DEER | MOOSE | BEAR | WILD TURKEY | SMALL GAME | WATERFOWL | GAME BIRDS

DEER

Q: When is deer hunting season?
A: The 2005 season runs from Sept. 10 - Dec. 10 (varying from region to region and by hunting method). Sunday hunting is illegal in Maine.
The 2005 Seasons are as follows:

Expanded archery (limited area/special license): Sept. 10 ­ Dec. 10
Archery (statewide): Sept. 29 ­ October 28
Youth Deer Day: Oct. 22
Firearms (use of bow and arrow, firearms or muzzleloaders):

Maine residents only: Oct. 29
All hunters: Oct. 31 ­ Nov. 26
Muzzleloader (statewide):
All Wildlife Management Districts: Nov. 28 - Dec. 3
Extended Muzzleloader Wildlife Management Districts 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30 : Dec. 5 ­ Dec. 10

Find your district. Click here for a map of Maine's Wildlife Management Districts.

Q: What's involved in getting a license to hunt deer?
A: You must purchase a big game hunting license to hunt deer. Anyone 10 or older must have a license. Children under 10 are not allowed to hunt. Junior licenses are available for 10 to 15-year-olds.

You can get a license at many convenience stores, sporting good stores and town offices. You can also purchase one by mail or online.

By mail, write to:
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street, 41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0041

Online, visit: www.informe.org/ifw/

If this is your first application for a hunting license, you need to complete a hunter safety course. Click here to find a list of hunter safety courses in Maine, grouped by region. The same applies for an archery hunting license.

License fees can vary from year to year. Check here for current costs.

Q: Is there a limit on how many deer you can take?
A: Yes. You can only take one deer per season ­ buck only unless you are drawn in the any-deer lottery. The only exceptions are during the expanded archery season or if you have a bonus permit. The bonus permit drawing is part of the any-deer drawing and if drawn for a bonus permit you can take two deer. It is illegal to continue to hunt deer after you have taken and registered one deer for the season (see exceptions above).
Q: What are Any Deer Permits?
A: The free any-deer permit allows hunting of deer of either sex in 26 of 30 wildlife management districts that have permits available this year. Permits are chosen through a random drawing for each of the districts. Without this permit, you cannot hunt an antlerless deer during firearm season. Any-deer permit applications are accepted between mid-June and August 1. You can apply online by early June at www.mefishwildlife.com starting in early June.

The Any-Deer Permit system plays a vital role in the management of deer in Maine. Since this system was implemented in 1986, the statewide population of deer has increased from 150,000 to 259,000. This permit system used in conjunction with the 30 wildlife management districts throughout the state provides biologists the flexibility needed to closely regulate the take of female deer throughout the state and achieve desired population levels.
Q: Where you can get more information?
A: For complete details of the 2005 season please see Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

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Q: When is moose hunting season?
A: Maine's moose hunt is very popular. That may have something to do with the probabilities: In the fall of 2004, 2317 out of the 2895 permitted moose hunters tagged animals.

Moose-hunting season for 2005 is as follows:
Week 1: Sept. 26 - Oct. 1
Wildlife Management Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 19.

Week 2: Oct. 10 - 15
Wildlife Management Districts 1-14, 17, 18, 19, 28, 29

Find your district. Click here for a map of Maine's Wildlife Management Districts.

Q: How many moose are there in Maine?
A: Maine's moose population is estimated at 29,000.
Q: Do you need a license or permit to hunt moose?
A: Yes. Moose Hunting Permits are awarded through a statewide lottery.
Q: How can you apply for a moose permit?
A: Printed applications for the 2005 moose lottery are available in late January. You can also apply online at www.informe.org/ifw/moosepermit.html or request a permit application online. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2005. For more information please see the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

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BEAR

Q: When is bear hunting season?
A: The complete 2005 season runs from August 29 through November 26, and includes several seasons and methods of hunting - including hunting with bait (Aug. 29 through Sept. 24), with hounds (Sept. 12 - Oct. 28), still-hunting and stalking (within the general season; Aug. 29 - Nov. 26).
Q: What's involved in getting a license to hunt bear?
A: A regular big game hunting license covers you to hunt bear. Anyone 10 years old or older must have a license. Children under 10 are not allowed to hunt. Junior licenses are available for 10- to 15-year-olds. If you are bear hunting outside of the firearms season on deer, you need a special bear hunting permit. This permit costs $28 for residents/$68 for non-residents. Hunters are limited to one bear per year.

You can get a license at many convenience stores, sporting good stores and town offices. You can also purchase one by mail or online.

By mail, write to:
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street, 41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0041

Online, visit: www.informe.org/ifw/

If this is your first application for a hunting license, you need to complete a hunter safety course. Click here to find a list of hunter safety courses in Maine, grouped by region. The same applies for an archery hunting license.

License fees can vary from year to year. Check here for current costs.

Q: Are there other special requirements you should know about?
A: There are specific laws pertaining to the use of dogs for bear hunting, and pertaining to the use of bait for hunting or trapping. Please check with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's Bear Hunting Web pages for details.

