Season Dates and Bag Limits

Please see below for upcoming season dates. For 2024-2025 season dates, please view the 2024-2025 Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits (PDF).

Deer

Seasons WMDs Dates Limits
First Day Last Day Annual Bag & Possession
Expanded Archery Designated areas only September 7, 2024 December 14, 2024

1 Antlered Deer Per Year*
See exceptions

Regular Archery All October 5, 2024 November 1, 2024
Youth Deer Hunt All October 25, 2024 October 26, 2024
Maine Resident Only Day** All November 2, 2024  
Firearms Season All November 4, 2024 November 30, 2024
Muzzleloader Statewide All December 2, 2024 December 7, 2024
Muzzleloader 12, 13, 15-18, 20-26, 29 December 9, 2024 December 14, 2024

* Only deer with antlers at least 3 inches long may be taken from November 2, 2024-December 14, 2024, except that antlerless deer may be taken in designated WMDs/subunits by hunters with Antlerless Deer Permits and expanded archery hunters with appropriate permits. Please see Antlerless Deer Permits for more information.

** 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.

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Bear

Seasons WMDs Dates Limits
First Day Last Day Annual Bag & Possession
Youth Bear Day All August 24, 2024 2 Bears Per Year
1 by hunting, 1 by trapping
General Hunting Season All August 26, 2024 November 30, 2024
Hunting with Bait
Bait can be placed July 27, 2024
All August 26, 2024 September 21, 2024
Bear Trapping All September 1, 2024 October 31, 2024
Hunting with Dogs All September 9, 2024 November 1, 2024

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Moose (by permit only)

Seasons WMDs*** Seasons*** Limits
First Day Last Day Annual Bag & Possession
Antlerless-Only 4A (Adaptive Unit Hunt) TBD TBD 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.
TBD TBD
TBD TBD
Bull-Only 1- 6, 10, 11, 18, 19, 27, 28 September 23, 2024 September 28, 2024
Bull-Only 1-15, 17-19, 27, 28 October 14, 2024 October 19, 2024
Antlerless-Only 1-6, 8 October 28, 2024 November 2, 2024

Permit application period: April - May of each year.

*** Moose hunting season dates and WMDs subject to change.

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Spring Wild Turkey (Archery equipment or shotgun)

Seasons WMDs Dates Limits
First Day Last Day Seasonal Bag & Possession
All Hunters 7 and 9-29 April 29, 2024 June 1, 2024 2 bearded Wild Turkeys*
1-6 and 8 April 29, 2024 June 1, 2024 1 bearded Wild Turkey*
Youth Spring Wild Turkey Day April 27, 2024 May take up to 2 bearded Wild Turkeys from WMDs that have a 2 bird limit.

*May take up to 2 turkeys for the spring season, but an individual WMD bag limit cannot be exceeded. The order in which they are taken does not matter.

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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 16, 2024 November 7, 2024 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 16, 2024 November 7, 2024 3 Wild Turkeys**
28 September 16, 2024 November 7, 2024 2 Wild Turkeys**
6-8, 10-14, 18, 19, 27 & 29 September 16, 2024 November 7, 2024 1 Wild Turkey**
1-5, 9 Closed to taking of Wild Turkeys
Youth Fall Wild Turkey Day September 14, 2024

** May take up to five wild turkeys for the fall season, but cannot exceed an individual WMD bag limit, the order in which they are taken does not matter.

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Upland and Migratory Birds

Seasons WMDs Dates Limits
First Day Last Day Daily Bag Possession
Ruffed Grouse & Bobwhite Quail All September 28, 2024 December 31, 2024 4 8
Pheasant All September 28, 2024 December 31, 2024 2 4
Woodcock All See migratory game bird laws for more information
Common Snipe All
Ducks, Geese, Sea Ducks
(Scoter, Eider, Long-Tailed Duck)
Sora & Virginia Rails
(and Gallinules)
All
Crows 1-6 February 5, 2024 April 15, 2024 No Limit
August 1, 2024 September 21, 2024
7-29 January 22, 2024 March 30, 2024
August 1, 2024 September 21, 2024

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Other Species

Seasons WMDs Dates Limits
First Day Last Day Daily Bag Possession
Gray Squirrel All September 30, 2023 December 30, 2023 4 8
Gray Squirrel (Falconry) All September 30, 2023 February 28, 2024 4 8
Snowshoe Hare All September 30, 2023 March 30, 2024 4 8
Season on Island of Vinalhaven September 30, 2023 February 28, 2024
Bobcat All December 1, 2023 February 21, 2024 No Limit
Fox All October 16, 2023 February 28, 2024 No Limit
Raccoon All October 1, 2024 December 31, 2024 No Limit
Skunk, Opossum All October 21, 2024 December 31, 2024 No Limit
Coyote All During daylight hunting hours
No Closed Season for Hunting
No Limit
Night hunting
December 16, 2023 - August 31, 2024
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.

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