Maine Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for Maine, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
4 of 11 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
Maine Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for Maine including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Coming Up in Maine
Seasons opening in the next 60 days
Nov 2-7, 2026
Opens in 19 days
Nov 9-14, 2026
Opens in 26 days
Nov 16-21, 2026
Opens in 33 days
Nov 23-28, 2026
Opens in 40 days
Recorded Season Windows
All Maine hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 8 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 6 - Nov 21, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Archery only begins | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Nov 2-7, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | WMD1 antlered regular firearms — Sundays excluded | Opens in 19d | Actual2026–27 MDIFW calendar/PDF1 lists Nov2–28 regular firearms for all WMDs; PDF2 says hunting is prohibited on Sunday. WMD1 antlered base dates are expanded into four Monday–Saturday windows, excluding Nov8,15,22. Oct31 resident-only day, youth, archery, muzzleloader and antlerless eligibility are not this slice. Check current WMD1 map/boundaries, hunting license/permit or exemptions, antlered annual limit, legal firearm/ammunition and hunter-orange rules, shooting hours, tagging/reporting, CWD, land permission/access and closures; not individual permission. Historical north/south labels and license-year metadata remain unverified. | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Nov 9-14, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | WMD1 antlered regular firearms — Sundays excluded | Opens in 26d | Actual2026–27 MDIFW calendar/PDF1 lists Nov2–28 regular firearms for all WMDs; PDF2 says hunting is prohibited on Sunday. WMD1 antlered base dates are expanded into four Monday–Saturday windows, excluding Nov8,15,22. Oct31 resident-only day, youth, archery, muzzleloader and antlerless eligibility are not this slice. Check current WMD1 map/boundaries, hunting license/permit or exemptions, antlered annual limit, legal firearm/ammunition and hunter-orange rules, shooting hours, tagging/reporting, CWD, land permission/access and closures; not individual permission. Historical north/south labels and license-year metadata remain unverified. | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Nov 16-21, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | WMD1 antlered regular firearms — Sundays excluded | Upcoming | Actual2026–27 MDIFW calendar/PDF1 lists Nov2–28 regular firearms for all WMDs; PDF2 says hunting is prohibited on Sunday. WMD1 antlered base dates are expanded into four Monday–Saturday windows, excluding Nov8,15,22. Oct31 resident-only day, youth, archery, muzzleloader and antlerless eligibility are not this slice. Check current WMD1 map/boundaries, hunting license/permit or exemptions, antlered annual limit, legal firearm/ammunition and hunter-orange rules, shooting hours, tagging/reporting, CWD, land permission/access and closures; not individual permission. Historical north/south labels and license-year metadata remain unverified. | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Nov 23-28, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | WMD1 antlered regular firearms — Sundays excluded | Upcoming | Actual2026–27 MDIFW calendar/PDF1 lists Nov2–28 regular firearms for all WMDs; PDF2 says hunting is prohibited on Sunday. WMD1 antlered base dates are expanded into four Monday–Saturday windows, excluding Nov8,15,22. Oct31 resident-only day, youth, archery, muzzleloader and antlerless eligibility are not this slice. Check current WMD1 map/boundaries, hunting license/permit or exemptions, antlered annual limit, legal firearm/ammunition and hunter-orange rules, shooting hours, tagging/reporting, CWD, land permission/access and closures; not individual permission. Historical north/south labels and license-year metadata remain unverified. | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Nov 1-29, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Firearms season - south | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Oct 27 - Nov 22, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Firearms - north (residents) | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 30 - Dec 6, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Muzzleloader week | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | May 3-30, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Spring season | |
Moose 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Sep 29 - Nov 29, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Lottery hunt | |
Bear 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Aug 25 - Nov 29, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | General bear season | |
Got your license ready to show?
Store credentials offline in Hunter Passport
Maine Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Jan 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025
- Available Species
-
- Bear
- Deer
- Moose
- Turkey
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Rifle/Firearm
- Muzzleloader
- Any Legal Method
- Wildlife Agency
- Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for Maine
Only WMD1 antlered regular firearms base dates were reviewed from the actual2026–27 calendar, split into four Monday–Saturday windows because Sunday hunting is prohibited. Oct31 resident-only day and other hunt/species/antlerless eligibility are excluded. Current map, permits/license, legal firearm/ammunition, orange, hours, tagging, CWD, permission/access and closures require checks. Historical north/south labels, other records and license-year metadata remain unverified.
Hunting Method Legend
Maine Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in Maine
What are the hunting season dates for Maine?
Recorded Maine entries cover Bear, Deer, Moose, Turkey. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in Maine?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-09-06 to 2025-11-21; 2026-11-02 to 2026-11-07; 2026-11-09 to 2026-11-14; 2026-11-16 to 2026-11-21; 2026-11-23 to 2026-11-28; 2025-11-01 to 2025-11-29; 2025-10-27 to 2025-11-22; 2025-11-30 to 2025-12-06. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does Maine require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current Maine agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in Maine?
The next recorded window is Deer starting Nov 2, 2026. Check its row evidence and current regulations; the record may be unverified.
What should I know about hunting in Maine?
Only WMD1 antlered regular firearms base dates were reviewed from the actual2026–27 calendar, split into four Monday–Saturday windows because Sunday hunting is prohibited. Oct31 resident-only day and other hunt/species/antlerless eligibility are excluded. Current map, permits/license, legal firearm/ammunition, orange, hours, tagging, CWD, permission/access and closures require checks. Historical north/south labels, other records and license-year metadata remain unverified.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
Need a Maine Hunting License?
Store your ME license in Hunter Passport for instant offline access.
Your license shouldn't be harder to access than these regulations.
Hunter Passport stores every state's hunting license on your phone. Works without signal — three seconds from tap to warden.