The following article recounting the adventures of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny was published in the January 2019 issues of
HOUNDS & HUNTING/BETTER BEAGLING,
THE RABBIT HUNTER
and the
AMERICAN BEAGLER
magazines.
 |
HOUNDS and HUNTING January 2019
Combined with Better Beagling |
The article is reproduced here for your reading pleasure with authorization of the author.
THE PILGRIMAGE
written and
photographed by
Joe Ewing
High HareMan of
the
Big Woods Hare
Hunters of the Allegheny
The western mountains of Maine came alive again this past October with glorious and melodious hound music as three adventurous members from the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny unleashed their beagles in search of the illusive snowshoe hare. The great hare hunting state of Maine came alive during the many enthusiastic pursuits of the magnificent lagomorph. The mountains rang with hound melodies for six glorious days as renowned hare hunters Andy Hoover, Jim “Kaz” Kazmarek along with myself hunted and explored the Mecca of snowshoe hare hunting.
Maine,
located in the New England region of the northeastern U. S., is a land of jagged,
rocky and rugged coastlines. Maine’s forests are vast and the state’s
whitewater rivers and thousands of lakes and ponds are inviting and
picturesque. Maine is the 12th smallest state and the 38th
most densely populated of the 50 U. S. states. Maine is renowned for its
seafood; however, to the legion of hunters who invade the state every fall,
Maine is known for its outstanding hunting.
 |
| The Western Mountains of Maine in autumn. |
Hundreds
of camps, lodges and bed and breakfasts provide housing during the states
hunting seasons for deer and moose as well as for wild turkey, ruffed grouse,
pheasant, waterfowl and upland game, which includes snowshoe hare. Hunters and
dog trainers in Maine are required by state law to hold a license. A
non-resident license for small game is only $75 and you will need a hunter
safety certificate or an old license. A three-day small game permit is
available for $50. Hare season runs for six months, starting October 1st, with
a bag limit of four a day and like Pennsylvania and only two other states (Massachusetts
and Delaware) no hunting is allowed on Sunday. Hunter orange is not required
except when hunting during the big game seasons.
The
Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny’s pilgrimage covered 1600 miles, round
trip, with stops at Cabela’s, of course, Kittery Trading Post, L. L Bean, New
Hampshire L. S., for social lubrication, and don’t forget Walmart on the way.
Our
destination was Bingham and the Pine Grove Lodge. We headed north on I-95 to
the Fairfield exit, northwest on route 201, through Skowhegan to Bingham.
Bingham is located in the Kennebec and Moose River Valleys region, “the Heart
of Maine”. The Pine Grove Lodge is located in the mountains of western Maine,
one mile from Wyman Lake on the Kennebec River. Our hosts for the week were
Andrea and Bob Howe whom the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny have been
visiting for the past 16 years, sometimes twice a year, which should be enough
customer review in itself.
 |
| The Western Mountains of Maine on a winter like day in late October. |
Located
in Pleasant Ridge, Maine, the Pine Grove Lodge (PGL) offers clean, comfortable
family-style accommodations in the lodge or in their private Maine cabins. The pristine
mountainous setting is easily reached by macadam roadway. Along with lodging,
which includes Wi-Fi and HDTV, they offer activities such as Maine fishing, fly
fishing lessons, hunting, kayaking, canoeing, wildlife tours and pontoon boat
lake cruises. The PGL offers top-quality Registered Maine Guide services as
well as access to well-groomed snowmobile and ATV trails. Topping the list, for
me anyway, are the delicious home-cooked meals and that “home away from home”
feeling which makes me want to go back year after year. Bob and Andrea have
always successfully produced that family atmosphere.
 |
| The Pine Grove Lodge, Pleasant Ridge, Maine. |
Eleven
beagles endured the long road-trip to Maine and return. My beagles seem to know
when they are out for a long highway-trip. Maybe it’s when they see the white
trailer hooked to the dog truck. As an example: Sammie barks incessantly with
anticipation while in route to a local training or hunting session on a normal
day. When embarking on the annual pilgrimage to Maine nary a word is spoken
during the entire road trip. I was anxious because my young hound, Sidney, is notorious
for his nightly outbursts; however, Sid behaved himself, acting like a
gentleman every night.
Sid,
only 15 months of age, exalted himself by showing extreme skill far and above
his pay grade. Sidney and his sister, Emma, out of the kennels of James Creek
Beagles, James Creek, Huntingdon County, PA. (www.jamescreekbeagles.com), I
feel confident will turn out to be accomplished hare hounds someday soon. Emma
is owned, trained and hunted over by Andy Hoover. I cannot thank Bill and Debra
States enough for enhancing my pack of hounds with such a beautiful and skilled
beagle. Sidney has already sired a litter making several beaglers very happy.
 |
| The Bingham Wind Project has become one of our favorite hunting grounds. |
The
weather was cool and sometimes breezy, if not downright windy and cold, which
is not unusual for a late October in Maine. Some of us were hoping for fresh
tracking snow, which was received at the higher elevations; however, the fresh
snow was wet and more uncomfortable than a steady rain. The late October
weather proved to be a hindrance to productive hare hunting on some days as
early winter-like snows and high winds slowed and virtually cancelled our
endeavors. As a passing hunter said to us when asked how he did, “you know all
the excuses.” Kaz and I, with nothing to prove, sought a warm truck cab as our welcome
refuge as the cold winds blew and the driving snows came although retreat is no
virtue.
 |
Charter member of the Big Woods Hare Hunters
of the Allegheny and veteran hare hunter, Andy Hoover and James Creek Beagles
Emma, with snowshoe hare in the mountains of western Maine.
|
The
snowshoe hare, also called varying hare or snowshoe rabbit and in my
neighborhood many times called “jack rabbit”, is native to only North America.
