After reading the article on Northeast moose hunting opportunities in the March, 2011 issue of The Hunting Report, I decided to enter the moose lotteries for New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. In Maine, I took advantage of the system that allows you to purchase extra chances in the draw and bought two books of 10 chances each for $110. Much to the dismay of many who have been trying for 20-plus years, I was chosen for a bull tag in Wildlife Management District 6 in Aroostook County along the New Brunswick border. Frankly, I would have been happy with either a cow or a bull tag, as I was more interested in the experience than a trophy. However, since I had a bull tag in a good unit I decided I should try for a nice one!
Almost immediately, I began receiving brochures from outfitters and guides. Most of them appeared to be primarily bear hunting camps, and the pictures in the brochures showed mostly mediocre bulls at best. I called a few and nearly all hunted by driving private logging roads and shooting a moose close to the road. This method is both legal and traditional in Maine, but definitely NOT for me. Then I saw an ad for Guy Randlett of Maine Trophy Moose Guide Service (207-633-4549; www.mainetrophymoose.com) in the back of The Hunting Report. I called, and discovered Randlett is all about real moose hunting, getting off the beaten path on foot to find nice bulls. He only takes two moose hunters per season, does lots of prescouting, and his references were 100-percent positive (editor note: see Report 5696 and Article 1833 in our database), whether the hunter was successful or not. So, I booked for my assigned week of November 7-12. This was only the second year for this late season hunt, the rut........(continued)
