first day was to hunt the coastline on the East side of the territory, which meant crossing the Martin River by ATV. Nobody has been able to hunt there for weeks so I knew it … Continued

The Bear Buck

By Ben Wilcox The conclusion of hunting season is a time to look back at the successes and failures of the past year. In my computer I list the deer I killed and note any important lessons. While doing so, I saw my PA public land 8 point listed and recalled the crazy story that … Continued

The Togue Hunters

By Stu Bristol These men and women are a rare and hearty breed, for sure. They travel Maine from end to end, in snowstorms, ice and rain, sometimes for hours at a time in a single day. Armed with modern ice fishing gear they search for the Togue (Lake Trout) honey holes looking for … Continued

Kids: Pickerel Passion

BY V. Paul Reynolds I know of no better way to get kids hooked on fishing than to expose them to an action-packed pickerel pond on a sunny day in late February of early March. They say first impressions are lasting. Not so, though, with fish. Take the chain pickerel. By rights I should loathe … Continued

Blackpowder Mistakes

By Al Raychard Sometimes we take things for granted, or just neglect to do things which in the pursuit of whitetails with a muzzleloader can prove a major mistake. I dare say most muzzleloader hunters these days hunt with in-lines and load up with one of the available blackpowder substitutes. There are good reasons … Continued

The Hunter’s Moon

By V. Paul Reynolds Many sportsmen count the November deer hunt as the highlight of all of their outdoor passions. It is a special time. Frosty mornings and quiet moments in a tree stand with hand warmers, a thermos of hot coffee mixed with the anticipation of a big buck in the cross hairs is … Continued

Buck Fever

BY Tom Kelly We have all heard the term, “Buck Fever”. Most of us have at one time or another even experienced it. This malady doesn’t just afflict deer hunters. In fact, I have frequently seen experienced deer hunters become victims of target panic when they see their first bear in the woods sneaking into … Continued

Legendary Maine Bucks

BY V. Paul Reynolds Maine has long been famous for its “monster” whitetail bucks. Of course, the most fabled of these is the 1955 Horace Hinckley buck, a big-toed bruiser that field-dressed at a jaw-dropping 355 lbs! No other buck has since come close to this famous buck,when it comes to sheer weight. But weight … Continued

November Grouse

By Paul Fuller Is November the new October? With climate change, everything changes. Let me explain. As I’ve written many times in this column, there are two ingredients that control a grouse life: food and shelter. Conifers are the main source of shelter for the ruffed grouse. And, that source of shelter remains … Continued

Bucks: The Big Woods Mystique

By Hal Blood September signals that fall has arrived in the north country. By the beginning of September, they have the red tinge that will soon be the spectacular foliage that adds to the beauty of the woods. Frost is eminent and I have seen it in late august as well. September the transition month … Continued

Hunting: Ethical Choices

BY V. Paul Reynolds In the realm of deer hunting, what is the definition of “fair chase” anyway? Fair chase, as defined by the Boone and Crockett Club, is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair … Continued

SAM Saves Deer Yards

By V. Paul Reynolds August 23 at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer, David Trahan, the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (SAM), was the guest speaker at a Deer Yard Forum hosted by some Bangor area state Republican legislative candidates. Gerry Lavigne, a retired state deer biologist and wildlife consultant for SAM, joined Trahan … Continued

Warden Pilots

By V. Paul Reynolds Sooner or later, most career game wardens place themselves in harm’s way in the line of duty. The same can be said for game warden pilots who often are called upon to assist, from the air, in coordinated ground searches for missing persons. More often than not the weather is nasty, … Continued

Mean Seeds

By Paul Fuller The prairies are calling. I believe it was Bing Crosby who gave us this lyric: Home, home on the range, where the deer and antelope play. I’ve been getting many inquires recently about hunting the prairies. I’ve written many times about hunting the prairies in this column, however, one issue I haven’t … Continued

Moose of the Slash

BY Mark McCollough In the deep woods of northwestern Maine, it is known as “The Slash.” Maine’s 292-mile border with the province of Quebec is not impressive, just a 40-foot swath cut through the spruce, fir, and cedars. Most power line rights-of-way are wider. About every half mile or so is a waist-high boundary monument … Continued

Henry Arms Celebrates 25th Anniversary

By V. Paul Reynolds This year Henry Arms is celebrating its landmark 25-year celebration as one of the country’s largest long gun manufacturers and the leading lever action maker. Anthony Imperato Henry Repeating Arms Founder and CEO Anthony Imperato took his first step into gun making by taking out a home equity loan in 1993 … Continued

