Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (2024)

On this page:

  • Wildlife Management Areas
  • State Parks and Historic Sites
  • Wildlife Management District Map
  • Public Reserved Lands
  • National Wildlife Refuges (NWR)
  • White Mountain National Forest
  • National Park Service
  • Baxter State Park
  • Closed and Special Regulation Areas
  • Railroad Tracks
  • Native American Territory

Wildlife Management Areas

All MDIFW-owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), except Steve Powell WMA (Swan Island) and portions of Steep Falls and Killick Pond WMA, are open for general law hunting and trapping. Information on WMAs, including maps can be found at mefishwildlife.com/wma. Removable stands or blinds, such as ladder, hang on, pop-up blinds etc. when placed for more than one day require a permit to hunt on MDIFW-owned WMAs and must be plainly labeled with a 2-inch by 4-inch tag that include the names and addresses of everyone the landowner has authorized to use. Permanent structures are prohibited. Permission is not needed if blind and stand are removed daily. Bear trapping and the placing or hunting over bait for any species is authorized by permit only. A person may utilize game cameras on WMAs without landowner permission. To obtain a permit, contact a Regional Wildlife Biologist at the appropriate Regional MDIFW office.

Find a WMA near you

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Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL)

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands manages 700,000 acres of land (not including easements and leases) in Maine for a mix of activities, including hunting and trapping. The safety of all visitors is the Bureau’s primary concern, so certain heavily developed and high-use areas are closed to hunting for all or part of the year. In other areas, the Bureau provides as many hunting and trapping opportunities as are reasonable and consistent with its mandates and with visitor safety.

Hunters and trappers are asked to exercise due caution and care for the safety and enjoyment of other visitors when using Bureau lands by obeying posted informa tion and the rules listed below.

State Parks and Historic Sites

General hunting, except where specifically prohibited, is allowed from the day after Labor Day to May 31. Hunting and trapping must conform with State of Maine laws, MDIFW rules, and local ordinances. Trapping on state park or historic site land in organized townships requires the written permission of the Bureau. Ther is no hunting allowed in the restricted zone of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway between May 1 and September 30.

  • Hunting is not allowed in any Memorial or Historic Site.
  • Hunting is not allowed at Andrews Beach; that portion of Bradbury Mountain State Park west of State Route 9; Cobscook Bay; Crescent Beach and Kettle Cove; Damariscotta Lake; Ferry Beach; Holbrook Island Sanctuary; Mackworth Island; Nickerson Lake; Owls Head Light; that portion of Quoddy Head within 1,000 feet of the lighthouse, or at Reid, Sebago Lake, Shackford Head, Two Lights, and Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Parks.
  • Work areas and areas with significant public use may be posted and closed to hunting from time to time in the interest of public safety.
  • The discharge of any firearm, archery equipment, or weapon is prohibited from or within 300 feet of any picnic area, camping area, campsite, parking area, building, shelter, boat launch site, posted trail or other developed area.
  • Loaded weapons are not allowed on the treadway of any trail posted “Closed to hunting”.
  • The baiting of any animal for the purpose of hunting is not allowed.
  • Written permission from the regional manager is required to erect attended or unattended portable tree stands or ladders. Unattended tree stands or ladders will be permitted for a period determined by the Bureau.

Public Lands

Firearms: Loaded firearms are not permitted in campsites, on marked hiking trails, at boat launching sites, or at picnic sites, and shall not be discharged within 300 feet of such areas.

Bear Hunting: A permit is required from the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands to place bait on Public Reserved Land for the purpose of hunting bear.

BPL Tree Stand Policy: Portable tree stands and hunting platforms or ladders that are not permanently attached to a tree are allowed on lands managed by the Bureau, in accordance with state law and Bureau rules.

In organized towns, oral permission from the Bureau is required for portable tree stands or ladders when used on a daily basis; written permission from the Bureau is required to place unattended tree stands or ladders, for a period determined by the Bureau.

In unorganized towns, permission from the Bureau is not required for portable tree stands or ladders when used on a daily basis; written permission from the Bureau is required to place unattended tree stands or ladders, for a period determined by the Bureau.

Any ladder or observation stand for which the Bureau has given permission must be plainly labeled with a 2-inch by 4-inch tag with the names and addresses of everyone authorized to use it. This requirement applies to State Parks and Public Lands managed by Bureau of Parks and Lands.

