Hunting Report Archery Duck Deer

Who needs a hunting license?

Anyone 10 years of age and over must obtain a license to hunt wild birds or wild animals (except Maine resident landowners may hunt without a license on land they own and reside on provided the land exceeds 10 acres in size and is used exclusively for agricultural purposes).

Children under 10 years of age are not allowed to hunt.

Hunters between the ages of 10 and 15 must possess a junior license.

Hunters 16 years of age and over must possess an adult license to hunt.  (NOTE:  A Junior License holder who turns 16 may hunt with that Junior License for the remainder of the year, but must complete a hunter safety course prior to hunting without adult supervision.

Hunters 16 years of age and over wishing to hunt with bow and arrow during the Special or Expanded Archery Seasons must obtain the appropriate archery license.

What are the requirements for obtaining a hunting license?

Applicants for an adult hunting license must show proof of having previously held an adult license to hunt with firearms in any year beginning with 1976 or successful completion of an approved hunter safety course.  Residents must provide proof of residency when applying for a license.

To obtain an adult archery hunting license, you must show proof of having held an adult license to hunt with bow and arrow in any year since 1979 or successful completion of an archery education course.

Convicted felons who have not been issued a permit to carry a firearm CANNOT PURCHASE OR POSSESS a firearms hunting license in Maine or a Specialized Hunting Guide License  (Title 15, sub§393, sub-§§ 1 & 2).

Other hunting license provisions:

You are required to keep your hunting license and any necessary permits with you while hunting or transporting wild birds and wild animals and must show it to any warden, law enforcement officer, Department employee, guide or landowner upon whose land you are hunting if requested.

Any license issued by the Department must be signed prior to use.

Crossbow Hunting License

To be eligible to purchase a crossbow hunting license, the customer must hold a valid license to hunt big game (either a Big Game Hunting License or an Archery License).

Customers must submit proof of having successfully completed an archery hunting education course and a crossbow hunting course or satisfactory evidence of having previously held adult archery and crossbow hunting licenses in this State or any other state, province or country in any year after 1979. When proof or evidence cannot be provided, the applicant may substitute a signed affidavit.

A resident or nonresident 10 years of age or older and under 16 years of age may hunt with a crossbow if that person holds a valid junior hunting license (no crossbow license required).

With a valid crossbow hunting license, a person may hunt bear with a crossbow during the open season on bear and may hunt deer with a crossbow during the open firearm season on deer. The crossbow hunting license may not be used to hunt deer during the archery season, muzzleloading season, or expanded archery season.

The fees for the crossbow hunting license are as follows: Resident = $25.00*; Non-Resident = $48.00*; Alien = $72.00*. All fees are shown on the 2006 license. (*Plus the agent fee.)

In regard to convicted felons, the same law applies to the crossbow hunting license as applies to the firearm hunting license. A convicted felon is not allowed to buy either license unless they have a permit to carry a firearm or crossbow which may be obtained from the Department of Public Safety (624-7210).

HUNTING LICENSE FEES (prices listed below do not include the agent fee)

A duplicate may be obtained from the license agent who issued original license for $2.00

RESIDENT  Superpack $200.00 Crossbow Hunting $25.00
Hunting (16 & older) $21.00
Bear Permit (required to hunt bear outside of the regular firearm season on deer) $27.00
Small Game Hunting* (16 & older) $14.00
Combination Hunting & Fishing (16 & older) $38.00 Junior Hunting (10 to 15 years inclusive) $7.00 Combination Hunting & Fishing (70 & older) free Combination Fishing/Archery (16 & older) $38.00 Serviceman Dependent Combination Hunting & Fishing $20.00
Disabled War Veteran (resident) free Archery Hunting (16 & older) $21.00 Archery Hunting (70 & older) free
Expanded Archery (Antlerless Deer) $12.00
Expanded Archery (Antlered Deer) $32.00
Muzzle-loading (10 & older) $13.00
Muzzle-loading (70 & older) free
Fall Turkey $20.00
Spring Turkey $20.00 Duplicate $2.00

* NOTE: A SMALL GAME LICENSE permits the hunting of all species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat.