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

Reader Feedback

The Northwoods Sporting Journal is the largest hunting & fishing magazine in the Northeast.

"Just want to complement all of you on an excellent magazine. I have my subscription sent to my office and have found that clients grab the Northwoods Sporting Journal first over the dozen or so other magazines in our waiting area.
I have enclosed subscriptions for myself and five friends that I think will enjoy your magazine. I especially like the Outdoor News sections for keeping up to date with statistics and changes going on in the state."

Jay Deane

"I used to subscribe to several outdoor magazines in the past until one day I picked up a copy of the NWSJ at LL Bean in Freeport, Maine. After reading the journal I have to say I never subscribed to any other outdoor magazine. The journal had it all and the thing is it only gets better every month! The articles are informative and very well written by what I consider experts in the field. I have to say if one does not subscribe to the journal or picks up a copy of the journal “they do not know what they are missing!” Unfortunately, I am not a resident of Maine but after reading the journal I feel I know more about your great state than my own regarding the opportunities of hunting and fishing, very good writers."

Tony Ostrowski

"Good morning, I have to write this…because your magazine deserves it. Every couple last winters my family has gone up to Maine after Christmas for a couple days. This always coincides with a stop at KTP, where I buy a copy of your magazine. Well, this Christmas I asked my kids for one gift, a subscription to NWSJ. I’m 57 years old, I grew up cutting and chopping cords of wood every year for my family’s two vermont castings stoves, and fishing and hunting extensively. especially loved tying my own flies and selling them in my local Connecticut hardware store when I was 12. When not doing those things I was salivating over field and stream, outdoor life, fin and feather, you understand…those were great mags, but I don’t like how they’ve changed over the years…they’re selling to the masses now, not to who I think is their core audience. You guys are different, and good different. You’re old school. You actually do not care what people think of what you’re writing, and that reeks of important values like HONESTY, COMMON SENSE, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND KNOWLEDGE. Your articles are SO good that I refuse to read more than one at a time. no joke; I leave each issue open on my kitchen table, and read one article a day. Why? Because every single article is fantastic! I don’t want to ruin the digestion of the last one by reading the next one too quickly…yes, you guys are that good. So here it is, my first feedback; you have the best outdoor magazine I have ever read..and will continue to read it till I can’t read. "

Alexander Pflomm

"I enjoyed reading Ms. AuClair’s article on Mount Katahdin.  I had also enjoyed the mountain and knife-edge trail twice when I was in my late 40s - early 50s. It’s an unbelievably beautiful environment. The quiet is God-like. Thanks very much. Keep up the great reading. I look forward every month to the Sporting Journal."

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