DEER HUNTING 19
Deer Hunting
Hunting License Authority: A big game hunting license( firearms or archery) provides a hunter the opportunity to harvest one antlered deer annually. Hunters with an archery license and an expanded archery permit may harvest an additional antlered deer in an expanded archery area.
Antlerless deer may be harvested in the following situations:
Either-Sex Hunting: For 2025, in WMDs 21-25 and 29 during the firearms and muzzleloader seasons, or statewide during the regular archery and youth hunt 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.
Hunting of Antlerless Deer: Hunting of antlerless deer( a deer that has no antlers or has antlers less than 3 inches in length measured from the skull) is prohibited except by antlerless deer permit or in areas designated open to either-sex hunting under the authority of a big game hunting license( for 2025, WMDs 21-25 and 29 for firearms and muzzleloader season; statewide for regular archery and youth hunt seasons).
Additional antlerless deer may be taken in the following situations: with an antlerless deer permit( s) during youth hunt, regular archery, firearms, or muzzleloader seasons or with expanded archery antlerless deer permit( s) during the expanded archery season.
DEER HUNTING PROHIBITIONS Baiting deer by placing salt, grain, fruit, nuts or other foods or bait known to be attractive to deer, or hunting from an observation stand or blind overlooking such bait, is prohibited from June 1 to December 15. This does not apply to hunting from an observation stand or blind overlooking:
• Standing crops
• Foods that have been left as a result of a natural occurrence or normal agricultural operations
• Bear bait that has been placed at a bear hunting stand or blind in accordance with bear baiting laws
Illegal Equipment: Deer may not be hunted with the use of dogs, artificial lights, snares, traps, airbows, set guns or any firearm using. 17 or. 22 caliber rimfire cartridges, except that. 22 caliber rimfire magnum cartridges are permitted.
Driving Deer: A person may not participate in a hunt for deer during which an organized or planned effort is made to drive deer. Four or more persons working together to move deer constitutes such an effort.
Gift deer: Gift deer may be possessed if clearly labeled with the name and address of the person who registered the animal, and the year it was registered.
Buying, Selling, and Bartering Deer: see page 11.
AREAS CLOSED TO DEER HUNTING
• Mt. Desert Island in Hancock County;
• Cross and Scotch Islands, located in Washington County;
• The town of Isle au Haut and islands within that town, located in Knox County; and
• Wildlife sanctuaries, with exceptions listed below.
AREAS OPEN TO DEER HUNTING But with these Special Restrictions:
• Beauchamp Point Sanctuary in Camden and Rockport, Knox County, is open to archery hunting for deer during any open hunting season that allows archery equipment to be used to hunt deer.
• Cranberry Isles in Hancock County is open to archery hunting for deer only during the archery and firearms seasons on deer and to shotgun hunting during the firearms season on deer.
• The area within Drake’ s Island and Wells Sanctuaries, situated in the Town of Wells in the County of York: shall be open to the hunting of antlerless deer with a hand‐held bow and arrow( crossbows are not permitted), by permit only, during a specified period between November 1 and January 30; permits may be issued by the department to licensed archery hunters authorized by a landowner.
• Islesboro, Waldo County, is open to deer hunting with bow and arrow only during the archery, expanded archery, or firearms seasons on deer( crossbows are not permitted).
• Marsh Island in Old Town, Penobscot County, is open to deer hunting with handheld bow and arrow only( crossbows are not permitted).
• Prout’ s Neck; Richmond’ s Island; Cape Elizabeth Sanctuary contains approximately 1,600 acres open to deer hunting,
HUNTERS FOR THE HUNGRY
A gift of meat from your hunt can help reduce hunger in Maine. Hunters for the Hungry is a program for donating wild game meat to food kitchens, shelters, and charitable organizations statewide.
To find out how you can help call( 207) 287-7513 or visit www. maine. gov / dacf / ard / food-assistance / hunters-for-hungry. shtml
BIG BUCK CLUB
Maine has a club for deer hunters called“ The Biggest Bucks in Maine Club,” which is sponsored by The Maine Sportsman.
To qualify, the minimum dressed weight( without heart, lungs, and liver) must be 200 pounds. Learn more by calling the Maine Sportsman at( 207) 622-4242 or visit mainesportsman. com.
with bow and arrow only( crossbows are not permitted), during the open special archery season and the firearms season on deer.
Note: Landowner permission required.
• Southport: In the town of Southport, Lincoln County, and on all islands within its confines, it is lawful to hunt deer with shotguns and archery equipment only during the firearms season.
Please refer to page 15 for information on municipal ordinances that may prohibit certain hunting methods.
QUESTIONS? CALL 207 287-8000 2025-26 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES HUNTING