Rabbit Hunting Season in Maine: Snowshoe Hare Dates, Limits, and Rules
October 19, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in Maine comes with a surprise: there is no open season on cottontail rabbits at all. The only “rabbit” you can legally hunt here is the snowshoe hare, and you get one of the longest small-game seasons in the state to chase it.
This guide covers the 2026-27 dates, bag and possession limits, license basics, and the rules that shape how you hunt. Where official sources leave a gap, we say so, so you know what to confirm with Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) before you go.
Important Note: Maine IFW publishes the binding regulations each year. Treat this article as a planning tool and check the current IFW rulebook before every trip, because dates and rules can change.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in Maine
The statewide snowshoe hare season runs a long stretch from fall into spring. According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the 2026-27 season opens September 26, 2026 and closes March 31, 2027 in all Wildlife Management Districts.
The island of Vinalhaven in Knox County closes earlier. Its season runs from September 26, 2026 to February 27, 2027.
| Area | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
| All Wildlife Management Districts | September 26, 2026 | March 31, 2027 |
| Vinalhaven Island | September 26, 2026 | February 27, 2027 |
Some guide services quote shorter windows, such as December 1 through March 31 or October 1 through March 31. Those reflect when they run hunts, not the legal season. Follow the IFW dates.
The state’s own dates also come with a general rule. In its season booklet, IFW notes that all dates are inclusive except that hunting is prohibited on Sunday. We come back to that in the shooting hours section.
Timing matters for hunt quality too. Field & Stream’s writer found that March is when buck hares travel widely looking for breeding does, which keeps beagles busy. Late-season hunts also put you on snowshoes in deep cover, so plan for cold and travel time.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in Maine
You can hunt one species: the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). Maine IFW lists cottontail rabbit alongside spruce grouse and lynx as having no open season, so leave any cottontail you see alone.
The snowshoe hare is bigger than most people expect. Bulldog Camps in Jackman describes the animal as reaching about two feet long and weighing 3 to 5 pounds, with long, furred hind feet that act like snowshoes and a coat that turns white in winter, except the ear tips and eyelids.
Where do you find them? Snowshoe hares are abundant in northern and western Maine, thriving in young softwood stands, cedar swamps, and dense regenerating cuts, according to Divebomb Industries. Look for thick ground cover near feeding areas where young shoots and bark are plentiful.
- Legal: snowshoe hare
- Closed: cottontail rabbit
- Tell them apart: hares do not burrow, while rabbits do
Pro Tip: If you hunt southern Maine and see a brown cottontail-type rabbit, do not shoot. A white-coated animal with black ear tips in winter is your hare; a small brown rabbit in the brush is not a legal target.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in Maine
The limit is simple. IFW’s 2026-27 table sets the snowshoe hare daily bag limit at 4, with a possession limit of 8. The same limits apply on Vinalhaven.
That 4-and-8 structure has been in place for a long time. A Maine IFW species assessment notes the daily bag limit has stayed at four with a possession limit of eight since 1935, apart from a one-year exception in Somerset County in 1951.
Possession means everything you have on hand, including hares in your freezer at home. On a multi-day trip, you can take 4 on day one and 4 on day two, but you cannot take more until you reduce what you hold below 8.
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Snowshoe hare | 4 | 8 |
| Cottontail rabbit | No open season | No open season |
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in Maine
You need a valid Maine hunting license, and that is about it. Foggy Mountain Guide Service states that hunters must hold a Maine small game, big game, or junior hunting license, with no additional permits required.
A summary from Huntingseasons.org adds that Maine requires hunter education for adult hunting licenses unless you hold prior proof or an earlier license that qualifies.
Timing is worth planning around. Licenses in Maine are valid by calendar year, which matters for a hare trip that spills into early 2027. If you hunt in both fall 2026 and late winter 2027, expect to need a license for each calendar year.
Prices and nonresident fees change, and the research for this article did not turn up a current official fee schedule. Check IFW’s licensing page for exact costs before you buy.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in Maine
The shotgun is the standard tool. Guide services in Maine say the weapon of choice is a shotgun, and Foggy Mountain notes that .410, 20, 16, and 12 gauge are all suitable for hares. A light gauge works well because most shots are close and quick in thick cover.
Dogs are the main method. Beagles push hares in circles back toward waiting hunters, a style Wilderness Escape describes as guided rabbit hunting with hounds. If you don’t have a dog, you can still-hunt on snowshoes by moving slowly and scanning thick edges, or track hares after fresh snow.
- Hunting with beagles: a pack scatters to find hot scent and circles hares to the standers.
- Still-hunting: move slowly through cover and watch for an eye or a flicker of movement.
- Tracking in snow: follow fresh tracks and expect fast, close shots when a hare flushes.
The research did not confirm Maine’s specific rules on rifles, archery equipment, or shot types for hares, so check the IFW rulebook for current weapon restrictions. Maine’s historical records show hare could not be taken with snares or traps in earlier decades, so do not assume trapping is a legal way to take hare without confirming current law.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Maine
Sunday is the one firm point here. The IFW season booklet states that hunting is prohibited on Sunday, and that applies to dates listed in the table. Plan your hare trips for Monday through Saturday.
For daily shooting hours, the sources we reviewed did not give a hare-specific rule. Maine generally ties hunting hours to daylight, and IFW’s booklet separates “daylight hunting hours” from night hunting for species like coyote. Confirm the exact legal start and stop times for the date and location you plan to hunt.
For most hare hunters this matters less than it sounds. Guided hunts typically start around 8 AM, break for lunch at noon, and finish in the afternoon, which fits comfortably inside daylight hours.
Common Mistake: Planning a three-day weekend hunt and assuming Sunday counts. Because Sunday hunting is prohibited, a Friday-Saturday-Sunday plan gives you only two legal days.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in Maine
The research for this article did not turn up Maine’s current hunter orange requirement for hare hunters, so check IFW’s rules before you go. Many Maine hunters wear blaze orange during firearm seasons for other game anyway, and it costs little to add a hat or vest while you hunt thick cover where other hunters may be nearby.
On public land, Maine gives you plenty of room. Huntingseasons.org lists 69 or more wildlife management areas, public reserved lands, some state parks, and national forest land as public hunting areas. Federal land can add its own rules; the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge allows snowshoe hare hunting in accordance with state regulations and bag limits, with refuge-specific conditions.
Northern Maine has a special option. The North Maine Woods holds millions of acres of private commercial forestland open to public access, with areas near Millinocket, Ashland, and Jackman named as hotspots by Divebomb Industries. Access to some of that land can involve gates, fees, and checkpoints, so confirm requirements with the landowner or managing organization.
If you are building a broader Maine hunting calendar, our guides to deer hunting season in Maine, bear hunting season in Maine, and turkey hunting season in Maine cover the other big seasons you may overlap with. Hunters comparing New England rules can also read about deer hunting season in New Hampshire.
Before opening day, run through this short checklist:
- Confirm the season dates and the Vinalhaven closing date in the current IFW table.
- Carry a valid license and proof of hunter education if required.
- Keep within 4 per day and 8 in possession.
- Skip Sundays and leave cottontails alone.
- Verify hunter orange, shooting hours, and weapon rules with IFW.