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Questions about Maine

7K views 44 replies 13 participants last post by  cooper30 
#1 ·
Hello. Planning to come up to Maine this summer to look for a place, most likely in Central Maine (may be in Dover-Foxcroft area). Would appreciate any feedback.
Will be looking for ready-to-move in home or cabin, not planning on house construction/lot development right now (too many code concerns and I need a place I can move into right away before the Fall). I've heard about unorganized townships and would like to be in one, but it doesn't seem like there're a lot of homes for sale in them, so will probably end up in organized one.

1) I'm trying to figure out a possibility of living in a camp.
- Do they actually ever evict/send notice to people who live in camps full time (since by law it's usually less than 6 month allowed, I think)?
- Does one really have to hide the fact of living in a camp (like hide your car) or can feel more or less free?
- Can UPS/Fedex deliver to camps, normally?
- Can one run a phone line and wired internet to a camp, would there be any problem with utility company?


2) Another question I have: are there any Amish builders who'd build a small (shed-sized) structure and not charge a lot, in Maine? I'd appreciate contact info for them.

3) Water... Are wells affordable (< 5K) throughout entire Maine or there're areas to watch out for, with deep and expensive wells (hundreds of feet, drilling through rock, > 15K)? I'd want to avoid such places.
- Does Maine well water quality generally tend to be good or is there a lot of hard/high iron/salty, etc water than needs filters?
- How do you protect well house contents (including filters) from freezing in Maine usually since winters get quite cold?

4) Any areas/townships that can be recommended?

5) I grew up in very cold and snowy climate but back then we didn't use cars as had very good public transport. Right now I have a sedan car (which I really like). Can I get buy living with sedan on a rural property in Maine for a while, using snow tires or is truck/4wd a must right away? I only need to get out about once a week.
- Is it realistic to park a car kind of close to the road and just shovel the snow to get it out? (don't want to use a blower unless in extreme event, I get sick from fumes) Or do I really need one of those little ATVs that clear snow?
- how to find out if road the house is on being cleared in winter and it's clearing priority? (call the county, township?)

6) What's the common culture of private land use by non-owners in Maine (like walking on it, hunting)?
-I heard that there's a law that makes owner not liable for anything that might happen to visitors on their land - is it right?
- I see that Maine got little public land. Yet it's supposedly outdoorsy state. This means a lot of private land is open for use by non-owners, is it right?
- how to go about finding hiking and camping opportunities considering little public land?
 
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#4 ·
Quite a few questions, I'm not from Maine, but do visit every year. I don't think you have a realistic expectation of what your living there in the winter would be like.

We have a milder winter here in RI, and I don't think living in a camp year round would be feasible. Cars left on the side of the road are either hit by vandals or towed away. I'm sure there are year round campsites up there, but they will probably be a rental.

I'm sure with some work you can find something that will work for you, but those Maine winter's are long and hard. Good luck!
 
#5 ·
I've heard of people living year round in camps in Maine: they do it.
I grew up in harder winters area than what's in Maine, myself, and used to living without modern "amenities", they weren't available where I hail from. Let's not make assumptions about my expectations.
Leaving the car close to the road side: I meant on my property, not on the public part (and not right by the road where it'll be buried by a snowplow).

Welcome, I'm sure Maine members will chime in.
Thanks. Yes, hopefully someone who lives in rural Maine will chime in...if not I'll find things out on the spot.

Maine is one of my favorite States.
Seems to be one of the finer states that still retain rural nature (I just wish the ticks and Lyme could be gone).
 
#7 ·
Well I been up here in northern maine for almost a year. Southern Aroostook county. Yes you can live in a camp year round, first the most part. Depends on the town you live in. I am currently living completely off grid, in a small amish built shed. Until I can start building hopefully this year. I originally purchased 20 acres of raw land. I put in a mailbox, and lived in a 30 ft camper for the first 5 months. We have no electricity hookup, or water. We have a well and pmanual hand pump. But currently melt snow, and go to the local spring in town, until my pump gets fixed.
In regards to land use, if it's not posted, you are allowed on it. If its posted or the owner asks you to leave, you have to go.
I can try to help out more, but I am still new. Others with more information should be able to help more, or I can send you a link to a forum dedicated to just maine residents
 
#16 ·
Thanks - good to know about your situation. It seems like you didn't have to get a temp permit from the local government to stay in the camper or shed and you can stay there un-bothered by the "authorities" -- I hope so!
Did you have to put house building permit on file, to stay on the parcel in the way you're doing?
My understanding is that in Maine, it depends not so much on the county but rather on township - the ones that are organized and are after high taxes are the ones that are busy enforcing.
Are you in Unorganized township?

