Hunting And Outdoor Sports
7 huge bucks tagged in the first days of Maine’s firearms season. One is a monster.
7 huge bucks tagged in the first days of Maine’s firearms season. One is a monster.
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Maine
Maine’s deer season is off to a strong start, with thousands of hunters already tagging deer in the first few days of the firearms season. Reports indicate that this year’s opener, which was marked by a residents-only day for rifle hunters on Saturday, has led to an impressive haul with many bucks weighing more than 200 pounds across multiple regions in the state.
The official statewide opener took place on Monday, and early indicators suggest a highly productive season ahead with reports of big-bodied deer coming in from Aroostook County to Knox County.
Among the notable success stories from the start of the season:
Alex Duguay shot an impressive 250-pound buck using a .308 rifle while sitting on a ridge about an hour north of Eustis at 6:30 a.m. Monday. He proudly tagged his deer at Flagstaff General Store in Stratton, marking a personal milestone. "Extremely thankful this morning to finally connect with my patch buck,” he shared. “Two hundred fifty pounds up in the big woods."
Jillian Jermyn, on her first opening day, tagged a 204-pound buck in Washington with a .243 rifle. Coming from a farming background, Jermyn emphasized the importance of understanding the movement of animals. "Watching animals and understanding how they move is more important than anything. I didn’t grow up hunting, but I did grow up with all sorts of animals,” she said.
In the Millinocket area, Eric Childs celebrated a successful opening day alongside his 11-year-old son, Emmett, and family friends. After a day filled with excitement from spotting two moose and a successful bird hunt, Childs sealed the day with a 205-pound, 8-point buck harvested in WMD 9 using a Ruger Model 77 chambered in .284 Winchester. “The day went from an awesome time in the woods with friends to a great day that the four of us will never forget,” he reflected.
Eric Peltier tagged a notable 208-pound buck in Franklin on Monday using his .30-06. He mentioned this deer had 11 or 12 points depending on the classification, stating his satisfaction, "Either way, I’m very happy. It’s early in the season, but I feel fortunate to have encountered this guy.”
Young hunter, 13-year-old Jacob Cote from Connor Township, managed to shoot a remarkable 247-pound, 8-point buck at 7 a.m. Monday while hunting near soybeans with a 6.5 Creedmoor. His father expressed pride in their family’s hunting tradition, stating, "No words can be expressed. We are a hunting family. Soybeans for the win.”
In WMD 25, Teanna Woodman tagged a 9-point, 208-pound buck with a .300 Blackout, while her father, Dewey Sproul, took home an 8-point, 153-pound deer using a .30-06. Brandon Burnell also joined the ranks of successful hunters, tagging a 201-pound buck early in the week.
The early reports from this hunting season highlight a strong participation rate among hunters and an abundance of quality deer, reflecting well on Maine's wildlife management efforts and hunting culture. With the potential for even more successes as the season continues, the Maine deer season promises to be one for the record books.
ShoQ’s Take: The early successes of this season serve as a testament to Maine's rich hunting heritage and effective wildlife management practices. As more hunters take to the fields and forests, we may witness ongoing discussions about deer populations and hunting regulations. Observers should keep an eye on emerging trends regarding hunter participation rates and the state’s wildlife management decisions, which could impact future seasons. The early enthusiasm suggests that this could be a banner year for the state's hunting community, but evidence remains anecdotal at this stage, and trends may evolve as the season progresses. Regardless, the stories from Maine’s hunters reinforce the cultural importance of hunting and its role in maintaining traditions that bring communities together.