Maine Bird Hunting
Seasons Span September 28 – December 31, 2025
State Drought Monitor – Upland hunting conditions are often highly dependent upon moisture for both habitat production and bird survival.
Season Dates
- Ruffed Grouse & Bobwhite Quail: September 27, 2025 – December 31, 2025
- Pheasant: September 27, 2025 – December 31, 2025
- Woodcock: September 27, 2025 – November 18, 2025
- Common Snipe: September 2, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Required Licenses and Costs
- Resident Licenses:
- Small Game Hunting (16+): $15
- Big Game Hunting (includes small game, 16+): $26
- Archery (16+): $26
- Junior (under 16): $8
- Lifetime Hunting (65+): $8 (one-time fee)
- Non-Resident Licenses:
- Small Game Hunting (16+): $75
- Big Game Hunting (includes small game, 16+): $115
- Archery (16+): $75
- Junior (under 16): $35
- 3-Day Small Game: $47
- Additional Permits:
- Pheasant Permit: $27 (required for pheasant hunting)
- State Migratory Waterfowl Permit: $7.50 (required for waterfowl, including snipe, rails, and gallinules)
- Federal Migratory Bird Stamp: Required for hunters 16+ for migratory game birds (cost not specified in sources)
- Notes:
- Licenses can be purchased online at mefishwildlife.com or through approved agents (e.g., sporting goods shops, municipal offices).
- Hunters born after January 1, 1976, must show proof of hunter safety course completion.
- Sunday hunting is prohibited in Maine.
Daily Bag and Possession Limits
- Ruffed Grouse: 4 daily, 8 possession
- Bobwhite Quail: 4 daily, 8 possession
- Pheasant: 2 daily, 4 possession
- Woodcock: 3 daily, 9 possession
- Common Snipe: 8 daily, 24 possession
Additional Notes
- Closed Species: No hunting is allowed for spruce grouse, lynx, or cottontail rabbit.
- Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs): Seasons and limits apply statewide unless specified by WMD. Check MDIFW maps for specific boundaries.
- Regulations: Hunters must wear blaze orange during overlapping firearms seasons (e.g., deer season) and follow ethical hunting practices, including reporting harvests as required. For migratory birds, nontoxic shot is mandatory statewide.
For the most up-to-date information, consult the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) website at mefishwildlife.com or contact their office at 207-287-8000.
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Merrell MQM Flex Gore-Tex
More than half of my season to date has been spent in the mountains chasing birds at elevation. I saw the MQM – Moving Quickly in the Mountains – and they got me with that marketing hook. When you’re chasing Chukar, moving quickly is a high priority. I have now worn these shoes for hundreds of miles…
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Fireside Outdoor Pop-Up Pit
When you roll into an unimproved camp after dark (improved road my ass) scavenging rocks for a fire pit is on the bottom of your list. Fireside Outdoor’s Pop-Up Pit has you covered. The lightweight, modular design allows for quick setup with no tools or hardware required. In fact, it was so lightweight that I…
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Musher’s Secret
Our dogs work hard for us (no matter how terrible the hunting conditions may be) and its our job to take care of them! Our dogs’ paws have been cut up running through snow that the wind has blown over into ice. Musher’s Secret helps keep them protected and conditioned during hunting season. It is…
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Gerber Crucial
Weight, weight, weight… no, seriously. I have carried a multi-tool in my bird vest for years. And the number of times I used that massive have-it-all tool with something for every eventuality over the course of those years…… zero. Because of the rigors of this season of Way Upland, I broke down all my gear…
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The Top 3 Wild Pheasant Hunting Tips
There are tons of variables involved when pheasant hunting: weather, dogs, number of hunters, blockers, terrain, time of day….. the list is almost endless. But regardless of these elements, there are 3 things you can always use that will improve your success against the wily wild rooster. The bird hunters’ opening day is also most…
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Skinning a Game Bird
There’s more than one way to skin a bird. But here’s a video showing step-by-step how we go about skinning a pheasant in order to preserve feathers for fly tying, decoration or other uses. We try to use as much of these birds as possible. With a little care and a few extra minutes you…