It received the title “snowshoe” because of its large hairy hind feet which
prevents the animal from sinking deep into the bottomless snowpack of the north
when it hops, walks or runs. The hare’s coat changes to white in winter which
is the purest of fascinations and the reason the lagomorph was baptized as the
varying hare. The members of the Big Woods Hare Hunters were in pursuit of
brown hares although the hare’s ears and feet were in the process of
transforming to white.
 |
| James Creek Beagles Sidney Crosby. |
There
was one instance of near tragedy when Kaz’s hare hound, Maggie, suffered a
severe puncture wound from an unknown object. It was surmised that possibly a
stick or a “punji stake” was the nasty culprit. Immediate emergency care became
obvious and a 75-mile journey to an emergency veterinary hospital in Lewiston,
Maine became necessary. Maggie was stitched, sutured and stapled, given pain
killers and antibiotics and recovered nicely at home. The weather again proved
to be the only impediment to our travels with wet snow in the mountains, rain
and dark highways slowing our progress during our undertaking. Heavy snow in
the mountains made for four-wheel-driving and a 25-mile speed mandatory during periods
of the eight-hour nightmare.
 |
| Kaz places tracking collars on Maggie while hunting in the Western Mountains of Maine. |
Punji
stakes or sticks, personally known by many Vietnam veterans, are sharpened, often poisoned, bamboo stakes planted and concealed in
a hole or ditch and intended to cut or impale an enemy. In the
forests of Pennsylvania and Maine (I suppose in other places too) workers,
sometimes migrant workers, are sent out to cut unwanted saplings and small
trees close to the ground. Many times, the miniature stumps are not cut near close
enough to the ground, especially in winter, and some are cut with a sharp
angle. In Maine, the hard woods are cut making room for the birch and fur while
in the Allegheny National Forest of Pennsylvania the soft woods are removed making
room for the wild black cherry tree to flourish which is highly prized for
veneer and furniture making. It’s these sharp little stumps we have not so
lovingly christened “punji stakes”. The cut saplings or brush from these
cuttings are left strewn about making temporarily sparse cover for the hare and
noticeably difficult going for both hunter and hound.
Maine’s dog training and dog laws are quite unique
and somewhat different from what we enjoy in “free” Pennsylvania and should be
noted before venturing off to Maine on a hunting adventure of any kind which
includes dogs. In free Pennsylvania no hunting license is required to train
dogs and there is no dog training season. In Maine, “a person must possess a
valid hunting license to engage in all dog training activities” as stipulated
on page 27 of the 2018-2019 STATE OF
MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES. Maine’s “Dog Training Season” runs “from
July 1 through the following March 31, dogs may be trained on fox, snowshoe
hare, and raccoons. During such training, it is unlawful to use or possess a firearm,
other than a pistol or a shotgun loaded with blank ammunition, except during
the applicable open hunting seasons on these species.”
In Maine, according to the summary, a dog
cannot be used to hunt coyotes at night. The summary states, “A person may not
use a dog to hunt coyotes or bear during the period from ½ hour after sunset to
½ hour before sunrise” and not more than six dogs are allowed to hunt coyotes,
bear or bobcat at any one time. In Pennsylvania dogs are permitted to hunt
furbearers, such as coyotes, raccoons and foxes, anytime, with no limit on the
number of dogs. Night hunting is a huge sport in Pennsylvania.
For
the big game crowd, a “Leashed Dog Tracking License” is available in Maine
“which allows the tracking of wounded deer, moose, and bear with dogs.” The fee
is $25 for one year. A person with a dog tracking license may charge a fee for
dog tracking services “without having to hold a guide’s license”. Under
Pennsylvania’s newly enacted (2018) dog tracking law, “dogs can be used to
track a white-tailed deer, bear or elk” and “no permit is required” but the
“the tracker [dog handler] must be properly licensed for the animal being
tracked” although “the tracker cannot dispatch game that was wounded and will
be tagged by another hunter”. In Pennsylvania “trackers cannot charge for their
services on state game lands”. Please don’t tell the Pennsylvania Game Commission
about Maine’s $25 fee for a dog tracking license.
 |
| Snow and cold in the mountains. |
Multitudes of non-resident
snowshoe hare hunters and their hounds trek to Maine to pursue the illusive
snowshoe hare every fall and winter. License plates from New York, Massachusetts
and numerous other states were observed. Kaz and I had the pleasure and good
fortune of visiting with several Pennsylvania hunters (Jim Knight of Knight
Line Kennels and Matt Millner) who were staying at Sunrise Ridge Guide Service
& Sporting Camps in Bingham. We compared our hare hunting results and
even inspected some hounds. There is only one thing better than hunting
snowshoe hare and that is chatting about snowshoe hare hunting and beagles over
a cold one.