One Night in Alaska

By Dave Willette “Shoot that bear! Shoot that bear! Be quiet and get on that bear.” Those were the exact words of my outfitter/guide Chet Nettles, owner of Alaskan Guided Hunting, and it was the culmination of a long and strange journey. This Brown Bear hunt was originally scheduled in the Winter of 2020 as … Continued

Fall Backwater Brookies

By Stu Bristol With striped bass still off the beaches in numbers and fall lakes and ponds heating up again, why would any angler in his/her right mind head into the backwater streams in search of a limit of five brook trout? Here in southern Maine anglers are spoiled with the amount of fishing opportunities … Continued

Fly Fishing Summer Bass

By Al Raychard For many fly fishing enthusiasts trout are the name of the game. I’m a big fan of the various members of the “trout” clan, too and have been fortunate to travel from the remote fly-in regions of Labrador, Quebec and Alaska to the high altitude ponds in the Rockies to … Continued

The Forgotten Fendler Legacy

By V. Paul Reynolds It seems, for whatever reasons, one of Maine’s most fascinating and uplifting woods lore adventures has faded with time. In Maine, July 25th is Donn Fendler Day. Governor Paul LePage claimed it so in July of 2014, 75 years after a skinny 12-year old New York boy survived an incredible 9- … Continued

Summer On the Allagash

By Gil Gilpatrick Canoeing the Allagash in mid to late summer is usually great time of year for it. The weather is more dependable than at any other season. When I was asked, it is the time I most recommended for a group of friends or a family trip. The bugs, though never completely absent, … Continued

Catch and Release or Kill

By Josh Reynolds For the modern fly-fishing angler, there is controversy afoot. It seems that the social and political polarization of the past few years has threatened to pollute a sport that I love. In the angst-ridden world of social media, throughout the internet of fishing blogs, in the pages of traditional fishing magazines and … Continued

Understanding Fly Lines

By Bob Leeman Are some of these lines better than other flylines? Actually, despite differing in color and price, a (WF) weight forward floating flyline will do what they say they do-that is, float better and perhaps longer, if coated. The Question Do you really know how many kinds of flylines are available to anglers … Continued

Green Lake: A Special Fishery

By V. Paul Reynolds Among those Maine anglers who talk and ponder such things, the Arctic charr is getting a fair amount of attention these days. This cold -water native Maine fish has a Laurentian lineage, which means that its ancestors date back to the Ice Age. In the U.S, there are just 12 waters … Continued

Spring Fishing Allagash Lake

By Matt LaRoche It is that time of year again. Time to tie a few new trolling flies, put some new line on that spinning reel and plan a fishing adventure. A spring fishing trip to Allagash Lake is a real wilderness expedition that you will remember for a lifetime! Allagash Lake is the … Continued

Overhauling the Maine Deer Hunt

By V. Paul Reynolds Last fall in this column I reported: **** “Clearly, the any-deer permit system needs a thorough overhaul. Through a legislative order, a stakeholder group has been assembled and is conducting meetings this fall and winter to address the issue. No doubt there will be a public input period once the group … Continued

Maine’s Wild Trout

BY Bob Mallard Having recently written about wet-lining ponds, it reminded me once again just how unique and special Maine’s wild native brook trout ponds are. Nowhere in the nation is there a bigger inventory of self-sustaining native trout, charr, or salmon lakes and ponds. It is a kind of experience found in very few … Continued

Trout Season Opens

By Gary Moore Open water trout anglers get really antsy by the end of March, often casting on the lawn and dreaming of opening day. This year that occurs on Saturday, April 9. Like so many others I will be plying the waters of local streams hoping to entice a trout to hit. As … Continued

A Close Shave

By V. Paul Reynolds This event is true. The names have been changed. It took place on a deer hunt in northern Canada. There was some snow on the ground, and more coming. Bill, with his rifle slung over his shoulder, was driving a four-wheeler along a river bed. As directed earlier by a hunt … Continued

Turkey Woods Tips

BY Stu Bristol “Turkey hunters are merely play actors; the “Turkey Woods” their stage.” I penned that slogan for my call making business back in 1983. That’s when I began making turkey calls for friends and relatives. Each time I head out in search of a longbeard I remind myself of that truism. Obviously … Continued