Portable tree stands or ladders used in conjunction with a valid bear-bait site permit are allowed to remain in place on Public Reserved and Nonreserved Lands during the baiting season on bear but must be removed from the tree at the end of the bear baiting season.

For More Information

Please call (207) 287-3821, TTY (207) 287-2213 or write to:
Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
22 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0022

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Wildlife Management District Map

The Wildlife Management District (WMD) map is available at all Inland Fisheries and Wildlife offices, or see Wildlife Management Districts where you'll find individual district maps and a list of towns and district numbers for each town.

Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (2)

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Public Reserved Lands

Firearms: Loaded firearms are not permitted in campsites, on marked hiking trails, at boat launching sites, or at picnic sites, and shall not be discharged within 300 feet of such areas.

Bear Hunting: A permit is required from the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands to place bait on Public Reserved Land for the purpose of hunting bear.

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National Wildlife Refuges (NWR)

Note: On National Wildlife Refuges that permit hunting of upland game, persons hunting upland species other than deer and turkey with a shotgun shall possess and use only nontoxic shot while in the field.

More restrictive regulations may apply to National Wildlife Refuges open to public hunting and a refuge hunting permit may be required. For more information on federal refuge regulations, contact:

  • Rachel Carson NWR
    321 Port Road
    Wells, ME 04090
    (207) 646-9226
  • Maine Coastal Islands NWR
    PO Box 279
    Milbridge, ME 04658
    (207) 594-0600
  • Sunkhaze Meadows NWR
    103 Headquarters Road
    Baring, ME 04694
    (207) 454-7161
  • Moosehorn NWR and Aroostook NWR
    (Baring and Edmunds Units)
    103 Headquarters Road
    Baring, ME 04694
    (207) 454-7161
  • Lake Umbagog NWR
    PO Box 240
    Errol, NH 03579
    (603) 482-3415

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White Mountain National Forest

Oxford County, Maine

The public land within National Forests is open to hunting. Portable observation stands that do not damage live trees may be used. Please contact the Androscoggin Ranger District for more information on bear baiting on National Forest lands at (603) 466-2713.

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National Park Service

Acadia National Park & the Appalachian National Scenic Trail — hunting, trapping, and/or possessing a weapon is prohibited on land administered by the National Park Service. For further information on these lands contact:

  • Acadia National Park
    PO Box 177, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
    (207) 288-3338
  • Appalachian Trail Park Office
    Harpers Ferry Center
    Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
    (304) 535-6270
  • Appalachian Trail Conference
    New England Regional Office
    PO Box 264, South Egremont, MA 01258
    (413) 528-8002

Mount Desert Island (MDI) is located within the geographic boundary of WMD 26.

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Baxter State Park

Hunting and trapping are prohibited within the Park. Use or Possession of any firearm, bow and arrow, sling shot, crossbow, air rifle or pistol is prohibited. Firearms may be transported through the Park if kept in a car trunk, enclosed in a case, or otherwise inaccessible to use. Bows may be transported through the Park if unstrung or enclosed in a case. This rule does not apply north of Trout Brook and Wadleigh Brook in T6 R9; in T6 R10; or in T2 R9 andin T2 R10 north of the West Branch of the Penobscot River, east to the thread of Abol Stream and west to the thread of the West Branch of the Penobscot River.

Hunting with dogs is prohibited. In the areas within the Park where hunting and trapping are permitted, the general laws of the State pertaining to hunting and trapping apply, except that moose hunting and baiting any animals for hunting purposes are prohibited. For more information, visit baxterstatepark.org

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Closed and Special Regulation Areas

Unity Utilities District: It is unlawful to hunt on the Unity Utilities District Property located on Route #139 and Prairie Road in Unity, Waldo County.

Gray Squirrels: It is unlawful to hunt gray squirrels on any land which is dedicated as a public or private park or on any land located within the limits of the compact or built-up portion of any city or town.

