Maine hands out moose hunting permits by lottery. In 2026 it drew 3,705 permits, and in 2025 it received 76,217 applications. Here is how the lottery works, what it costs, how bonus points build up, and what the state’s own numbers say about your odds. These are the 2026 details. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) sets new dates each year, so check its page before you apply.
Maine moose lottery at a glance
- Applications (2026): April 1 to May 18, online, per IFW’s moose permit page.
- Drawing (2026): Saturday, June 20, at the Acton Fairgrounds in Acton, with results posted online by 6 p.m.
- Cost to apply: $15.
- If you win: a permit costs $52 for residents and $585 for nonresidents, due by July 16, 2026, after you buy a big game hunting license.
- Permits in 2026: 3,705.
- Hunting weeks in 2026: three one-week hunts between September 28 and October 31.
How the Maine moose lottery works
- Two separate drawings. Residents and nonresidents are drawn independently, according to IFW’s moose FAQ.
- Caps. Nonresidents can receive no more than 8% of permits, and up to 2% go to a separate lottery for qualified outfitters. In 2026 that came to 3,343 resident, 288 nonresident and 74 lodge permits, per the Bangor Daily News.
- You rank districts. Applicants list up to 10 wildlife management districts (WMDs) in order of preference. Winners get their highest available choice, or the next available district, per the Bangor Daily News.
- Who can apply. You must be eligible for a Maine big game hunting license and be 10 years old by the first day of the season. Applicants under 10 can apply for bonus points only.
- Recent winners. Anyone who held a moose permit in the past three years can’t get another, but can still apply for bonus points.
- Subpermittees. Each permit holder can name one subpermittee, who may hunt only in the permit holder’s physical presence. IFW says selling a subpermittee or alternate designation is a Class E crime.
Moose lottery cost
Applying costs $15, for residents and nonresidents alike, whether you want a chance in the drawing or a bonus point only. Nonresidents can also buy extra chances in the nonresident drawing:
- 3 chances: $25
- 6 chances: $35
- 10 chances: $55
Extra chances apply to that year only and don’t carry over. If you win, the permit itself costs $52 for residents and $585 for nonresidents, due by 11:59 p.m. on July 16, 2026. You have to buy a big game hunting license before you can pay, but you don’t need one to apply. See our Maine hunting license guide for license fees.
Bonus points
Bonus points improve your chances without guaranteeing a permit. IFW says you earn them each year you apply and aren’t selected, and the rate rises the longer you keep applying:
- 0 to 5 years of applying: 1 point a year
- 6 to 10 years: 2 points a year
- 11 to 15 years: 3 points a year
- 16 or more years: 10 points a year
You lose your points if you skip two years in a row, if you receive a permit, or if you give incorrect identifying information. The system began in 1998, and IFW says the most points possible in 2026 is 160.
There is one guarantee. Maine residents who are 65 or older, or turning 65 in the hunt year, with at least 30 bonus points are guaranteed a permit if they apply on time and one of their chosen districts has resident permits. IFW’s FAQ doesn’t explain how points are weighted in the draw, so we found no public way to calculate your exact odds.
Moose lottery odds
IFW publishes application and permit counts, not odds. These 2025 figures are from IFW’s moose permit page:
- Total: 76,217 applications and 4,105 permits.
- Residents: 48,066 applicants and 3,712 permits. IFW lists a 9.8% selection rate.
- Nonresidents: 28,151 applicants and 393 permits, a 1.4% selection rate. The Bangor Daily News describes that as roughly 1 in 70.
The 2026 total of 3,705 permits is 400 fewer than 2025, because a special hunt in WMD 4 ended, per the Bangor Daily News. These are averages across all applicants. Bonus points raise an individual’s odds, and nonresidents who buy extra chances raise theirs by an amount IFW doesn’t publish. A permit also isn’t a moose: the Bangor Daily News reports 2,309 moose taken in 2025 from 4,075 permits, a 57% success rate.
2026 moose hunting seasons
According to IFW’s moose hunting rules, the 2026 hunts were:
- Bull-only, September 28 to October 3: WMDs 1 to 7, 10 to 13, 15, 18, 19, 27 and 28.
- Bull-only, October 12 to 17: WMDs 1 to 15, 17 to 19, 27 and 28.
- Antlerless-only, October 26 to 31: WMDs 1 to 6 and 8.
Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. The bag limit is one moose a year, taken by the permit holder or the subpermittee, and moose can’t be hunted with an apprentice hunter license.
Why the numbers don’t always match
- Resident odds. IFW and the Bangor Daily News give 9.8%, about 1 in 10. Dividing IFW’s 3,712 resident permits by its own 48,066 resident applicants gives about 7.7%. Neither source says why they differ, and we found no explanation.
- 2025 permit counts. IFW says 4,105 permits were issued. The Bangor Daily News’s harvest figures use 4,075 permits. Neither explains the 30-permit gap.
- Fees are spread across pages. IFW’s drawing page doesn’t list fees, and its moose rules page doesn’t list permit fees. The permit page does ($15, $52 and $585), so check it for current amounts.
Maine moose lottery: FAQ
How much does it cost to enter the Maine moose lottery?
$15. Nonresidents can also buy extra chances: 3 for $25, 6 for $35 or 10 for $55.
When is the Maine moose lottery drawing?
In 2026 it was Saturday, June 20, at the Acton Fairgrounds, with results posted online at IFW’s results site by 6 p.m. IFW sets new dates each year.
How many bonus points do you need to win?
No number guarantees a permit, with one exception: Maine residents 65 or older with at least 30 points are guaranteed one if they apply on time and a chosen district has resident permits.
Can nonresidents enter the Maine moose lottery?
Yes. Nonresidents can receive up to 8% of permits. In 2026 that was 288 of the 3,705 permits.
Do you need a hunting license to apply?
No. IFW says you need a Maine big game hunting license before you pay for a permit, but not to apply. Applicants under 10 can apply for bonus points only.
Our details come from IFW’s moose permit page, moose FAQ, moose hunting rules and drawing page, plus the Bangor Daily News. These are the 2026 figures. IFW changes dates, fees and permit numbers each year, so confirm them before you apply.