Code of Maine Rules, Chapter 16, Section 137-16-08 - Moose Hunting | Code of Maine Rules

1. Moose Hunting Season and Districts

2. Areas Closed to Moose Hunting

3. Moose Permits

4. Restrictions

5. Moose Permit Auction

6. Moose Permit Auction by Conservation Organizations

7. Moose Permit Point System

8. Depredation Moose Hunt

9. Adaptive Moose Hunt

1. Moose Hunting Season and Districts

A. There shall be an open season for the hunting of moose within Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 27 and 28 beginning on the second Monday of October and remaining open for 6 days. In addition, within WMDs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 18, 19, 27 and 28, there will be an open season beginning on the Monday following the close of the bear baiting season and remaining open for 6 days.

B. There shall be an open season in WMDs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 19 to begin on the Monday preceding the opening day of the regular firearm deer season and remaining open for 6 days with antlerless only permits being allocated.

C. There shall be an open season for the hunting of moose within WMDs 16, 22, 23, 25 and 26, from the 4th Monday preceding Thanksgiving to the Saturday following Thanksgiving; and the Saturday preceding the first day of this season is an open day for the hunting of moose for residents of the state only.

D. Hunters drawn in the following WMDs may hunt in either WMD during the open season in those WMDs.

a. WMDs 7 and 13

b. WMDs 12 and 15

c. WMDs 14 and 17

d. WMDs 27 and 28.

2. Areas Closed to Moose Hunting

A. The following areas located within unorganized townships of Piscataquis County, WELS, shall be closed to moose hunting:

(1) That portion of Township 2, Range 9, located within the boundary of Baxter State Park;

(2) That portion of Township 6, Range 9, which is not designated as a wildlife sanctuary by Title 12, M.R.S. §12706; and

(3) Township 6, Range 10.

B. Any area closed to hunting by rule of the Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands.

3. Moose Permits

For the purposes of this rule, the following terms have the following meanings:

A.

(1) Antlerless moose: means a moose without antlers;

(2) Antlered moose: means a moose with antlers; and

(3) Any-moose: means a moose of either sex.

B. The number of moose hunting permits to be issued for each WMD shall be as follows:

2024 Moose Permit Allocations
WMD	# of Permits
WMD 1	450 antlered/175 antlerless
WMD 2	350 antlered/175 antlerless
WMD 3	200 antlered/125 antlerless
WMD 4	400 antlered/100 antlerless
WMD 4A (adaptive hunt)	550 antlerless
WMD 5	250 antlered/125 antlerless
WMD 6	200 antlered/60 antlerless
WMD 7 & 13 (combined)	140 antlered
WMD 8	200 antlered/150 antlerless
WMD 9	125 antlered
WMD 10	60 antlered
WMD 11	50 antlered
WMD 12 & 15 (combined)	40 antlered
WMD 14 & 17 (combined)	40 antlered
WMD 16	0 permits
WMD 18	40 antlered
WMD 19	60 antlered
WMD 27 & 28 (combined)	40 antlered

TOTAL: 2,645 antlered / 1,460 antlerless

B. Percentage to Nonresidents: Eight percent of the total number of permits allocated to each WMD shall be issued to nonresidents.

C. Exemption to the Assigned WMD: Each successful applicant will be assigned to hunt within the WMD of their choice except when the permit quota for that zone has already been filled. In cases where the applicant's first choice of zones has been filled, the applicant will be assigned to hunt in the next unfilled zone of his choice as indicated on his application.

D. All WMD assignments made as the result of the public drawing will be final except as provided within 12 M.R.S. §11110 or within 12 M.R.S. §11154.15.

4. Restrictions

A. Except as provided in Section 16.08-8, it shall be unlawful for any person to hunt moose after having killed or registered a moose during the open season of that calendar year.

B. It shall be unlawful for the holder of a moose hunting permit, or his subpermittee, to hunt moose outside the WMD designated on the permit.

C. It shall be unlawful for any permit holder or their subpermittee to hunt, take or possess a moose in violation of the specifications designated on the permit.

