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Robin Hood accuracy with a handmade bow is not just confined to the
range. He has harvested
many Maine game animals with string and stick, twice scoring a
triple play by downing a bear, moose and deer in the same year--1989
and 2001. Many are
impressive specimens that also foretell his wisdom about the game he
seeks.
Aroostook County has many famous outdoorsmen, but there's one who
stands out above the others. He
is known from Island Falls to Allagash, he’s been bestowed with
state awards for his archery skills and recently received national
recognition for his sportsman exploits. Eldon
Jandreau of Portage Lake, owner of Custom Taxidermy and Hunter's
Point Guiding Service is that man. Eldon's
gentle voice belies his strength that is as equally capable at
muscling out a sport's bear, deer or moose, yet delicate enough to
demonstrate fine artistry with the skill of a surgeon's hand as he
makes the same animal come back to still life.
For 23 years Eldon has performed the magic of reincarnating game
that now graces thousands of trophy walls across the country. The
displays in his studio range from a mountain lion he arrowed on a
Montana hunt, to caribou, moose and small game, and of course his
specialties; whitetail deer heads and bear. It
doesn't matter that his lucrative taxidermy business is located in a
quaint country town away from traveled routes on the edge of the
Great
North Woods. It's his reputation with scalpel and airbrush that draws
successful hunters and anglers from afar to permanently memorialize
the memories of a hunting or fishing trip.
What better way to honor a fallen game animal than to forever bestow
it as a den and conversation centerpiece. Eldon
does just that with a professional flair that he showcases with a
word-of-mouth expert reputation. He's
not one to show off his taxidermy skills at shows. He's
like that good carpenter who lets his work advertise the talent,
like each mount that leaves Eldon's shop with a satisfied customer. Eldon's
guiding service has put Portage Lake and Aroostook County on the
nation's hunting map for 22 years. When
renowned archer, Bill Langer, wanted successful bear hunts for his
most recent bowhunting video, For the Love of the Hunt, he chose
Eldon's guide service. Of the 20 longbow hunts depicted on the video
that take place across the country, 8 are bruin hunts--all courtesy
of Eldon.
This February Eldon was invited by the West Virginia Bowhunter's
Association to give a moose and bear hunting seminar. When
he completed his presentation, to his surprise, this organization
awarded him with the Outfitter of the Year Award. In
spite of all this, Eldon is even more renowned for his archery
hunting skills. Not only does he cater to bowhunting clients, which make up
the majority of his clientele, he is Maine's Fred Bear of the
longbow. He constructed
an indoor range on his property where archery leagues from across
the state come to compete.
Eldon is the
standard to beat, as he has taken past Maine and New England archery
championships. Recently he entered the International Bowhunting Organization
World Championship Qualifier in Springfield, Massachusetts. He
placed second, one point behind the winner, who was the world
champion two years ago. His Robin Hood accuracy with a handmade bow is not just
confined to the range. He
has harvested many Maine game animals with string and stick, twice
scoring a triple play by downing a bear, moose and deer in the same
year--1989 and 2001. Many
are impressive specimens that also foretell his wisdom about the
game he seeks.
When I
researched this piece with Eldon, it was like pulling teeth for
information, for he is a modest man, describing clients' hunts with
the excitement as if he was on the hunt himself. Although many of his sports return each year, he always has
room for more and feels a special satisfaction when a first-time
hunter is successful. Whether
drawing a bow or chambering a bullet, if you want the best chance of
scoring on a Maine black bear or moose, or are interested in hunting
for huge Aroostook whitetails book with Eldon by calling
207-435-2231. You'll
get the total package.
By Wayne Selfridge
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Wayne Selfridge is a seasoned outdoorsman who has hunted and fished throughout the world as a military veteran. He works in law enforcement, is a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association and serves as the Journal's Northern Sales Manager.
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Northwoods Sporting Journal
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