This post is probably just rambling, but I have a lot of nervous energy as I wait the final 24 hours before leaving for the long drive to Maine to hunt for my first black bear. It has been a very long time coming really.

In the short term, I booked this hunt in November last year with Foggy Mountain Guide Service. That in itself seemed like a long time to wait...10 months. This hunt for me really started 29 years ago. At that time I was hired by the company that I still work for today. To reward myself for graduating from college and getting a good job, I purchased a 6.5" Ruger Blackhawk 41 magnum. At that time the cartridge was not very popular and of course with no internet it was very difficult to find anything written about the round. I would purchase any magazine that had something about 41's and read and re-read the articles. At that time I remember reading an article entitled something like "The guns of the guides". I read about this guy in Maine that was a black bear guide and his gun of choice was the same as mine..a 41 magnum. Of course it was was Wayne Bosowicz. I began to dream of a hunt in Maine with a man that catered to handgun hunters, and also liked the 41 magnum. I really thought that such a hunt was never going to happen and was way out of my reach.

Fast forward now to November 2010 and when a friend and I decided we wanted to try a bear hunt, I first looked to Foggy Mountain to see if they were even still in business. I found their web site and sent a question or two, and a few days later I got a call from Mr. Bosowicz. In a short time talking, I knew that is where I had to go.

Planning, load development, and serious practice started in December. No, I am not going to use my 41 mag although I do still have that gun. I am going to use my FA 454 as my primary handgun. I have kept track of every practice round fired since December changing loads, sights, and even my glasses along the way.

Now it is really here, well almost and I am sitting counting the hours. I am sure after 27 hours of driving I will have counted plenty, but I am thinking it will just add to the anticipation. I hope I have pics to share of a bear taken with my handgun, but if not I feel like this has already been a successful hunt and I am not even on the road yet. I bet most of you understand. Either way, I will add to this already long post when I return.

How lucky are we to live in a country where we have the right to do things like this hunt?

Dan

Dan,

Good luck on your trip!

Congrats!!!!! I would be as excited as you are. Let us know how you make out whether or not you get a bear, it sounds like you are going to have a great time.
I might be headed up to the ADK's to a friends camp to bear hunt in two weeks. I too am bringing my FA .454. Not as exciting as your hunt though. No guide, area I've never been to, but still will be bear hunting. Beats staying home and doing chores.

What state are you driving from? hunting over bait? Hounds? details are important.

Thanks SC..

Spencer, I am driving from Missouri and will be hunting over bait. I am using my 7.5 FA loaded with 260 grain Nosler Partition HG bullets.

Dan

Congrats and good luck! That is a hunt I've been wanting to do for a few years now. Can't wait to here your report on foggy mountain. Have a safe and eventful hunt!

Good Luck, you picked a good round and bullet and sounds like you've done your homework so I'd say if a blackie shows himself he'll going home with you.

bear hunts are great. went to Quebec this year with the long gun.
my only question is how where are you coming from and what states are you crossing. if going through NY do not get stopped. NY does not honor any other permit than there own

Good luck, keep us posted!

Good luck. Maine has some beautiful country. I went on a bear hunt there 23 yrs ago and have been wanting to go back ever since. Hunted up in north east Maine near New Brunswick.I've heard nothing but good stuff about Foggy Mtn. I've never hunted with them but all the reviews have been good that I've seen. When you return post some pics.

Shortgun

good luck
Been thinking about going to that outfitter myself
Long drive though.

Tyler,

We have "discovered" some of the issues traveling through the wonderful state of NY as well as MA. It is the one thing we should have looked into sooner, but I think we have it covered.*Fingers Crossed*. That will be another post also when I get back. Suffice to say, always check ALL gun laws for each state you travel through, especially with handguns.

I am leaving in about 4 hours...I will post pics and a report when I get back. Thanks for all the well wishes.

Dan

Hes waiting

good luck! like the others have said, i have heard good things about foggy mountain, and i believe they have been in the business for quite a while. some real big bears in Maine too

I wish you the best of luck. Not to be negative but I have heard positive and negative about FMGS.

It seems that there is a small cult like following of the .41 magnum in eastern Maine. I know many guides in the Washington County area that prefer it over the 44 magnum.

If you don't mind I would like to offer some advice. One is to listen to your guide as much as possible. They do make a living on this.

Remember that the bear's best defense tool is his sense of smell. Don't eat spicy or gassy foods. Also use all of those hunting soaps and detergents. Spray your clothes with scent killer and don't use any tobacco products nor alcohol( at least until you kill something)

Bear in mind that the average Maine bear is 150 lbs. So if you see a bear with a body the size of the bait barrel they it is above average.

Great Pic BFR.....

That would be one shot scenario I have not practiced for.