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WILD TURKEY

Q: Can you hunt wild turkeys in Maine?
A: Yes. Wild turkey is making a comeback, due in part to preservation efforts by both sportsmen and wildlife managers. A fairly new sport for Maine, turkey hunting is a highly-skilled courtship in which a camouflaged hunter attracts the bird through call.
Q: How many wild turkeys are there?
A: Although the wild turkey population is difficult to calculate, the interest in this game bird has risen dramatically. The Inland Fisheries and Wildlife department estimates the population to be approximately 25,000.
Q: Do you need a permit? If so, how do you get one?
A: For more information on wild turkey hunting regulations please see Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

In 2005, a total of 20,300 spring wild turkey hunting permits will be issued of which 10,150 will be for Season A and 10,150 will be for Season B. Three percent of the total number of permits will be available to nonresident hunters.

In 2004, 24,039 hunters applied for the 15,601 available permits. Hunters killed 4,839 turkeys during the spring season. Through a trap and transfer program conducted by IFW biologists, a flock that started as 41 birds in York County now numbers more than 25,000 and is spread through 15 of Maine's 16 counties.

Q: When and where can I hunt wild turkeys?
A: Hunters who are selected for a 2005 spring turkey permit will be assigned one of two seasons.
Season A runs from May 2 - May 7 and May 23 - May 28.
Season B runs from May 9 - May 14 and May 16 - May 21.
All turkey permit holders can hunt the fifth week of the season, May 30 - June 4. Legal hunting time is a half hour before sunrise to 12:00 noon. There is one spring wild turkey hunting zone that includes the following Wildlife Management Districts: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27. For a look at all zones open in the spring hunt, please go online at www.mefishwildlife.com or to your nearest license agent.

Click here for a map of Maine's Wildlife Management Districts.

Q: What about the fall turkey season?
A: The 2005 fall season includes Wildlife Management Districts 15, 16 and 20-26 and runs Oct. 17-28. Anyone who possesses an archery license may purchase a permit to hunt wild turkey during the fall season. Only a bow and arrow may be used to hunt turkeys during this season. Permits are available wherever licenses are sold. Hunters may hunt from a half hour before sunrise until a half hour after sunset.

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SMALL GAME

Q: What about hunting small game?
A: Rabbits, squirrels and raccoons are plentiful throughout Maine. The open season for snowshoe rabbits is October 1, 2004 thru March 31, 2005. There is no open season on cottontail rabbits. Raccoon season: Oct. 1 - Dec. 31. Coyotes may be hunted year-round during the day and at night with a special permit from January 1 ­ April 30. There is no closed season for porcupine, woodchucks or red squirrel. Fox hunting season runs from Oct. 18, 2004 - Feb. 28, 2005, and bobcat season runs from Dec. 1, 2004 - Feb. 14, 2005. It is not legal to hunt lynx in Maine.
Q: Do you need a permit?
A: Yes. You can get a small game hunting license. They cover the hunting of all species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat. You also need a special night hunting permit to hunt coyotes at night. If you plan to hunt big game anytime in the year, you can purchase a big game hunting license which also covers small game hunting.
Q: Is there a trapping season?
A: Yes. Click here to see the current trapping seasons for bobcat, coyote, fisher, fox, marten, mink, muskrat, opossum, otter, raccoon, red squirrel, skunk, weasel, bear, beaver. Check the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Web site for trapping rules and 2004 trapping season dates and 2005 trapping season dates.

You must have the appropriate trapping license before going out to trap for wild animals or before going out to help another person who is trapping. If you are a non-resident, regardless of age, you must have a non-resident trapping license. Non-residents are not allowed to trap for beaver.

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WATERFOWL

Q: Is it legal to shoot ducks in Maine?
A: Maine's waterfowling season had been restricted for several decades because of declining waterfowl populations on the entire Atlantic Flyway. However, many of those constraints have eased in recent years. Mallards are making a comeback, particularly in the more urbanized areas. The once-rare wood duck is also increasing, offering excellent sport for scattergunners. While severe declines in Canada geese have prompted restrictions, state wildlife officials report that the population is increasing. Q: Where are the best places in Maine to hunt waterfowl?
A: Several areas offer excellent waterfowling, including the Kennebec Valley, where mallards, wood ducks, common mergansers and green-wing teal are frequent visitors. The mighty Androscoggin River is a major stopover destination for migrating waterfowl, and public lands in southern Maine -- such as the Brownfield Bog Wildlife Management Area -- offer excellent bird-hunting opportunities. Maine's extensive coastline offers a plethora of sea-duck hunting.
Q: Do you need a permit? A: Yes. You need a regular hunting license as well as State and Federal Migratory Waterfowl Stamps for all migratory waterfowl except woodcock, snipe, sora, gallinule, rails or crow.
Q: When is the season to hunt waterfowl?
A: The waterfowl hunting season is normally made available in September. Please see Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for more details.

2004/2005 waterfowl hunting season dates
See the IFW web site for daily bag and possession limits.

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Staff photo by John Ewing

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Wildlife Management Districts

Find your district. Click here for a map of Maine's Wildlife Management Districts.