AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine is holding a bear hunting day for young hunters for the first time as its annual season for the elusive animals draws near.
The youth bear hunt will be Saturday, two days before the general hunting season for bears begins. Youth hunters who have a junior hunting license can hunt bears with a firearm, bow or crossbow on Saturday. The young hunters are also permitted to lay bait.
Maine's general bear hunting season runs from Aug. 31 to Nov. 28. The season for hunting with bait begins Aug. 31 and ends Sept. 26. There is also a season for hunting with dogs from Sept. 14 to Oct. 30.
This is the first bear hunting season since a referendum to ban hunting with bait, dogs and traps failed in November.