5. Moose Permit Auction

A. A moose permit bid for a department auction permit must be in the form and manner prescribed by the Commissioner.

B. An applicant must be at least 10 years of age to submit a bid as provided within 12 M.R.S. §11154.5.

C. The deadline for accepting a moose permit bid is 5:00 p.m. on February 15th which is not a Saturday, Sunday or holiday at the department office at 284 State Street, Augusta, Maine.

D. If more than one bid is submitted by an applicant, the highest bid is the only official bid.

E. Within 30 days of being awarded the permit, successful applicants must select a hunting zone and make payment to the department for the total bid amount or the permit will be offered to the unsuccessful applicant with the highest bid.

F. The zone assignment made by the department as a result of the successful bidder's choice is final.

G. The moose permit fee will be taken from the bid amount of successful applicants.

H. If two or more individuals bid the same amount in the auction and it is necessary to break the tie in order to award the permit, the following procedure will be used to determine the winner:

(1) First, a Maine resident will receive preference over an individual not a resident of Maine.

(2) Second, if a tie remains after residence is considered, the winner will be determined by a drawing of lots.

I. If an individual is awarded a permit as a result of the auction and then is drawn in the general permit drawing, the permit will be awarded as a result of the general permit drawing and the bid fee and bid amount will be returned, except that a person may choose to refuse the permit from the general permit drawing and retain the permit issued as a result of the auction. No individual may receive more than one permit as a result of the auction and general permit drawing.

6. Moose Permit Auction by Conservation Organizations

This section is written in accordance with 12 M.R.S. §11154.11.

A. Moose auction permits may be made available to nonprofit conservation organizations, or chapters thereof, for auction.

B. Organizations to auction the permits will be selected by competitive bid.

C. The participant will conduct the auction/sale event prior to March 31st.

D. The auction/sale event will be conducted under standards of good faith and commercial reasonableness, and the participant will use its best effort to obtain maximum return.

E. All revenue generated by the auction/sale of the fund-raising permits by a conservation organization will be transferred to the department within 60 calendar days of the event or by June 15th of the permit year, whichever comes first. When permits are sold by auction, auctioneers shall accept only a full bid amount consistent with commercial auction practices.

F. Within 30 days of being awarded the permit, successful applicants must select a hunting zone. The zone assignment made by the department as a result of the successful bidder's choice is final.

G. The moose permit fee will be taken from the bid amount of successful applicants.

H. No individual may receive more than one permit as a result of the auctions and general permit drawing.

7. Moose Permit Point System

A. Bonus points are awarded if a person is unsuccessful in obtaining a moose permit through the drawing after having completed all requirements as listed in rule and law.

(1) One point shall be awarded for each consecutive year the applicant applies and is not selected for a moose permit.

(2) Each bonus point accumulated gives the individual an additional chance in the drawing for which they have legally applied.

(3) Bonus points are awarded for the moose drawing only.

(4) Bonus points are not transferable.

B. Bonus points are tracked by a person's name and date of birth. To receive bonus points the applicant must apply using the same name and date of birth each year that they apply.

C. Each applicant is entered in the drawing and receives a random number for each chance purchased in the current year and one for each bonus point collected.

D. Bonus Points are forfeited if:

(1) A person skips 2 consecutive years in applying for the moose drawing by failing to purchase a chance.

(2) A person obtains a permit through the drawing for moose, including any permit obtained as an alternate.

(3) A person is selected for a permit and later declines and/or fails to meet the criteria for legally possessing that permit.

(4) A person is found to have not legally applied in the current year.

(5) A person fails to apply using the same name and date of birth each year that they apply.

E. Bonus points are NOT forfeited if:

(1) An applicant has completed all requirements as listed in rule and law but the application is rejected due to an error by the department or an agent of the department. A bonus point awarded under this criteria is treated like any point earned in section 7-A above.

8. Depredation Moose Hunt

A. Locations: Designated areas within Wildlife Management Districts 3 and 6, situated in the County of Aroostook, will be open to the hunting of moose by permit only during a specified period between August 15th and December 31st, annually. The Commissioner will determine the moose hunting season dates and the number of moose hunting permits to be issued. Each permit will specify the number and sex of moose to be taken, the timing of the hunt, and any other special conditions deemed necessary.

