Home → Hunting & Trapping → Hunting Laws & Rules → Season Dates and Bag Limits
2018-2019 Season Dates and Bag Limits
Deer
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag & Posession | ||
| Firearms Season | All | October 29, 2018 | November 24, 2018 | 1 Deer Per Year** |
| Maine Resident Only Day* | All | October 27, 2018 | ||
| Youth Deer Day | All | October 20, 2018 | ||
| Archery | All | September 28, 2018 | October 26, 2018 | |
| Muzzleloader Statewide | All | November 26, 2017 | December 1, 2018 | |
| Muzzleloader | 12, 13, 15-18, 20-26, 29 | December 3, 2018 | December 8, 2018 | |
| Expanded Archery | Designated areas only | September 8, 2018 | December 8, 2018 | |
**Only deer with antlers at least 3 inches long may be taken from October 27-December 8, except that any deer may be taken in designated WMDs by hunters with any-deer permits.
Exceptions: Additional deer may be taken by participating in the Expanded Archery Season, or by anyone possessing a bonus antlerless deer permit or superpack antlerless deer permit.
Note: In WMDs where no any-deer permits are issued, it is bucks only for youth hunters on youth deer day and also bucks only for archers during the archery season on deer.
Bear
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag & Posession | ||
| General Hunting Season | All | August 27, 2018 | November 24, 2018 | 2 Bear Per Year 1 by hunting, 1 by trapping |
| Youth Bear Day | All | August 25, 2018 | ||
| Hunting with Dogs | All | September 10, 2018 | October 26, 2018 | |
| Hunting with Bait Bait can be placed July 28 |
All | August 27, 2018 | September 22, 2018 | |
Moose (by permit only)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag & Posession | ||
| 1- 6, 11, 19 | September 24, 2018 | September 29, 2018 | 1 Moose Per Year by either permittee or sub-permittee |
|
| 1-14, 17-19, 27, 28 | October 8, 2018 | October 13, 2018 | ||
| 15, 16 | October 29, 2018 | November 24, 2018 | ||
| Maine Resident Only Day* | 15, 16 | October 27, 2018 | ||
| 1-4, 19 | October 22, 2018 | October 27, 2018 | ||
Permit application period: January through April 1
* 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 prohibited by 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.
Spring Wild Turkey (Bow & arrow, crossbow or shotgun)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag & Posession | ||
| General Hunting Season | 7, 9-29 | April 30, 2018 | June 2, 2018 | 2 bearded Wild Turkeys |
| 8 | April 30, 2018 | June 2, 2018 | 1 bearded Wild Turkey* | |
| Season A Week 1 (even year birth) |
1-6 | April 30, 2018 | May 5, 2018 | |
| Season A Week 2 (even year birth) |
1-6 | May 14, 2018 | May 19, 2018 | |
| Season B Week 3 (odd year birth) |
1-6 | May 7, 2018 | May 12, 2018 | |
| Season B Week 4 (odd year birth) |
1-6 | May 21, 2018 | May 26, 2018 | |
| All Hunters | 1-6 | May 28, 2018 | June 2, 2018 | |
| Youth Spring Wild Turkey Day | April 28, 2018 | |||
Fall Wild Turkey (Bow & arrow or shotgun)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag & Posession | ||
| General Hunting Season | 15-17, 20-25, 28 | October 1, 2017 | November 7, 2018 | 2 Wild Turkeys either sex, any age |
| 10-13, 18, 19, 26, 27, 29 | October 1, 2018 | November 7, 2018 | 1 Wild Turkey either sex, any age* | |
| 1-9, 14 | Closed to Fall Turkey hunting | |||
*May take up to 2 turkeys for the season, but the second turkey must come from a WMD listed as having a two bird limit.
Upland and Migratory Birds
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag | Posession | ||
| Ruffed Grouse & Bobwhite Quail | All | October 1, 2018 | December 31, 2018 | 4 | 8 |
| Pheasant | All | October 1, 2018 | December 31, 2018 | 2 | 4 |
| Woodcock | All | See migratory game bird laws for more information | |||
| Common Snipe | All | ||||
| Ducks, Geese, Sea Ducks (Scoter, Eider, Long-Tailed Duck) |
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| Sora & Virginia Rails (and Gallinules) |
All | ||||
| Crows | 1-6 | February 3, 2018 August 1, 2018 |
April 14, 2018 September 22, 2018 |
No Limit | |
| 7-29 | January 20, 2018 August 1, 2018 |
March 31, 2018 September 22, 2018 |
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Other Species
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag | Posession | ||
| Gray Squirrel | All | October 1, 2018 | December 31, 2018 | 4 | 8 |
| Gray Squirrel (Falconry) | All | October 1, 2018 | February 28, 2019 | 4 | 8 |
| Snowshoe Hare | All | October 1, 2018 | March 31, 2019 | 4 | 8 |
| Snowshoe Hare | Vinalhaven Island, Knox County |
October 1, 2018 | February 28, 2019 | 4 | 8 |
| Bobcat | All | December 1, 2018 | February 21, 2019 | No Limit | |
| Fox | All | October 15, 2018 | February 28, 2019 | No Limit | |
| Raccoon | All | October 1, 2018 | December 31, 2018 | No Limit | |
| Skunk, Opossum | All | October 15, 2018 | December 31, 2018 | No Limit | |
| Coyote Night Hunt | All | December 18, 2018 | August 31, 2019 | No Limit | |
| Coyote, Woodchuck, Porcupine, Red Squirrel | All | No Closed Season for Hunting | |||
| 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.