And would they run electrical if there's no permitted house on site? In some places electrical companies require minimum footage dwelling to be in... in other places, they'll just drop it no matter what's the setup on the parcel.


I see about posted land... seems like the culture of land access is pretty welcoming for non-intrusive/non-destructive use. (all I really need is to take walks) So, seems like you don't need to bother the owner to get permission (assuming large parcel) to walk if it's not posted, I assume. I wouldn't want to tick anyone off...but don't want to be intrusive in a sense of coming to their door to ask permission.
 
#9 ·
Then explain please, cuz the way I see it was. Exactly how I wrote it. From what I have read, and talked to generational mainers. They really don't like to see posted land, due to the fact that they cant have access to it anymore, if it is posted. I also live up in Aroostook county. So maybe its different elsewhere
 
#12 ·
Just a few rambling thoughts...
Maine winters can be brutal. My last one before I went to Florida, my area ended up with a total accumulation for the season of 120 inches. The snow banks on the roads were tall enough to hide the lower half of the letters on the stop signs.

When all that snow melts and ice melts the floods can be really bad. Some people call the next season Spring. Most rural people call it mud season. Adding the snow and mud season together make a 4X4 with a decent amount of clearance mandatory if rural.

Now, the next season after that is Black Fly season. The swarms are so thick that bug dope is used like body spray. Deer flies and Horse AKA Moose flies start showing up later in the summer. Summer is also tourist season, the coast becomes a zoo, major lakes and big ponds become filled with water skiers, PWC, which ticks off the fishermen as the noise puts the fish down deep and induces lockjaw.

And then comes Fall, my favorite season, the bugs are gone. The leaves are changing and the ticks are getting frozen and dying off as well. The influx of summer people is thinning out and the leaf peepers stick to the roads. With hunting season arriving pick up trucks with rear window rifle racks and occupants wearing blaze orange attire is frequently seen.

Advice? You want a snowmobile camp as it was built with 4 season insulation as opposed to a summer camp which may have zero insulation. Sometimes camps are built on leased land owned by the paper companies. Occassionly paper company employees (these jobs pay very well) will build a "camp" that's more like a second home if they enjoy snowmobiling. In some ares the trails are like highways and driven at extreme speeds, sadly collisions and fatalities happen just like on the water in the summer.

Maine, 3,000 miles of coastline, 17 miles of beach. Granite, radon gas, poor sandy soil, blueberries, seafood second to none, pine trees, ummm Google moose car collision and then select images. When driving if you see skid marks on the road they're usually from a trucker locking up his brakes trying to avoid a moose collision.

The fishing is great, the hunting varies on location. In third place for the world record for the heaviest whitetail deer ever was taken in Maine, afer the buck was field dressed he still tipped the scales at 355+, with an estimated live weight of 450+ pounds.
https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/...ail-wisdom/deer-pictures-real-slobberknockers

Maine is called Vacationland, it offers something to everyone depending on what you want and the season for it. Need to cool off at the beach? The water temp at Popham Beach will top out at 60F. Hyperthermia and accidental bluefish attacks, no problem! Black bears raiding bird feeders? No problem! The blueberry growers guard the bee hives with barbed wire topped with concertina wire.
 
#18 ·
Just a few rambling thoughts...
When all that snow melts and ice melts the floods can be really bad. Some people call the next season Spring. Most rural people call it mud season. Adding the snow and mud season together make a 4X4 with a decent amount of clearance mandatory if rural.
Thanks for your thoughts. I guess should get an old truck as a backup vehicle right away once I move...I plan to be off some paved road, though....probably have to see how the search goes. Seems like mud is the issue. I lived with my sedan in rural Sierra Nevada mountains and in rural Northern Idaho before. Snow depth is extreme in the high Sierra but the mud isn't.

Now, the next season after that is Black Fly season. The swarms are so thick that bug dope is used like body spray. Deer flies and Horse AKA Moose flies start showing up later in the summer. Summer is also tourist season, the coast becomes a zoo, major lakes and big ponds become filled with water skiers, PWC, which ticks off the fishermen as the noise puts the fish down deep and induces lockjaw.
I'm planning to be far away from the coast and coastal crowds...
I guess I'll need to learn to love Black Flies.

But how are the campgrounds away from the coast, way inland - do they get crowded/is it hard to get a spot? Baxter state park, reserved land, etc.


And then comes Fall, my favorite season, the bugs are gone. The leaves are changing and the ticks are getting frozen and dying off as well. The influx of summer people is thinning out and the leaf peepers stick to the roads. With hunting season arriving pick up trucks with rear window rifle racks and occupants wearing blaze orange attire is frequently seen.
Yeah...not to forget to put on orange on that hike :)

Advice? You want a snowmobile camp as it was built with 4 season insulation as opposed to a summer camp which may have zero insulation. Sometimes camps are built on leased land owned by the paper companies. Occassionly paper company employees (these jobs pay very well) will build a "camp" that's more like a second home if they enjoy snowmobiling. In some ares the trails are like highways and driven at extreme speeds, sadly collisions and fatalities happen just like on the water in the summer.
I'm thinking most likely I'll get an existing "house" - they're priced not too far from camps sometimes and I only need very small square footage....if getting a "camp" I'd only want a log cabin, with adequate log thickness. Might drop little Amish log cabin and live in it.

Maine, 3,000 miles of coastline, 17 miles of beach. Granite, radon gas, poor sandy soil, blueberries, seafood second to none, pine trees, ummm Google moose car collision and then select images. When driving if you see skid marks on the road they're usually from a trucker locking up his brakes trying to avoid a moose collision.
Blueberries and pine trees is what I'm after. Hope there're some birch trees...
Any rivers with rapids?

Maine is called Vacationland, it offers something to everyone depending on what you want and the season for it. Need to cool off at the beach? The water temp at Popham Beach will top out at 60F. Hyperthermia and accidental bluefish attacks, no problem! Black bears raiding bird feeders? No problem! The blueberry growers guard the bee hives with barbed wire topped with concertina wire.
I like to watch bears, know how to live with them... Will probably keep bees. Not a beach person but like fast-flowing rivers.
One house I had before, the day I put it on a market - realtor was standing in front of it and a huge bear was running right behind him... he had no clue...and that was in-town.
 
#14 ·
I'm a new member here, but I grew up and live in Maine and I can give you some insights.

First, a question - why Dover Foxcroft? Maine's a huge state, and the further you get from civilization, the harder it will become for you to find work and get the resources you need. There are plenty of places in the southern part of the state where you can find work and live simply, and not have to worry too much about neighbors, codes, etc. Maine is getting hammered more frequently from "polar vortex" events, thanks to climate change. This is causing storms up North to deliver snow measured in feet instead of inches, and weeks of temperatures below zero. Extreme weather makes everything harder, and all the signals point to those extremes becoming the norm.

I live on one of islands in the Midcoast, where the ocean moderates the extremes of temperature both ways. Our summers are mild and the winters are not as brutal as they are further inland. Our soil is fertile - the whole island used to be farms, before most of it went to timber. There is still good fishing and clamming, locally, if you're into that. Land is reasonably cheap if you're even just a few miles from the shore. No one will bother you if you keep your property neat and don't go shooting off guns and fireworks into peoples yards or letting your animals become a nuisance.

Define "cabin". One person's cabin is another person's grand palace. If you mean a rustic dwelling with limited utilities, then you'll be in good company. There are many folks living here simply and inexpensively. Maine did not have a state building code until fairly recently, and many places do not have a full time code enforcement officer. In most smaller towns, a part time plumbing inspector will make sure you have a working well and a proper septic system, but otherwise no one will bother you if you live simply in a rustic home (and pay your property taxes).

Word spreads quickly among the local residents, though, even in the remote parts of the state. So if your behavior raises concerns about squatters, a sheriff or game warden may eventually come do a home check. If you're hoping to "disappear" up into the woods, that will be a romantic and difficult challenge for you. You'll be much better off introducing yourself to neighbors. Because they're the people who will come rescue your butt when you fall off your roof or accidentally set yourself on fire.

UPS will not deliver to a cabin if it requires a long bumpy service road or driveway. People in very rural areas here can get packages delivered to the local post office, or to a general store where they pick them up if you work that out in advance with the shopkeeper.

Consolidated Communications delivers the phone service up here. If you have a property in mind, you can enter the address into their website and it will tell you if phone service is available. Many people use (suffer) with their DSL service. More and more people are relying on their mobile devices for both phone and internet. If you can find a homestead with a decent LTE signal, I'd opt for that rather than going with Consolidated - they're awful. US Cellular provides fairly good rural cell phone coverage w/ unlimited data plans.

There is a sizeable Amish/Mennonite community in Alna & Whitefield, and a lot of "regular" folk in Whitefield who live an agrarian lifestyle. I don't have contact information for them, but if you visit up here they are not hard to find along Rte 126. And I would definitely encourage you to visit. Don't expect anyone to build you a house or barn for free.

Accessing water will depend entirely on your homestead. There's places where good water is shallow, and other places where it's deep, but most people outside the big cities have artesian wells. Talk with the locals about well water for that area, because water table varies widely. My house is on granite ledge and we do not have trouble getting water nor problems with radon. Our well was about 40 feet deep when we drilled it back in the 80s.

Maine is the oldest state in the US by population, and there are a lot of empty homes and lots that used to have mobile homes on them. At least in my area, it is realistic that you could find a mobile home site with a driveway, well, and septic tank for a price not much more than a raw piece of land. My work takes me frequently through Dresden, Woolwich, Newcastle, Pittston, Whitefield, and there are quite a few empty mobile homes and lots that used to have one.

Well water varies across the state, so check the area you're hoping to live in. Generally there is not a problem with water quality from wells, that I have heard of. Our water has some minerals, but I have a whole house filter with a cartridge that I change 4x a year. The cartridges are inexpensive and can be purchased in bulk. Otherwise the water is clean and tastes great. In warm months we use rain barrels to capture runoff for the garden.

Yes, the winters are cold even here on the coast. We have a whole house high efficiency boiler, which requires about two full 375 gallon tanks-worth of fuel oil per year. I am slowly moving the house off it's dependency on oil, supplementing the boiler with woodstoves. A lot of people here burn pellets, which you buy by the ton and have delivered. Pellet stoves are convenient but they have to be stored dry and indoor storage space can be a challenge. If you shop around you can get cordwood delivered for around $160/cord green, which can be stored outdoors under tarps to dry and season.

Many people drive 4WD/AWD vehicles for obvious reasons. I think we're the official state of Subaru :) Your reliance on a 4WD vehicle is going to be wholly dependent on the roads that get to your property from wherever you need to go. But even the main roads get plowed slowly, so an AWD vehicle is not a bad investment.

Most people have a "plow guy". For about $20 a storm they will do your whole driveway. Lots of folks have a "yard truck" which is basically an old truck or jeep that has a plow and is only used for plowing and towing logs. Most do not have inspection stickers because they never leave the lot. I see many people in my area using ATVs for plowing. If you leave a car unattended on the side of the road for extended periods and hike into your property, I would expect you would eventually attract some attention from the county sheriff or a local game warden, wondering if someone walked into the woods and died.

There is an extensive hunting and outdoor culture in Maine. There is also a persistent myth that hunters can just go wherever they want unless it's posted. This is not true. You need permission from the land owner to access land you do not own, those who do not are liable for trespass. Many people in my area allow others to hunt on their land. Just because a property is "posted" doesn't mean it's off-limits. Posting helps users get in touch with landowners to get the required permission. Many land owners with more than a few acres post their property with placards stating what's allowed on that property and who to contact for permission. Some allow hiking, others allow hunting camping, hiking, whatever. There are many local sportsmen's clubs and shooting clubs where you can talk to people about good hunting spots and how/who to contact for permission. Also contrary to popular belief, you need permission to hunt or ride on transmission corridors and town lands. Here are the general laws for accessing private lands.

Sadly, we get yahoos here who come from out of state each hunting season with the deer permit they got in the mail and a dimestore rifle they bought at Walmart back home in Scranton or wherever. Locals usually do not give anyone trouble, but there is a persistent problem with out-of-towners who come here, guns a-blazing, tearing up the place with ATVs then disappear. Every season a farmer somewhere gets some livestock shot and an old lady or young kid gets killed in their dooryard by some idiot who doesn't know any better. That's usually the kind of behavior that causes property to get posted.

-I heard that there's a law that makes owner not liable for anything that might happen to visitors on their land - is it right?

Sort of. You can read up on that particular regulation here.

Your characterization about public/private land is somewhat untrue. Maine has vast state and national parks and wildlife refuges. The Allagash, Baxter State Park, Katahdin Woods & Waters NWR, Acadia National Park, the list goes on. You can read about parks here. Rules about land use vary from site to site.

Hope this all helps.
 
#20 ·
I'm a new member here, but I grew up and live in Maine and I can give you some insights.

