Maine Hunting License Guide — updated for the 2026–27 season. License types, fees, permits, hunter education, where to buy, and season dates.
How much is a Maine hunting license?
Quick answer: a resident big game hunting license is $26 and a nonresident big game hunting license is $115, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s 2026–27 Summary of Laws and Rules. Those fees do not include the agent fee. Anyone hunting wild birds or animals in Maine needs a license, and many kinds of hunting also need a permit.
Resident fees
- Big game hunting (age 16 and up): $26
- Small game hunting (16+): $15
- Combination hunting and fishing (16+): $48
- Archery hunting (16+): $26
- Junior hunting (under 16): $8
- Super Pack: $212
Nonresident fees
- Big game hunting (16+): $115
- Small game hunting (16+): $75
- 3-day small game hunting: $50
- Combination hunting and fishing (16+): $169
- Archery hunting (16+): $75, or $26 for a 6-day archery license
- Junior hunting (under 16): $35
Permits and other fees
- Antlerless deer permit: $12
- Muzzleloader permit (16+): $13 resident, $69 nonresident
- Wild turkey permit: $20
- State migratory waterfowl permit (16+): $7.50, and a federal waterfowl permit is also required
- Pheasant permit (Cumberland and York Counties): $27
- Deer, moose and bear registration: $5
- Duplicate license: $2
The big game license covers deer, bear, moose, raccoon and bobcat, and also covers small game. The small game license covers all other game species. A junior license includes all the permits, stamps and other permissions needed to hunt at no additional cost, according to state law. Agents may charge a $2 fee on top of a hunting license, and for online moose and antlerless deer permits. Fees can change, so confirm on the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fee list. If you also plan to fish, see our Maine fishing license guide and the fishing license selector.
Walking in the woods in the fall? See Maine in November for hunting season safety and blaze orange advice.
Do you need a hunting license in Maine?
Yes. Anyone hunting wild birds or animals in Maine needs a hunting license, and nonresidents need a nonresident license. Residency is defined by Maine law and has specific rules for students, military and recent movers, so confirm with the Department if you are unsure.
There is one exception for landowners. Maine resident landowners and their immediate family may hunt without a license, with firearms, archery or muzzleloader, on land they own and live on if it is 10 or more contiguous acres. That privilege does not apply to moose hunting, and eligible landowners may apply for an antlerless deer permit without a license by completing a special affidavit. A nonresident who owns 25 or more acres in Maine that stays open to hunting may hunt deer on the resident-only day with a verification form.
Age rules and junior licenses
Anyone under 16 needs a junior hunting license, and there is no minimum age to buy one. A junior license holder who turns 16 may keep hunting on that license for the rest of that calendar year, and must upgrade to an adult license by the calendar year they turn 17. Hunters ages 10 to 15 must be in the presence of and under the effective control of a junior hunter supervisor, and hunters under 10 need a supervisor who stays within 20 feet.
Hunter education requirements
To get a hunting license, you generally must show that you held that type of license in a prior year or have completed a hunter safety course. For a firearms license, that means an adult firearms license from 1976 or later or an approved course from any U.S. state, province or country. For archery, you need an adult archery license from after 1979, an archery course (which now includes crossbow safety) or evidence of a Maine crossbow permit issued before 2024. Courses are offered online, by homestudy or in person, and students ages 10 to 15 must complete an in-person skills and exam session. Certain active-duty military members and, for archery and trapping, Native Americans are exempt.
Apprentice hunter license
If you are 16 or older and have never held a valid adult hunting license, you can hunt on an apprentice license, up to five times. You must hunt with an apprentice supervisor who is at least 18 and has held a valid hunting license for the prior three consecutive years. The 2026–27 fees are $26 for a resident hunting apprentice license (which includes bear and turkey permits), $115 for a nonresident one (also with bear and turkey permits), and $75 for a nonresident small game or archery apprentice license.
Types of Maine hunting licenses
The most common are the resident and nonresident big game licenses, the small game license, the archery license, the junior license for hunters under 16, and the combination hunting-and-fishing license for those who do both. The Super Pack is resident-only at $212 and bundles most licenses and permits into one, so check the Department’s current list of what it includes before buying. Nonresidents can also buy 3-day small game and 6-day archery licenses for shorter trips.