Kings of the Yukon

By Jeremiah Wood Alaska rivers teem with salmon throughout the summer. Or at least they used to. An alarming decline in salmon runs in recent years has brought massive changes to the way subsistence, sport and commercial interests operate. The king salmon, a local name for the species commonly referred to as chinook, has been … Continued

The Rarest Eagle

By Mark McCollough Maine bird-watchers started the year with the sensational arrival of an exotic Russian visitor. A Stellar’s sea eagle was sighted in late December and early January in Georgetown and Boothbay Harbor. By the time of the publication of this article, it may take up residence in Maine or be anywhere between California … Continued

The Golden Retriever Man

By V. Paul Reynolds Fly fishermen are no dummies. At a fly shop, a bright, buggy-looking fly may wind up in the angler’s shopping cart, but it had better perform out there on the water. Sometimes it does; sometimes it doesn’t. Yes sir, the proof is in the pudding. These days Maine fly fishermen flock … Continued

The Cigar-Tractor Man

By Jonah Paris During my UMaine days, a small group of us obsessed over panfish throughout the winter months. While many students drained their savings on smelts and raced off to Cold Stream, Schoodic, and Moosehead every weekend in search of salmon and trout, we usually opted to stay closer to Orono. For a couple … Continued

The Rarest Mushroom

By Bud Utecht When people stay at Buckhorn Camps they come for many reasons; relax, explore nature, fish, hunt, and North Maine Woods adventure. One such adventurous guest requested a father/son kayak trip around Jo Mary Island and that’s just what we set out to do. Right away we saw four otters playing in the … Continued

Sunday Hunting: Is There a Compromise?

By Josh Cottrell Sunday hunting in Maine. It is a popular topic among hunters, especially in the fall. Hunters feel like they are being robbed of a day to be in the woods hunting. Non-hunters believe they are preserving a day to be in the woods not worried about hunters. This topic has been hashed … Continued

Shadowing a Big Buck Hunter

By Brian Connor Rick Labbe is the most unassuming, kindest hardcore deer slayer you will ever meet. At 5’8” he doesn’t have the imposing frame of a lumberjack—which is a job he did plenty of before building a successful construction company—but what he lacks in build he more than compensates for in lean, efficient, boundless … Continued

The New Marlins

By Tom Kelly Most folks know by now that Ruger Manufacturing purchased Marlin Firearms in the Remington Bankruptcy proceedings last year. The question has been, when will we see new Marlin products from Ruger, and will they still be Marlins. Well, the wait is over. The first new Marlin rifles rolled off the proverbial line … Continued

Anticosti Hunts: New Options

By Mark Cote In last month’s edition of Northwoods Journal I announced the acquisition of the Safari Anticosti territory. Since then, the level of excitement is off the charts at Sepaq Anticosti! The new lodges, cabins, another airport, and most importantly, Safari employees joining the Sepaq organization brings many more opportunities to clients of both … Continued

Mythical Maine Creatures

BY Mark McCollough Jet-black darkness and a fearsome January wind slithered through the cracks in the logging camp. Wool socks and leather chopper mittens steamed by the pot-bellied stove. Their acrid stench mingled with the belches and farts from yet another meal of pork and beans. Kerosene lanterns flickered dimly at either end of the … Continued

Grace in the Deer Woods

By V. Paul Reynolds A veteran game warden once told me that his career had taught him that, like the general population, most sportsmen are polite and law abiding, but there is that 10 percent that just don’t give a damn. My experience is that hunters all harbor different values or perceptions when it comes … Continued

The Legend of Sneaky Pete

By John Floyd It was a cold and crisp November morning, late in the firearms season when I mounted my stand. The ladder steps were frosted over and the metal slick as I ascended the fifteen feet to my perch. A hard frost had come in overnight and as I looked up through the tree … Continued

The Whitetail Flag

BY Mark McCollough I am a dyed-in-the-wool still hunter – always was, always will be. My father taught me this type of deer hunting when I was a small lad. “Know the wind, and always choose to hunt a piece of woods so the wind is in your face. Take one careful step forward. Stop … Continued

Opening Day

By Jonah Paris Opening day of deer season is a landmark in the Maine sportsman’s year. Rifles have been sighted in. Clothes are carefully laid out the night prior. The pack is stuffed with essentials: compass, GPS, knife, lighter, flashlight, license, rope, game tags, an apple, and a few chocolate bars. The weather forecast has … Continued

