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JUNIOR HUNTERS
Junior Hunters above as they are included in the license .
JUNIOR HUNTING LICENSES All children that have not yet reached their 16th birthday must have a junior hunting license to hunt . There is no minimum age to purchase a junior hunting license .
After a junior hunter ’ s 16th birthday , they may continue to hunt on their junior license for the remainder of the calendar year with or without taking the hunter safety course . If the junior hunter does take the hunter safety course , it must be appropriate for the method in which they intend to hunt with . He or she may then hunt without supervision and keep all the junior hunter permits but must carry their valid junior hunting license as well as their hunter safety card . The junior hunter is not required to upgrade to the adult license until the calendar year they turn 17 but they may upgrade to the adult license in their 16th year . Upgrading while they are 16 years of age will require them to purchase any necessary permits .
Junior license holders can hunt with a firearm or archery equipment . The license includes hunting permits for muzzleloader , spring and fall turkey , bear , coyote night hunt , pheasant , state migratory waterfowl , one expanded archery antlerless deer permit , and one expanded archery either-sex permit .
Note : Junior hunters do not need to obtain a physical permit for the permits listed
Note : A lifetime license purchased for a hunter under 16 years of age is considered a junior license until upgraded to an adult license which can be done by contacting MDIFW .
SUPERVISION OF JUNIOR HUNTERS
• Hunters from 10 – 15 years of age must be in the presence of , and under the effective control of , a junior hunter supervisor .
• Hunters under the age of 10 must be in the presence of , and under the effective control of , a junior hunter supervisor who remains at all times within 20 feet of the hunter .
A . A “ Junior Hunter Supervisor ” Means :
1 . The parent or guardian of the junior hunter who holds or has held a valid Maine hunting license or successfully completed a hunter safety course .
2 . A person 18 years of age or older who :
a . Is approved by the parent or guardian of the junior hunter ; and
b . Holds or has held a valid Maine hunting license or successfully completed a hunter safety course .
B . “ In the Presence of ” Means : In visual and voice contact without the use of visual or audio enhancement devices , including but not limited to binoculars and citizen band radios .
YOUTH HUNTING DAYS Junior hunters who hold a valid junior hunting license ( including a lifetime license ) can participate in special youth hunting days for bear , deer , spring and fall wild turkey , and migratory waterfowl .
If a person is continuing to hunt on a junior hunting license and has turned 16 , they may hunt on youth hunting days . If that 16-year-old who is hunting with a junior hunting license has completed their hunter safety course , they still must have adult supervision on the youth hunting days only .
On these days , all laws pertaining to hunting deer , bear , spring and fall wild turkey and waterfowl apply . The accompanying parent , guardian or qualified adult , shall not possess a firearm , bow and arrow or crossbow , except on youth waterfowl days *. On youth deer , bear and spring and fall turkey days the parent , guardian or qualified adult may carry a handgun pursuant to Title 25 MRSA §§ 2001-A , but the handgun may not be used for the purpose of hunting .
16-year-olds still hunting on valid junior hunting licenses may hunt on youth hunt days without purchasing additional permits , except for migratory waterfowl youth hunt days , which require anyone 16 or older to obtain a valid Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp . ■
YOUTH HUNTING SPECIES YOUTH HUNTING DAY ( S ) REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO JUNIOR HUNTERS
Bear August 24 , 2024
Deer
October 25 , 2024 - October 26 , 2024
Spring Wild Turkey April 26 , 2025
Fall Wild Turkey September 14 , 2024
Waterfowl
North Zone : September 14 , 2024 & December 7 , 2024
South Zone : September 21 , 2024 & October 19 , 2024
Coastal Zone : September 28 , 2024 & October 26 , 2024
A licensed junior hunter may hunt a bear with a firearm or archery equipment during the youth bear hunting day . Use of dogs is prohibited ; hunting over bait or still hunting is permitted .
Junior hunters may harvest one antlered deer statewide . Junior hunters may harvest antlerless deer without a permit in designated WMDs ( in 2024 all WMDs / Subunits allow the harvest of anterless deer without an antlerless permit ) during the Youth Deer Hunt . If a junior hunter harvests a deer during the Youth Deer Hunt , they are prohibited from taking additional deer unless they have antlerless deer permits or participate in the expanded archery season ( designated areas only ) with appropriate expanded archery permits .
Junior Hunters may harvest up to two bearded wild turkeys with a shotgun or archery equipment , but cannot exceed an individual WMD bag limit . See wild turkey , pages 23-24 .
Junior Hunters may harvest up to two wild turkeys on this day , with a shotgun or archery equipment , but cannot exceed an individual WMD bag limit . If hunting in different WMDs , the order in which they are harvested does not matter .
ALL duck species except Harlequins , Barrow ’ s Goldeneye , Moorhens and Gallinules , may be hunted on these days , including geese . For the September 21 , October 19 , October 26 and December 7 youth days , the goose limit is under the Regular Season limit . On youth waterfowl hunting days , scoters , eiders , and long-tailed ducks may be harvested as part of the 6 bird daily limit on regular ducks . Also on these dates , 2 Black Ducks may be harvested . Must follow regular season bag limits and exceptions .
* The supervisor may not carry a firearm , or archery equipment while accompanying a youth hunter on a youth hunt day except when it occurs during the early goose season the accompanying adult may hunt for geese only .
2024-25 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES HUNTING QUESTIONS ? CALL 207 287-8000