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Furbearers & Other Species Hunting
On this page:
- Furbearers Permits & Licenses
- Other Species Permits and Licenses
- 2025-2026 Seasons and Bag Limits on Other Species
Furbearers Permits & Licenses
Bobcat Hunting
Hunters must tag bobcat within 10 days of when the animal was harvested. Bobcat can only be tagged by MDIFW staff. If a skin or animal will be frozen at the time of tagging, skin out and insert a stick the thickness of your pinky from the mouth hole through one of the eye holes before freezing. A lower lateral incisor, lower canine tooth, or lower jaw (preferred) and tissue sample (small piece of tongue) must be submitted when the bobcat is tagged. Hunters are responsible for labeling bobcat samples with species, sex, and seal number. Please include your name with the sample in case there are any questions and email or phone number if you would like the age results. If a hunter has any questions or issues submitting their samples, please contact Shevenell Webb, Furbearer Biologist at (207) 287-8776.
Bobcat Lateral incisors are very small and easy to extract when animal is fresh by running a knife down each side of the tooth. Replacement teeth or age results can be requested by including name and contact information with your sample.
Coyote Hunting
Coyote hunting is permitted year-round during daylight hunting hours. Coyotes taken by hunting must be tagged and registered prior to being bought, sold, traded, or transported out of state. However, unregistered coyotes can be gifted (see below).
A Coyote Night Hunting Permit is available for $4 plus agent fee, and allows a person to hunt coyote at night from December 16 - August 31. "At night" means a 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise. To hunt coyotes at night, hunters must be in possession of a predator calling device (electronic, hand-held, or mouth-operated). The use of artificial lights to hunt coyote at night is permitted. The use of dogs to hunt coyote at night is prohibited.
Gifting Coyotes
The Department allows the gifting of unregistered coyotes. A tag must be attached to each gifted coyote with the name and hunting or trapping license number of the person who harvested the coyote, the harvest method (hunt or trap), harvest date, and harvest town. Contact the Furbearer Biologist at (207) 287-8776 if you want to know who may be interested in gifted coyotes.
Fox Hunting
All red fox and gray fox taken by hunting must be tagged within 10 days after the fox hunting season closes.
Raccoon Hunting
Raccoons may be hunted at night during the open season only when the hunter:
- Is accompanied by a dog.
- Uses a rifle or handgun of no greater power than one which uses .22 caliber long rifle ammunition.
- Loads the rifle or handgun only when dispatching a raccoon that is treed or held at bay by a dog or dogs and has been identified by flashlight.
Furbearer Tagging Locations
Bobcat and river otter must be tagged by Department staff. Other furs may be tagged at a fur tagging station (see trapping laws). Furs may also be tagged at any of the Department offices, but please call ahead to ensure someone will be there.
Other Species Permits & Licenses
Crows
Crows are neither migratory waterfowl nor migratory game birds. The use of lead shot and shotguns capable of holding more than three shells is permitted. A migratory waterfowl stamp is not required.
Falconry License
A falconry license, in addition to a regular hunting license, is required of persons who engage in falconry. Copies of the regulations pertaining to this type of hunting are available upon request. To obtain a falconry license, contact MDIFW.
Pheasant Permit
A Pheasant Permit is required for hunters 16 years of age or older hunting on an adult license, in order to hunt or possess pheasant in Cumberland and York counties (permit is not required to hunt or possess pheasant throughout the remainder of the State). Revenue derived from this permit is dedicated to the acquisition of pheasants which are raised and released by private fish and game clubs in partnership with MDIFW.
Learn more about Maine's pheasant hunting program and see current pheasant stocking sites.
2025-2026 Other Species Seasons and Bag Limits
| 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 |
| Crow | See Migratory Game Birds Seasons & Bag Limits | ||||
| 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. All dates are inclusive except that hunting is prohibited on Sunday.