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Season Dates and Bag Limits
The following season dates are for the 2025-2026 hunting seasons and will be updated as seasons end. Click here to view 2026-2027 hunting season dates (PDF).
Deer
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Annual Bag & Possession | ||
| Expanded Archery | Designated areas only | September 6, 2025 | December 13, 2025 | Only 1 antlered deer may be taken annually.
|
| Regular Archery | All | October 4, 2025 | October 31, 2025 | |
| Youth Deer Hunt | All | October 24, 2025 | October 25, 2025 | |
| Maine Resident Only Day** | All | November 1, 2025 | ||
| Firearms Season | All | November 3, 2025 | November 29, 2025 | |
| Muzzleloader Statewide | All | December1, 2025 | December 6, 2025 | |
| Muzzleloader | 12, 13, 15-18, 20-26, 29 | December 8, 2025 | December 13, 2025 | |
View Deer Hunting Bag Limit and Permit Needs Infographic
** A non-resident who owns 25 or more acres of land in Maine and leaves land open to hunting, holds a valid hunting license, and is not otherwise prohibitedby law, may hunt deer on the Resident only day, anywhere in the state. A verification form must be completed and can be located on the Hunting License Information page.
Bear
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Annual Bag & Possession | ||
| Youth Bear Day | All | August 23, 2025 | 2 Bears Per Year 1 by hunting, 1 by trapping |
|
| General Hunting Season | All | August 25, 2025 | November 29, 2025 | |
| Hunting with Bait Bait can be placed July 26, 2025 |
All | August 25, 2025 | September 20, 2025 | |
| Bear Trapping | All | September 1, 2025 | October 31, 2025 | |
| Hunting with Dogs Bear dog training season is July 1 - August 21, 2025 |
All | September 8, 2025 | October 31, 2025 | |
Moose (by permit only)
| Seasons | WMDs*** | Seasons*** | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Annual Bag & Possession | ||
| Antlerless-Only | 4A (Adaptive Unit Hunt) | October 20, 2025 | October 25, 2025 | 1 Moose Per Year by either permittee or sub-permittee, a person may only harvest one moose regardless of how many permits they may be listed on. |
| October 27, 2025 | November 1, 2025 | |||
| November 3, 2025 | November 8, 2025 | |||
| Bull-Only | 1- 6, 10, 11, 18, 19, 27, 28 | September 22, 2025 | September 27, 2025 | |
| Bull-Only | 1-15, 17-19, 27, 28 | October 13, 2025 | October 18, 2025 | |
| Antlerless-Only | 1-6, 8 | October 27, 2025 | November 1, 2025 | |
Permit application period: April - May of each year.
*** Moose hunting season dates and WMDs subject to change.
Fall Wild Turkey (Archery equipment or shotgun)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Seasonal Bag & Possession | |||
| General Hunting Season | 15-17, 20-25 | September 15, 2025 | November 7, 2025 | 5 Wild Turkeys** | No more than two wild turkeys (either-sex, any age) may be harvested per permit holder per day, but cannot exceed the WMD bag limit. |
| 26 | September 15, 2025 | November 7, 2025 | 3 Wild Turkeys* | ||
| 28 | September 15, 2025 | November 7, 2025 | 2 Wild Turkeys* | ||
| 3, 6-8, 10-14, 18, 19, 27 & 29 | September 15, 2025 | November 7, 2025 | 1 Wild Turkey* | ||
| 1, 2, 4, 5, 9 | Closed to taking of Wild Turkeys | ||||
| Youth Fall Wild Turkey Day | September 13, 2025 | ||||
*May harvest up to 5 turkeys for the fall season, but an individual WMD bag limit cannot be exceeded. The order in which they are harvested from a WMD does not matter.
Spring Wild Turkey (Archery equipment or shotgun)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Seasonal Bag & Possession | ||
| All Hunters | 7 and 9-29 | May 4, 2026 | June 6, 2026 | 2 bearded Wild Turkeys** |
| 1-6 and 8 | May 4, 2026 | June 6, 2026 | 1 bearded Wild Turkey** | |
| Youth Spring Wild Turkey Day | April 26, 2025 | May take up to 2 bearded Wild Turkeys from WMDs that have a 2 bird limit. | ||
**May harvest up to 2 turkeys for the spring season, but an individual WMD bag limit cannot be exceeded. The order in which they are harvested from a WMD does not matter.
Upland Birds
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag | Possession | ||
| Ruffed Grouse & Bobwhite Quail | All | September 27, 2025 | December 31, 2025 | 4 | 8 |
| Pheasant | All | September 27, 2025 | December 31, 2025 | 2 | 4 |
Other Species
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag | Possession | ||
| Gray Squirrel | All | September 27, 2025 | January 31, 2026 | 4 | 8 |
| Gray Squirrel (Falconry) | All | September 27, 2025 | February 28, 2026 | 4 | 8 |
| Snowshoe Hare | All | September 27, 2025 | March 31, 2026 | 4 | 8 |
| Season on Island of Vinalhaven | September 27, 2025 | February 28, 2026 | |||
| Bobcat | All | December 1, 2025 | February 21, 2026 | No Limit | |
| Fox | All | October 20, 2025 | February 28, 2026 | No Limit | |
| Raccoon | All | October 1, 2025 | December 31, 2025 | No Limit | |
| Skunk, Opossum | All | October 20, 2025 | December 31, 2025 | No Limit | |
| Coyote | All | During daylight hunting hours No Closed Season for Hunting |
No Limit | ||
| Night hunting December 16, 2025 - August 31, 2026 |
|||||
| Woodchuck, Porcupine, Red Squirrel | All | No Closed Season | |||
| Spruce Grouse, Lynx, Cottontail Rabbit | No Open Season for Hunting | ||||
Note: Except for migratory game birds, there is no hunting season on any species of bird or animal which is not listed above.
