GENERAL HUNTING LAWS 11
GENERAL HUNTING LAWS
To hunt means to pursue , catch , take , kill or harvest wild birds and wild animals ( wild by nature , whether or not bred or reared in captivity ), including any physical part of that species of mammal or bird .
Unlawful Conduct : The hunting , possession , transporting of any species of wild animal or wild bird , or parts thereof , for which an open hunting season is not specifically provided , and except as provided in the fish and wildlife laws , is unlawful . It is also unlawful to take , possess , or needlessly destroy the nest or eggs of any wild bird except the English or European house sparrow , the European starling and the rock pigeon ( a . k . a . rock dove ).
You Need a Hide Dealer ’ s License To : Commercially buy , sell , barter , or trade any raw , untanned animal hides ( including fur-bearing animals ) or parts of wild animals or birds not prohibited above .
Any parts bought or sold may not be attached to wild animal or wild bird parts that are prohibited from being sold .
Contact MDIFW if you are interested in becoming a Hide Dealer or you are looking for a list of dealers in the state at ( 207 ) 287-8000 .
NIGHT HUNTING Except as otherwise provided , wild birds and wild animals may not be hunted from ½ hour after sunset until ½ hour before sunrise the following day .
Exceptions : migratory game bird , ( see page 40 ), raccoon ( see below ), and coyote ( see page 25 ).
• Clean up the bait site immediately upon landowner request ; or if not requested , within 20 days of the last day the site is hunted .
A Person May NOT :
• Hunt over another person ’ s bait site without the baiter ’ s permission .
• Place any medicinal , poisonous , or stupefying substance to entice any animal .
SUNDAY HUNTING IS ILLEGAL IN MAINE
PROHIBITION REGARDING SELLING OF WILD ANIMALS
Wild Birds : A person may not sell or possess for sale a wild bird , except for the plumage of lawfully harvested wild birds , and only if that sale does not violate regulations of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act .
Finished Wildlife Products : A person may buy , sell , barter or trade legally obtained finished wildlife products , excluding federally protected wild animals and birds .
Deer , Bear , or Moose : A person may , without a hide dealer ’ s license , buy or sell naturally shed deer or moose antlers .
A person who has lawfully killed and registered a deer , bear or moose may , without a hide dealer ’ s license , sell :
• The head , hide , antlers * and feet of that deer .
• The head , hide , antlers *, feet and bones of that moose .
• The head , hide , teeth , gallbladder ,* fat not attached to the meat , and claws ( not attached to the paws ) of that bear .
* Raw antlers , bear fat ( not attached to the meat ), and bear gallbladders may only be sold ( including for money , barter , or trade ) to a licensed hide dealer , and they must be tagged or accompanied with documentation containing the name and address of the person who legally killed the animal .
RACCOON HUNTING Raccoons may be hunted at night during the open season only when the hunter :
• Is accompanied by a dog .
• Uses a rifle or handgun of no greater power than one which uses . 22 caliber long rifle ammunition .
• Loads the rifle or handgun only when dispatching a raccoon that is treed or held at bay by a dog or dogs and has been identified by flashlight .
PLACEMENT OF BAIT As used in this section , “ bait ” means an animal , plant , or part thereof used to attract wild animals for the purpose of hunting .
Species-specific Baiting Laws :
• Baiting or feeding of deer is prohibited from June 1-December 15 . See page 21 for more information .
• Baiting and feeding moose and turkey is prohibited from September 1 to December 15 .
• Baiting and feeding turkey is prohibited during the spring wild turkey season .
• Further restrictions apply to bear baiting , see page 26 .
A Person Placing Bait for Hunting Purposes Must :
• Obtain oral or written permission from the landowner or landowner ’ s agent .
• Plainly label the bait with a 2-inch by 4-inch tag containing the name and address of the baiter .
TARGET IDENTIFICATION WHILE HUNTING
( Summary of 12 MRSA § 11222 ) A hunter may not shoot at a target without at that point in time being certain that the target is the wild animal or wild bird sought .
A reasonable and prudent hunter :
• Risks losing legitimate prey so as not to risk destruction of human life .
• Neither disregards , nor fails to be aware of , the risk of causing the death of another human being as a consequence of misidentification .
• Never bases identification upon sound alone , or even upon sound combined with what appears to be an appendage of the wild animal or wild bird sought .
• Bases identification upon an essentially unobstructed view of the potential target ’ s head and torso .
• Recognizes that sound and sight target-determining factors are affected by a number of other considerations including , but not limited to , the distance to the target , surrounding or intervening terrain and cover , lighting and weather conditions , the hunter ’ s hearing , eyesight , and experience level , and other people nearby .
QUESTIONS ? CALL 207 287-8000 2024-25 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES HUNTING