First, a question - why Dover Foxcroft? Maine's a huge state, and the further you get from civilization, the harder it will become for you to find work and get the resources you need. There are plenty of places in the southern part of the state where you can find work and live simply, and not have to worry too much about neighbors, codes, etc. Maine is getting hammered more frequently from "polar vortex" events, thanks to climate change. This is causing storms up North to deliver snow measured in feet instead of inches, and weeks of temperatures below zero. Extreme weather makes everything harder, and all the signals point to those extremes becoming the norm.
Hello - thanks for very detailed reply. Dover-Foxcroft for now is just a starting point for a search... I really am not limiting myself other than being in Northern or North-Central Maine. I heard that Southern part is populated and gets a lot of tourists: I'm trying to get away from the population. As to work...I'm not planning to look for local jobs, but if it comes to this point I can then relocate to where they're later.
According to my maps at least, Southern ME has less conifer and more broadleaf trees (on a big scale) - I'm looking for more conifer trees in the environment.
Polar Vortexes in the North and extreme heat in the South (of the US) now...I can't stand heat. I heard there was a drought in Southern Maine...another consideration.
A lot less Lyme disease in Northern Maine vs Southern, also - a big deal (going by Lyme cases map, at least)
Anyway, population seems to expand everywhere now and Southern Maine is more populated and more likely to get more so...
But I'll see it all for myself.

I live on one of islands in the Midcoast, where the ocean moderates the extremes of temperature both ways. Our summers are mild and the winters are not as brutal as they are further inland. Our soil is fertile - the whole island used to be farms, before most of it went to timber. There is still good fishing and clamming, locally, if you're into that. Land is reasonably cheap if you're even just a few miles from the shore. No one will bother you if you keep your property neat and don't go shooting off guns and fireworks into peoples yards or letting your animals become a nuisance.
Island living sounds great (though I'm not into oceans ...more of a river/forest person). On my search for properties - which is limited by the tight budget - island houses don't really come up, so I guess real estate prices are not that low...I'll double check.
What range of land prices you're talking about?

Big plus of island living is less bugs probably...

I'll be looking for ready-to-move in place now though; to go for developing a property from scratch I'd need to spend years in the area first and learn all ins and outs.
And how is internet access on the islands, is there anything other than Satellite?

Define "cabin". One person's cabin is another person's grand palace. If you mean a rustic dwelling with limited utilities, then you'll be in good company. There are many folks living here simply and inexpensively. Maine did not have a state building code until fairly recently, and many places do not have a full time code enforcement officer. In most smaller towns, a part time plumbing inspector will make sure you have a working well and a proper septic system, but otherwise no one will bother you if you live simply in a rustic home (and pay your property taxes).
Oh I'm surprised they do enforce wells...but I guess it depends on a town and if it's organized township or not. I think there're no strict well regulations in Maine though. Yes, a small log cabin...but because of the way real estate prices are and lack of modest-sized dwellings in America, a 1500 sq ft stick-built house can cost the same as 400 ft log cabin on a market.

Word spreads quickly among the local residents, though, even in the remote parts of the state. So if your behavior raises concerns about squatters, a sheriff or game warden may eventually come do a home check. If you're hoping to "disappear" up into the woods, that will be a romantic and difficult challenge for you. You'll be much better off introducing yourself to neighbors. Because they're the people who will come rescue your butt when you fall off your roof or accidentally set yourself on fire.
Well I won't be introducing myself, that's just me, the way it rolls...
I don't break no laws, a very quiet person, but don't tolerate privacy intrusions either.
I'm just not comfortable around people. Let's just put this part to rest. I'm no romantic but I know how to guard my privacy and will do so. I live alone, on my own, my entire life, and in more than one country.

Anyway, that one dude camped in a tent in the woods of Maine for 20 years until recently, disappeared into the woods just fine.

UPS will not deliver to a cabin if it requires a long bumpy service road or driveway. People in very rural areas here can get packages delivered to the local post office, or to a general store where they pick them up if you work that out in advance with the shopkeeper.
Yes, I know, that's common...I lived in all kinds of rural areas.
What I meant was about camps: do/can Camps generally have postal addresses, mailboxes or at least PO-box tied to the camp's physical address?

Consolidated Communications delivers the phone service up here. If you have a property in mind, you can enter the address into their website and it will tell you if phone service is available. Many people use (suffer) with their DSL service. More and more people are relying on their mobile devices for both phone and internet. If you can find a homestead with a decent LTE signal, I'd opt for that rather than going with Consolidated - they're awful. US Cellular provides fairly good rural cell phone coverage w/ unlimited data plans.
I see about US Cellular...aren't they using rented Verizon network though?
A lot of MNVOs are available right now, cheaper than big companies. Verizon network I think is the best including in Maine.
Internet access will be a whole issue, which will probably limit my search more than anything and won't allow me to be as remote as I'd like...but might just have to accept being stuck with Satellite.

There is a sizeable Amish/Mennonite community in Alna & Whitefield, and a lot of "regular" folk in Whitefield who live an agrarian lifestyle. I don't have contact information for them, but if you visit up here they are not hard to find along Rte 126. And I would definitely encourage you to visit. Don't expect anyone to build you a house or barn for free.
??? Not sure what you mean...why did you think I expected for "free"?
But I won't overpay to anyone either. Prices on everything are getting ridiculous and I'm even considering moving to Balkans if this keeps getting out of hand.