Haley Pond: It is unlawful to hunt waterfowl on Haley Pond in the town of Rangeley and Dallas Plantation, Franklin County.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and certain Wildlife Management Areas: Unless otherwise specifically provided, it is unlawful to hunt or trap any wild animal or wild bird within the limits of any wildlife sanctuary, any area properly posted by the State of Maine, or within the following described territories:

  • Back Bay Sanctuary, Portland
  • Beauchamp Sanctuary: Open to the
    taking of deer with bow and arrow during
    any open season that allow hunting of
    deer, including expanded archery.
  • Cape Elizabeth Sanctuary***
  • Carver’s Pond Waterfowl Sanctuary
  • Drake’s Island Game Sanctuary
  • Dry Pond Sanctuary (Crystal Lake)
  • Fairfield Sanctuary*
  • Glencove Sanctuary
  • Gray Game Sanctuary
  • Hog Island Game Sanctuary
  • Jefferson & Whitefield Sanctuary
  • Kineo Point Sanctuary
  • Limington, Hollis, Waterboro Sanctuary
  • Lowell E. Barnes Area, Oxford County
  • Marsh Island Area,* Old Town: Open to the taking of deer with bow and arrow during any open season that allow hunting of deer, including expanded archery.
  • Megunticook Lake and Vicinity Sanctuary**
  • Merrymeeting Bay Game Sanctuary (See Laws Specific to Merrymeeting Bay for additional information)
  • Monroe Island Game Sanctuary
  • Moosehead Lake Game Sanctuary
  • Moosehorn Game Sanctuary
  • Narragansett Game Sanctuary*
  • Oak Grove Area, Vassalboro
  • Ocean Park Game & Bird Sanctuary
  • Orrington Game Sanctuary
  • Pittston Farm Sanctuary
  • Prout’s Neck, Richmond’s Island*
  • Rangeley Game Sanctuary
  • Rangeley Lake Sanctuary
  • Readfield and Winthrop Sanctuary
  • Salmon Pond Sanctuary
  • Sebago Lake Basin Area, Standish, Windham
  • Somerset Game Sanctuary
  • Standish Sanctuary
  • Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary, Ellsworth
  • Steve Powell WMA (Swan Island), Richmond
  • Thorncrag-Stanton Bird Sanctuary
  • Tomhegan Game Sanctuary
  • Wells Sanctuary
  • Wells & York Game Sanctuary
  • Willow Water Game Sanctuary
  • Woodbury Sanctuary, Litchfield, Monmouth
  • York Game Sanctuary, Franklin County

* Trapping allowed in accordance with the general laws of the State.
** From October 1 until March 31 of each year, hunting wild animals and wild birds is permitted.
*** Hunting with bow and arrow only during firearms season and any season that allows archery.

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Railroad Tracks

Stay off the Tracks. A person may not, without right:

  • Enter or drive upon a railroad track with a team or a vehicle, however propelled
  • Stand or walk on a railroad track or railroad bridge, or pass over a railroad bridge, except by railroad conveyance.

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Maine Indian Territory

As a result of the Maine Indian Land Claims Settlement Acts of 1980, land takeninto trust by the United States on behalf of the Penobscot Nation and the PassamaquoddyTribe within certain designated areas of the State is classified as IndianTerritory. Subject to 30 M.R.S. § 6207(6),the Penobscot Nation and the PassamaquoddyTribe have exclusive authority toregulate hunting and trapping within their respective Indian Territories (which alsoinclude their respective Reservations). At the time of this publication, the following lands were included within IndianTerritory:

Penobscot Nation

Franklin County: Alder Stream Twp.

Penobscot County: T2R9 NWP (western portion), T3R9 NWP (eastern portion), T6R8 WELS (western portion), Argyle Township (northern portion), T3R1 NBPP (northeastern portion), and Penobscot Indian Reservation.

Piscataquis County: T6R8 NWP.

Passamaquoddy Tribe

Franklin County: Lowelltown, T1R8 WBKP.

Hancock County: T3&4ND.

Penobscot County: T3R9 NWP, T5R1 NBPP, TAR7 WELS.

Somerset County: Holeb T6R1 NBKP, Prentiss, T4R4 NBKP, Hammond Township, T3R4 NBKP, Alder Brook Township, T3R3 NBKP, Pittston Academy Grant, T2R4 NBKP Soldiertown Township, T2R3 NBKP.

Washington County: T5ND, BPP; T19 MD, Indian Township, and Pleasant Point, Perry.

These areas should be conspicuously posted as Indian Territory. Anyone wishing to hunt or trap within either Tribe’s Indian Territory should contact the appropriate tribal agency for further information.

  • Penobscot Nation
    Department of Natural Resources
    12 Wabanaki Way
    Indian Island, ME 04468
    (207) 817-7349
  • Passamaquoddy Tribe
    Ranger Department
    Box 301, Princeton, ME 04668
    (207) 796-2301
  • Maine Tribal-State Commission
    13 Commissary Point Rd
    Trescott, ME 04652
    (207) 271-7762

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Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (2024)

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