Author Topic: Stoney Brook Outfitters, Wilton Maine. (Read 1501 times)

01magnatec · « **on:** July 10, 2003, 03:44:25 AM »

Anyone ever try these people out? If you have, were you sucessful
A group of 10 people (me included) are heading up there for a november Deer hunt. And since the bear season will overlap while we're there, we can shoot both.

http://www.stonybrookoutfitters.com/

Fatcatbuster · « **Reply #1 on:** July 11, 2003, 07:45:00 AM »

The deer hunting will be good especially around Law Mountain towards weld. I wouldnt get your hopes up for Bear i dont think the Mast crop will be that great and the Bears will Den early.. Good Luck see you in the Woods
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01magnatec · « **Reply #2 on:** July 11, 2003, 09:15:06 AM »

Have you tried them or do you just know because your close to them?
I have never been to maine or for that fact, never hunted out of state!!!
This is my first trip i am paying for and most likely won't be the last.
How are the deer kill numbers up there?

Also, I was planning on taking a .270 because they can reach out far and they are flat shooters, will that be sufficient?

How is the cover? Relatively thick, thin?
What should i plan on taking as for hunting clothes? I can only imagine how cold it gets up north.

I was in Vermont last week camping and the campground host (a local guy) said in that particular part of Vermont they experience an average temperature of about -10 to -20 during the winter months.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 11, 2003, 04:47:22 PM »

Personally, Iwould never go to Maine to hunt deer. Deer population is very small and annual harvest is around 29,000. I see you live in Penn. Penn's annual deer harvest is around 500,000 !!! The reason, we have deer and Maine don't. We also are a bigger state and have more hunters, we can shoot does, but thiers way to big a gap in the numbers. However, what deer Maine does have are very large deer.

And don't have your hopes high to see a bear during the rifle deer season. As the other guy said, this is a poor mast crop year anyway so the bears will den early. As soon as the baiting stops in September, the bears have nothing or little to eat especially in a poor mast crop year. Even in a good mast crop year the deer season is late and many of the bears have already denned depending on the weather patterns.

For about the same amount of driving you could get to Illinois, Iowa or southern Wisconsin were the deer are just as big and there population is much greater. Not to mention I believe all those states have doe tags you can get. Maine is a buck only state. It would be nice if you can at least take a doe if you see one for meat.

Just to give you an example. In the fall of 2001 I spent a week hunting and helping at bear camp that had 22 hunters. We were hunting bear in an area hevey with agricultural fields & orchards. Out of all 22 hunters, not one saw a single deer. We did however see many bear , moose and a few coyotes. I thought that if any place in Maine would have deer, this would be it. Not the case.

Just my opinion, but Maine is not my idea of a deer state. Bear, moose rabbit, birds, yes.

I don't mean to discourage you, but this is the way I see it. Someone else may have a differant view point and the particular area you are going to may be vastly differant from the area I went to in Maine.

01magnatec · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2003, 06:47:41 AM »

It's not public land though.......it's an outfitter.
So deer population is managed so you can pick and choose what to shoot.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2003, 09:23:36 AM »

State game rules & regs apply on both private and public land. Unless this is a high fence enclosure.

None of the land I hunted in Maine was public. It was all private. The vast majority of the hunted land in Maine is private. Many of the outfitters lease land from the paper companies and farmers.

None the less, Maine is a tuff place to bag a deer.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2003, 09:28:58 AM »

By the way, just because its an outfitter does not mean he's not using public land. Not all outfitters only use private leases/access.