Back Seat Shooters

By V. Paul Reynolds Four cow elk answered the call. On cue the elk emerged from the aspens and began to mill about along the edge of the small creek that meandered through the wide open drainage. Nothing but tall sweet grass between us and the elk. But it was a long shot. Wife, in … Continued

New Deer Rifles

By Tom Kelly It’s that time of year again. The time of year we all wait for. I am of course talking about hunting season. The days are cooler, the nights are getting chilly, and our thoughts are consumed with filling the freezer with venison and hanging a big rack on the wall. Most of … Continued

Grouse Hunting Basics

By Paul Fuller Due to last year’s outstanding grouse season, I’ve never had so many emails asking about grouse hunting. Plus, most of the major grouse camps are booked for this fall. You can separate yourself from the maddening crowd by being just a little smarter about your approach to grouse hunting. Here’s … Continued

Moose: Shot Placement

By V. Paul Reynolds A big target, a moose. What do you aim for? There have always been different schools of thought on this question. Wives tales abound. Moose are Maine’s largest big game animal by far. Bulls have been known to top the scales in excess of 1,000 lbs! Because of their sheer size … Continued

The Venerable 30:06

By Tom Kelly All of the bear species have been taken with a .30-06, moose, elk, bison, musk ox, wolves, coyotes, and every species of deer have been dispatched. Was this the optimum choice for each of these animals? Perhaps not, but nonetheless, it did the job. The Round There is an old saying … Continued

Big Moose Tactics

By Nathan Theriault You have been drawn for a once-in-a-lifetime moose tag. Or maybe, second, third or fourth. If that is the case, you are extremely lucky or blessed. There’s nothing wrong with a little of both, if it gets you a tag. However, being lucky alone does not work so well today with filling … Continued

Good News for Maine Deer Yards!

By V. Paul Reynolds There is very good news for Maine’s whitetail deer. LD 404, an Act to Preserve Deer Habitat, a deer-yard protection measure is a done deal! Not in all my years in reporting on the Maine outdoors can I recall a single legislative initiative with such potential to salvage Maine’s … Continued

Results of Maine Deer Hunter Survey

Edited by V. Paul Reynolds The Northwoods Sporting Journal received 59 responses to its deer hunter survey. These responses have been collated and are reported below. Although the statistical validity of this survey may not comply with scientific protocols, it does lend some anecdotal insights into what Maine deer hunters are thinking and … Continued

Tips for Bear Hunters

By John Floyd In recent years, the smartphone and social media have by far saved more bears during the bait season than any other factor. No matter how emphasis I put on this, I still have clients, season after season, getting caught banging away on their phones instead of being still, focused and quiet. … Continued

Game Wardens Needed

By Kale O’Leary With openings in virtually every corner of the State of Maine, I encourage anyone who has ever thought of pursuing this career to reach out to your local Warden, inquire about meeting to have a coffee or even ride along for a day to learn more about the job. The Maine … Continued

Spruce Mountain Sasquatch

By Robert Spearin Up on Spruce Mountain, down there on Route 9, There’s a place that’s forgotten by man and by time. It’s a ten acre place where no one has gone, With some cliffs and a cave and it’s own little pond. And a cloud always hides it so no one would know That … Continued

The Lowly Togue

By V. Paul Reynolds In the lineup of Maine’s game-fish inventory, our togue (Lake Trout) is the black sheep of the family among salmonids. In the frying pan, compared with a pan-fried brookie or a poached landlocked salmon, the togue is not memorable table fare. Togue have remarkable longevity, some living up to 20 years. … Continued

Deer Yards: Can We Save Them?

By David Trahan It is hard to believe, but at one time northern Maine was a world-renowned destination for adventure seeking whitetail deer hunters on a quest to harvest 200+ pound bucks. Any Sunday during the November deer season, trucks and cars would pour out of northern Maine with big bucks tied to the top … Continued

What Flyline and When

BY Bob Leeman Are some of these lines better than other flylines? Actually, despite differing in color and price, a (WF) weight forward floating flyline will do what they say they do-that is, float better and perhaps longer, if coated. The Question Do you really know how many kinds of flylines are available to anglers … Continued

Game Camera Buck

By Bud Utecht With the camera set to video, I was able to watch him thrashing the branch above him and paw at the scrape. Now I was pretty thrilled that he had been there and it was boosting my long- gone confidence in this spot. I have read a few articles recently, even … Continued

