Get ready for hunting season with the latest hunting lawbook!
Plan your next hunting trip with updated season dates and bag limits, legal hunting hours, and new laws. Being a responsible user of the Maine outdoors means staying informed of, and complying with, the current laws and rules.
Search Maine Hunting Laws
2025-2026 Summary of Maine Hunting Laws (PDF)
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Updated Laws and Rules for 2025
Federal Migratory E-Stamp: Federal Duck Stamps can now be purchased online at duckstamp.com! Reminder that adult hunters need a federal and state migratory waterfowl permit to hunt waterfowl in Maine, and junior hunters need a federal migratory waterfowl permit.
Landowner Privilege: Maine resident landowners and their immediate family members may hunt without a license using firearms, archery or muzzleloader on land they own and reside upon, provided the land exceeds 10 or more contiguous acres in size. The landowner privilege is not available to hunters with revoked or suspended licenses, and does not apply to moose hunting, for which a license is still required. Landowner privilege eligibility requirements differ for turkey hunting, learn about landowner privilege for turkey hunting.
Either-Sex Deer Hunting in Designated WMDs: For 2025, in WMDs 21-25 and 29 during the firearms and muzzleloader seasons, hunters may harvest one deer, either antlered or antlerless, under the authority of their big game hunting license. This deer counts as the hunter's one deer for the year. Additional deer cannot be taken unless the hunter purchases an antlerless deer permit. Learn more about deer hunting.
Fox Hunting: All red fox and gray fox taken by hunting must be tagged within 10 days after the fox hunting season closes.
Abandoned Ladder, Observation Stand, or Trail/Game Camera on Private Property: If a landowner or landowner's representative finds an abandoned ladder or observation stand or an abandoned camera or electronic surveillance equipment (trail/game camera), and the owner of that abandoned equipment is unknown, the landowner or the landowner's representative may take ownership of the equipment. The landowner or the landowner's representative may remove, destroy, sell or possess the abandoned ladder or observation stand, or the abandoned camera or electronic surveillance equipment. Learn more about Hunting and Trapping on Private Property.
Dog Training Season on Bear: There was an error in the 2024-2025 hunting law book that was corrected in the 2025-2026 law book: Nonresidents, including Nonresident Maine Guides, are not eligible to train dogs on bear in Maine. Learn more about hunting with dogs and dog training.
No cell coverage in the woods? No problem.
Just visit mefishwildlife.com/laws and browse by activity. Before you head for your hunt, save an offline law book or quick reference guide to your mobile device, save a copy to your computer or print the pages you need for reference.
NEW: Download ME Outdoors, MDIFW's mobile app, to your phone before you go! Hunting law books and license and permit holdings in your app are available offline.
Download the app today on the App Story or Google Play by searching "ME Outdoors" or click here.
Reminder: You need to update your app to the latest version to see the new hunting laws.
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