Eider Hunting in Maine

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to try shooting Eiders up on the coast of Maine. Well, this year I finally got around to it. It was every bit as good as I had hoped. I went in January, which can be a little risky due to severe Winter weather, but that is when I could get vacation time. Actually got lucky on the weather. It was COLD but not as bad as it usually is that time of year. For a Southern Boy, 6 degrees and 33 mph wind is a little rough. But the birds flew well. I did wait too long to make the trip though. The limit is down to 4, a few years ago it was 7. So I guess I should have gotten up there sooner. January is not the preferred time to go for another reason. The Scoters and Oldsqauw are pretty much all gone by then. We didn't see any Scoters at all, and only a handful of Oldsquaw. They were sitting out in 100 foot deep water, not coming in to the mussel beds to feed at all. Live and learn. When my sons want to go up, they can go earlier in the season.

Stayed at a beautiful Lodge on Alamoosook Lake. The guide picked us up there each morning and we had about a half hour drive to the ramp for the area where we were hunting; Blue Hill Bay. Nice boat ramp and only a 15 minute boat ride to the area where we set up. He had a big 23' War Eagle boat with a nice blind on it so the ride was very comfortable. He had a really nice setup for long lining his decoys. Used huge Quack brand Eider decoys. It all worked out great. The guide had hunted that way for years and had a good system so no time was wasted. Might try some other part of Maine the next time I go, but I really do hope to get back up there someday. The Eiders were beautiful. Huge birds, but very graceful in flight. They reminded me of Canvasbacks, the way they turned and banked when coming to the decoys. Probably should have had one mounted, the fellow I hunted with left a pair with a local taxidermist, but I cheaped out. Oh well, next time...