Permits for deer, bear, turkey and moose
- Deer: the big game license covers deer in open seasons. Antlerless deer need a separate $12 permit. The muzzleloader season needs a muzzleloader permit ($13 resident, $69 nonresident).
- Bear: bear hunting has its own permit and rules for bait and dogs. The lawbook covers them on pages 26 and 28, so read those before you plan a trip.
- Turkey: a $20 wild turkey permit is required in addition to the hunting license.
- Moose: hunting is by permit only, drawn by lottery. Applications are taken in April and May, so check the Department for the fee and drawing date.
Where to buy a Maine hunting license
You can buy a license online through the Department’s licensing system or from licensing agents around the state. Agents may charge a fee, and the Department says fees listed do not include it. Bring proof of residency and your hunter education or prior-license information.
Maine hunting season dates (2026–27)
These dates come from the Department’s 2026–27 Summary of Laws and Rules. Dates can vary by wildlife management district (WMD), so confirm on the Department’s season page before you hunt.
Deer
- Expanded archery (designated areas only): September 12 to December 12
- Regular archery: October 3 to October 30
- Youth deer hunt: October 23 to 24
- Maine residents-only day: October 31
- Firearms: November 2 to November 28
- Muzzleloader: November 30 to December 5 statewide, and December 7 to December 12 in WMDs 12 to 18 and 20 to 29
Bear
- Dog training: July 1 to August 27
- Youth bear hunting with bait: August 28 and 29
- General season: August 31 to November 28
- Hunting with bait: August 31 to September 26 (bait may be placed from August 1)
- Hunting with dogs: September 14 to October 30, with a youth day on September 12
- Trapping: September 1 to October 31
Wild turkey
- Fall: youth day September 12, general season September 14 to November 7 (certain WMDs are closed)
- Spring 2027: youth days April 30 and May 1, general season May 3 to June 5
Moose (permit only)
- Bull-only: September 28 to October 3 and October 12 to October 17, in certain WMDs
- Antlerless-only: October 26 to October 31, in certain WMDs
The Department notes that dates may change and the lawbook may not be valid after July 2027. Not hunting? Our moose watching guide covers seeing moose in the wild.
Maine hunting license FAQ
How much is a Maine hunting license?
A resident big game hunting license is $26 and a nonresident big game license is $115 for 2026–27, plus agent fees. A resident combination hunting-and-fishing license is $48 ($169 for nonresidents), and the resident-only Super Pack is $212. Permits for antlerless deer, turkey and muzzleloader cost extra.
Can I buy a Maine hunting license online?
Yes. The Department sells licenses through its online licensing system, and agents around the state also issue them. Have your hunter education or prior-license information ready.
Do you need hunter education to get a Maine hunting license?
Generally yes. You must show you held that license in a prior year or have completed a hunter safety course, and approved courses from any U.S. state, province or country count. Apprentice licenses let first-timers hunt under supervision.
How much is a nonresident Maine hunting license?
$115 for a nonresident big game hunting license, $75 for small game, $50 for a 3-day small game license, and $169 for a combination hunting-and-fishing license, plus permits and agent fees.
Do you need a license to hunt on your own land in Maine?
Not always. Resident landowners and immediate family may hunt without a license on land they own and live on if it is 10 or more contiguous acres, but not for moose. See the landowner section above.
At what age do you need a hunting license in Maine?
Under 16 you need a junior license, with no minimum age. At 16 and older you need an adult license, and a junior holder must upgrade by the calendar year they turn 17.
How do you get a Maine moose permit?
Moose hunting is permit only, drawn by lottery, with applications taken in April and May. Check the Department for the fee, the drawing date and the zones.
Planning to fish as well? See our Maine fishing license guide. Moving to Maine? Our Moving to Maine guide covers what new residents need to know. MaineGuide.com has been Maine’s resource guide since 1995.
Our details come from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s 2026–27 Summary of Laws and Rules and its licenses and permits page, and from the state statute on license fees (12 M.R.S. §11109), checked November 9, 2026. Fees are set by license year, so expect changes for 2027.