B. Persons eligible to participate in the hunt: Thirty (30) moose hunting permits are allocated to disabled veterans to participate in controlled moose hunts under 12 M.R.S. §12402. Each selected disabled veteran will receive an any-moose permit.

(1) At least twenty (20) of these permits must be issued to residents who possess a valid disabled veteran hunting license.

(2) No more than ten (10) permits must be issued to nonresident disabled veterans who possess a valid big game hunting license.

(3) A "disabled veteran" means a person who is a veteran and has a service connected disability evaluated at 50% or more.

(4) These permits will be issued in cooperation with the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Maine Veteran's Services to provide logistical support to the selected disabled veterans during their moose hunt.

(5) All selections are final: permits may not be transferred or "swapped."

C. Training for eligible participants:

Each veteran selected must attend a training session conducted by the department before being issued their moose hunting permit. A selected veteran who fails to attend the required training session will forfeit their permit; forfeited permits will be issued in turn to veterans selected by Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Maine Veteran's Services.

D. Other Parameters for the Depredation Moose Hunt:

(1) The Commissioner will not issue depredation moose hunting permits referred to in this section during the regular moose hunting season.

(2) Moose taken under these permits are in addition to the statewide bag limit. Moose hunting permits issued under this section are exempt from the provisions of Section 7. Moose Permit Point System.

(3) All other laws, and rules relating to moose hunting shall apply.

9. Adaptive Management Hunt Location

A. WMD 4A-North: Beginning at the point where the St. Aurelie Road intersects with the Quebec Border in Big Six township then northerly along the Quebec-Maine border to the point where the American Realty Rd. intersects the Maine-Quebec border in T11RI7 WELS; then following the American Realty Rd. easterly to the Maibec-Connector Rd. (also known as the Thibodeau Connector Rd.) south to the intersection with the Ross Mountain Rd., then east on the Ross Mountain Rd. to the intersection with the St. Juste Connector Rd., then southwesterly to the intersection with the St. Juste Rd., then easterly along the St. Juste Rd. to the intersection with the St. Aurelie Rd., then south along the St. Aurelie Rd. to the intersection with the Caucomgomoc Road. Then westerly along the St. Aurelie Road to the Quebec border,

B. WMD 4A-South: Beginning at the point where the Golden Rd. intersects the Maine-Quebec border in T5R20 WELS; then following the Maine-Quebec border northerly to the point where the St. Aurelie Rd. intersects with the Quebec border in Big Six township: then following the St. Aurelie Rd. easterly to the intersection with the Caucomgomoc Rd., the southeasterly along the Caucomgomoc Rd. to the intersection with the Russell Mountain Rd. then southwesterly along the Russell Mountain Rd. until the junction with the 490 Rd. the southerly along the 490 Rd. to the Golden Rd., then westerly to the start at the Canadian Border.

C. Adaptive Moose Hunt Season Dates and Permit Allocations

(1) The number of permits issued for the 2024 Adaptive Hunt Unit will be as follows:

DATES	Subunit A-North	Subunit A-South	TOTAL PERMITS
	ANTLERLESS	ANTLERLESS
Oct. 21-26, 2024	100	100	200
Oct. 28- Nov. 2, 2024	75	75	150
Nov. 4 - Nov. 9, 2024	100	100	200

D. Training for eligible participants

Each hunter selected must attend a training session conducted by the department before being issued their moose hunting permit. A selected hunter who fails to attend the required training session will forfeit their permit.

E. Other Parameters for the Adaptive Management Moose Hunt

All other laws and rules relating to moose hunting shall apply.

Code of Maine Rules09 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE137 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE - GENERALChapter 16 - HUNTINGSection 137-16-08 - Moose Hunting

Code of Maine Rules
09 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE
137 - DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE - GENERAL
Chapter 16 - HUNTING
Section 137-16-08 - Moose Hunting