Accessing water will depend entirely on your homestead. There's places where good water is shallow, and other places where it's deep, but most people outside the big cities have artesian wells. Talk with the locals about well water for that area, because water table varies widely. My house is on granite ledge and we do not have trouble getting water nor problems with radon. Our well was about 40 feet deep when we drilled it back in the 80s.
Yeah, have to call a well driller in the area of interest, but would be nice to know regions where wells are deep in general in advance, to avoid them. I got Maine well records online link, just have to figure out how to get through the data.
My understanding the well depth is not just about reaching the water table but depth to unpolluted water. So 100 ft minimum in most cases. Not sure what you meant by deep wells - hundreds of feet is deep for me starting from 150ft.
Nice to have relatively high water table though in any case.

Maine is the oldest state in the US by population, and there are a lot of empty homes and lots that used to have mobile homes on them. At least in my area, it is realistic that you could find a mobile home site with a driveway, well, and septic tank for a price not much more than a raw piece of land. My work takes me frequently through Dresden, Woolwich, Newcastle, Pittston, Whitefield, and there are quite a few empty mobile homes and lots that used to have one.
That sounds great, something I should look into.

Well water varies across the state, so check the area you're hoping to live in. Generally there is not a problem with water quality from wells, that I have heard of. Our water has some minerals, but I have a whole house filter with a cartridge that I change 4x a year. The cartridges are inexpensive and can be purchased in bulk. Otherwise the water is clean and tastes great. In warm months we use rain barrels to capture runoff for the garden.
I see...yeah, can be one house with the purest water and without any filter and few houses down ones with rotten eggs smell and iron-tasting water...I thought Maine wasn't suffering from mineralized water issues too much, though.

Yes, the winters are cold even here on the coast. We have a whole house high efficiency boiler, which requires about two full 375 gallon tanks-worth of fuel oil per year. I am slowly moving the house off it's dependency on oil, supplementing the boiler with woodstoves. A lot of people here burn pellets, which you buy by the ton and have delivered. Pellet stoves are convenient but they have to be stored dry and indoor storage space can be a challenge. If you shop around you can get cordwood delivered for around $160/cord green, which can be stored outdoors under tarps to dry and season.
I plan to use mini-split electrical, the newest kind that works even when it gets really cold (with propane and wood as a backup when it gets just too cold, I have a health problem with smoke and emissions)

Many people drive 4WD/AWD vehicles for obvious reasons. I think we're the official state of Subaru :) Your reliance on a 4WD vehicle is going to be wholly dependent on the roads that get to your property from wherever you need to go. But even the main roads get plowed slowly, so an AWD vehicle is not a bad investment.
I factor in being stuck for 2-3 weeks at a time.

Most people have a "plow guy". For about $20 a storm they will do your whole driveway.
I see! I won't be plowing my driveway, just park closer to the road and will clear the rest myself and pull sleds from car to the house. Main thing is for the road to get plowed. (anyway, my understanding was that plowguys are often unreliable...nice to have one available...but I don't like to depend on others)

Lots of folks have a "yard truck" which is basically an old truck or jeep that has a plow and is only used for plowing and towing logs. Most do not have inspection stickers because they never leave the lot. I see many people in my area using ATVs for plowing. If you leave a car unattended on the side of the road for extended periods and hike into your property, I would expect you would eventually attract some attention from the county sheriff or a local game warden, wondering if someone walked into the woods and died.
They can "wonder" all they want (and why would they think someone walked into the woods & died if the car is parked on the path to the house...it's not in the middle of nowhere), but it's my right to leave a car on my property where I want it and I'm not blocking road clearing. There's a thread about this on another forum (Maine situation)...they did bug off eventually once they realized the guy is OK and wants privacy.
Somehow people lived without snow-plowing ATV for thousands of years in snowy climates (I grew up in one) and I think I'll survive, like my ancestors did somehow. I don't mind some physical activity; in fact snow clearing is what might be forcing me to get out of the house in winter - good for me.

I'll split my reply in 2 here -- getting long.
 
#25 ·
Exactly (the dogs)... may be better find out if others walk on that land without issues say if there's a trail others use as owner might not want to be bothered. I really have no way to get to know the owners, other than mailing them a note with a request or knocking on their door to ask, though...so back to asking permission.
 
#27 ·
I see...but it's good that you mentioned other things. I'd moved here from Northern Europe back in the 90s (and lived in Siberia before that). I'll always be an alien from outta space for the locals because of that alone... so would like to avoid any particularly bigoted or anti-immigrant places.
 
