by Wayne Selfridge

Arriving at my bear bait one late afternoon the first week of September, I was disappointed to discover that the prevailing wind had changed to a direction that did not allow me use of my usual ground stand.   I don’t enjoy sitting in a tree, preferring the excitement of being on the same level as an incoming bruin.   Terrain-level hunters have to me more careful of wind direction than elevated bait watchers.

I go to great lengths to ensure that I have a comfortable, naturally camouflaged hide downwind of the prevalent air current, and not in the probable path of an approaching bear.   Employing a ground-level blind may not increase your chance of bagging a bear, but I can guarantee this method will heighten your sense of the sport’s adventure—not to mention the adrenaline rush.

This particular day the gusty wind played tricks, shifting from side to side, leaving me little choice but to take an awkward position of sitting on my haunches in the middle of a small field of tall grass and wildflowers.   After sticking handfuls of similar vegetation in my hat and clothing to blend in, I sat quietly.   I still had a good line of sight to the bait, figuring that any approaching bear would use the well-worn trails they had already padded down after a couple of preseason weeks of fattening them up with my daily sweet enticer.   All of the trails emerged from the cool woods, from where I was sure a bear would appear on this hot day.

Contrary to the popular silent approach to a bear stand, I make a casual walk and clang open the military surplus ammo can I carry the bait in.   After weeks of conditioning a listening bruin relates the dinner-bell sound to dessert.

As I sat there feeling vulnerable in the open, insecure without the amenities of the full-circle blind.   I stared intently at the bait and game trails, occasionally looking over at the stand to my right.   I never thought to look towards my left in the expanse of wild hay until a breeze that sounded out of place caught my attention.   Just 15 feet from me, padding in broadside, I could make out the black back, shoulders and ears of a bear bouncing above the undulating grass.   He was so close that I clearly heard the swishing sound of his feet.   He closed to within 10 feet, raising his head to inspect the bait site.   What I remember most was the broad head of this bear as he lifted his nose to test the air—I could hear the inhalations.   At this point I thought he made me, but thankfully the steady wind was in my favor.   He eventually lumbered up to the bait where he offered a still broadside shot for my Remington .308.   His pelt now graces a wall.

How does Aroostook measure up this year for bear hunting success?   I predict it will be a banner year.   This spring and summer I had more bear sightings than ever, with multiple-birth cubs accompanying sows a common observation.   Eldon Jendreau, a premier bear guide operating out of Portage Lake, plans on a success take approaching 80 to 90%.   It’s been a good growing season for most wild crops and the bear should benefit from the flourishing berry production and plentiful mast.   Aroostook County still boasts the highest bear density of any county in the country.   I do a lot of hunting and fishing in The County, observing wildlife as I travel from the Allagash to Haynesville, from the North Woods to the New Brunswick border, and I want to tell you the bears are thick.   So come on up to the Crown of Maine for this ultimate hunting adventure.

~Wayne Selfridge is a seasoned outdoorsman who has hunted and fished throughout the world as a military veteran. He works in law enforcement and also serves as the Sporting Journal's Northern Sales Manager. He is also a member of the Friends of Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge.

© 2000 Northwoods Sporting Journal