Dave Conley, full time guide and outfitter, offers guided moose hunts in Maine’s Wildlife Management Districts (WMD) 1,2, 4, 5 . These WMDs have the largest population of moose in Maine. The September and October moose hunting seasons coincide with the rut, September being peak rut. Much like turkey and elk, moose can be very susceptible to calling. What a thrill to interact with a trophy bull moose as it responds to the call.
We offer outfitted and guided hunts in WMD 1 from comfortable, remote, drive to wall tent camps, and have been doing this for many years with great success (90% success rate in 2023, 9 out of 10 hunters harvested their bull moose). If your permit is in a different WMD and you desire to hunt with us, we can assist you with swapping your permit, it’s easy to do. References-hunter’s names and and contact information available upon request. for more info. (Dave 207-551-8729 call/text).
LODGE TAG HUNTS: You may now skip the lottery and purchase a Lodge Tag Hunt. Our lodge tag hunts are sold out for the 2024 season, we have one spot left for the 2025 season. A $1000 deposit holds your spot pending the draw in January of 2025. Cost is $19,500 plus the permit ($1500).
LOTTERY HUNTS: Cost for September & October, 2024 bull hunts (moose lottery winners) are $6,995.00 This is a great value on a big game hunt and includes:
- Comfortable remote wall tent hunt.
- Hunter and sub-permittee (2 hunters, one moose)
- Meals, one on one guide and private accommodations
- Transportation while on your hunt
- Quartering and retrieval of moose
- Cold storage on site for your moose in our refrigerated trailer
- Caping of your moose for a European or shoulder mount
- Avoid parades of trucks at the NMWs gates getting to and from your hunting grounds
Note: We are fully insured and licensed with the North Maine Woods to conduct guiding activities in the North Maine Woods.
Additional Costs for Lottery Winners
- Hunting License & Moose permit
- Extra persons (apart from you and your sub-permittee) is $700.00 per person for meals & accommodations.
- Private Land Access day use and camping fees collected at the gate as you enter the North Maine Woods.
- Transportation, you can drive right to camp. For those that are flying into Presque isle, we recommend staying overnight at the Hampton Inn before and after your hunt. You can rent a vehicle and the ride to camp over mostly good dirt roads. Another option is for one of our guides to come and pick you up, $300 per round trip.
- Having you moose butchered locally? We have a couple of options with meat cutters that do a great job cutting and packaging meat. Turnaround time is 48-72 hours. They charge approximately $550 -$750 to cut and package a moose. Add an extra $30-$50 for pork product added to sausage and burger.
- If you choose to head home with your meat verses having it cut up locally, we can debone and load your meat into your coolers for $200
- Gratuities for the camp cooks and guide at hunter’s discretion
For several years we’ve been teaming up with Andrew Gibbs of Marsh River Outfitters to provide you with the highest quality hunt. Andrew is a very passionate, experienced and knowledgeable moose hunting guide! Check out the video of his successful bow kill below!
Below is John’s 2023 Bull moose
Below is Shantel’s 2023 Bull Moose
Packing out a 2023 Maine Bull Moose
It’s day 5 of the October season and a waning rut. we’re almost 3/4 miles off road, when this bull responded to the call for John and his son John. What a thrill to interact with these bulls as they work their way in racking brush!
“Our son John and I were picked in the Maine Moose Lottery. We teamed up with guide Dave Conley owner of Canoe the Wild. Knowing that I was less than two weeks from my 78th. birthday, Dave tailored our hunt to my ability. On Friday morning we were so successful. A week that John and I will never forget.”
John Burrill, 2023 moose hunt
Joe with his 2023 bull moose
Check out one of our Moose Hunting Videos Below
(Below) 2022 October bull moose hunt. It was a pleasure to have Tom Petry of Become One TV in camp. The hunt was guided by Stephen Hand and captured on video by Zach Hand. This is a short version of what aired on the Sportsman Channel on 1-23-23
We’re Passionate About Moose Hunting!
Check out Dave and Eric’s 2020 & 2021 moose hunts in remote Alaska!
Considerations for hiring a guide
“Hunters lucky enough to participate in Maine’s moose hunt should consider best hunting methods when moose are more likely to stay put, increasing their chances of success in future years”. See full story here from: 2021 Moose Report MDIFW
Skip the Lottery and Buy a Lodge Tag Hunt in 2024
Sold out for 2023 and accepting deposits for 2024, cost for these very limited lodge tag hunts are $18,500 Additional costs include big game license (non resident $115.00), cost of the permit ($1500) and having your moose butchered (approx. $500-$700). This is a good value on these very limited lodge tag hunts! Contact Dave Conley for more information and to secure this hunt! call/text 207-551-8729 or email: dave@canoethewild.com
Hunt from Comfortable Remote Moose Hunting Camps
While many hunters drive more than an hour one way each day just to get to their hunting grounds, our camps are located in the heart of prime moose hunting country well away from any towns. Camps include top-notch accommodations, the main shelter serves as a community area for meals. Private sleep tents for your party of 1-2 persons are spacious 12′ x 12′ Cabela’s Alaknak Ultimate Outfitter tents complete with cots, carpet flooring and a wood stove.
Success Rate (updated on 11-5-23)
Maine has one of the highest, if not the highest success rate for a big game hunt anywhere! Nonresidents typically enjoy an even higher success rate over residents attributed to the fact most hire the services of a Maine guide. We were 9 for 10 in 2023, a 90% success rate. As far as rack widths in inches, expect an opportunity for a bull in the 40s while bulls over 50 inches are possible.
What to Expect
In the 40 year history of the Maine moose hunt, early on when clear cuts were much more prevalent, it was much easier to ride the roads and spot a moose. While some moose are still harvested this way and many do ride the roads hoping to bump into one. With the change in cutting practices (fewer clear cuts) and bigger bulls being over called and adapting for survival’s sake, tend to shy away from these areas and hang further back. Our preferred method is calling and spot n stalk which makes for a much better experience. Our guides know how to read sign, locate and call bulls. With the ability to quarter and pack out, we’re able to get on foot placing you in Maine’s best moose country. Expect about a 70% opportunity to harvest a bull with the average rack widths in the 40s. When driving to camp and bringing several large coolers, it makes it very easy to go home with all your meat. Why not visit Trip Advisor and read what past moose hunters and canoe guests have to say about their experience with Dave Conley and Canoe the Wild.
Physical Limitations
For those with physical limitations, we hunt close to dirt roads or shorten the distance we travel on foot. We’ll adapt your hunt based on your physical abilities and desires.
2024 Maine Moose Hunting Bull Seasons in Northern WMDs
- September 23-28
- October 14-19
Photos of Canoe the Wild and Marsh River Outfitter Hunts