#31 ·
... 1) I'm trying to figure out a possibility of living in a camp.
- Do they actually ever evict/send notice to people who live in camps full time (since by law it's usually less than 6 month allowed, I think)?
That is not actually defined anywhere.



... - Does one really have to hide the fact of living in a camp (like hide your car) or can feel more or less free?
Never heard of it.



... Can UPS/Fedex deliver to camps, normally?
- Can one run a phone line and wired internet to a camp, would there be any problem with utility company?
Most of my town does not have any grid access. UPS/FEDEX stay on paved roads only.



... are there any Amish builders who'd build a small (shed-sized) structure and not charge a lot, in Maine? I'd appreciate contact info for them.
Smyrna Falls has a community and Unity has a community.



... Are wells affordable (< 5K) throughout entire Maine
Mostly yes.



... Any areas/townships that can be recommended?
Maine has 984 towns. Most townships are 'Unorganized' [UTs] I recommend any / all UTs.



... Can I get buy living with sedan on a rural property in Maine for a while, using snow tires or is truck/4wd a must right away?
Yes.



... do I really need one of those little ATVs that clear snow?
Those are just jokes.

Get a snowblower, I have one mounted on my tractor.



... - how to find out if road the house is on being cleared in winter and it's clearing priority? (call the county, township?)
County dont care.



... 6) What's the common culture of private land use by non-owners in Maine (like walking on it, hunting)?
Uness it is posted.



... -I heard that there's a law that makes owner not liable for anything that might happen to visitors on their land - is it right?
Yes



... - I see that Maine got little public land. Yet it's supposedly outdoorsy state. This means a lot of private land is open for use by non-owners, is it right?
yes



... how to go about finding hiking and camping opportunities considering little public land?
it is everywhere.
 
#32 ·
Thanks everyone.
Being outdoors, do you get a lot of Lyme disease concern?
I looked at the maps and seems like there're less of the bad ticks up North - in Northern Aroostok, but not sure how accurate that is. The most ticks and Lyme seem to be in Southern coastal Maine and in general Down East-South...this is according to maps - not sure how much they can be trusted because different maps paint different picture. Any personal experience to compare the parts of Maine?

Get a snowblower, I have one mounted on my tractor.
I'm used to the shovel... if not parking car too far from the road and not having driveway slope hope one can shovel the way out, especially not needing to get out often.
 
#36 ·
I never wear shorts either...but here in the States never had to use tick repellent on clothes yet. In the tick area, pants alone don't help and get inside the pants. So can you skip putting permethrin on pants, where you are?
My understanding it's the only thing that really deters ticks, unlike mosquitos and black flies which can be handled by other stuff.

You created open space and you say you got no Lyme concern - so does it you don't really get deer ticks on grass in your area?
I can't find good deer tick map. The official one from Maine Public Health shows tons of them in the coastal area and very little near Northern Aroostook border with Canada but they seem to have no data for places in-between. (then, I saw another, very different map showing deer ticks all over the place in Maine)
 
#38 ·
I never wear shorts either...but here in the States never had to use tick repellent on clothes yet. In the tick area, pants alone don't help and get inside the pants. So can you skip putting permethrin on pants, where you are?
I am on a couple of Maine forums. On the forums, everyone talks about Lyme and deer ticks as being everywhere.

In our township, we have around 235 people. I know most of them, and Lyme 'the disease' has not been a big issue here.

I guess if one person gets it, that would still be within the 1 out of 1,000 CDC criteria.

I have never used permethrin on my clothing. I have sprayed it on standing water as mosquito abatement.



... My understanding it's the only thing that really deters ticks, unlike mosquitos and black flies which can be handled by other stuff.

You created open space and you say you got no Lyme concern - so does it you don't really get deer ticks on grass in your area?
When you cut everything down and till the soil, the surrounding forest blows in seeds up to 100-yards from the tree-line, and many trees spread by 'Rhizome' action. The trees spread a network of roots out hundreds of yards. So by tilling the soil, if any section of that root network gets exposed to air, it will sprout a new tree.

I cleared an area, and I planted a fruit orchard. Now all among and between my fruit trees. Are hundreds of volunteer trees: Ash, Aspen, Basswood, Beech, Birch, Chokecherry, Dogwood, Elm, Fir, Hemlock, Hickory, Maple, Maple, Oak, Pine, Poplar, Serviceberry, Spruce, Sycamore, Tamarack, and Willow.

What forest does in a region that is NOT drought-prone is totally different from what forests do in drought-prone regions.


