Darling noted that Vermont's average harvested bear weighs 150 to 160 pounds. Last year, a brute of 413 pounds was taken, and 56 bears weighed over 200 pounds.

Bear hunters are advised to concentrate on two public hunting areas: Green Mountain National Forest, along the spine of the Green Mountains; and the Northeast Kingdom bordering New Hampshire and Quebec. These areas are large and, as Darling notes, offer rich opportunities for bear hunters.

Darling said that the area of the state with the largest average annual bear harvest is generally the Northeast Kingdom, specifically Essex and Orleans counties.

In Essex County in the Northeast Kingdom, try the Victory Basin Wildlife Management Area, which covers 4,970 acres. The WMA is part of the larger 16,000-acre Victory Basin State Forest.

Expect diverse, tough conditions in this remote area, which features mountains, deep valleys and swampy cover. From the city of St. Johnsbury, take Route 2 east to the southern tip of the Victory Basin area. Many secondary roads offer access.

Orleans County shares its eastern edge with Essex County. A good hunt to try is the Bill Sladyk WMA on the border of the two counties. This 10,175-acre parcel ranges from the border of Canada on the north to Norton Pond in the southeastern edge.

Sladyk WMA offers varying terrain, from flat cedar swamps to rolling hardwood hills. The area is primarily forested with hardwoods and softwoods.

To get there, take Route 114 north, which follows the parcel's eastern edge. There are many secondary roads that access the area.

Vermont's bear season runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 14. Hunters may use a rifle, muzzleloader, handgun, bow or crossbow (with special permit). Only still-hunting, stand-hunting and hound hunting are allowed. A special dog permit is required. No baiting is permitted.

The bag limit is one black bear per season.

For more information, contact the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department at (802) 241-3700, or go to www.vtfishandwildlife.com

MAINE
The area north of Moosehead Lake in Piscataquis County is good bear country, but Aroostook County on the border of Canada is even better for bear, according to Jen Vashon, a Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife black bear biologist.

This huge chunk of land is known as the North Maine Woods, a region of over 3.5 million acres of forested land. The land is privately owned, but is open for public use.

The area is not a true wilderness because it's crisscrossed throughout by about 3,000 miles of permanent roads. Even so, this is big, thick country, and a compass or reliable GPS unit is mandatory.

Maine has the highest bear harvest in New England. The population is estimated at 23,000 animals, or about 10 bears per 100 square miles. In 2006, 2,659 bruins were killed. Over 73 percent were harvested over bait.

Early-season hunters take note: Most Maine bears are taken before the end of September. Last year, that number was 2,220 bears, or 84 percent of the total harvest.

Over the past five years, the state's annual bear harvest averaged 3,622 animals. Last year's harvest rate dipped, as it did across New England, due to an abundant beechnut crop. (When more natural food is available, the bears are less likely to respond to bait.)

The bear harvest was greatest in Wildlife Management District 28, with 26 bears harvested per 100 square miles. Next were WMDs 3, 6, 10, and 11, with 20 to 15 bears per 100 square miles. In all other WMDs, the bear harvest density was less than 15 bears per 100 square miles.

The county with the most bears harvested is typically Aroostook County. Last year, hunters there accounted for 31 percent of the state's total harvest, or 819 bears.

Aroostook County, on the northern tip of the state that juts into Canada, includes WMDs 3, 6, 10 and 11.

WMD 3, with its numerous lakes and streams, features flat, swampy cover. The westernmost edge of WMD 6 borders Route 11.

A good starting point for scouting these WMDs is the city of Caribou. Travel north on Route 1 to access the northeast section, or try Route 164 for the northwest section of the area.

If the North Maine Woods area seems too daunting, try the western mountain foothills southeast of Moosehead Lake, which is in WMD 14 in Somerset County.

Last year, Somerset County accounted for 329 bears and ranked No. 4 on the list of bears harvested by county. This area of the state is steeper in spots, but there are still plenty of boggy areas with many streams and brooks. Route 16 runs east to west, so hunt the northern side of Route 16.

In Maine, the general hunting season starts Aug. 27 and runs through Nov. 24. Hunting with dogs begins Sept. 10 and runs through Oct. 26. Hunting over bait is legal from Aug. 27 through Sept. 22. A bait-hunting permit is required.

Hunting over standing crops, food left from normal agricultural operations or from natural occurrence does not constitute set-bait hunting. Bear may be taken with a rifle, handgun or shotgun, bow, or muzzleloader. For crossbow hunting, a special permit is required.

During the firearms deer season (Oct. 29 through Nov. 24), it is legal to harvest bear. The annual bag limit is one bear of either sex.