Kathy-Fish River Lodge · « **Reply #7 on:** July 12, 2003, 02:14:45 PM »

I don't know if you guys have hunted Maine, but from what I have read you are all wet. Southern and Central Maine have plenty of deer. You can get a doe permit and hunt either Bucks or Does. Here in Northern Maine we see bear all the time during the deer hunt. One year we harvested more bear than deer during November. Last year the fellow who helps Jim bagged a 306 lb. Buck. You have to hunt hard and seriously and you have to know what you are doing up here in Northern Maine. The harvest is low because people watch too much Saturday morning TV and think that you sit in a tree stand and 20 deer walk under your stand and you pick the one you want. Most of these programs are from fenced/managed farms, and I guess if thats the way you want to hunt so be it. Hunters are just not prepared for the conditions or the hard hunting up here. If you want an easy hunt, go to southern Maine, they have plenty of deer there, but they are small. Our lodge abuts 23,000 acres of Maine Public Land and the paper companies up here do not object if someone wants to hunt on thir land. Southern and Central Maine are becoming too posted for my liking so you need to go to a farm to harvest an animal. If you want to hunt and really test your knowledge, choose an outfitter from Northern Maine.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2003, 05:16:14 PM »

I don't know what your definition of "Plenty of deer" is. Maine's total deer population was estimated at 241,000 in 2001. It decreased by 18% from the prior year. The total deer harvest in 2001 was around 27,000.

I compared Maine to Pennsylvania. Penn's deer poplulation is estimated at 1.5million. Our harvest in 2001 was 492,000. The Penn deer harvest in 2001 was more than double the entire deer population of the state of Maine.

Now, I will admit that I may be wrong on the blanket statements about the doe permit. However, there are WMD's in Maine that have not issued permits for one reason or another. I may have maine confused with another buck only state on this point.

The points made on bear denning by the rifle deer season is a reasonable issue a hunter should consider. November is late enough in the north country and if weather dictates, many bear will have already gone to den. In a poor mast crop year and post baiting, early denning is a real concern for any deer hunter hoping to bag bear in November.

I agree with your description that you have to hunt hard in Maine for deer. I also agree that thier are big bucks as you pointed out a 306lb shot. I agree with this because I said in my earlier posts that Maine has a small deer population but has big deer. With a small deer population, you have to hunt hard but you may be very well rewarded.

I never sugjested anyone hunt fenced areas. I used to live in the upper midwest (Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin) and thier are few fenced in areas the last time I was thier. And, these are considered deer states with big populations and big deer.

The bottom line is, Maine is not considered a deer state by the normal definition.

I'm not sure whats all wet.

BW · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2003, 08:46:42 AM »

Quote

I compared Maine to Pennsylvania. Penn's deer poplulation is estimated at 1.5million. Our harvest in 2001 was 492,000. The Penn deer harvest in 2001 was more than double the entire deer population of the state of Maine.

Wow! According to those numbers, they shot nearly one third of their entire deer population! :?

Cabin4 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2003, 11:45:29 AM »

That is correct if you believe the population estimats and harvest records listed on the PA Game Commision web site.

Actually many people have made a fuss in past years about how conservative the method used by the game commision in PA to estimate deer population. Other independant studies claim its more like 2.5 million.

We do the harvest records are accurate because of the tagging requirement. If anything, this number is low and we all know why.

Yet with all this harvest the deer pop continues to grow.

Another interesting number is that its estimated that on the opening day of deer rifle hre in Penn, thier about 1.5 hunters in the woods ! This is why in a 3 day bear season we will harvest about 1,500 bear. No bait or dogs. The only 3 days of bear season are the first 3 days of deer rifle.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2003, 11:51:03 AM »

I aaccidentially forgot to add the word "Million". It should read 1.5 million Hunters in the woods on openig day. In the last paragraph.

Fatcatbuster · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2003, 08:49:10 AM »

Of course Penn. Has more deer, more houses,more people ,less room and smaller woods. I have not personally hunted with Stonybrook but my father is from Wilton and we know the Woods well, and therefore dont use a outfitter.There are about 10 to 20 Bucks tagged in that Area that weigh over 200lb. EVERY Year. Your chances for taking a Good buck are better than average in my opion in this area. But you will have to hunt. and not be afraid of large woods. Snow is a plus, we usally hunt the third week or the first week of muzzleloader season when snow is usally present. Outfitters for Bear do well during bait season before the Mast crop dries up. There is room for you too, if you decide to leave Penn. Just my opion. See ya.

