RECORD WEIGHT The heaviest bull weighed in at 1,031 pounds field dressed (no digestive tract, heart, lungs, or liver). He was 7½ years old and was killed in WMD 3 during the September season
Population Management To maintain the bear population at a healthy and socially-acceptable level, the Department’s primary tool is hunting. Since 2005, Maine’s black bear population has steadily increased. The population grew from 23,000 in 2004 to ~36,000 in 2015, and annual harvest levels remain below what would be needed to stabilize it.
During the regular firearms season for deer, Maine deer hunters spent an average of 6.8 days and 5.0 hours per day pursuing deer. This means that the average hunter spent ~34 hours in the field pursuing deer during the firearms season, which was the same average hours spent as in 2019.