The Fabled Fisher

By Bud Utecht Winter and spring seem to be the best times to get pictures of fisher. This is the time they travel great distances in search of food. Mustelids, my favorite group of wild animals. Who are these creatures? Mink, Marten, Fisher, Otter, and Weasel. These creatures are very misunderstood and quite … Continued

Famous Trolling Flies

By Bob Leeman During those early years of streamer fly designs, there were many recognized creators of new streamer fly concoctions. Even today, the avocation of creating and fly tying continues to increase in popularity. Most of Maine and New England’s lake and trollers and streamer fly assemblers would remember Carrie Stevens, noted creator of … Continued

The Early Hatches

By Matt LaRoche The Hendrickson hatch is the first hatch of the season on the river. It usually occurs on or about Memorial Day weekend. I worked on the West Branch of the Penobscot as Park Manager of the Penobscot River Corridor for over 20-years. During those years, I had the opportunity to … Continued

Talking With Turkeys

By Stu Bristol A wise old southern turkey hunter once told me I would begin to learn about wild turkeys the first day out and it would take the rest of my life to try and learn the rest. After nearly five decades of chasing wild turkeys and killing more than my share, it’s … Continued

Streamer Size Matters

By Ben Rioux What many anglers fail to realize is that when it comes to smelt imitation (or really any imitation patterns for that matter), size plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of any pattern. April marks the traditional start of open water fishing in the state of Maine, but as I’ve noted in … Continued

North Woods Wet Flies

By Bob Romano In addition, many of the northern New England rivers and streams are characterized by fast-running rapids and runs, preventing fish from closely examining insects. Anglers traveling to northern New England may be surprised to find that although there is a time and place to cast dry flies, on most days, fishing under … Continued

Return of the King

BY V. Paul Reynolds There is one angling odyssey, however, that is above all others, a fishing experience that for me eclipses in a profound way the other outstanding fishing experiences. As a fisherman, I have been blessed. In more than 60 years of dedicated recreational angling, many memorable fishing adventures have come my way. … Continued

Legendary Maine Bucks

By V. Paul Reynolds Maine has long been famous for its “monster” whitetail bucks. Of course, the most fabled of these is the 1955 Horace Hinckley buck, a big-toed bruiser that field-dressed at a jaw-dropping 355 lbs! No other buck has since come close to this famous buck, when it comes to sheer weight. … Continued

The 16 Gauge Resurgence

By Tom Kelly The resurgence in lighter, sleeker shotguns has prompted some of the major shotgun manufacturers to introduce some newer versions of the 16 gauge in the last few years. The 16 gauge was another victim of the magnum craze. It seemed like for a while if it didn’t have a 3” or 3 … Continued

The Legacy Lives On

By V. Paul Reynolds & Sam Huston Averill “Blackie” Black of Bangor passed on recently at 93. He was a brother-in-law and long-time hunting and fishing companion, a teller of tall tales round the campfire and a founding member of the Skulkers of Seboeis, a hunting club to which I am a member. … Continued

Electric Snowmobiles

By Rod Fraser Let’s breakdown the comparisons between the Taiga and the other big brand gasoline-powered snowmobile models so you can determine if an electric sled would be a good choice for you. To those of you who routinely read my column, thank you very much for your support! You may remember back in … Continued

The Mystery of Big Bog

By Kale O’Leary In the spring of 1923, closure was finally brought to the case, or so they thought, as the bodies of Brown and Johnson were discovered in the water at Big Bog. One man was found in the Dam, while the other was found downstream. Throughout the fall and winter of 1922, … Continued

The Grouse Blunder

By V. Paul Reynolds A number of years ago when I was a working newspaper editor, the silent unsung heroes of the newsroom operation were the “copy editors” on the copy desk. These word and fact sleuths did not wear green eye shades or elastic arm bands, but they were meticulous and detail oriented … Continued

Black Powder Opportunities

By Josh Reynolds Yes, while the rut is winding down, the bigger, dominant bucks are still looking to breed in December – just like us, when the testosterone is still flowing. They are still on the hunt. The nicest deer I’ve ever shot happened during muzzleloader season, but before that, I was still a fan … Continued

The Mystery of Bog Bog: Part II

By Maine Game Warden Kale O’Leary According to a newspaper article published in an unknown newspaper from November of 1938, Chief Warden Brown and Warden Johnson hiked from Caucomgomoc Lake on November 12th and arrived at Loon Lake the following day. I was a brand-new Game Warden, attending the Advanced Warden Academy in the spring of … Continued

The Ammo Shortage

By V. Paul Reynolds During the first half of this year, nationwide firearms sales increased by 95 %! Between January and July of this year, 5 million Americans bought their first gun. FBI background checks on potential gun buyers are 72% higher than last year. Have you tried to buy any ammunition lately? Good luck. … Continued

November Grouse Great!

