Bear hunting season in Maine 2026 opens with a two-day youth hunt on August 28 and runs through November 28 for the general season. Most hunters need a bear permit on top of a hunting license, with one narrow exception late in the year.
This article walks through the dates, methods, permits, baiting, hounds, tagging and bag limits the way the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) lays them out. Each rule below is stated plainly so you can plan your hunt without guessing.
Bear Hunting Season Dates in Maine 2026
According to MDIFW’s season dates and bag limits page, all 2026 bear seasons apply to every Wildlife Management District. The general season is the longest window, and the method seasons sit inside it.
| Season | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|
| Youth Bear Hunting Days | August 28 – August 29 |
| General Hunting Season | August 31 – November 28 |
| Hunting with Bait | August 31 – September 26 |
| Bear Trapping | September 1 – October 31 |
| Youth Bear Hunting with Dogs Day | September 12 |
| Hunting with Dogs | September 14 – October 30 |
Bait may be placed starting August 1, 2026. Bear dog training season runs July 1 through August 27, 2026.
Pro Tip: The general season ends on the same day as the regular firearms season on deer, so the final weeks overlap with deer hunters in the woods.
Bear Season by Weapon and Method in Maine: Archery, Muzzleloader and Firearm
Maine does not set separate archery, muzzleloader and firearm bear seasons. The general season of August 31 through November 28 covers still hunting, and the other seasons are defined by method: bait, dogs and trapping.
MDIFW says there are four legal ways to take a bear: still hunting, hunting with dogs, baiting, and trapping. Your choice of method decides which dates you can use and which extra permits you need.
- Still hunting: August 31 – November 28
- Baiting: August 31 – September 26
- Dogs: September 14 – October 30
- Trapping: September 1 – October 31
Spring Bear Season in Maine
Maine has no spring bear hunting season in 2026. MDIFW’s published bear seasons run from late August to late November, and the 13-week fall season is the only open hunting window.
If you want a spring hunt, you will need to look at other species. For example, see the spring dates in our turkey hunting season in Maine article.
Bear Hunting Zones, Units and Management Areas in Maine
Maine manages hunting by Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs). For 2026, MDIFW lists every bear season as open in all WMDs, so you do not need to match a district to a specific bear season.
Districts still matter on the ground. Rules differ on certain lands, and MDIFW notes that dogs are prohibited for bear hunting and baiting in a specific area described on its hunting areas page. Check that page for the property you plan to hunt.
Bear Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in Maine
To hunt bears, MDIFW requires a valid hunting license and a bear permit. Residents have one exception: during the November firearms season on deer, a hunting license alone lets you take a bear or a deer.
Extra permits apply to certain methods:
- Dogs: a dog training and hunting permit, in addition to your license and bear permit
- Trapping: a bear trapping permit plus a big game hunting license or trapping license
- Baiting on a Wildlife Management Area: a permit from MDIFW
Qualified landowners may hunt bear on their own land without a big game license, but they still need a valid bear hunting permit.
Bear Permit Draws and Lotteries in Maine
Maine does not run a draw or lottery for bear permits. You buy the bear permit directly, the same way you buy your hunting license, so there is no application window to miss.
Moose is different. Moose hunting is by permit only, and that is the lottery-style hunt in Maine’s calendar.
Nonresident Bear Hunting in Maine
Nonresidents need a hunting license and a bear permit for any fall bear hunting or trapping. MDIFW lists the nonresident bear permit at $74, and it covers the entire bear hunting season.
A $40 nonresident late-season permit applies if you only plan to hunt bear during the regular firearms season on deer. Both fees are marked with an asterisk on MDIFW’s page, so confirm the final price at checkout.
Pro Tip: If you want to hunt with dogs, you must hire a resident Maine guide and hunt in their presence. A nonresident who is a licensed Maine guide may hunt with dogs personally.
Bear Bag Limit and Harvest Quota in Maine
MDIFW’s 2026 limit is two bears per year: one by hunting and one by trapping. The limit is the same across every season and every WMD.
A person may not hunt bear after killing one by hunting, and may not trap bear after killing one by trapping, during the open season of that calendar year. MDIFW does not set a harvest quota in its published season table.
Baiting Rules for Bear Hunting in Maine
Baiting is the shortest of the method seasons. You can place bait starting August 1, 2026, and you can hunt over it from August 31 through September 26.
