Somehow October’s 31 days seem far too few and far too short. I hear the same complaint from legions of sportsmen each autumn, and oddly it’s not just because of the vast array of favorite hunting opportunities. For many it’s the cool, crisp weather that invigorates the spirit and allows you to feel and taste each inhalation as if it were a drink of air.
Anyone born and raised in The County recognizes the smell of fall; the aroma that only harvest, falling leaves, gun oil and a crisp, cool breeze combine to create. Beyond the smells of October, a kaleidoscope of colorful leaves are a treat for the eyes and the airborne melody of passing flocks of geese join the harmony of drumming partridge and the background rhythm of distant harvesters and potato trucks to confirm it’s really fall in the Crown of Maine.
Partridge aren’t showing up as much as last fall so far, when Bill Graves used his Thompson Contender .410 handgun to take a limit, but hunting should improve as the leaves drop.
(Courtesy of Bill Graves)
Partridge season arrived with sunrise Saturday, Sept. 28, coinciding with the last day of moose season, but overcast, windy weather put a pall on this usually exciting day. Moose hunters who spent a good deal of time woods walking and driving logging roads that week had a tough go of it as well, with less than a 70 percent success rate, I’ve heard the same sad song throughout the summer from woodsmen and log truck drivers; birds and Bullwinkle sighting were fairly scarce. Considering the wet cool spring we endured, a reduced number of grouse shouldn’t be a surprise.
On the other hand, certain areas seem to have prospering partridge numbers, but as always the trick is to locate these hot spots. While bear baiting I had certain spots where I never spotted a bird driving or walking, while on two sites I saw, heard or bumped partridge almost every trip, and on one occasion I flushed six grouse from one small cover. I’m betting it won’t be a bumper season, but there are birds to be had for the sports who put the time in. Gunning should improve some as leaf cover thins.
Ducks, on the other hand, are plentiful in every pond and puddle, and it should be a stellar season. A change in species and numbers in daily limits needs to be checked out before heading out hunting. Mallard numbers appear to be up regionally, but only two may be harvested daily and only one may be a hen. The black duck limit is up to two daily. Blue- and green-winged teal are often the most sporting quarry for duck gunners, and are plentiful most of this month until the first severe cold snap sends them winging south. Average numbers of wood ducks and ring-necked ducks were spotted during September.
Duck hunting is off to a good start with plenty of teal still around and mallards and black ducks in every pond and puddle. A well trained dog makes sure none get away.
(Courtesy of Bill Graves)
Northern Maine’s regular Canada goose season began Oct. 1, and some flights of migrating honkers are beginning to arrive, but fewer than normal so far. Cut grain fields and harvested potato fields offer excellent food sources and are plentiful enough to keep geese moving around, and to keep hunters scouting and guessing as well. Unfortunately for goose gunners, thousands of acres of cut grain fields have been plowed under already.
These wary waterfowl will linger to feed and fatten until frozen ground or more than six inches of snow forces them to seek clear fields further south. It should be an exceptional goose gunning season, and every day we get to hunt past Nov. 15 in Aroostook is a gift, regardless that the season is open until Dec. 9. Be aware that this year’s daily limit has been reduced to two birds, and be sure you have your federal and state duck stamps.
Another migrating game bird, and Maine’s smallest quarry, also promises to offer above-average numbers this fall. Although woodcock season also opened Oct. 1, current numbers are low since flights from Canada haven’t really gotten underway just yet. Within the next two weeks the top rate alder covers will be full of Timberdoodle. A keen-nosed dog is a great asset to woodcock gunners, but these long- billed, twittering fowl that often take off like a helicopter can be flushed by hunters ambling helter-skelter through brushy covers.
Compared to other migratory birds, woodcock have a shorter season, just until Nov. 21, and a three-bird-per-day limit. Perseverance is essential to consistent success with the state’s tiniest game bird, since a cover may hold only two birds one day and 22 the next as flights move in and out, stopping only long enough to probe the soft earth for worms to fill up on and then fly on south. Woodcock may just be the most enjoyable, challenging and frustrating upland birds to hunt, especially with a 28- or 20-gauge double gun, and worth every effort.
Partridge hunters are having to work hard during the early season, but writer Bill Graves has had a bit of luck checking rural apple trees.
(Courtesy of Bill Graves)
Just in case the variety of bird seasons won’t keep you busy, whitetail deer season for bow hunters is underway all month as well. Of course, for a fortunate few who were lottery winners, the second moose season began Oct. 14 with the third starting Oct. 28 for a full week. A few regional wild turkey enthusiasts are going to head south to try the special fall turkey season that runs for three weeks, and hunters can bag up to five birds, depending on which zone a sportsman chooses to hunt. Black bear hunting with dogs continues through October, or over natural baits and by stalking until the end of November.
While all this is going on, if you happen to stumble onto a snowshoe hare and enjoy rabbit stew, have at it, since rabbit season runs from October through March.
Just in case all the gunning seasons aren’t sufficient and you’re looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon, there’s still some fishing to be enjoyed. Bass season is open all month on the Penobscot River below the I-95 bridge in Medway, and the fishing is still pretty good. The St. John River also offers late season angling for muskie and bass.
Well, there you have it, a fairly complete itinerary of this month’s cast and blast options. Now you understand why October may look as long as all the other months on a calendar, but in real time according to a sportsman’s watch, there are too few days and way too many outdoor opportunities. Hunt often and hunt safe — time’s a-wastin’.