Thanks for the tips BB.

good luck have a great trip

just got back from my son's bearhunt with his 454 casull. he said it was the best hunt of his life. it was very very exciting. no probs with the 454 working, we had a bang flop on that hunt. good luck!!!

Good luck to you! I just came back from a hunting trip in Maine and it is beautiful country! Saw a number of bear out there.....

Looking forward to the full report and photos!

It'll be interesting to see how it goes with Foggy Mtn. I went many years ago, had lots of problems, and have never gone back. Good luck.

Good luck to ya Muddy!

Well the hunt is over..Got back home Sunday afternoon. Cutting to the chase, no bears killed by anyone in our party. Only one bears was seen. With around 20 hunters total there were 4 bears taken. The weather was not cooperative for 3 of the 5 days, and the bears that were taken had stomachs full of natural food.

I cannot believe that I hunted for five days, saw no bears...and had the TIME OF MY LIFE!! It was great to be in country I have never seen and really never thought I would. I was with the greatest friends anyone would want...Bart and his wife Tammy and my wife Cindy. We have been friends with Bart and Tammy for years, but this was our first hunt together. I am sure it will not be our last.

Wayne is great guy and I am really glad I got to meet him after so many years. He was anguishing over everyone's lack of success, but I kept telling him I was there to HUNT not to GET! I did not want a guaranteed kill and I know it can happen. Our guide was SUPER!

We stayed in a cabin on a lake that was really a nice setting. Here is Bart and Tammy in front of the cabin.




Our view from the deck of the cabin:




Some do not like the way the hunt is run at Foggy Mountain. I read some of the complaints before I went, and heard some this past week. You do drive yourself out to your bait location each day, and for some that is a pretty long drive. For us it was about 35 miles one way. I personally liked that because I hunted on my schedule, not a guide's. I did not have to wait to be picked up after the hunt and felt more like it was OUR hunt, not a guide just setting up a shot. I can see how it would be upsetting if one did not know this was the case. If you like to have more hands on with your guided hunt, do not go to Foggy Mountain. Wayne and his guides are available each morning if you needed to talk with them, and Wayne was there each evening as well.

We hunted from a ground blind in the thickest woods I have ever been in. I could have been surrounded by bears and not seen them!

Here is a few from my blind.




Heading out for BEAR!




Ready for action!



Was hoping to name one of these "Bear Buster"..oh well.




Again I had a great hunt and a super time. I was pretty bummed yesterday, not because I did not take a bear. It was because after all the preparation, shooting, load development, MORE shooting....it was all over now.

I may not drive all the way to Maine to hunt bears again, but hope I live long enough to try them closer to home.




Dan

Well, most importantly you had a great time! Looks like beautiful country! I think I will be heading to Maine again next year for bear.

I bear hunted this year near Finland, Minnesota, and I didn't see a bear at all, but the trail camera saw alot. My father-in-law shot his the opening morning, and my son got to see a bear brought in later the next night by a lucky hunter. I do know for certain though that none of the bears shot that weekend were taken with a pistol.

Really enjoyed your hunt report!
Thanks for taking the time to put it together.
Other than no bear (like you said, that's hunting...) sounds like it was all you hoped for.

dont always have to harvest something to make it a fun trip, and that is for sure (although it helps lol). I have had a lot of fun bear hunting and two of the 3 times i was unsuccessful. thanks for sharing your story

Its a good trip report, and you have the right attitude, enjoy, no matter the harvest outcome. I would try and get a location with a raised blind (treestand etc) to keep your scent off the ground. I'll bet you had a few bears circle you, and walk away, that you never even knew were there.

I would not doubt that at all. There were several other hunters in tree stands and they weren't seeing bears either though. We were in a ground blind mainly because we were trying to film the hunt, and my wife and I wanted to sit together. We are experienced in scent control, but also know there is no way to be totally scent free. One of the hunters that took a bear gave me some good pointers in sitting still. I am sure the first couple days I was moving too much.

I had already decided to get "elevated" the next time I try baited bears.

Dan

Sounds like a great trip. Curious that they hunt over bait in the fall. Here in Alaska Bear Baiting is only open in the spring. I guess they must have their reasons.

I am sorry that you did not get a bear. Bear hunting over bait isn't the easiest thing as there are many variables that you contend with. The exceptionally warm weather and the full moon will have an effect of having the bears hit baits late after shooting hours. Another factor is the availability of soft mast. If we have an exceptional berry crop the bears will not hit the baits as hard?

Glad you had a good time !

Glad you and your wife had a good time,getting away and enjoying yourselves together is alot more important than the game you bring home.Id call that a successful hunt.

Sorry you saw no Bears, Glad you had a great time.

Next year


Snake