Hunting Seasons and Dates

When Can I Hunt in Maine?

The good news: Maine’s hunting seasons are fairly straightforward, making it easy to plan your hunts throughout the year based on your target game. That said, if you’re hoping to hunt moose, keep in mind that these hunts are permit-onlyand require advance planning.

Season dates can also vary by Wildlife Management District (WMD), so it’s important to check the specific regulations for the area where you plan to hunt.

The information in this guide reflects the latest updates from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW). We’ll continue updating it as new season details become available.

As always, we recommend confirming current season dates and regulations through official MDIFW resources before finalizing your hunting plans.

Deer

• Expanded Archery (Designated Areas Only): September 6 – December 13, 2025
• Regular Archery: October 4 – 31, 2025
• Youth Deer: October 24 – 25, 2025
• Maine Residents-Only Day: November 1, 2025
• Firearms: November 3 – 29, 2025
• Muzzleloader (Statewide): December 1 – 6, 2025
• Muzzleloader (WMDs 12, 23, 15-18, 20-26, 29): December 8 – 13, 2025

Bear

• Youth Bear Day: August 12, 2025
• General Season: August 25 – November 29, 2025
• Hunting with Bait: August 25 – September 20, 2025
• Trapping: September 1 – October 31, 2025
• Hunting with Dogs: September 8 – October 31, 2025

When hunting with bait, hunters can place the bait on July 27, 2025.

Moose

Moose hunts are by permit only. The permit application period runs from April through May each year.

• Antlerless (WMD 4A): TBD
• Bull (WMDs 1-6, 10, 11, 18, 19, 27, & 28): Setember 22 – 27, 2025
• Bull (WMDs 1-15, 17-19, 27, & 28): October 13 – 18, 2025
• Antleress (WMDs 1-6 & 8): October 27 – November 1, 2025

Turkey

Spring

Archery or Shotgun

• All Hunters (WMDs 7, 9-29): April 28 – May 31, 2025
• Youth Day: April 26, 2025

Fall

Archery or Shotgun

• General (WMDs 15-17, 20-25, 26, 28, 6-8, 10-14, 18, 19, 27, 29, 1-5, & 9): September 15 – November 7, 2025
• Youth Day: September 13, 2025

Maine Waterfowl Season

• Ducks
  • North Zone: September 29 – December 6, 2025
  • South Zone: October 1 – 11, 2025 and October 29 – December 25, 2025
  • Coastal Zone: October 4 – 11, 2025 and November 6, 2025 – January 6, 2026
• Canada Goose (Early, All Zones): September 1 – 25, 2025
• Canada Goose (Regular, White-fronted):
  • North Zone: October 1 – December 9, 2025
  • South Zone: October 1 – 11, 2025 and October 29 – December 25, 2025
  • Coastal Zone: October 4 – 11, 2025 and October 25, 2025 – January 6, 2026
• Snow Geese: October 1, 2025 – January 30, 2026
• Brant:
  • North Zone: September 20 – November 1, 2025
  • South Zone: October 1 – 11, 2025 and October 29 – November 20, 2025
  • Coastal Zone: October 4 – 11, 2025 and December 11, 2025 – January 6, 2026
• Youth Waterfowl Hunts:
  • North Zone: September 20, 2025 and December 13, 2025
  • South Zone: September 20, 2025 and October 18, 2025
  • Coastal Zone: September 27, 2025 and October 18, 2025

Upland Birds

• Crows:
  • WMDs 1-6: August 1 – September 20, 2025 and February 2 – April 15, 2026
  • WMDs 7-29: August 1 – September 20, 2025 and January 17 – March 31, 2026
• Snipe: September 1, 2025 – January 2, 2026
• Woodcock: September 27 – November 18, 2025
• Rails: September 1 – November 20, 2025

Other Wild Game

• Gray Squirrel: September 27 – December 31, 2025
• Snowshoe Hare: September 27 – March 31, 2026 and September 27 – February 28, 2026 (Island of Vinhaven)
• Coyote:
  • Daylight: No closed season
  • Night Hunting: December 16, 2025 – August 31, 2026