SUMMARY OF MAINE HUNTING LAWS 2020-2021 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife | Season dates for hunting are revised annually. Information appearing in this book may not be valid after July 2021. 3 1 2 6 5 4 10 11 9 8 14 18 19 7 17 13 28 27 26 12 16 23 25 15 22 21 29 20 24 MAINE’S WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS For a more detailed map and information on WMDs, please visit mefishwildlife.com DIGITAL VERSION AVAILABLE Download a PDF copy of this book at mefishwildlife.com/huntinglaws SUMMARY OF HUNTING LAWS to easily reference from your TABLE OF CONTENTS computer or mobile device. LAWS OF THE MAINE OUTDOORS ..... 2 Supervision of Junior Hunters ....................17 Bear Hunting with a Maine Guide ..............27 2020-21 MAINE HUNTING SEASONS . 4 Youth Hunting Days.....................................17 Laws Regarding Registration .......................27 LICENSING INFORMATION .................. 6 DEER HUNTING.....................................18 2020 Bear Seasons & Bag Limits .................27 Who Needs a License?....................................6 Deer Hunting Prohibitions ..........................18 BEAR TRAPPING ................................. 28 What Are the Requirements? ........................6 Areas Closed to Deer Hunting .....................18 Bear Trapping Permit ...................................28 How Are Licenses Obtained? .........................6 Areas Open to Deer Hunting .......................18 Design & Deployment Standards ................28 Definitions......................................................6 Deer Permits & Licenses ..............................18 Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Special Licenses ..............................................7 Deer Population Monitoring Project ...........19 Program ........................................................28 Outdoor Safety Courses .................................7 Reporting Accidents & Aiding Victims .......20 Legal Devices ................................................28 Apprentice Hunter License ............................7 Harassment of Hunters ...............................20 HUNTING AREAS ................................. 29 2020-21 Apprentice Hunter License and 2020 Deer Seasons & Bag Limits ................20 State Parks and Historic Sites .....................29 Permit Fees .....................................................7 CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE ............21 Wildlife Management District Map ............29 2020-21 License and Permit Fees .................8 What is CWD? ..............................................21 Public Reserved Lands .................................29 Lifetime License Fees .....................................9 Regulations on Feeding Deer .......................21 Wildlife Management Areas .......................29 Maine Lifetime License ..................................9 Waste of Game .............................................21 National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) ...............29 Superpack License ..........................................9 MDIFW Check Stations ...............................21 White Mountain National Forest ................30 License Revocation Information .................10 National Park Service ...................................30 MOOSE HUNTING ................................ 22 GENERAL HUNTING LAWS ..................11 Moose Hunting Permit ................................22 Baxter State Park ..........................................30 Prohibition Regarding Selling 2020 Moose Permit Hunt Seasons & Closed and Special Regulation Areas ..........30 of Wild Animals ............................................11 Bag Limits .....................................................22 Railroad Tracks .............................................30 Night Hunting .............................................11 WILD TURKEY HUNTING .................... 23 Native American Territory ..........................31 Raccoon Hunting .........................................11 Landowner Privileges...................................23 HUNTING/TRAPPING ON PRIVATE Placement of Bait .........................................11 Wild Turkey to Be Tagged ............................23 PROPERTY .............................................31 Minimum Shooting Distances .....................11 Wild Turkey Transportation ........................23 Commercial Shooting Areas ........................32 Target Identification While Hunting ..........12 Wild Turkey Registration.............................23 LEGAL HUNTING HOURS ................... 33 Tagging, Transportation & Registration ....12 Wild Turkey Hunting Prohibitions .............23 MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS .................. 34 Time Limits for Registering.........................13 Wild Turkey Legal Hunting Hours ..............23 Summary of Federal Regulations ................35 Condition of Animal Presented Wild Turkey Licensing, Permit, Phone Numbers You Might Need ................35 for Registration ............................................13 & Who May Hunt .........................................23 Maine Migratory Hunting Zones Map ........35 Possession of Gift Bear, Deer, Moose, Spring Wild Turkey Hunting .......................24 2020-21 Migratory Game Birds Seasons or Wild Turkey ..............................................13 Fall Wild Turkey Hunting ............................24 & Bag Limits .................................................36 Hunting with Dogs and Dog Training .........13 2020-21 Wild Turkey Seasons & Laws Specific to Merrymeeting Bay ............38 LAWS PERTAINING TO HUNTING Bag Limits .....................................................24 Duck Stamp Art Contest ..............................38 EQUIPMENT ...........................................14 OTHER SPECIES HUNTING................. 25 Harvest Information Program ....................38 General Laws ................................................14 Other Species Permits & Licenses ...............25 Stamp Requirements ...................................38 Firearms Laws ..............................................14 2020-21 Other Species Seasons & Field Possession Limit .................................39 Disturbing Traps ..........................................14 Bag Limits .....................................................25 Importation ..................................................39 Trail/Game Cameras Law .............................14 BEAR HUNTING ................................... 26 Band Recovery Reports ................................39 Archery Information ....................................15 Bear Hunting Permit ....................................26 Barrow’s Goldeneye ......................................39 Hunter Orange Clothing Requirements .....15 Landowner Privileges...................................26 2020-21 Migratory Bird Hunter’s Time Crossbow Information .................................16 Bait ................................................................26 & Tide Table ..................................................40 Observation Stands .....................................16 Legal Hunting Equipment ...........................26 MAINE IF&W CONTACTS .....................41 JUNIOR HUNTERS ................................17 Bear Hunting Prohibitions ..........................26 Junior Hunting Licenses .............................17 2 LAWS OF THE MAINE OUTDOORS - DIGITAL LAWS OF THE MAINE OUTDOORS Being a responsible user of the Maine outdoors means staying informed of, and complying with, the current laws and rules. This book, published by the Maine Department WHY DIGITAL LAW BOOKS? of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), is In 2016, we printed over 700,000 law books. That’s a designed to help you quickly find and understand lot of paper and a lot of money diverted from Maine’s the hunting rules that apply to you. We’ve also fish and wildlife. included handy tools to help you stay in compliance, like charts of legal hunting hours already adjusted for sunrise and sunset. And in the back, you’ll find MDIFW contact info, including regional game With 77% of the U.S. population using smartphones warden communication centers. in 2017, our agency’s mission clearly directed us to Our popular summary guides make it easy to find make a shift. And while we are still printing some and follow the laws and rules that apply to you, books (available at license agent locations), we’re asking you to do your part and make use of the no matter what outdoor activity you’re interested convenient and responsible digital options. in. And now, our NEW digital formats allow you As a bonus, the digital options are searchable and to quickly check a technical rule, confirm legal always on hand, as long as you have your mobile hunting hours, look up best practices and more— device. If you always keep it on you (and charged) to from anywhere, anytime. take photos or use the GPS, this is a no-brainer. 2020-21 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES HUNTING QUESTIONS? CALL 207 287-8000 LAWS OF THE MAINE OUTDOORS - DIGITAL 3 NO CELL COVERAGE IN THE WOODS? NO PROBLEM. Just go to mefishwildlife.com/laws and browse by activity. Before you head into the woods, follow these instructions to save an offline law book or quick-reference guide to your mobile device. FROM YOUR IPHONE FROM YOUR ANDROID FROM YOUR COMPUTER 1. Download the Adobe 1. In Chrome, go to: Go to mefishwildlife.com/laws Acrobat Reader app. mefishwildlife.com/laws. to save a copy and/or print just 2. In Safari, go to: 2. Select the link for the PDF the pages you need.