01magnatec · « **Reply #13 on:** July 14, 2003, 10:35:44 AM »

Ok thanks for clearing up one thing but now lets try the others :lol:

I was planning on taking a .270 because they can reach out far and they are flat shooters, will that be sufficient?

How is the cover? Relatively thick, thin?
What should i plan on taking as for hunting clothes? I can only imagine how cold it gets up north.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 14, 2003, 03:53:35 PM »

Fatcatbuster,

Pennsylvania does have more hunters, houses, ect as you point out. Because Penn is a very big state compared to Maine.

Many people don't realize that Penn also has vast unihabited area in the southwest, northcentral and northwest portion of the state. Actually, if you were to add it up, Penn has more uninhabited wilderness than Maine.

Your chances of bagging a good buck in this state are very good. Your chances of bagging and seeing deer is almost near guranteed if as the hunter you do some very basic and simple things.

I will be in Maine for bear this September. I will be hunting the north just west of the Allagash in the Baker Lake region. The camp is right on the Quebec/Maine border.

01magnatec,

The 270 is perfect for what your hunting and when your going. That time of year you should have good visability cause all the trees will have dropped thier leaves, except for of course the pines. Fatcatbuster will have abetter handle on this since he knows the woods in that area better.
As for clothes, have you ever been ice fishing in the north country ? Think cold, real cold. Invest some $$ in top quality thermal athletic underware and sock liners, wool socks and comfortable insulated water proof boots. Also, bring along heat packs for your gloves and boots if and when needed. Dress in layers. Going into the woods dress less and pack in your heavier other garments such as insulated overalls and heavier hunting coat.

Beaverkill · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2003, 06:15:44 AM »

Magnatec,

I have Bear hunted with Stoney Brook in both thier Maine and New Brunswick Camps. I cannot say enough good things about Bob and his wife Jay. The Maine Lodge is very clean and comfortable, the food is good and abundant. The guides were good, informative and very professional. He is always booked a year in advance for his bear hunts and its mostly repeat business. That says alot about an outfitter.

That being said, I have never deer hunted with Bob or in Maine. But I am sure Bob and his guides will put in 100% and you will have a good time, even if you do not kill....Talking to Bob, he usually runs 25% success rate on his deer hunts. They do a combo of still hunting and standing. Good Luck on your hunt and let us know how you do.......

01magnatec · « **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2003, 11:08:47 AM »

thank you very much for your 2 cents beaverkill.....And everyone else.
It is greatly appreciated.

Fatcatbuster · « **Reply #17 on:** July 18, 2003, 04:27:04 AM »

I have not hunted in Penn, so naturally i can not speak with any authority about anything there.But i am defensive and supportive of my home state as well as you are. Please dont take my comments about your hunting ground badly, i was probably out of line. Camp fire fun. But you are right about some of the areas in Maine not having a good deer population. Coyotes and timber harvest operations combined with a severe winter now and then have hurt, especially in the northern and eastern part of the state. But the Central and Southern portion of the state is over populated in many areas. In my town ( North Berwick ) last night i rode around with a spot light and we counted 37 deer in about a 10 mile trip, all in clover fields. 4 exceptional bucks that will be un-huntable because of posted property. I bow hunt down here and its not uncommon to see deer every day, some of them are almost tame urban deer. I go Bear hunting with Foggy Mountain Guide service in Sebec, Me. (Sebec is just below Moosehead Lake in the exact middle of the state)almost every year , we usally do see Deer but its almost always near the large fields and orchards, but again not many compared with the Certral and Southern regions. Most of the Deer harvest comes from these two areas. Some towns like Lincoln,Me tag less than 20 all season.I like the big woods and the change of scenery and i guess thats really why i travel around the state. Sorry about the long post..