Sportsmen and women seek the trophy whitetail deer of Southern Aroostook, the densest black bear population in New England, moose, migratory waterfowl, upland game and even wild turkey.
Every seasoned hunter knows the most memorable hunting trips are as much about the landscape as the hunt itself. Being in a beautiful place with an uninterrupted patchwork of forests and fields feels limitless and free. In The County, the wild thrives! Black bear, moose, ruffed grouse, turkey, and migratory waterfowl each have their own hunting season and licenses.
When it comes to finding where to hunt, you have two options: private land or public land. About 94% of Maine's forest land is privately owned, and more than half it is open to public access and recreation. This access is incredibly generous of landowners, and in order to preserve this tradition, everyone who ventures outdoors must understand the contribution that landowners make. Before venturing on private land, always ask for permission.
The County is a rural destination and you’ll find a quilted landscape of habitats from sprawling forests old and new, secluded marshes, field lines, rivers and pond banks, and of course the storied North Maine Woods. Be cautious of permit and license deadlines ahead of the regular hunting season like: Maine moose lottery, antlerless deer lottery, and special deer permit
Maine Wildlife Management Districts located in Aroostook County are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11.
Map and Descriptions of Districts >
All MDIFW-owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) are open for general law hunting and trapping. Information on WMAs, including maps can be found at mefishwildlife.com/wma. Removable stands or blinds, such as ladder, hang on, pop-up blinds etc. when placed for more than one day require a permit to hunt on MDIFW-owned WMAs and must be clearly labeled with the hunters' name and address. Permanent structures are prohibited. Permission is not needed if blind and stand are removed daily. Bear trapping and the placing or hunting over bait for any species is authorized by permit only. A person may utilize game cameras on WMAs without landowner permission. To obtain a permit, contact a Regional Wildlife Biologist at the appropriate Regional MDIFW office.
The hunting season for moose is the last week of September until the second week of November.
Complete Maine Moose Hunting Information >
To hunt for moose in Maine, you will need a permit; and due to high demand, these permits are administered in four ways only:
Ninety percent of all permits in Maine's 20 eligible Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs) are allocated to residents, no more than 8% to non-residents, and no more than 2% to hunting lodges. Your permit designates if you may hunt a cow or a bull and what the hunting zone you are assigned to.
April 1 through mid May - Apply to the Moose Lottery
Mid June - Moose Lottery Drawing Festival
The last week of September through the second week of November - hunts take place
The North Maine Woods is 3.5 million acres of undeveloped land managed for commercial logging operations. It is generally open to hunting and recreational opportunities, but never ATVing.
The North Maine Woods spans most all of the western side of Aroostook County and is known for non existent cell phone service and dirt roads. Active logging operations take place in this area year round and log trucks have the right of way on all of the sometimes narrow roads and bridges. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Deboullie Public Reserved Land, Ghost Trains, and some amazing water falls are located within the North Maine Woods. The limited roads leading to the North Maine Woods operate gatehouses to collect day use and camping fees (cash only) during the summer and early fall months, but also to help visitors understand the potential hazards and other cautions such as dogs wearing radio collars.
The remote back country wilderness areas of the North Maine Woods are the draw for seasoned sportsmen and women across North America. Complete North Maine Woods Information & Fees >
For generations, legendary sportsmen and women have hunted the wild lands of The County. The "Maine Grand Slam" is when a person bags a moose, deer, turkey, and black bear all in a single season - many try for this notable achievement, but few take the bag.
"For 19 years, I’ve had the best time at the best place in Maine to bear hunt! Yes, really 19 years!" Kim Spade, North Country Lodge
“If you want big, heavy, old deer, you're going to want to head to Northern Maine, where the deer are relatively few and far between. It's tough hunting up there, but the pressure is very low, and there's a lot of room to roam." - Nathan Bieber, Deer Biologist, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
"And to be honest, on a six-day rut hunt for Northern Maine bull moose, I want this to take its sweet time." - T. Edward Nickens, Field and Stream
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