Out-of-staters are more successful bear hunters in Maine

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • August 25, 2021

It’s no secret among hunters that Maine is a great place to hunt black bears. The state is home to a healthy population estimated to be more than 36,000 — more than the population of Bangor (32,095) — and the number of bears has been slowly rising for the last decade. Each year, about 10,000 hunters target bears in Maine. In 2020, that number grew to some 12,000. That’s a good thing, according to Jennifer Vashon, the black bear biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. On average, 25 to 33 percent of bear hunters harvest an animal, but the rate is higher for nonresidents. In a good year, 45 percent of nonresidents are successful.