BDN Maine Outdoors fall issue is out

In the coming days, the fall issue of Bangor Daily News Outdoors will hit newsstands around the region, and we hope you’ll pick up a copy and take a peak.

And keep your money in your pocket: As always, it’s free.

This is the seventh edition of the stand-alone, all-outdoors publication, and we’re pleased with the mix of stories we’ve shared this time around.

BDN Maine Outdoors is a quarterly, full-color magazine, and we strive to delve into all kinds of outdoorsy activities.

Our cover story (or stories, actually) focuses on Maine’s black bears. My colleague Aislinn Sarnacki takes a look at the eating patterns of bears, and tells us what’s on a typical bear’s menu. Seeing as how bears are omnivores, you might be surprised at what Aislinn found out.

In a sidebar story you’ll also learn a bit about Maine’s ongoing bear research, and the role the state’s annual hunting season plays in management plans. Coincidentally, our decision to focus on bears was made well in advance of the announcement that Mainers will likely be voting on a bear-hunting referendum next fall.

Aislinn also introduces us to a pair of Mainers who have gotten involved with geocaching and have created two geocaching websites. Their take on the activity, which is essentially a GPS-fueled modern treasure hunt, is worth reading.

Again this issue, we asked readers to get involved and contribute to BDN Maine Outdoors. Many of you did so, and we appreciate your time and effort.

One of those reader-supplemented stories, compiled by Natalie Feulner, shares some venison recipes that you may not have tried.

Readers also participated in a story about hunting camps. One thing I learned: A hunting camp can come in many different forms. And sometimes, it’s on wheels.

If you’ve been looking for some hikes that are dog-friendly, our own dog-owning hiker, Aislinn, offers up 10 suggestions. A cool part of that story: Reader-submitted photos of their dogs on the trail.

Bob Duchesne provided us with another birding column for the publication, and as always, it’s seasonal and informative. This time around, Bob tells us what kind of birds we might see in Maine when the weather turns cooler.

You’ll also find a (hopefully) humorous first-person bird-hunting story, and learn about a mysterious breed of bird dog: The short-haired American moosehound. The story is accompanied by some fantastic art by George Danby, the BDN’s longtime editorial cartoonist.

Last (but certainly not least), our visuals editor Brian Feulner decided earlier this summer to ask readers to submit their best moose photos. The readers responded, and we’ve got two pages worth of ‘em in the fall issue.

One final thought: When we give BDN Maine Outdoors away at outdoors expos each spring, we’re often asked if readers would receive a copy inserted into their regular BDN. As I pointed out before, they don’t. If you want a paper copy, you’ve got to stop by a local newsstand, or visit us here at 491 Main Street.

But there is another option.

If you’re among our readers who consumes the BDN via the internet, you can access all of the magazine’s stories there. Just go to “Outdoors” and click the “Show all stories in outdoors” tab.

And as always, if you’ve got an idea for a future BDN Maine Outdoors story, photo or topic, we’re always listening.

John Holyoke

About John Holyoke

John Holyoke has been enjoying himself in Maine's great outdoors since he was a kid. Today, he's the Outdoors editor for the BDN, a job that allows him to meet up with Maine outdoors enthusiasts in their natural habitat. The stories he gathers provide fodder for his columns, and this blog.