Ross Lake Camps Bear Season 2007

Ross Lake Camps Summary of Bear Season 2007 Hopes for the 2007 bear season were set high by the middle of summer this year. Record setting amounts of natural food in the woods for the bears during both 2005 and 2006 summer and fall seasons had allowed for high reproduction years in the winter dens, and it was evident by the number of sows that were seen with sets of twin and triplet cubs in the spring and early summer around the woods this year. The biology reports from the Maine Department of IF&W biologists were very good news as well. They were speaking of very high cub weights in the dens over the winter, and had seen some of the best overall health of the bear population in decades while collecting their research data over the winter months. Within the first few days of prebaiting at the end of July we knew we would be in for an awesome year of hunting. The bait sites ALL went active inside of a week of the first food placed in the woods, and sign of multiple bears feeding was found on almost every site as well.

The weather was ideal for opening night of the hunt, and 5 bears were brought back into camp that night to start us off and running right from the get go. Those first bears ranged from 76 pounds up to 256 pounds and all were males. Two other hunters had opportunities that night as well, and there was also a show put on by some Lynx cats that showed up at 2 different hunting sites. By week’s end, 14 hunters had tagged 9 bears and missed 2 others. A total of 34 different black bears made appearances on the stands, and everyone in camp had bear action at their sites throughout the week.

Second week of season was sure to be a special one. In camp with us was our first Mother and Son hunting combination, and son Colby was determined that Mom Julie would get her first black bear before he would even hunt for himself. Also in camp was a returning customer bringing his 10 year old son, Levi, on his first ever big game hunt. Monday night was a night to burn in the memories of all involved for many years to come. Eight bears were brought into camp that night, and there was a ninth that was missed. Included in the 8 was a monster bruin weighing in at 428 pounds that was taken by 10 year old Levi with his .32 Winchester Rifle. Julie also scored on a very nice 125 pound boar with Colby right at her side through the hunt.

More excitement came on Tuesday when 2 more bears were brought into camp. One of them was taken by Colby Kimble with his mother accompanying him on the hunt, just as he had sat with her the night before. Both bears had identical weights, so we’ll have to wait for next year for the tie breaker! Tuesdays other trophy was a bear displaying all evidence of a blonde color phase. The bear was light in color over its whole body with distinctly blonde hair over lower portions of the back and carrying down all 4 legs onto the feet. The under fur of the whole bear was white in color. Biology reports are pending, but this does appear to be a legitimate color phase bear which is an extreme oddity in Maine. Two more bears were brought in to camp later in the week to finish us out with 12 bears tagged, 1 wounded, and 1 missed by 14 very happy hunters in camp.

Third week of season kept the bear action rolling hot and heavy with 10 more bears tagged by 14 more hunters. The action was hot and heavy at the beginning of the week, and the amount of bear sightings on the hunting stands continued to be nothing short of remarkable. Highlights included a 240 pounder shot by first time bear hunter, Eric Bucci, and another double successful father and son hunting combination that took home a 168 pounder and a 128 pounder. The weather took a rainy and windy turn toward the end of the week and slowed things down, but Friday rewarded a young man from Pennsylvania who had worked a full year at a fast food restaurant to save the money to pay his own way on his first guided hunt. Congratulations to 16 year old Jake on taking his first black bear!

Fourth week of season proved to be somewhat challenging with some far changing weather conditions that went from the first frost of the season at the beginning of the week to 78 degree temperatures by week’s end. Some bears moved off of the sites to some late season natural food sources that came into season, but 9 more bears were tagged by the 14 hunters in camp that week, and 3 other hunters that were looking to shoot only the biggest bears all passed on mid range animals at their sites throughout the week.

The 2007 bear hunt turned out to be a great success at Ross Lake Camps with a total of 40 bears taken. Nine of the 40 weighed in at over 200 pounds, and the average size of the bears harvested this year was up more than 30 pounds over the annual average. Over 120 separate bears were sighted on the stands by the hunters throughout the course of the season. On a common year there are many sightings of sows with twin cubs at the bait sites, but this year, we had reports of 5 different occasions with a sow seen with triplet cubs. Judging by what we saw with both the high populations and good health of the bears during the hunting season, 2008 should be as good if not even better!