By Paul Fuller Late season grouse hunting can be very productive. Although October provides us with the beauty of fall, it’s not necessarily the best time to hunt grouse. If the ground is fairly snow free, November can be an exceptional time to pursue the “King”. Why November? What makes November an ideal time to hunt the … Continued

Lever Guns for Deer

By John Floyd The biggest drawback in the past when hunting with a lever gun has been ammunition. Most guns used a tubular magazine which meant having to load only round or flat nosed bullets like the .30-30 Win and .45-70 Govt. When most folks think of lever action rifles, the first thing that comes … Continued

Best Maine Deer Guns

By V. Paul Reynolds Recently on my statewide Sunday night talk radio program, Maine Outdoors (on the Blueberry Broadcasting Network), I chatted by phone with John Floyd. He is a guide-outfitter and gun writer for the Northwoods Sporting Journal. Floyd had agreed in advance to focus his comments on one of the most hotly discussed … Continued

October: The Sportsman’s Gift

By Dennis Jensen The month of October is a gift, a gift of memories and the gift of today. Sitting at the desk, staring into the vertical, empty white space on my computer, I am trying to come up with a good topic for, arguably, the most challenging month of the year, at least for … Continued

Sneakin’ a Peek

By V. Paul Reynolds The happy angler with all the hookups could simply smile back, like Betty Lou, at your nervous query and with a smile say, “I’ll never tell.” Or even worse, “It ain’t none of your business, Bub.” More than enough books have been written about fly fishing to fill the shelves … Continued

Gunning for Grouse

By John Floyd This month bird hunters are making their way into the logging roads and field edges in pursuit of that ever elusive, fighter jet of a game bird - the ruffed grouse. Getting back to these basics will help you put more birds in your bag.

Bucky Owen: A Good Guide

By Mark McCollough One of Bucky’s outgoing graduate students took me aside and confided, “Here is the secret of surviving as Bucky’s graduate student. Bucky will have 10 ideas. Your job is to figure out which one is the best!” If you are fortunate, you will meet generous people in life who will take … Continued

Tactics for Big Moose

Message from the Editor

The Sporting Journal’s “New Normal” Some sage once said that in life “change is the only constant.” How true that is. The Covid-19 era underscores the profound nature of change like nothing we have seen in many years. Uncertainty, confusion, and anxiety have seemingly combined to put fear as the central emotion that seems … Continued

The Cougar Sightings

By V. Paul Reynolds For almost as long as I have been writing about the Maine outdoors, this fascinating question has persisted: “Are there mountain lions (cougars) in Maine?” In a way, the elusive and mysterious cougar has become somewhat of a Maine folklore icon, the Maine equivalent of Bigfoot in the Pacific Northwest. … Continued

Cougars: Are They in Maine?

By V. Paul Reynolds The question persists. More than 25 years ago, as editor of the official magazine for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIF&W), the same question was addressed by me in an article that sought to dig deep and find credible answers. At the time, despite a number of … Continued

Fishing Small Runs

By Al Raychard I grew up in a time when much of southern Maine seemed a lot less crowded, when you knew your neighbors and a kid could walk to his friend’s house a mile or so down the road and home again in time for supper without fear or mothers worrying about a … Continued

Libby Camps Open for Business

By Ben Rioux Libby Camps has been around since 1890, and during those 130 years we’ve endured our fair share of hardships from pandemics to depressions to world wars and everything in between. Regardless, it goes without saying that Covid-19 and recent events weigh heavy on our lodge, guides, and guests. We look forward every … Continued

Maine Turkeys: Less Conservative Hunt Plan

By Brad Allen To all my wild turkey hunting and watching friends out there I’d like you to know that the Department’s wild turkey management program is right on track. First, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) spearheaded restoration activities back in the 1970s with the support of many individuals associated with the National Wild Turkey … Continued