Migratory Game Birds
| Species and Area | Seasons | Limits | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag | Possession | ||
| Crows* Wildlife Management Districts 1-6 |
August 1, 2025 | September 20, 2025 | |||
| February 2, 2026 | April 15, 2026 | ||||
| Crows* Wildlife Management Districts 7-29 |
August 1, 2025 | September 20, 2025 | |||
| January 17, 2026 | March 31, 2026 | ||||
| Common Snipe** | September 1, 2025 | January 2, 2026 | |||
| Woodcock** | September 27, 2025 | November 18, 2025 | |||
| Rails (Sora and Virginia)*** | September 1, 2025 | November 20, 2025 | Single or in aggregate |
||
| Canada Goose (Early) |
North Zone | September 1, 2025 | September 25, 2025 | ||
| South Zone | September 1, 2025 | September 25, 2025 | |||
| Coastal Zone | September 1, 2025 | September 25, 2025 | |||
| Canada Goose Regular, White-Fronted Geese |
North Zone | October 1, 2025 | December 9, 2025 | ||
| South Zone | October 1, 2025 | October 11, 2025 | |||
| October 29, 2025 | December 25, 2025 | ||||
| Coastal Zone | October 4, 2025 | October 11, 2025 | |||
| October 25, 2025 | January 6, 2026 | ||||
| Snow Geese Including Blue Geese |
October 1, 2025 | January 30, 2026 | |||
| Ducks Including all duck species unless listed in exceptions, Mergansers, and American Coots |
North Zone | September 29, 2025 | December 6, 2025 | Species-specific bag limits may be found below. All duck species not listed under exceptions below have a daily bag limit of 4 and possession limit of 12. |
Species-specific bag limits may be found below. All duck species not listed under exceptions below have a daily bag limit of 4 and possession limit of 12. |
| South Zone | October 1, 2025 | October 11, 2025 | |||
| October 29, 2025 | December 25, 2025 | ||||
| Coastal Zone | October 4, 2025 | October 11, 2025 | |||
| November 6, 2025 | January 6, 2026 | ||||
| Brant | North Zone | September 29, 2025 | November 1, 2025 | ||
| South Zone | October 1, 2025 | October 11, 2025 | |||
| October 29, 2025 | November 20, 2025 | ||||
| Coastal Zone | October 4, 2025 | October 11, 2025 | |||
| December 11, 2025 | January 6, 2026 | ||||
| Special Falconry Season In addition to the regular migratory bird season (for the take of Ducks, Mergansers and American Coots) |
North Zone | December 15, 2025 | February 4, 2026 | Respectively, singly or in aggregate Species Restrictions Apply |
Respectively, singly or in aggregate Species Restrictions Apply |
| South Zone | January 7, 2026 | February 27, 2026 | |||
| Coastal Zone | January 7, 2026 | February 27, 2026 | |||
| Special Youth Waterfowl Hunts All duck species except Harlequins, Barrow's Goldeneye, and Moorhens and Gallinules – may be hunted on these days, including geese. For the September 27, October 18, and December 13 youth days, the goose limit is under the Regular Season daily bag limit. |
North Zone | September 20, 2025 & December 13, 2025 | |||
| South Zone | September 20, 2025 & October 18, 2025 | ||||
| Coastal Zone | September 27, 2025 & October 18, 2025 | ||||
All dates are inclusive except that hunting is prohibited on Sunday.
* Crows are neither migratory waterfowl or migratory game birds. The use of lead shot and the use of a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells is permitted. A migratory waterfowl stamp is not required. Use of electronic calls is permitted.
** Woodcock & Snipe are considered migratory game birds, not migratory waterfowl. The use of lead shot is permitted.
The use of a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells is prohibited. A migratory waterfowl stamp is not required.
*** Rails are considered migratory game birds not migratory waterfowl. The use of lead shot and a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells is prohibited. A migratory waterfowl stamp is not required.
Migratory Game Birds Exceptions
| Species | Limit |
|---|---|
| Harlequin Ducks, Barrow's Goldeneye, Moorhens & Gallinules | Closed Season |
| American Coots | In addition to the 6 duck daily bag limit, hunters may take 5 coots. It is unlawful to possess more than 15 coots at any time. |
| Mottled Ducks, Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Scaup and Hen Eider | The daily limit on these species is 1 bird; possession limit is 3. |
| Black Duck, Redhead, Hen Mallards, Canvasback and Eider | The daily limit on these species is 2 birds; possession limit is 6. |
| Mallards | The daily limit is 4 (2 hen mallards); possession limit is 12 (6 hen mallards). |
| Mergansers (Common, Red-breasted and Hooded) | In addition to the 6 duck daily bag limit, hunters may take 5 mergansers in the aggregate, with a species specific limit of 5. It is unlawful to possess more than 15 mergansers at any time. |
| Sea Ducks (Scoter, Eider, and Long-Tailed Duck) | The daily limit is 3 by species (4 total sea ducks), possession limit is 9 by species (12 total seas ducks). Except that the daily bag limit for eiders is 2, not to exceed 1 hen eider; and possession limit for hen eiders is 3, with the total possession limit for all eiders being 9. |
| Northern Pintails and Wood Ducks | The daily limit is 3 birds, possession limit is 9. |