... I can't find good deer tick map. The official one from Maine Public Health shows tons of them in the coastal area and very little near Northern Aroostook border with Canada but they seem to have no data for places in-between. (then, I saw another, very different map showing deer ticks all over the place in Maine)
I have been told that guinea hens, geese, wild turkeys, and possums all eat a huge amount of ticks. We have a lot of turkeys in our area.
 
#37 ·
Hello from Maine. Tics are everywhere in Maine, spread pretty much as you mentioned above. And I do know numerous people who have had or have Lyme disease some multiple times. Long pants, bloused boots , pymethrin, and awareness are the best protection.

If you want privacy the worst thing you can do is act anti social as you were already advised. And unless you post your property you WILL have people crossing it hiking or walking, hunters may or may not ask permission depending on whether the land they wish to hunt has easy access. Just the way it is.

Also in Maine wardens do not need warrants to cross your land like police do, much to the chagrin of the doper community.
Mainers tend not to give a damn about color, creed , race or religion. However we do hate people moving in and changing Maine into the hog swallers they came from.

Most Maine towns dont give a damn if you live in a tarpaper shack with an out house and haul your own water or a travel trailer with a holding tank you take to the local RV store to dump.

Wells can be drilled, dug, pounded or you can use a spring, cistern or simply haul it from town.

Gun laws at least at this point in time are good. Democrat gov not withstanding.

Winter driving in Maine is not bad if you are used to snow. Towns and the state keep roads quite clear. Snow tires do indeed help greatly.

Coastal areas and parks see the majority of tourists. Inland areas not so much.

Maine has some beautiful river runs with white water or docile floating. Canoeing and rafting are very popular activities.
 
#41 ·
If you want privacy the worst thing you can do is act anti social as you were already advised.
Are we talking about Soviet Union

...or Maine -- ??? :confused:

It's a free country, man.
Or...is there something going on a la Deep South in Maine too? One dude posted here about having to pull a gun on someone (neighbor?) on own land and he just moved to Maine ....he never responded back about what was it about....perplexing


And unless you post your property you WILL have people crossing it hiking or walking, hunters may or may not ask permission depending on whether the land they wish to hunt has easy access. Just the way it is.
It's been mentioned earlier here that people walk on un-posted land more or less freely. It might differ in terms of permission culture across the state though...Soutern vs Northern parts are quite different overall, that might be why some responded differently here.
I hope this open-use culture doesn't translate into "drug parties", "drug ops" or "dumping trash" on other people's land tho....

Also in Maine wardens do not need warrants to cross your land like police do, much to the chagrin of the doper community.
Mainers tend not to give a damn about color, creed , race or religion. However we do hate people moving in and changing Maine into the hog swallers they came from.
Not sure what's meant here by hog swaller!...must be some local thing in your place... hope not :eek::D:

Most Maine towns dont give a damn if you live in a tarpaper shack with an out house and haul your own water or a travel trailer with a holding tank you take to the local RV store to dump.
Wells can be drilled, dug, pounded or you can use a spring, cistern or simply haul it from town.
Gun laws at least at this point in time are good. Democrat gov not withstanding.
Winter driving in Maine is not bad if you are used to snow. Towns and the state keep roads quite clear. Snow tires do indeed help greatly.
Coastal areas and parks see the majority of tourists. Inland areas not so much.
Maine has some beautiful river runs with white water or docile floating. Canoeing and rafting are very popular activities.
That's good to know.

Hello from Maine. Tics are everywhere in Maine, spread pretty much as you mentioned above. And I do know numerous people who have had or have Lyme disease some multiple times. Long pants, bloused boots , pymethrin, and awareness are the best protection.
I heard about the same thing. Most maps show a lot less tick/Lyme trouble in Aroostook, which got only few cases of Lyme...since people in Aroostook, I'm sure, spend plenty of time outdoors it must be either less deer ticks or less infected deer ticks.
 
#44 ·
To touch on people will access land without asking....

Maine has a long history where most of the unorganized townships have been owned by large logging/paper companies. The tradition of open access comes from those companies allowing people to access their lands for traditional uses (think hunting, fishing, camping, etc).

This is (and has been) changing over the past couple decades as the traditional paper companies have sold their large tracts of land. The North Maine Woods charges access fees to go up to the area from roughly north and west of Millinocket (yes, I know this isn't 100% specific, but it will give you an idea).

There is still a lot of land you can freely access, but it will not be in southern or central Maine. Even in the northern and western sections, the open access is not what it once was.

Bottom line: know where you are and whether you are legally allowed on the land you are accessing. While land access is traditionally open access, trespassing is trespassing.
 
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