Hunting in Maine is one of the state’s oldest pastimes with millions of acres of land available to hunters, and forests teeming with a wide variety of game to chase. With season dates for some species open as early as September, and others stretching all the way into May, Mainers can enjoy the sport nearly year-round.
According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MEDIFW), hunters and anglers have access to over 17 million acres of verdant landscape for their outdoor recreation. That’s mostly thanks to the generosity of private land owners, whose properties make up about 94% of the state’s forest land. Over half of that land is available to the public, says the MEDIFW.
Bear Hunting in Maine
Bear offer one of the earliest opportunities for hunting in Maine, with the 13-week bear season opening the last Monday in August and extending through November until the last day of regular firearms season for deer.. Boasting the largest population of black bear in the eastern United States, Maine offers ample opportunities for hunting or trapping bear.
The season’s early opening date makes for more attractive daily temperatures while hunting, and can provide dedicated hunters an opportunity to scout for other species with later opening dates. State residents don’t even need a permit to harvest a bear once the November deer firearms season begins. However, non-residents are required to obtain a bear permit – as are state residents hunting for bear prior to the opening of deer firearms season.
There are many different options for hunting bear, with hunters legally allowed to take an animal with a rifle, handgun, muzzleloader, certain shotgun rounds, bow and arrow, or a crossbow. Trapping bears is also legal in Maine, as is hunting with dogs under certain requirements.
Bear baiting is also a common practice in Maine, whereby hunters utilize food materials to draw bear into a certain area. The process of baiting bear can be an arduous one, requiring careful consideration of where, when, and how the bait is placed. Hunters baiting on private property should ensure that they have proper landowner permission to do so.
Deer Hunting in Maine
The fall deer hunt is considered by many as an American tradition. For many, even the word “hunting” is synonymous with pursuing deer through the rural woods with a standard firearm. However, there are five separate seasons for deer hunting, with 79 days total to harvest a deer.
Expanded Archery Season is open from early September to mid December and is only allowed in certain wildlife management districts (WMDs). Regular Archery Season opens in early October and runs through early November, allowed in all WMDs.
Maine’s Youth Deer Hunt is open for two days in late October across all WMDs. Maine’s Resident Only Day is held annually in early November in all WMDs.
Regular Firearms Season opens Early November, and runs through the end of the month in all WMDs. A statewide Muzzleloader Season runs for just under a week in early December across all WMDs, with another Muzzleloader season in certain WMDs being held shortly after.
Hunters are allowed to harvest one antlered deer every year, consisting of a deer sporting antlers at least three inches long. Antlerless permits are also granted, following certain restrictions.
The standard deer species in Maine is the White-Tailed Deer. According to the MEDIFW, there are 30 separate subspecies of white-tail in total, with one of the physically largest subspecies calling the Pine Tree State home. Male deer (bucks) can grow to weigh between 200 and 300 pounds, standing anywhere from 36 inches to 40 inches tall at the shoulder. Females (does) generally weigh between 120 and 175 pounds.
Modern hunters should take care when processing deer in the state to prevent the spread of a fatal neurological condition called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) which impacts animals in the Cervid Family (such as Deer, Moose, Elk, etc.) Extra steps such as burying certain organs/viscera from the carcass of a harvested deer and disinfecting tools used to dress the animal should be taken. For more information, visit the MEDIFW’s website on CWD here.
Moose Hunting in Maine
Maine is once again home to the largest population of Moose out of all the lower 48 states, with an MEDIFW estimated population of 60-70,000. That being said, the department only issues between 2,000 and 3,000 permits to the average of 50,000 applicants hoping to pursue Maine’s largest land mammal.
That makes the Maine moose hunt one of the most desired in the US, and the state only issues permits by a chance lottery, a competitive auction, or through a program which allocates a small number for disabled veterans. Those hoping to toss their name into the pool of lottery applicants can do so from February through mid-May.
The seasons for moose hunting are staggered, with antlerless seasons running sporadically from late October through early November. Two separate seasons for bull moose run in late September, and mid-October. Permitted hunters may only harvest one moose per year. Only certain WMDs throughout the state allow for moose hunting.
Those lucky enough to draw a moose permit are encouraged to plan accordingly, with the MEDIFW even offering a guide for hunters looking to prepare for this potentially once in a lifetime hunt.
Turkey Hunting in Maine
If the idea of hunting an animal larger than most commuter cars sounds intimidating, you might consider dipping your toe into one of Maine’s turkey seasons. Hunting turkeys requires less planning and gear than other species.
There are two wild turkey seasons in Maine, spring and fall. The spring season runs from late April to late May, and the fall turkey season runs from mid-September through early November.
Hunting Other Species in Maine
This is by no means the a comprehensive list of animals available to hunt in Maine, with available seasons for upland and migratory birds (grouse, quail, pheasants, ducks, geese, crows, and more), squirrel, hare, bobcat, fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, coyote, and many more.
Ready to Buy Your Own Hunting Camp in Maine?
This biodiversity, as well as a wide bevy of available hunting lands, makes Maine a renowned mecca for hunters. However, one common denominator which will always improve the quality of your hunt is having a comfortable and welcoming home-base to start and end your long days of hunting, and we at the Maine Land Store can help you with that.
If you’re ready to start hunting for your own hunting headquarters here in Maine give us a call, or check out our listings here. We have plenty of rural properties ready for you to turn into your very own hunting camp, keeping you comfortable and safe while you work to put meat in your freezer from the wild forests of Maine.