Overlooked Fishing Laws

By John Floyd As open water fishing season begins, it’s a good time to review the new Maine Fishing Laws handbook and any new rules and laws in effect this year. While bait rules and bag limits get a lot of attention, it’s also a good idea to brush up on existing general fishing laws. … Continued

The National Eagle Repository

By Mark McCollough Life as a bird rehabilitator is not always pleasant. On a day in May, Marc Payne and Diane Winn at Avian Haven said good-bye to an old friend. A month previous, an adult bald eagle was found floundering on the shore near Mount Desert Island. It did not resist capture by Warden … Continued

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For anyone who hunts, fishes, or simply enjoys the great outdoors, a subscription to the Northwoods Sporting Journal is the monthly gift that maintains the all-important connection to the people and places that mean the most to outdoors loving people.

Each month in the Sporting Journal, the most comprehensive sporting magazine in the Northeast, more than 50 outdoor writers share with you not only their memorable outdoor adventures but the best way to do things, whether it’s stalking a big buck, seducing a top-feeding brookie, or simply mending a busted boat trailer.

Stories from Maine Hunters & Fishers

The outdoors people who write for the Sporting Journal have done it all. Seasoned hunters and anglers, they, like all sports people, love to share their stories. They have them in spades. For the price of a subscription, they take you along every month of the year. Don’t miss an issue of the Sporting Journal, the most comprehensive sporting magazine in the Northeast.

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Men, women, children, fishers, hunters, hikers, or kayakers, the Sporting Journal has something for anyone whose recreational pursuits fall under the Great Outdoors’ broad mantle. Check us out! You’ll agree.

Personality From a Range of Writers

Our loyal readers, those who have been aboard for more than 25 years, will tell you that the Sporting Journal is a hunting and fishing magazine with “personality.” It’s true. It’s no accident.

Unlike other hunting and fishing publications that rely on a repetitive publishing formula, we pride ourselves on letting our writers “have their voice.” Unpredictable, opinionated, humorous, flinty, and even outlandish, at times. But never boring!

Enjoyable Cover to Cover

Many readers tell us they can’t wait each month for their Journal. They follow the hilarious fictional adventures of Me & Joe, pore through the Outdoor News Section to get up to speed on outdoor issues, search the ads for Marty the Moose, or read their favorite monthly columnist. Entertaining and highly informative, the 72 pages of the Northwoods Sporting Journal are the best bang for the buck when it comes to outdoor reading material.

Don’t take our word for it. Ask one of our longtime readers, or check out the coffee tables at any deer camp or sporting lodge, or, yes, even the outhouse! Like a faithful old gundog, the Journal hangs around. There is a reason for it.

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The Northwoods Sporting Journal is sold at more than 700 large and small retail outlets throughout northern New England. It is the most comprehensive sporting magazine in the Northeast.

Over 10,000 Monthly Readers

The combination of newsstand sales and mail subscribers gives the Sporting Journal a combined monthly circulation of about 10,000. Our time-tested “shelf life” at sporting lodges and outfitters makes our actual readership much more. Don’t take our word for it! Ask a sporting camp owner. Take a glance at the lodge’s nearest coffee table or reading nook. The Sporting Journal is the most comprehensive Sporting Magazine in the Northeast.

Readers in New England & Canada

Although the Sporting Journal is the outdoor read anywhere in northern New England and the Canadian Maritimes, we have many subscribers in Massachusetts and other areas of New England.

Print & Digital Options Available

The printed version of the Sporting Journal continues to be the flagship of our outdoor communication mediums. However, our new, improved website makes our digital version of the magazine available to all. Best of all, there is no charge for the digital issues. The Sporting Journal is the most comprehensive Sporting Magazine in the Northeast.

Like a topline set of truck tires, this gives your advertising dollar extended mileage. Advertise in the digital magazine and on the website itself. Contact us at 207-732-4880 or email [email protected] for prices and more information.

Long Shelf Life & Wide Presence

As we like to say, “The Sporting Journal has a shelf life. It hangs around longer than an old wool hunting shirt or tired gun dog beside a fireplace.”

We like to think that this shelf life is a product of our publication’s personality, thoughtful, seasoned outdoor writers, and exciting advertising displays. Distributing free issues of expired Journals at New England sportsman shows and other outlets help that shelf life, too.

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Photo Gallery

Photos are always worth 1,000 words, especially photos of happy people with big fish & critters. Send your proud photo to [email protected]. You might make the gallery!