When proof or evidence cannot be provided, applicants may substitute a signed affidavit. A special crossbow license in addition to a bear license and big-game license will be required. Crossbow licenses will cost residents $25 and non-residents $48, not including the agent's fee.

For more details on bear hunting in Maine and the new crossbow regulations, contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at (207) 287-8000, or visit the agency's Web site at www.mefishwildlife.com.

For a list of bear guides, outfitters and hunting camps that cater to bear hunters, contact the Maine Professional Guides Association, P.O. Box 336, Augusta, ME 04332. E-mail the association at info@maineguides.org, or visit www.maineguides.org.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Granite State bear hunters had a banner year in 2003, setting a new state record with 802 bears harvested, nearly twice the five-year average, according to Andrew Timmins, the Bear Project Leader for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. By the end of October, in fact, the harvest in the North Country was so high that the season was closed early. This was the first time in history that the state mandated the early closure of a bear season.

In 2004 hunters did well too, taking 679 bears, the second-highest bear harvest on record. Both years were years of poor mast production, which forced bears to roam extensively for alternative foods, making them more vulnerable to hunters.

Things turned around in 2005. Abundant mast crops across much of the state allowed bears to travel less and feed in more remote areas. As a result, last year's harvest total fell to 433 bears -- 36 percent fewer than in 2004, but more in line with the preceding five-year average of 559 bears and closer to desired harvest goals.

Despite the high harvests in 2003 and 2004, Timmins said the state's bear population is relatively stable at about 5,300 animals. He also suggested that due to the abundance of acorns last fall, a good cub crop this year should increase the population.

In many areas of the state, adult bears had plenty to eat when they emerged from their dens last spring -- another benefit at a critical time of year.

All in all, things look very good for New Hampshire bear hunters this fall. Because 2006 is a season-setting year, season dates and details will not be finalized until late summer. But few changes are expected. There will be slight changes in the opening and closing dates from last year because how the calendar dates fall. Keep in mind, too, that closing dates vary by method and WMU, so hunters should make a point to check the digest of new regulations when it becomes available.

Bears may be legally hunted with firearms larger than .22 rimfire, shotguns loaded with single ball, muzzleloaders not less than .40 caliber and with bows with at least a 40-pound pull. Crossbows are not legal for use during the New Hampshire black bear hunting season.

Hunters planning to hunt over bait must first file for a permit with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Applications can be picked up at NHFG regional offices in Durham, Keene, New Hampton and Lancaster, from local conservation officers or from department headquarters in Concord.