It’s not a hobby.
It’s not a part-time job. It is our job!
ABOUT
Paul Laney owns and operates Laney’s Guide Service out of Grand Lake Stream, Maine. Paul’s story and reputation are those of pure Northwoods lore, and he has an endless passion for the outdoor and guiding industry.
Paul spends nearly 365 days a year in the woods and on the waters of Downeast Maine. In the spring, Paul runs a beaver trapline which covers three counties, and he regularly catches 200-300 beaver in a month. When the work of preparing the catch for sale is complete, Paul immediately jumps into the stern seat of a Grand Laker canoe, and spends 5 days a week guiding anglers.
In April he can be found chasing landlocked salmon and lake trout on East and West Grand Lakes. For the past 20 years, Paul has guided at Wheaton’s Lodge in Forest City from May-July, targeting salmon, lake trout, and world-class smallmouth bass fishing. Paul will now start in the spring of 2021 guiding out of the Grand Lake Lodge (also in GLS), which he recently purchased.
In July, he will then switch gears to bear mode when hound training season begins. He pursues bears with his dogs through the month of August, in addition to hauling bait, and placing tree stands up. Bear season starts in late August, and continues through October, consuming his every waking minute.
Upland bird hunting opportunities are best in October. Therefore, once the bear hunts wind down, Paul ventures to different bird covers in search of ruffed grouse and woodcock.
November is deer season in Maine, and Paul’s favorite method of hunting big bucks is by tracking them in the snow. Once he fills his tag, he focuses on setting furbearer traps for pine marten, fisher, otter, and beaver.
The end of the year brings the best – bobcat hunting! This is Paul’s favorite game species to pursue, and he raises and trains his own hounds to catch cats in the most challenging habitats in Maine. Paul guides bobcat hunters through the end of February, chasing the best snow conditions all over Maine.
Here, the years fly by in Grand Lake Stream, and every month and mile lead to new adventures.
