Pakesso Guide Service works out of a small cottage in the western Maine community of Wilsons Mills, which is surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of woodlands owned by various land management companies whose soul interest is growing wood fiber. In the process of growing that fiber, the land supports an abundance of game which is available to hunters. The regenerated growth in the surrounding woodlands is perfect habitat for grouse and woodcock, and offers some of the finest bird shooting to be found anywhere. There are moose, bear, white-tailed deer and a small population of wild turkeys which can be hunt.
Pakesso Guide Service, though at one time offering hunts for all big game animals, now specializes in only upland bird hunting over pointing dogs during the month of October and a few days of selected fly fishing trips in the spring and fall.
During the 2006 upland bird season, hunters averaged 33.1 points a day on both woodcock and grouse while hunting with Master Registered Maine Guide Tom Rideout. In 2007, hunters increased bird sightings to an average of 37 points a day on different birds (a majority of the points were on grouse), seeing more than 450 birds in just 13 days.
In 2006, 23 days of hunting produced 309 woodcock and 92 grouse for hunters being guided by Pakesso Guide Service. The State of Maine average for wing shooting, according to a recent study released by University of Maine, is that hunters shoot one bird for every 7.5 flushes. In 2006, hunters guided by Pakesso Guide Service shot one bird for every 7 grouse flushed and one bird for every 5 woodcock flushed, while in 2007 their average was a little better, with one bird in every six for grouse and one bird in every three woodcock.