The longer deer shooting season starts on Saturday.
There is a season for shooting in places where there are a lot of deer but it is not safe to use guns, like in areas with a lot of homes or on islands in the water that are hard to get to.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says the goal is to let the state control deer numbers in places where guns don’t work well while still protecting private landowners and other recreational users.
You can only hunt in certain areas, and the season finishes on December 14. Archery season lasts from October 5 to November 1, right before gun season starts. Saturday, November 2, is only for people who live in Maine. For deer, the general gun season runs from November 4th to 30th.
As with gun shooting, you need to ask permission to be on private land and follow any signs that say “no hunting” or “no trespassing.” Keep your bow pointed in a safe direction and only notch your arrow when it’s safe to shoot.
Always know your goal and what’s beyond it; Make a plan so the meat doesn’t go bad in the heat, and don’t forget to wear hunter orange—though that’s only needed in wildlife management areas where hunting with guns is also allowed.
Archery hunters should remember to check for any special rules, like city laws that might not let crossbows be used.
Also, people who hunt with an arrow should know that the law changed in 2024 to include crossbows in the bigger category of arrows. With a license, you can now bowhunt with a bow and arrow or a crossbow.
No longer do hunters need a special pass to hunt with a crossbow.
As long as the hunter has an extended archery permit, they can use a crossbow. However, they can’t use one during muzzleloader season.
People with a bow license can hunt game all year, except for deer, when they need a muzzleloader license.
You have to take a course in archery and crossbow safety or have had an adult archery license in Maine after 1979 or a crossbow pass before 2024 in order to get an archery license.
People who are Native American do not have to take a safety lesson.