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Laws Pertaining to Hunting Equipment

September 9, 2024

On this page:

General Laws
Illegal Devices
Illegal Use of Lights
Firearms Laws
Loaded Firearms in Motor Vehicles
Carrying Concealed Firearms
Archery Information
Hunter Orange Requirements
Disturbing Traps
Trail/Game Cameras Law
Observation Stands

General Laws

Wild animals and wild birds may be hunted only by the use of rifles, handguns, shotguns (not larger than 10-gauge), muzzleloader, archery equipment, or falconry.

Deer and moose decoys are legal, as are laser sights (red dots or beam) for firearms, crossbows, and bows.

Electronic calling devices are legal for deer, bear, turkey, moose, and coyote, but are illegal for migratory game birds.

Illegal Devices

It is unlawful to hunt with the use of (or sell or offer for sale for the purpose of hunting) a set gun, or any medicinal, poisonous or stupefying substance (except rodenticide for orchard mouse control and gas cartridges for woodchuck control).
Drawlocks and set bows are illegal unless otherwise permitted for disabled hunters.
Crossbows cannot be used to hunt deer during the muzzleloader season.

Illegal Use of Lights

From September 1 to December 15, it is unlawful to use artificial lights from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise to illuminate, jack, locate, attempt to locate or show up wild animals or wild birds except raccoons which may be hunted at night with flashlights during the open season (see General Hunting Laws for details).

An exception to this may be made for agents appointed by the commissioner to hunt coyotes at night during this period under policies established by the Department.

Firearms Laws

It is Unlawful to Hunt with, or Possess for Hunting, any:

Automatic firearm (a firearm that continues to fire as long as the trigger is held back.)
Auto-loading firearm (a firearm that reloads itself after each shot and requires a separate trigger pull for each shot) with a magazine capacity of more than 5 cartridges (plus 1 in the chamber for a total of 6), unless the magazine has been permanently altered to contain not more than 5 cartridges. Note: This provision does not apply to .22 caliber rimfire or smaller caliber guns or auto-loading pistols with barrel lengths of less than 8 inches.

3-shell Max for Migratory Game Birds:

It is unlawful to hunt any migratory game bird with a shotgun capable of holding more than 3 shells unless the magazine has been cut off, altered, or plugged with a one-piece filler (incapable of removal without disassembling the gun), so as to reduce the capacity of the gun to not more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined.

Silencers:

While a person no longer needs a permit from Warden Service to hunt with a suppressor device, anyone who wishes to possess a firearm fitted or contrived with any device for deadening the sound of the explosion must still obtain the appropriate tax stamp from The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Bullet Types:

It is unlawful to hunt with cartridges that contain tracer bullets or explosive bullets.

Cartridges:

Firearms with .17 or .22 caliber rimfire cartridges may not be used for deer, moose, or bear hunting, except that .22 magnum can be used for deer hunting.
Shotguns using shot loads cannot be used to hunt bear or moose.

Loaded Firearms in Motor Vehicles

It is unlawful to have a loaded firearm or archery equipment in or on a motor vehicle (including trailer, ATV, aircraft, snowmobile, or railway car), unless otherwise specified. See page 12 for more information.

A loaded magazine may be carried in a motor vehicle, but it must not be inserted in or attached to a firearm.

Firearms may be transported in a motor vehicle without a concealed firearms permit provided they are (1) unloaded and in plain view, or (2) are unloaded and placed in a remote secure area (such as a locked trunk) away from the control of the occupants of the motor vehicle.

For the purpose of this law, a muzzleloader is considered to be loaded only if charged with powder, a projectile, and a primed ignition device or mechanism. A crossbow is considered loaded if cocked and armed. Exceptions apply when carrying a concealed pistol or revolver.

Carrying Concealed Firearms

A person may carry a concealed handgun without a permit and may have that concealed, loaded pistol or revolver in, or on, a motor vehicle or trailer if:

The person is 21 years of age or older and is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm or;
The person is 18 years of age or older and under 21 years of age and on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard or is an honorably discharged veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard and is not otherwise prohibited from carrying a firearm.

Upon contact with a law enforcement officer, a person carrying a concealed handgun without a permit is required to notify them immediately.

Archery Information

NEW LAW: Changes to the bowhunting license and crossbow permit occurred in 2024. A bowhunting license is now an archery license. A crossbow permit is no longer required as hunting with a bow and arrow AND crossbow are included with an archery license.

NEW LAW: Use of crossbows in expanded archery areas during the expanded archery season is now permissible for any hunter who has an archery license and expanded archery permit(s). Crossbow use is NO longer permissible during the muzzleloader season.

Seasons: The regular archery license allows archery equipment to be used to hunt all legal game throughout the year, except for deer during the muzzleloader season.

Archery Equipment: now refers to crossbow and bow and arrow.

Licenses: You must have an archery license to hunt with archery equipment.

Junior hunters who hold a valid Junior Hunting License are allowed to hunt with archery equipment when accompanied by a junior hunter supervisor. (see Junior Hunters).
Laws that allow you to hunt without a license on your own land under certain conditions apply to archery hunting. (see Who Needs a License).

Permits: In addition to an archery license, hunters participating in the expanded archery deer season (designated areas only) must also purchase permits. Multiple antlerless deer permits may be purchased for $12 each, and an either-sex permit for the expanded archery deer season is $32.

