BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 31, 2020
As Maine’s bear hunting season begins, wildlife officials expect the bears to be actively visiting bait sites because natural foods are in short supply. But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, will the hunters still come? Don Kleiner, executive director of the Maine Professional Guides Association, has heard varied reports from association members. Paul Laney, the owner of Laney’s Guide Service in Grand Lake Stream, is among the guides who are experiencing a boom in their business. Matt Whitegiver, who owns Eagle Mountain Guide Service in Township 24, said the pandemic has taken a toll on his business. Of the 2,897 bears tagged in 2017, a total of 1,889 were taken by hunters who were using guides, 1,927 bears were shot over bait, 614 were taken with the aid of dogs, 126 were trapped, 87 were shot by hunters who were actively deer hunting at the time, and 37 were taken using spot-and-stalk techniques.