Several location rules apply:
- On MDIFW Wildlife Management Areas, you need a permit to place bait. Contact the wildlife biologist in your administrative region.
- On Public Reserved Land, a permit from the Bureau of Parks and Lands is required to place bait.
- Most of Maine’s forest is privately owned, and written landowner permission is required by law in many situations, including placing bait.
The same bait rules apply whether you hunt or trap bears.
Hunting Bears with Hounds in Maine
The hound season runs September 14 through October 30, 2026, with a youth day with dogs on September 12. Dog training season is July 1 through August 27.
You need your hunting license, a bear permit and a dog training and hunting permit. Nonresidents must employ a resident Maine guide and hunt in the guide’s presence. The total number of nonresident clients hunting bears with dogs with one licensed resident guide may not exceed five.
Legal Weapons and Methods for Bear Hunting in Maine
Legal methods are still hunting, dogs, bait and trapping. Each has its own season window, covered above.
If you trap, the rules are specific. According to MDIFW’s bear trapping page, you may not have more than one trap set for bear at a time, and every bear trap must be tended at least once a day. You also cannot catch a bear in a trap and let another person kill or register it.
MDIFW’s trapping rules add an education requirement, such as the Maine Black Bear Trapping Education course, unless you meet one of the listed exceptions.
Legal Bears and Protected Bears in Maine
Maine’s published bear rules do not split bears into legal and protected categories by sex or size in the season table. The limit applies per hunter: one by hunting and one by trapping.
Two behaviors are off limits. A bear caught in a trap may not be used in a hunt or to train a dog for bear hunting. Releasing a dog to hunt bear outside the dog season is also prohibited.
Youth and Special Bear Hunts in Maine
Maine has two youth opportunities in 2026. The Youth Bear Hunting Days are August 28 and 29, and the Youth Bear Hunting with Dogs Day is September 12.
Both count toward the same two-bear annual limit. Young hunters thinking about other species can also check our grouse hunting season in Maine and rabbit hunting season in Maine articles.
Where to Hunt Bear in Maine: Public and Private Land
Most of Maine’s forest is privately owned, so landowner permission is a core part of planning. On public land, extra permits can apply for baiting and trapping.
| Land Type | What You Need |
|---|---|
| Private land | Landowner permission; written permission in some situations such as placing bait |
| MDIFW Wildlife Management Areas | Permit from MDIFW to hunt over bait or trap |
| Public Reserved Land | Permit from the Bureau of Parks and Lands to place bait |
Portable tree stands used with a valid bear-bait site permit may stay in place on Public Reserved and Nonreserved Lands during baiting season, but they must come down at the end of it.
Best Time to Hunt Bear in Maine
The best window depends on your method. Baiting has the earliest and shortest window, which ends September 26, while still hunting stays open to November 28.
MDIFW describes the season as opening the last Monday in August and coinciding with the end of the regular deer firearms season. If you want a bear and a deer on one license, the November overlap is the one period where residents do not need a separate bear permit.
Bear Hunting Hours, Sunday Hunting and Blaze Orange in Maine
MDIFW’s bear page does not list hunting hours or blaze orange specifics, so check the current lawbook for those details before you go. Maine’s general hunting rules apply during the bear season, and general hunting is allowed from the day after Labor Day to May 31 except where specifically prohibited.
Because the bear season overlaps with deer firearms season in November, expect other hunters in the woods during that stretch. Wear bright, visible clothing and confirm the current orange requirements with MDIFW.
Tagging, Check-In and Reporting a Bear in Maine
Bears taken by hunting or trapping follow the same transportation and registration rules. MDIFW’s bear trapping page directs you to its tagging, transportation and registration rules for details.
After you register a bear, MDIFW notifies hunters of the age of the bear they harvested on the Bear Hunting page of its website before the start of the next bear season, in late August.
Bear Hunting Season in Maine 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
When does bear season open in Maine in 2026?
Youth days are August 28 and 29. The general season opens August 31 and closes November 28.
Do you need a bear permit to hunt bear in Maine?
Yes, for most of the season. Residents can hunt bear without a bear permit only during the November firearms season on deer.
How many bears can you take in Maine?
Two per year: one by hunting and one by trapping.
Can nonresidents hunt bear with dogs?
Yes, but only by hiring a resident Maine guide and hunting in the guide’s presence.
When can you put out bait?
Bait may be placed starting August 1, 2026. Hunting over bait runs August 31 through September 26.