Exceptions: Complimentary archery license holders (Disabled Veteran, Native American) and junior hunting license holders may hunt with those licenses during the expanded archery deer season.

Obtaining an Archery License: Individuals applying for the archery hunting license must show proof of having successfully completed an archery hunter education course (which now includes crossbow safety) or of having held a Maine adult archery license in any year after 1979, or evidence of previously holding a crossbow permit in Maine prior to 2024. When proof or evidence cannot be provided, the applicant may substitute a signed affidavit. Native Americans are exempt from safety course requirements for archery and trapping.

Archery Hunting Requirements:

A hunter may carry a handgun while bowhunting, but it may NOT be used to dispatch deer.
Hunter orange clothing is NOT required when hunting with bow and arrow. See additional information related to hunter orange requirements.
All deer killed during the archery seasons must be inspected and registered at the first open deer registration station.
It is legal to hunt ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset during both archery deer seasons.

In addition, all other laws pertaining to deer hunting shall apply to archery hunting.

Bow and Arrow Equipment Laws:

Required Features

Only hand-held bow and arrow may be used.
Draw weight must be at least 35 pounds (there is no max). For moose, a minimum draw weight of 45 pounds is required.
For hunting deer, bear, and moose, arrowheads, including mechanical broadheads when open, must be at least 7/8 inch wide.

Prohibited Features

It is unlawful to use a set bow.
Arrows with explosive or poisonous tips are prohibited.

Crossbow Equipment Laws:

Required Features

Only crossbows with a shoulder-type stock may be used.
Draw weight must be at least 100 pounds (there is no max).
For hunting deer, bear and moose, arrowheads, including mechanical broadheads when open, must be at least ⅞ inch wide.
Crossbows must be equipped with a mechanical trigger safety device in working condition.

Prohibited Features

Hand-held pistol-type crossbows are prohibited.
Arrows with explosive or poisonous tips are prohibited.

Optional, but Allowed Features

Crossbows equipped with scopes or sights may be used.

Native American License & Hunting

See Hunting License Information and Special Licenses

Hunter Orange Clothing Requirements

Hunter orange is defined as a daylight fluorescent orange color with a dominant wave length between 595 and 605 nanometers, excitation purity of at least 85% and luminance factor of at least 40%. A decal on an article of clothing that is otherwise solid hunter orange is permissible. Articles of hunter orange clothing must be in good and serviceable condition and visible from all sides.

Firearms and Muzzleloader Seasons on Deer

Anyone who hunts any species with a firearm, muzzleloader, or crossbow during any firearms or muzzleloader season on deer (also on Youth Deer Hunt) must wear two articles of hunter orange clothing. One article must be a solid- colored hunter orange hat; the other must cover a major portion of the torso, such as a jacket, vest, coat or poncho and must be a minimum of 50% hunter orange in color (camouflage).

Archery Seasons on Deer

Hunter orange clothing is not required while hunting with a bow and arrow during the archery seasons. Hunter orange clothing is not required to hunt with crossbow during the regular archery or expanded archery seasons (in expanded archery areas) on deer unless the firearms or muzzleloader hunting season for deer or moose is occurring in that WMD.

Moose Hunting Season

Anyone who hunts any species with a firearm or crossbow in a Wildlife Management District that is open to moose hunting must wear one article of solid-colored hunter orange clothing (hats count). When moose season overlaps with the firearms season on deer, then two pieces must be worn. All laws pertaining to deer hunting apply to moose hunters during these seasons.

Bear, Turkey, and Upland Game Bird Hunters

When hunting bears, turkeys, and upland game birds, hunter orange clothing is only required when hunting with a firearm or crossbow during the firearms hunting season on deer, the muzzleloader season on deer, or within an open moose hunting district during moose hunting season.

Waterfowl Hunters

Are not affected by the provisions above while hunting from a boat, blind, or in conjunction with waterfowl decoys.

Religious Exemption

Any hunter whose religion prohibits wearing hunter orange may wear red instead. All minimum wear requirements for hunter orange still apply when hunter red is substituted for hunter orange.

Disturbing Traps

It is unlawful to take or disturb any trap or wild animal caught in a trap without permission from the owner of the trap.

An individual convicted of disturbing a trap, will lose any license in effect, and be ineligible to purchase any license issued by the Department for 3 years.

Trail/Game Cameras Law

People using trail and game cameras may not place a camera upon another person’s private land without written permission. All cameras must be labeled with the owner’s name and contact information.

Observation Stands

It is unlawful to insert any metallic or ceramic object into a tree on another person’s land for the purpose of erecting a ladder or observation stand, unless you have permission from the landowner. You must obtain verbal or written permission of the landowner (or representative) to erect or use a portable or permanent ladder or observation stand, and the ladder or observation stand must be plainly labeled with a 2-inch by 4-inch tag with the names and addresses of everyone the landowner has authorized to use it.

Exception: Portable ladders or observation stands used on land within the jurisdiction of the Maine Land Use Planning Commission and attended by the person who owns the ladder or observation stand do not require landowner permission or labeling, but permanent ones do.

Note: Information on private property use. Observation stands do not include portable blinds utilized at ground level that remain in the hunter’s physical possession and must not be left when not in use.