Firearms hunting season for deer is finally within sight
 Maine's firearms hunting season starts Saturday, October 28 for Maine residents (Monday, October 30 for nonresidents)?
Hopefully you are already making final preparations for one of Maine's most anticipated seasons, but if not, there's still time. Maine's deer hunt offers exciting opportunities from start to finish! Sight in your rifle, scent proof your clothes, do some last minute scouting, and remember, safety first!?
Here are a few safety reminders:
- Always treat every firearm as if it is loaded
- Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times
- Always carry your firearm in a safe manner
- Be sure of your target and beyond
- Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return
- Always have a survival kit and compass, even the most experienced outdoors people can get turned around in the dark
Always be a good land user.?Always ask permission before hunting on private property and learn what matters most to the landowner. Keep it clean, legal, and respectful. Don't forget to label all tree stands and game cameras with your contact information, and ask for permission before putting them on private property (game cameras require written permission).?It is up to us, today's hunters, to help maintain access for generations to come.
CWD is a fatal nervous system disease that impacts cervid (deer family) mammals. In deer, it has a 100% mortality rate and would be devastating to Maine?s deer hunting tradition.
CWD has not been detected in Maine. The nearest population with CWD is in Pennsylvania, though it was found in New York in 2005 (but not since).? We continue to monitor and test Maine's cervid populations for CWD. Together we can help protect Maine's white-tailed deer.
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Follow Maine?s import laws.?It is illegal to transport wild deer, caribou, moose, or elk carcass parts into Maine from any state or province except NH. Hunters may return to Maine only with boned-out meat, hardened antlers (with or without skull caps), hides without the head portion, and finished taxidermy mounts. If still attached, skull caps should be cleaned free of brain and other tissues.
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When hunting out of state, take extra precautions.?When hunting deer, moose, caribou, or elk outside of Maine, take necessary steps to avoid handling, transporting, or consuming CWD-infected specimens, click here for instructions. Hunters returning from hunts in jurisdictions with CWD should very thoroughly clean their gear (such as boots + knives) before returning to Maine and entering the Maine woods.
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Don?t use urine-based lures. Instead, hunters should use synthetic, non-urine-based lures.?
Permits are still available for purchase in?WMDs 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 29
As of October 24 there are still antlerless deer permits available for purchase in WMDs 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 29. If you have not already purchased an antlerless deer permit, you may do so online at mefishwildlife.com/deerpermit
Click here for a WMD map.
Beginning Monday, November 6 at 9:30AM hunters will be able to purchase a second Extra Antlerless Deer Permit online.?
Have you purchased a permit but can't remember your permit number or information?
You can look up your permit using the?Purchased Permit Lookup.
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