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2020-2021 Season Dates and Bag Limits
Completed 2020-2021 seasons have been updated with 2021-2022 dates.
Deer
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Annual Bag & Possession | ||
| Firearms Season | All | November 1, 2021 | November 27, 2021 | 1 Deer Per Year** |
| Maine Resident Only Day* | All | October 30, 2021 | ||
| Youth Deer Day | All | October 23, 2021 | ||
| Archery/Crossbow | All | October 2, 2021 | October 29, 2021 | |
| Muzzleloader Statewide | All | November 29, 2021 | December 4, 2021 | |
| Muzzleloader | 12, 13, 15-18, 20-26, 29 | December 6, 2021 | December 11, 2021 | |
| Expanded Archery | Designated areas only | September 11, 2021 | December 11, 2021 | |
**Only deer with antlers at least 3 inches long may be taken from October 30-December 11, 2021, 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 | Annual Bag & Possession | ||
| General Hunting Season | All | August 30, 2021 | November 27, 2021 | 2 Bear Per Year 1 by hunting, 1 by trapping |
| Youth Bear Day | All | August 28, 2021 | ||
| Hunting with Dogs | All | September 13, 2021 | October 29, 2021 | |
| Hunting with Bait Bait can be placed July 31, 2021 |
All | August 30, 2021 | September 25, 2021 | |
| Bear Trapping | All | September 1, 2021 | October 31, 2021 | |
Moose (by permit only)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Annual Bag & Possession | ||
| 1- 6, 10, 11, 18, 19, 27, 28 | September 27, 2021 | October 2, 2021 | 1 Moose Per Year by either permittee or sub-permittee |
|
| 1-14, 17-19, 27, 28 | October 11, 2021 | October 16, 2021 | ||
| 1-6 | October 25, 2021 | October 30, 2021 | ||
| Maine Resident Only Day* | 15, 16 | October 30, 2021 | ||
| 15, 16 | November 1, 2021 | November 27, 2021 | ||
Permit application period: February 2021 - 11:59 pm (ET) on May 13, 2021.
* 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.
Spring Wild Turkey (Bow & arrow, crossbow or shotgun)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Seasonal Bag & Possession | ||
| All Hunters | 7 and 9-29 | May 3, 2021 | June 5, 2021 | 2 bearded Wild Turkeys |
| 1-6 and 8 | May 3, 2021 | June 5, 2021 | 1 bearded Wild Turkey* | |
| Youth Spring Wild Turkey Day | May 1, 2021 | 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.
Fall Wild Turkey (Bow & arrow or shotgun)
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Seasonal Bag & Possession | ||
| General Hunting Season | 15-17, 20-25 | September 20, 2021 | November 6, 2021 | 5 Wild Turkeys either sex, any age** |
| 26 | September 20, 2021 | November 6, 2021 | 3 Wild Turkeys either sex, any age** | |
| 28 | September 20, 2021 | November 6, 2021 | 2 Wild Turkeys either sex, any age** | |
| 6, 10-13, 18, 19, 27 & 29 | September 20, 2021 | November 6, 2021 | 1 Wild Turkey either sex, any age** | |
| 1-5, 7-9, 14 | Closed to taking of Wild Turkeys | |||
| Youth Fall Wild Turkey Day | September 18, 2021 | |||
** 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. No more than two wild turkeys may be harvested per permit holder per day.
Upland and Migratory Birds
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag | Possession | ||
| Ruffed Grouse & Bobwhite Quail | All | September 25, 2021 | December 31, 2021 | 4 | 8 |
| Pheasant | All | September 25, 2021 | December 31, 2021 | 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 5, 2021 August 2, 2021 |
April 15, 2021 September 24, 2021 |
No Limit | |
| 7-29 | January 21, 2021 August 2, 2021 |
March 31, 2021 September 24, 2021 |
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Other Species
| Seasons | WMDs | Dates | Limits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | Last Day | Daily Bag | Possession | ||
| Gray Squirrel | All | September 25, 2021 | December 31, 2021 | 4 | 8 |
| Gray Squirrel (Falconry) | All | September 25, 2021 | February 28, 2022 | 4 | 8 |
| Snowshoe Hare | All | September 25, 2021 | March 31, 2022 | 4 | 8 |
| Snowshoe Hare | Vinalhaven Island, Knox County |
September 25, 2021 | February 28, 2022 | 4 | 8 |
| Bobcat | All | December 1, 2021 | February 21, 2022 | No Limit | |
| Fox | All | October 18, 2021 | February 28, 2022 | No Limit | |
| Raccoon | All | October 1, 2021 | December 31, 2021 | No Limit | |
| Skunk, Opossum | All | October 18, 2021 | December 31, 2021 | No Limit | |
| Coyote Night Hunt | All | December 16, 2020 | August 31, 2021 | 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.