Hunting Report Newsletter
This is the article pupblished in the
Hunting Report Newsletter with information submitted
by Richard Lawson
Here's an interesting find. It's a red deer hunting preserve in Maine of all places. Subscriber Richard Lawson brought it to our attention this month in a report he sent us about a hunt he enjoyed there this past September. The place is called Hindsite Hunt Preserve and is located in Newport, about 25 miles from Bangor International Airport. Formerly a dairy farm, owner Mark Luce began breeding red deer on the 155-acre property in 1997 and now offers trophy and management stag hunts, as well as meat deer hunts for hinds. Seems Luce invested in some New Zealand hinds breed to German blood lines, and a stud stag from Yugoslavian bloodline, intending to breed red deer for a variety of markets, including velvet antler production, meat, breeding stock, hard antlers for art projects and furniture and a limited number of hunts. Most of those efforts required the production of large antlers, so Luce has focused on enhancing trophy quality the last few years. So, what is the hunting experience like? According to Lawson, the stags here are the most skittish animals he has ever hunted. After 20 years of hunting whitetails, mule deer and elk, he characterizes this as a challenging and well-rounded hunt. He says Luce placed him and several friends in tree and tower stands near travel lanes and feeding areas around dense timber. He says the property is a mix of hardwood and softwood forest and thickets cut with deer trails. Since Lawson and his friends hunted during the rut, he says they were able to hear the stags roaring and watch them chasing hinds. He says several trophy stags came by his stand before he finally shot a 12-pointer.
![]()
He says his two hunting buddies also took 12-point stags. Lawson says the guides provided them with walkie-talkies to call for help when they shot their deer and that Luce took care of all the field dressing and trophy preparation as well. He says he also had a butcher and local taxidermist lined up to take care of the meat and trophies for them. He gives Luce high praise for the operation, writing, "He has set up a five-star preserve hunt, and with his internal drive, it will only get better. Don't hesitate on this. Once the word is out, booking a hunt here might take years." Lawson reports this was a three-day hunt that included lunch and one mature red stag with 12 to 16 points for $3,000. Hunts for management stags of eight to 10 points cost $1,600 and meat hunts for hinds cost $700. As for accommodations, Law- son says Luce lodged his group in nearby lakefront cabins, featuring a small kitchen and a washer and dryer, plus a television set. He says a small grocery store nearby made it easy to prepare breakfast and that there were also several restaurants in town just two miles away. Hunters interested in this hunt may contact Luce at
207-368-4957, or 207-356-3582
