Maine Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits for 2008

Note: Dates listed below are subject to change due to any rulemaking or legislation which may be adopted or enacted prior to the season.

All dates are inclusive except that hunting is prohibited on Sunday.

Note: Except for migratory game birds, there is no general hunting season on any species or bird or animal which is not listed below.

2008 Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits PDF

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Deer

Expanded Archery Season (designated areas only): September 6, 2008 through December 13, 2008

Note: Expanded archery permits are required in addition to an archery license to hunt deer during the expanded archery season in the expanded archery areas.

Archery Season (Statewide): October 2, 2008 through October 31, 2008

Note: An archery license is required to hunt deer during the archery season on deer.

Firearms Season (allows use of bow and arrow, crossbows, firearms or muzzleloaders): November 3, 2008 through November 29, 2008

Maine Residents Only Day: November 1, 2008

Youth Deer Hunting Day: October 25, 2008

Muzzleloader

Week 1 - (Statewide): December 1, 2008 through December 6, 2008

Week 2 - (WMD's 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 29): December 8, 2008 through December 13, 2008

Note: A muzzleloader permit is required in addition to a hunting license to hunt deer during the muzzleloader season on deer

Bag and Possession Limit: One deer may be taken annually.

Note: Additional deer may be taken by participants in the Expanded Archery Season, or by anyone possessing a bonus antlerless deer permit or superpack antlerless deer permit.

Bear:

General Hunting Season: August 25, 2008 through November 29, 2008
Hunting With Bait: *August 25, 2008 through September 20, 2008
Hunting With Dogs: September 8, 2008 through October 31, 2008

Bag and Possession Limit: One bear may be taken annually, either by hunting or trapping.

*Bear bait may be set out 30 days prior to the start of the bear bear baiting season which would be July 26, 2008.

Note: A bear permit is required in addition to a hunting license to hunt for bear from August 25 through November 29, 2008.

Beginning in 2008, a late season bear permit is required in addition to a hunting license for a nonresident to hunt bear during the regular firearm season on deer.

Moose (by permit only): Moose Hunting Information

WMD's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, and 19: September 22, 2008 through September 27, 2008
WMD's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 27, and 28: October 13, 2008 through October 18, 2008
WMD's 15, 16, 23, and 26: November 3, 2008 through November 29, 2008
WMD's 15, 16, 23, and 26 - Maine Resident Only Day: November 1, 2008

Bag and Possession Limit: One may be taken annually, by permit only.

Note: A moose hunting permit is required in addition to a hunting license.

Pheasant, Ruffed Grouse (Partridge), and Bobwhite Quail: October 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008

Bag and Possession Limit:

Pheasant: Daily Bag Limit - 2; Possession Limit - 4
Ruffed Grouse and Bobwhite Quail: Daily Bag Limit - 4; Possession Limit - 8

Note: In York and Cumberland Counties, a pheasant permit is required in addition to a hunting license to hunt or possess pheasant.

Wild Turkey (by permit only): Also see Turkey Hunting Information

Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Day: April 26, 2008
Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Season (Split Season): WMD's 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

Each person who buys a Spring Turkey permit will be authorized to hunt in Season A or Season B.

For the 2008 Spring Turkey hunt, hunters with “even” birth years (years ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8) will be authorized to hunt during Season A. Hunters with "odd” birth years (years ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9) will be authorized to hunt during Season B.

Season A:

Week # 1: April 28, 2008 through May 3, 2008
Week # 4: May 19, 2008 through May 24, 2008
Week # 5: May 26, 2008 through May 31, 2008

Season B:

Week # 2: May 5, 2008 through May 10, 2008
Week # 3: May 12, 2008 through May 17, 2008
Week # 5: May 26, 2008 through May 31, 2008

Bag and Possession Limit: One bearded Wild Turkey.

Hunting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise until 12:00 (noon) local time.

Note: A spring Wild Turkey Hunting Permit is required in addition to a hunting license or archery license to hunt Wild Turkey during the spring Wild Turkey hunting season.

Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Season:

Zone 1 (Archery Only): (WMD's 15, 16, 17, 20, 24, 25, 26) - October 11, 2008 through October 25, 2008

Zone 2 (Archery Only): (WMD's 21, 22, 23) - October 2, 2008 through October 31, 2008

Zone 3 (Archery & Shotgun): (WMD's 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) - October 18, 2008 through October 24, 2008

Bag and Possession Limit: One Wild Turkey either sex, any age.

Hunting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hours after sunset.

Note: A fall Wild Turkey hunting permit and an archery license are required to hunt in Zone 1 and 2. In Zone 3, a fall Wild Turkey hunting permit and a hunting license that allows hunting for big game are required to hunt with a shotgun, and a fall Wild Turkey hunting permit and an archery license are required to hunt with bow and arrow.

Legal Weapons for Fall Season:

Only bow and arrow may be used to hunt Wild Turkey during the fall Wild Turkey hunting season in Zone 1 and Zone 2.

In Zone 3, permit holders may use (with appropriate license), bow and arrow or shotgun guages 10 through 20 using shot sizes 4 through 6.

Crow (Split Season):

WMD's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6: February 15, 2008 through April 15, 2008, and August 1, 2008 through September 30, 2008
WMD's 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29: February 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008, and August 1, 2008 through September 30, 2008