The New Record for Heaviest Black Bear Ever Snared in Maine

If you ended up encountering a record-setting black bear in your home state, what would your reaction be? Maine sees its fair share of big bears, but one snared this year seems to have taken the cake.

The heaviest female black bear ever documented in the state was recently trapped. The harvest, verified by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), is significant for a number of reasons. How big was this bear? When and where was it snared, and how does Maine handle black bear harvests during its season? Let’s dive into the details and learn about this enormous bear now.

How Heavy Was Maine’s Heaviest Black Bear?

In the early hours of September 16th, 2025, a guide and outfitter by the name of Zack LaFreniere legally harvested a female black bear in Corinth, Maine. According to Outdoor Life, LaFreniere had monitored the site for nearly a week using trail cameras before confirming that a large bear was visiting the bait he had set. After setting a legal pipe snare, LaFreniere successfully harvested the bear.

The bear’s dressed weight was recorded at 358 pounds, but her live weight was estimated at 429.6 pounds, making it the heaviest female black bear ever harvested in the state of Maine. The harvest documentation was confirmed through MDIFW’s official registration process and the record is now listed by The Maine Sportsman following verification by the state’s wildlife officials.

This new record surpasses the previous state benchmark of 395.5 pounds, which was set in 2022 by Brendan Gardner of Andover, as reported by the Bangor Daily News.

Where and How Was the Largest Black Bear in Maine Harvested?

The harvest of Maine’s largest black bear occurred in Penobscot County, an area known for producing some of Maine’s largest bears thanks to its abundant food sources and dense forest cover. LaFreniere used a bait site and a legal cable snare equipped with what’s called a cub stop, which is designed to prevent smaller bears from being trapped.

This harvest technique is legal under Maine’s trapping regulations, provided that all reporting and tagging procedures are completed according to MDIFW rules. The department’s official species page on black bears says that regulated baiting, trapping, and snaring are all part of Maine’s broader bear management strategy.

MDIFW emphasizes humane harvests and sustainable population management as part of its process. According to the agency’s black bear program, the goal of its management plan is to “stabilize the bear population’s growth while providing hunting, trapping, and viewing opportunity.” While not every bear trapped will be as large as this one, Maine is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the species above all else.

Why This Record Matters

A sow weighing more than 400 pounds is highly unusual in Maine, as adult females tend to average around 150 pounds and measure about four to five feet in length. However, this record confirms that some Maine bears are reaching exceptional sizes, likely due to the state’s ample habitats and food abundance.

Maine’s regulated hunting and trapping systems can indeed yield high-quality harvests while keeping bear populations stable. According to a press release, “Bear monitoring gives us a clear picture of population trends and helps ensure a balance between sustainable harvests and long-term conservation,” MDIFW stated.

Black Bears in Maine: How Many Live in This State?

Maine appears to have one of the largest black bear populations in the contiguous United States, estimated at over 35,000 individuals. Because natural predation on adult bears is rare, controlled hunting seasons are actually vital to managing numbers and minimizing human-bear conflicts. Without annual harvests, bear populations could expand beyond what natural food supplies can support.

This specific harvest record also demonstrates the importance of Maine’s rural guides and outfitters, like LaFreniere. Each registered harvest contributes valuable biological information, including weight, sex, location, and age, that MDIFW uses to assess population trends. All of these systems work together to protect Maine’s black bear population and the broader ecosystem.

Maine’s Heaviest Black Bear is Part of Something Greater

The 429.6-pound black bear harvested by LaFreniere now represents the state’s official record for the heaviest female ever snared. But, in many ways, the bear represents far more than this record. It’s also an extraordinary example of both the state’s healthy habitats and the precision of its wildlife management program.

With data like this particular record, MDIFW continues to refine one of the most successful black bear management programs in North America, a program that ensures this species remains a thriving part of Maine’s wilderness for generations to come. Only time will tell if larger black bears lurk in Maine’s forests, waiting to break this record yet again!