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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Helio Pressure Shower
Hunting in Alaska this year I went 20 days without a shower. Never again. NEMO makes the Helio Pressure Shower ($99) specifically for these backcountry adventures. It’s also a great solution for hosing off bird dogs that have rolled in mystery stench. Honestly, in Alaska I may have smelled worse than the dogs. The Helio packs up…
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The Hunters’ Predicament
A couple of years ago I found myself hunting late season public lands in West Virginia. Having never hunted here before I took to talking to every resident I encountered, inquiring of bird numbers, conditions and terrain. This area is a fairly well-known stronghold for hunters and anglers, so it was shocking when I brought…
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16 versus 20
In recent years there’s been a resurgence in popularity of 16 gauge shotguns. It’s tough to say exactly how much impact it has had on bird hunting and shotgunning markets. But maybe the bigger question is why? We set out at our local sporting clays course one recent morning to solve the mysteries of the…
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Cabela’s Long-Sleeve Fleece
If you’ve stumbled into a Cabela’s store recently – and it’s tough not to because they are popping up like Whac-A-Mole – you may notice that more and more of the gear they sell is Cabela’s brand. It appears they’ve used the market research from selling all manner of other brands to produce the top…
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Orvis Upland Shell
Besides doing their part to support public access, Orvis is also making some great improvements to their upland gear. When the leaves have yet to drop and shooting windows are minute, the ruffed grouse leave no time for thinking or for fumbling with the mount of the shotgun. The thing I like most about the Orvis Upland Shell ($198)…
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Nite Ize Disco Spotlit
That conniving black lab of mine will no longer use cover of night to perform acts of mischief. Now I clip on a Nite Ize Disco SPOTLIT ($6) and he gives me the look of disdain as I send him outside to do his business. No more losing track of the dark dog in the darkness.
